3 Magic Feats: Magical Weapon, Magic Manipulation, & Cantrip Master

[ro]

Would you take these feats? How would you improve/balance them?

Magical Weapon
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell

When you create a magical effect that targets another creature, a magical weapon appears in your hand. If your target is within 5 feet of you, it looks like a melee weapon; otherwise it looks like a ranged weapon. You gain the following benefit:
- When you cast a spell or use another racial or class feature that causes one or more creatures other than you to make a saving throw, you instead make a spell attack roll for each target. If you hit, the results of failing the saving throw take effect; otherwise, the results of succeeding on the saving throw take effect.

Magic Manipulation
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell

You have mastered the art of modifying magic on the fly. Once per short rest you change a spell you cast in one of the following ways. Starting at level 6, you can use this ability twice, and at level 18, three times, per short rest.
- Increase your DC or attack bonus by 2.
- Change the saving throw ability.
- Change the damage types.
- Double the range (Touch spells become 10 feet, Self spells become Touch).

Cantrip Master

- You learn any cantrip of your choice.
- You learn a second cantrip of your choice that does not deal damage.
- You can cast as a bonus action or reaction any cantrip that does not deal damage.
- When you cast a cantrip with one damage roll, you may add your spellcasting ability modifier to that damage roll. If you already add it, you may add it a second time.

 

[Ed Laprade]

I might do. Depends on the PC, of course.

 

[Terraism]

I think Magical Weapon is interesting. I think it falls into a category of "very specific theme" feats, but that's not a bad thing. You should decide - and specify - whether spells affected by this feat can score critical hits. Presumably, and I think that's technically the case by RAW, but having the feat spell it out is thing to avoid problems. Similarly, is this an always-on feature, or can you choose to still force a saving throw?

Magic Manipulation is clearly a "metamagic as feat" system, which I approve of but has had enormous discussions about that I don't care to start recreating. I would suggest that increasing the DC/attack is out of line with the other effects.

Finally, I quite like Cantrip Master, but I would specify that the bonus/reaction cantrip may also not be one that requires a save. (Not sure offhand if there are any nondamaging offensive cantrips, but I think it's important to avoid limiting other design space).

 

[jgsugden]

Magical Weapon is too easy to abuse. Allowing you to turn spell saves into something where you can get advantage on every spell each round, larger bonuses to hit, etc.... It reduces the restri tions on save spells too much. If you want something thematically similar, I'd have a feat that says that when you hit an opponent with a weapon attack, that opponent gets disadvantage on the next spell save they make against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

Magic Manipulation is too versatile, and allowing the save type to change results in nonsensical and abusive changes. I'd at least strike that line. I'd also likely cancel the additional uses at higher level and give access to a cantrip like prestidigitation instead.

For cantrip master, I'd replace the 'that does not deal damage' language with a specific list of cantrips that can be gained/used with the feat to avoid potential bad combinations with new feats, etc...

 

[ro]

Great thoughts!

I think Magical Weapon is interesting. I think it falls into a category of "very specific theme" feats, but that's not a bad thing. You should decide - and specify - whether spells affected by this feat can score critical hits. Presumably, and I think that's technically the case by RAW, but having the feat spell it out is thing to avoid problems. Similarly, is this an always-on feature, or can you choose to still force a saving throw?

Yes, my intent would be to create the option rather than eliminate saving throws entirely. Critical hits should be allowed; however, a spell's critical would not roll double dice.

Magical Weapon
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell

When you create a magical effect that targets another creature, you may summon an illusory magical weapon. If your target is within 5 feet of you, it looks like a melee weapon; otherwise it looks like a ranged weapon. Your appearance, including items you are carrying, changes to fit this illusion, but nothing changes about your actual abilities. It is a complete sensory effect, but everyone knows it is a magical illusion. This effect lasts until the end of your turn. You gain the following benefit:
- When you cast a spell or use another racial or class feature that causes one or more creatures other than you to make a saving throw, you may instead make a spell attack roll for each target. If you hit, the results of failing the saving throw take effect; otherwise, the results of succeeding on the saving throw take effect. A natural 20 roll always hits and a natural 1 always misses, but otherwise there are no benefits or penalties for critical successes or failures.

Magic Manipulation is clearly a "metamagic as feat" system, which I approve of but has had enormous discussions about that I don't care to start recreating. I would suggest that increasing the DC/attack is out of line with the other effects.

When you say "out of line", do you mean too powerful in comparison?

