Wizard Feats

[Satyrn]

Expanded mind : you can prepare 5 more spells.

Now there's a feat I'd take!

 

[FrogReaver]

Although it’s often overlooked, The best wizard feat is alert. Going first for a wizard is that important.

 

[jgsugden]

Being able to paralyze anytime you cast a reasonable damage spell in exchange for 21 (or even just 15) damage is not really balanced. I would *always* do that when casting any single target damage spell of 6 dice or more.

You'd also need to specify how the blind/paralyze/etc... ends.

I think this would be better handled by not introducing a feat, but instead introducing spells they can prepare that do these things. For example, a 3rd level spell that deals 2d6 damage, and continues to do a d6/ round and paralyzes certain types of creatures on a failed save (save ends both) would be reasonable.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I will probably regret even thinking about this one, but something that would be useful for just about any caster (perhaps especially sorcerers) is:

Sorcerous Aptitude:
Prerequisite: the ability to cast a 2nd (or higher) level spell
You gain the know 1 metamagic effect picked from the metamagic list and have 2 sorcery aptitude points to power it. You regain the sorcery aptitude points after completing a long or short rest. If you have access to sorcery points, you can use them on this metamagic in addition to the sorcery aptitude points, but the sorcery aptitude points cannot be used on a metamagic not chosen by this feat or for spell slots or to power class features.

A common complaint on the forums is that sorcerers don't get to pick enough metamagics, so this helps with that.

There could probably be a similar warlock-derived feat that gives you one invocation, and if it the invocation takes a warlock spell slot to use, you can use a spell slot from any class.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Although it’s often overlooked, The best wizard feat is alert. Going first for a wizard is that important.

Indeed!

Also, don't overlook:

Tough or Durable or Resilient = less squishy wizard
Actor or Linguist or Skilled or Prodigy or Observant = excellent for the other pillars of play

 

[Satyrn]

I will probably regret even thinking about this one, but something that would be useful for just about any caster (perhaps especially sorcerers) is:

Sorcerous Aptitude:
Prerequisite: the ability to cast a 2nd (or higher) level spell
You gain the know 1 metamagic effect picked from the metamagic list and have 2 sorcery aptitude points to power it. You regain the sorcery aptitude points after completing a long or short rest. If you have access to sorcery points, you can use them on this metamagic in addition to the sorcery aptitude points, but the sorcery aptitude points cannot be used on a metamagic not chosen by this feat or for spell slots or to power class features.

A common complaint on the forums is that sorcerers don't get to pick enough metamagics, so this helps with that.

There could probably be a similar warlock-derived feat that gives you one invocation, and if it the invocation takes a warlock spell slot to use, you can use a spell slot from any class.

I'd prefer to just make them plain ol' sorcery points, for simplicity if nothing else. And then it also works just like Martial Adept, which gives a plain ol' Superiority Die.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I'd prefer to just make them plain ol' sorcery points, for simplicity if nothing else. And then it also works just like Martial Adept, which gives a plain ol' Superiority Die.

I thought about that, but I was trying to get around "you can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for your level."

Edit: Maybe "temporary sorcery points"?

 

[Satyrn]

I thought about that, but I was trying to get around "you can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for your level."

That is indeed an annoyingly worded restriction. I'd probably just have the feat explicitly tell the reader to ignore it.

 

[5ekyu]

Feat - Arcane Master
+1 to Int, Wis or Cha
When you use a reaction to identify a spell being cast, you may use that same reaction to cast Counterspell (provided you can) regardless of the succes or failure of the roll to tell which spell it is.

 

[Quickleaf]

My group feels like there aren't any good feats for wizards to take which leads to all wizards (and sorcerers) to pretty much always take the ASI and jack up their spell casting stat. I am tinkering around with ideas and I want them to be good enough that a 4th or 8th level wizard would take this instead of the +2 INT.

I was looking for some constructive criticism on the feat below. It is based around the idea that spell casters can trade damage for an additional effect. The one concern I have is that it feels a bit like casting 2 spells at one time but personally i am okay with that....


Enhanced Spellcasting
Prerequisite: Can cast at least one 2nd level spell (is this even needed?)

Skilled in manipulating eldritch forces, you can replace some of the damage dice from a spell with an effect. When you cast a spell with an instantaneous effect that causes damage and targets one creature you can:

swap out 2 dice of damage for the ability to restrain the target of the spell (spell DC to negate)
swap out 4 dice of damage for the ability to blind the target of the spell (spell DC to negate)
swap out 6 dice of damage for the ability to paralyze the target of the spell (spell DC to negate)

The target of the spell must take damage for the secondary effect to occur.

A 6th-level wizard casts a fire bolt at a fleeing enemy 100 feet away, swaps out both damage dice to restrain the target. The flames deal no damage but...uh... somehow wrap around the target and bind it in place. Huh, that seems a little weird narratively – fire ensnaring a creature? and dealing no damage while wrapped around them?

But wait! How long does the restrained condition last on the target? Is it concentration, up to 1 minute (which is typical)? Then we've just allowed out wizard to replicate entangle (a 1st level spell) at a greater range than entangle itself can accomplish using only a cantrip!

Upon attaining 7th-level, the wizard learns and casts wall of fire in a battle against a solo villain, hoping to trade out 4 of the damage dice when a creature passes through to blind it. However, because the wall of fire doesn't have a target, this feat cannot be used with that spell. Even though the narrative makes perfect sense.

I feel like this falls into the trap may homebrew feats do: the story behind it doesn't serve to further clarify the character's theme/personality/style.

I mean vaguely it's a "control" mage, but "control" really doesn't correspond to anything in the fiction.

An opposing example would be back in the playtest that had "implement feats" (IIRC one was called Golden Wyvern Adept or something) which were to spellcasters kind of what like Crossbow Expert, et cetera, are to warriors.

There's also a red flag right there in your title: Enhanced Spellcasting. Who wouldn't want Enhanced Spellcasting? So many characters in this game have spellcasting ability. This would be so hugely attractive that it would start to edge into that territory of "must take." And that's something to be avoided in feat design.

EDIT: Not to leave with just a critique, but to contribute something positive, I'd suggest starting with the story first...

For example, let's say True Names play a significant role in your game – not just of fiends but of other fey and other spirits. You might devise a True Namer feat that grants the PC benefits to spellcasting when it knows a creature's True Name, and conversely can be used to help a friendly creature whose True Name is known to the caster shake off charm/possession/shapeshifting effects.

Another example, let's say you have a player who loves to blow stuff up with magic – I've heard those types of players are out there. You might create a Concussive Magic spell that allows them to upcast evocation spells in a way unique to the feat, forcing Strength/Constitution saves to remain standing and not be pushed backward and/or knocked prone. You could even include bits about dealing extra damage to untended objects to simulate blowing stuff up. Possibly give them a reaction feature to absorb kinetic energy that would knock them prone/push them, requiring the expenditure of spell slots to use.