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As any seasoned Dungeons & Dragons player knows, the feats your character has at their disposal can significantly shape their journey through the fantastical realms of D&D. These chosen abilities, representing specialized techniques and practices, give your character an edge in the heat of battle or in overcoming the many challenges they’ll encounter.
One such critical attribute that holds the potential to influence your character’s survivability and overall effectiveness is their Constitution score. But why is Constitution important, and which feats can give your character a vital boost in this area? Let’s delve deeper into the game mechanics to find out.
The Role of Constitution in D&D 5E
In the world of D&D, Constitution is not merely about physical endurance; it encapsulates your character’s health and stamina, their resilience to injury, disease, and other physical hardships. The Constitution modifier is added to a character’s hit points (HP) at every level, impacting their capability to withstand damage in combat scenarios. Furthermore, Constitution saving throws, which test the character’s ability to push past physical limits, are key in many situations, especially when dealing with spells that wear down physical resilience.
Having a high Constitution can mean the difference between standing tall in the face of adversity or falling in the critical moments. As such, enhancing this attribute can be instrumental in your character’s growth and survival.
Why You Should Consider Feats That Increase Constitution
Constitution is not just crucial for classes like Fighters and Barbarians, who are often at the front line of battles, absorbing damage. It is equally vital for spell-casters like Wizards and Sorcerers, ensuring they stay on their feet to continue weaving their arcane wonders. An increase in Constitution means an increase in hit points and improved resilience to withstand debilitating conditions and effects.
Selecting feats that bolster your Constitution can greatly enhance your character’s resilience, allowing them to be more effective in their chosen role, whether that be holding the front line, supporting the party, or dealing damage from the rear.
Top D&D 5E Feats That Increase Constitution
It’s time to explore some of the most beneficial feats that can provide a direct or indirect boost to your character’s Constitution. While some feats may directly increase your Constitution score, others might offer health benefits that effectively serve the same purpose.
1. Tough
An incredibly straightforward and effective feat, Tough gives your character more hit points. For each level, your hit points increase by 2. This is in addition to the hit points you gain from your class progression. While it does not directly increase your Constitution score, it increases your hit points as if your Constitution was higher, effectively giving you the durability that a high Constitution provides.
Tough is an ideal choice for any character class and particularly shines for those who often find themselves in the heat of battle, like Fighters and Paladins. However, it can also be a game-changer for traditionally squishy classes like Sorcerers and Wizards, making them much harder to take down.
2. Durable
Durable is a great choice for enhancing Constitution, but it comes with a prerequisite: your Constitution score must be 13 or higher. Durable increases your Constitution score by 1, up to a maximum of 20. But the real benefit of this feat lies in its effect on hit point regeneration. When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, the minimum number of hit points you regain equals twice your Constitution modifier (minimum of 2). This ensures you get a decent amount of healing during short rests.
Durable can be a beneficial feat for classes that rely on short rests to regain their abilities, such as Warlocks and Monks. It ensures they are in peak fighting condition more often, ready to dive back into the fray.
3. Resilient
Resilient is an all-around solid choice for any character looking to improve their Constitution. It offers a +1 increase to Constitution (or another ability of your choice) and gives you proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability.
This feat is particularly valuable for classes that typically have poor Constitution saving throws, such as most spellcasters. With their concentration spells frequently targeted, having a higher chance of maintaining those spells when damage breaks concentration can be invaluable.
4. Chef
Adding a delightful flavor to our list is the Chef feat. To qualify for this, your character’s Constitution or Wisdom score must be 13 or higher. This feat not only increases your Constitution or Wisdom by 1, but it also equips you with culinary prowess that offers sustenance and rejuvenation to your party.
With an hour of work or when you finish a long rest, you can cook special food provided you have ingredients. A number of creatures equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus can regain extra hit points equal to your proficiency bonus on a short rest by consuming this food. Moreover, you can cook treats that give temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. Although Chef doesn’t directly raise your Constitution, the hit point boosts it provides effectively increase your party’s endurance, mirroring the effect of high Constitution.
Characters from any class who often find themselves in a supportive role will benefit most from Chef. It’s also an excellent choice for role-playing enthusiasts who enjoy adding depth to their character’s persona.
5. Dragon Fear
If your character boasts a Dragonborn heritage, the Dragon Fear feat could be a thematic and useful addition to your arsenal. This feat gives a +1 to Strength, Constitution, or Charisma, and the fearsome presence of your dragon ancestry allows you to force creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute.
