D&D 5E Cartomancer feat - OP at high levels

[Paul Farquhar]

The physical version is also very expensive, and the digital version is missing the booklet describing the cards.

 

[ECMO3]

The wording is not very clear but my interpretation of "cast the spell within" is that you need a spell slot available to do so.

Assuming that interpretation it doesn't seem overpowered. That would mean no free spellslot, although you do get the flexibility of being able to select a spell that you don't personally know but could have picked from your class, combined with a free Quickened/Subtle spell metamagic once per day.

You are right it would not be OP if this was the case, but that is a departure from how most items are worded.

 

[ECMO3]

A level 1 cleric could NOT pick a 9th level spell because the feature specifies you need to have spell slots for that level. That's the limiter, and that the spell is somewhere on your class' spell list.

But as a 1st level Cleric/16th level Bard I could pick a 9th level Cleric spell since I would have 9th level slots!

 

[ECMO3]

As written it gives you an extra spell of a high level, which is pretty strong. It doesn't get around the inability to cast a spell as a bonus action unless the other spell is a cantrip, so that doesn't really break it by allowing two high level spells to be cast in the same round. I also don't think that getting one spell of another class list is broken. Bards do it as part of their class.

I think it's strong, but not overpowered.

What is broken IMO is being able to cast two 9th level spells in one day ... or 2 6th level spells at 11th level.

 

[ECMO3]

I dunno... a normal party would have probably two to three full casters in it (maybe even four), which means it has probably 6-12 spells of 7th-8th-9th level at their disposal. Is having one more in that range really breaking anything?

I've never played Tier 4 so I have no experience, but just my impulse response feels like adventures at that Tier are already so gonzo that there's little that can really overpower anything (this feat or anything else). Maybe I'm wrong. Has anyone actually seen this feat in action in a Tier 4 game and seen the encounter get broken by its use?

I think it is rare to have more than one full caster in a party (not counting multiclasses with non full casters).

9th level spells are world changing and having just one of them is extremely powerful.

The other thing to note is this makes multiclass full casters much more viable. A 10th level cleric/10th level Wizard is not that powerful, but a 10th level Cleric/10th level Wizard that could cast Wish every day is much, much better.

 

[ECMO3]

And if no one ever actually uses it, then is it something to concern oneself about? Therein lies the deeper question.

Is a problem that never occurs actually a problem?

There is a reason I am asking about it and it is NOT becuase I don't intend to ever use it ....

 

[Stormonu]

Stuff like this is why I don't play with Feats...

I have news for you. Spells are ten times worse.

 

[ECMO3]

Seems to me Elven Accuracy is at very least third on most folks' list, coming after only Lucky and either Resilient (Con) for spellcasters or the relevant -5 hit/+10 damage feats. And the only reason it's not as popular as Lucky is that it's race-locked, though that's not saying much considering it's locked to the 2nd and 3rd most popular races in the game (Elves and Half-Elves, varies as to which is 2nd and which is 3rd). Given the bitter, bitter complaints about GWM/SS/PAM I see on this board, I'm inclined to think those are pretty common.

I don't think any of those feats are broken like this one appears to be. Although I have seen a lot of people take Resilient (Con) I think that is actually a weak feat overall. There are many better and more impactful feats available to spell casters IMO and the value of both hit points and concentration are overblown. Resilient (Wisdom) is a much better feat.

GWM is also generally underpowered IMO, mostly because it only works with a few weapons and the damage boost is not that great when you consider chance to hit and compare it to an ASI. It is a great feat on a Barbarian, but Barbarian is a weak class and needs all the help it can get. Other than a Barbarian though you are generally better off with something else IMO.

Elven Accuracy and Sharshooter are both top tier feats, but not really any better than Drow High Magic, Fey Touched, Lucky, second chance or a host of other feats IMO.

 

[Maxperson]

What is broken IMO is being able to cast two 9th level spells in one day ... or 2 6th level spells at 11th level.

I think that's strong, but not broken. Broken is almost always in the eye of the beholder, though.

 

[ECMO3]

An elf-rogue-archer in my game used it constantly with Tasha's "Steady Aim" feature.
Don't move, bonus action to get advantage, just keep crit-fishing.

That can be very effective on a Rogue, but not moving can be pretty debilitating and is highly situational as well.

I am taking EA for the first time on a PC I am playing now (Shaddar Kai Paladin 2/Arcane Trickster 4/Bard X). That will be a crit fishing build with 2d6 sneak, Divine Smite and Psychich Blades.

My main problem with EA is it is a half feat that does not give you any new spells or actions. So when you compare it to stuff like Fey Touched,Gift of the Gem Dragon or Tavern Brawler it seems to come up short to me.