Squat Nimbleness Feat 5e: Should You Take It?

Last Updated on November 15, 2023

Squat Nimbleness

Prerequisite: Dwarf or a Small race

You are uncommonly nimble for your race. You gain the following benefits:

  • Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1 to a maximum of 20.
  • Increase your walking speed by 5 feet.
  • You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics or Athletics skill (your choice).
  • You have advantage on any Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check you make to escape from being grappled.

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

What Is the Squat Nimbleness Feat?

The Squat Nimbleness feat can only be taken if your character is a dwarf or another small race (Gnome, Halfing, etc.).

This feat increases your Strength or Dexterity stat by 1 (Up to a max of 20), increases your walking speed by 5 feet, grants you proficiency in either the Acrobatics or Athletics skills, and grants you advantage on any strength or dexterity checks you make to escape from being grappled. 

Now that you’ve read up on this fairly wordy feat, let’s dive into the details. 

Should I Get This Feat on My Dwarf or Gnome? 

This feat is fairly decent. As most small races typically have 25 movement speed, this feat grants you an extra 5, which catches you up to the average, which is fairly nice.

The extra +1 to Dex or Strength is also pretty good as well as the acrobatics or athletics proficiency addition. Now my stipulation with this feat is the advantage on strength checks or dex checks against being grappled.

Yes, the addition of this is good, but if you’re in a campaign or playing with a DM who doesn’t have the tendency to grapple you then this is useless.

If you’re playing a rogue, fighter, or melee class, the bonus to dex or str is good, as is the + 5 walking speed (for any class).

Proficiency in acrobatics or athletics is good for a melee class, but then again, most of them grant one or the other – some even both. For a caster this isn’t optimal.

If you’re playing a dwarf, gnome, or halfling melee class, I’d say consider taking this feat as you can make use of a lot of its benefits, but if you’re playing a full-on caster, I’d say feel free to skip over this feat.

Is the Mobile Feat Better Than Squat Nimbleness? 

The short answer is: Yes.  Mobile Feat is superior. 

Mobile is indeed a great feat. You get an extra 10 movement speed, dashing over difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement, and your melee attacks don’t provoke attacks of opportunity. 

In my opinion, those abilities are far better than what Squat Nimbleness provides.

Squat nimbleness does provide you with the means to escape grapples and provides a stat bonus and proficiency.

For combat purposes though, mobile is more widely taken for the simple reason that it allows melee classes a means of escape and an extra 10 feet of movement.

Plus, ANY race can take mobile.

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