Dragon Fear can be an excellent strategic feat, not only for the Constitution boost but also for the control it can exert on the battlefield. It’s a great fit for Dragonborn characters who wish to inspire fear in their enemies and capitalize on the unique aspects of their heritage.
| Feat Name | Prerequisite | Direct Constitution Increase | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tough | None | No | For each level, your hit points increase by 2. |
| Durable | Constitution 13 or higher | Yes, +1 | When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, the minimum number of hit points you regain equals twice your Constitution modifier (minimum of 2). |
| Resilient | None | Yes, +1 | You gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability (Constitution, in this context). |
| Chef | Constitution or Wisdom 13 or higher | Yes, +1 (Constitution or Wisdom) | With an hour of work or when you finish a long rest, you can cook special food that provides extra hit points on a short rest. You can also prepare treats that grant temporary hit points. |
| Dragon Fear | Dragonborn | Yes, +1 (Strength, Constitution, or Charisma) | Forces creatures within 30 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. |
Honorable Mentions
While the above feats are the cream of the crop for boosting Constitution or its effects, a few others deserve an honorable mention. Although they may not directly impact Constitution, they offer benefits that can enhance a character’s endurance or survivability, which are the broader goals of having a high Constitution.
1. Inspiring Leader
This feat does not directly increase your Constitution, but it’s a fantastic way to improve the overall endurance of your party. With a rousing speech of up to 10 minutes, you can inspire your allies, bolstering their resolve for the fight to come. Each chosen creature gains temporary hit points equal to your level plus your Charisma modifier. It’s a potent feat for characters with high Charisma who often find themselves in the role of the party’s face or leader.
2. Healer
Again, this feat doesn’t directly increase your Constitution score, but it improves your ability to heal and restore hit points, which can be just as crucial. With the Healer feat, you can use a healer’s kit to restore 1d6 + 4 hit points to a creature, plus additional hit points equal to the creature’s maximum number of hit dice. This feat is an excellent pick for characters who often find themselves in a supportive or healing role in the party.
3. Sentinel
Sentinel enhances your battlefield control rather than your Constitution, keeping enemies engaged and protecting your more vulnerable allies. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, its speed drops to 0 for the rest of the turn. This stops any movement they may have been using to approach your squishier party members. Enemies also provoke opportunity attacks even if they take the Disengage action, and when a creature within your reach makes an attack against a target other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the attacking creature.
Remember, choosing feats should always align with your character’s role and your gameplay style.
Choosing the Right Feat for Your Character
When it comes to enhancing your Constitution through feats in D&D 5E, the choices are far from one-size-fits-all. Your character’s class, personal style of play, and role within the party are all critical factors that should influence your feat selection. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Consider Your Character’s Role
If your character often finds themselves at the forefront of battles, feats like Tough or Durable, which improve your hit points, can be invaluable. These feats will help your character withstand more damage, keeping them in the fight longer.
For characters who focus on spellcasting, especially those who often cast concentration spells, Resilient is an excellent choice. The boost to Constitution saving throws helps maintain concentration when taking damage.
2. Don’t Ignore Indirect Benefits
Feats like Chef or Inspiring Leader don’t directly increase Constitution but offer valuable support to your team. They help keep your party members on their feet, effectively enhancing group survivability.
3. Play to Your Character’s Strengths
If your character is a Dragonborn, embracing feats like Dragon Fear allows you to capitalize on your racial features while also enhancing your Constitution. Always consider the unique aspects of your character when choosing feats.
4. Role-Playing Matters
Don’t overlook the role-playing implications of the feats you choose. Feats can add layers to your character’s personality and backstory. Is your character a culinary enthusiast, healing allies with delicious food? Or are they an inspiring leader, boosting the morale of their team with rousing speeches? Choose feats that complement your character’s narrative as well as their mechanics.
By considering these points, you’ll be well-equipped to choose the perfect feat to enhance your character’s Constitution and overall resilience.
Conclusion
In the dynamic and unpredictable world of Dungeons & Dragons, the Constitution score often plays a pivotal role in determining a character’s survival and success. Whether your hero is a hardy frontline fighter, a crafty rogue, a wise cleric, or a powerful wizard, enhancing Constitution through strategic feat selection can make a world of difference.
From direct Constitution-boosting feats like Durable and Resilient, to health-enhancing feats like Tough, or even supportive feats like Chef, there are myriad ways to fortify your character against the perils of your Dungeon Master’s campaign. Understanding your character’s role, leveraging their unique strengths, and aligning with your personal playstyle are all key to making the right choices.
Remember, D&D is a game of creativity and imagination. While strategic optimization is undoubtedly important, it’s equally crucial to choose feats that resonate with your character’s narrative and personality, as they add depth to your D&D experience.
