In addition to strong abilities and impressive values, special talents in Dungeons & Dragons can also be more useful than one might think. In this list, we present 7 talents that are even more effective than improved ability scores.
Every 4 levels in a class, players may choose whether to grant their characters an ability score increase or a talent that “refines” the character a bit more.
Ability score increase: Increase one ability score of your choice by 2 points or two ability scores of your choice by 1 point each. No ability can exceed a value of 20 through this.
Players Handbook (2024), page 202
While the ability score increase can make the character more powerful through improved values and simplify die checks, talents are particularly suitable for players who already have a clearer idea of their character and their role in the game and wish to improve in a specific area – a so-called talent.
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This list only considers talents that can be found in the standard Players Handbook (version 2024) of Dungeons & Dragons, so no expansions are required to access them. A placement on this list deserves an honorable mention, as it builds on two individual talents that can be very powerful when used together.
Honorable Mention: Sentinel and Polearm Master
- Players Handbook (2024), page 207, page 208
Polearm Master
- Ability score increase by 1 (either Dexterity or Strength) to a maximum of 20
- Polearm Strike: After attacking with a quarterstaff, spear, or a weapon with the Heavy and Reach property, you can use your bonus action to make another attack (1d4 bludgeoning damage)
- Reactive Strike: Reactions can be taken as soon as a target enters the radius, not just when they leave the radius
Sentinel
- Ability score increase by 1 (either Dexterity or Strength) to a maximum of 20
- Sentinel: If a creature within the player’s radius takes the Disengage action or attacks a target other than the player, the player can make an opportunity attack.
- Stop: After a successful opportunity attack, the target loses the rest of its movement speed until its next turn
The two talents Sentinel and Polearm Master immediately form an exception at the beginning of this list, as they are solid on their own but become really strong talents for a melee fighter, especially in combination.
Since the talents are particularly effective in close combat, they are suitable for the tank of the group who protects their allies and ensures that their enemies do not escape.
With the reactive strike of a Polearm Master, characters can use their opportunity attack as soon as an opponent moves into their range, not only when they try to leave the radius.
Due to the ability of the Sentinel (“Stop”), the opponent also loses the rest of their movement speed until their next turn and cannot move away from the user.
Once the opponents are “trapped” by the user with this tactic, another ability of the Sentinel comes into play. When an opponent in the user’s radius attacks a different target, the Sentinel can immediately make their opportunity attack. And thus, the whole game begins anew.
The two talents stop any opponents’ attempts to bypass the user, as they only need to be equipped with a suitable weapon. They turn a character into a dangerous wall that is hard to get past unscathed.