My inspirations for this feat were the Lore Master and Theurgy wizard traditions. The Theurgy tradition has Channel Arcana which gives that +2 DC benefit once per rest, scaling like Channel Divinity at 6th and 18th levels. It also gives addition Channel Divinity/Arcana options. That's where I got the rest-recharge mechanic and the DC +2. The Lore Master also has a DC +2 feature at level 6, along with range changing (up to a mile: seemed excessive) and damage increasing. The Lore Master has unlimited damage type change and once per rest save type change at level 1. So, this feat is a mix of these features.

I added that attack bonus option: that is new, but it made sense to me that if there is a +2 saving throw benefit, there should be a matching attack benefit.

This is metamagic-like; however, only the range change option is an existing metamagic option. All the others would be new benefits for the Sorcerer.

How might you improve on this feat?

 

[ro]

Finally, I quite like Cantrip Master, but I would specify that the bonus/reaction cantrip may also not be one that requires a save. (Not sure offhand if there are any nondamaging offensive cantrips, but I think it's important to avoid limiting other design space).

Gust of Wind may be the only such cantrip, but Light gives a save to hostile creatures yet should be allowed by this feat. I tried to change the word to address conditions from saving throws though.

I've added several ideas to this feat. One is removing concentration (makes Dancing Lights more useful, for example). Also, I added scaling for those cantrips which do not currently scale with level. Can you help me write this feat with fewer words?

Cantrip Master

- You learn two cantrips of your choice, one of which must not deal damage.
- You may ignore the Concentration requirement of one active cantrip.
- You may cast as a bonus action or reaction any cantrip that neither deals damage nor imposes a condition.
- Starting at 11th level you may cast twice any cantrip that neither deals damage nor imposes a condition, and limits on simultaneous effects are doubled.
- When you cast a cantrip with one damage roll, you may add your spellcasting ability modifier to that damage roll. If you already add it, you may add it a second time.
- When you cast a cantrip with a damage roll dX that does not scale with character level, the damage increases by 1dX at each of 5th, 11th, and 17th levels if its benefit is not used during the same action as Extra Attack.

 

[ro]

Magical Weapon is too easy to abuse. Allowing you to turn spell saves into something where you can get advantage on every spell each round, larger bonuses to hit, etc.... It reduces the restri tions on save spells too much. If you want something thematically similar, I'd have a feat that says that when you hit an opponent with a weapon attack, that opponent gets disadvantage on the next spell save they make against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

Being able to gain advantage or bonuses is the intent of the feat. Now, many bonuses only apply to weapon attacks anyway, so there shouldn't be too much change. Furthermore, there are spells that use attack rolls instead of saving throws already, such as Scorching Ray. Those spells are not considered OP for having an attack roll. This feat allows more spells to be cast that way and gain what limited benefits do exist. I do not think this is overpowered, but if you feel it is, maybe you could give some examples to express your position?

I don't want to link it with weapon attacks because I don't think spellcasters should be bound to using weapons. When it comes to feats, there is definitely a lack of options for spellcasters in comparison to weapon-users.

Magic Manipulation is too versatile, and allowing the save type to change results in nonsensical and abusive changes. I'd at least strike that line. I'd also likely cancel the additional uses at higher level and give access to a cantrip like prestidigitation instead.

I elaborated in a post above on the design philosophy behind this feat.
As written, it is of similar power to Channel Divinity. If it were only once per rest it would be more boring at higher levels, and again, Channel Divinity scales in the same way.
The save change may not make complete sense, but it isn't game-breaking.
I should probably add a line clarifying that you can only use one of the feat's benefits per spell.
Giving a cantrip instead is lackluster and against the goals of the feat. I don't want every spellcaster feat to be, "Here's an ok benefit. Oh, and here's a cantrip to make it up to you."

For cantrip master, I'd replace the 'that does not deal damage' language with a specific list of cantrips that can be gained/used with the feat to avoid potential bad combinations with new feats, etc...

I think the list would quickly get too long and similarly would limit the feat's use with future cantrips.

 

[Not a Hobbit]

Casting Blade Ward or True Strike as a bonus action would be huge.

 

[ro]

Casting Blade Ward or True Strike as a bonus action would be huge.

True strike might actually become useful!!!

Should I add a clause like, "you can do this as a bonus action only if you have already used your action"? Or is there another way to prevent such cantrips from becoming too good?

 

[Ancalagon]

Cantrip master should be balanced with magic initiate. The benefits seem greater imo.

The fact that one of the cantrips should not be damaging is not a limit, as most PCs only need one damaging cantrip anyway. The fact that it isn't limited to one spell list is also quite potent.

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