Dungeons & Dragons 5e Element 133 Class Feature: Favor

The Charismatic hero has the ability to acquire minor aid from anyone he or she meets. By making a favor check, a Charismatic hero can gain important information without going through the time and trouble of doing a lot of research. Favors can also be used to acquire the loan of equipment or documents, or to receive other minor assistance in the course of an adventure.

To make a favor check, roll a d20 and add the character’s favor bonus, equal to the character’s tier x 2. The DM sets the DC based on the scope of the favor being requested. The DC ranges from 10 for a simple favor to as high as 30 for formidable and highly dangerous, expensive, or illegal favors. A Charismatic hero may spend 1 action point to halve the DC of the check. A Charismatic hero can’t take 10 or 20 on this check, nor can the hero retry the check for the same (or virtually the same) favor. Favors should help advance the plot of an adventure. A favor that would enable a character to avoid an adventure altogether should always be unavailable to the character, regardless of the result of a favor check.

The DM should carefully monitor a Charismatic hero’s use of favors to ensure that this ability isn’t abused. The success or failure of a mission shouldn’t hinge on the use of a favor, and getting a favor shouldn’t replace good roleplaying or the use of other skills. The DM may disallow any favor deemed to be disruptive to the game.