D&D 5E Does Magic Initiate need changing?

[Horwath]

LOL I guess we have to reduce our percentage to 97% then.

I am not a fan of floating ASI. ASI (IMO) should make sense to whatever is granting it that supports it. But, I think most (if not all) feats could have 2-3 abilities that make sense easily enough.

Two half-feats would provide too many "new features" for the ASI award IMO.

But, of course whatever you want for your own game is fine, just not what I would want personally.

Well, if a feat is worth "half a feat", then to me it does not matter what you combine it with, as long as that combo is as close as possible to +2 ASI. I know that we will never do it perfectly, but that does not mean that we should not try.

If we have all feats at half feat power level, we might split the common ASI/feat pool into 3 separate pools.

1. Combat feats
2. Social/exploration feats
3. +1 ASI

with various classes getting some bonus (half)feats if needed in their respective groups, or even from a list of 5/6 feats.

Might limit stats to 18 also.
Add some expensive light armor(some exotic leather/hide) with 13 base to compensate not having opportunity to get 17 AC with light armor.

 

[ECMO3]

Well, if a feat is worth "half a feat", then to me it does not matter what you combine it with, as long as that combo is as close as possible to +2 ASI. I know that we will never do it perfectly, but that does not mean that we should not try.

I think many, if not most, feats are generally worth more than an ASI.

That is not to say I don't get ASIs, but I don't think they generally stack up well compared to the good feats.

 

[Horwath]

I think many, if not most, feats are generally worth more than an ASI.

That is not to say I don't get ASIs, but I don't think they generally stack up well compared to the good feats.

that, OFC is a balance problem. when you have Crusher feat in competition to Linguist feat.

Now as I said, if you have separate "slots" for crusher-like feats and separate slot for linguist-like feat, balancing things out would be much easier.

With an option that you can always take noncombat feat instead of combat one.
Then you remove ASIs, combat and non combat feats from class. Any mandatory bonuses stay with class levels.

then you can have over 20 levels:

1. Non combat feat, combat feat
2. non combat feat,
3. combat feat
4 +1 ASI
5. -
6. non combat feat
7. -
8. +1 ASI
9. -
10. combat feat
11. -
12. +1 ASI
13. -
14. non combat feat
15. -
16. +1 ASI
17. -
18. combat feat
19. -
20. +1 ASI

again, this is if every feat is somewhat balanced around half feat power level.
now, "strong" class features can be focused on odd levels and "ribbon" features around even levels.

and as "front loading" of feats is character based and not class based, we can avoid cheese multiclass dips.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I allow the 1st-level spell for be cast with spell slots if you have them, I expect that's how the feat will be updated eventually anyway. I'd like it to also grant +1 to a stat, but I'm not sure it really needs it.

yeah my group actually thought that was how it worked...

I had a warlock who took druid and got primal savagery guidance and cure wounds and was the healer of our group

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Magic initiate is fine as is. The later feats are just Power Creep (and I don't allow them).

Wouldn't be bad if there was an add-on feat that allowed you add higher level spells, with a character level minimum (4th for 2nd, 8th for 3rd, 12th for 4th doesn't sound too out of bounds).

yeah my biggest pet peeve is how hard it is to spend some resource (I like feats) to customize your spell list.

 

[Guest 7034872]

Before I recently sat down and properly studied Tasha's Cauldron, I regarded Magical Initiate as one of the strongest feats available (Alert being another, given the importance of initiative). But now I see why Ancalagon posted the opening question: the feats in Tasha's are wild, and I do not restrict this claim to Fey Touched.

My party just recently hit L4 and has a wild magic sorcerer. For him, I'd say Metamagic Adept borders on craziness for its power. Two extra sorcery points and two additional metamagics: that versus adding two points to (suppose) DEX? Not a tough choice IMO.

Were there no Tasha's and no Xanathar's, I'd say leave the Magical Initiate feat as-is, but with those two books in the mix, I can see why folks would want to buff some of the PHB feats. I think minimally, permitting players to spend spell slots on re-casting the L1 spell is a good idea.

(I also now think Tasha's is just....wow!...)

 

[ad_hoc]

Before I recently sat down and properly studied Tasha's Cauldron, I regarded Magical Initiate as one of the strongest feats available (Alert being another, given the importance of initiative). But now I see why Ancalagon posted the opening question: the feats in Tasha's are wild, and I do not restrict this claim to Fey Touched.

My party just recently hit L4 and has a wild magic sorcerer. For him, I'd say Metamagic Adept borders on craziness for its power. Two extra sorcery points and two additional metamagics: that versus adding two points to (suppose) DEX? Not a tough choice IMO.

Were there no Tasha's and no Xanathar's, I'd say leave the Magical Initiate feat as-is, but with those two books in the mix, I can see why folks would want to buff some of the PHB feats. I think minimally, permitting players to spend spell slots on re-casting the L1 spell is a good idea.

(I also now think Tasha's is just....wow!...)

I think you will find that your appraisal is different than most.

That isn't necessarily bad, mine is often different than the majority on many things.

I think both magic initiate and alert serve their function well without being overpowered.

But then I'm also of the mind that initiative is not as important as most seem to think. Even among that camp though I haven't hear Alert being praised.

I can't remember the metamagic adept but what you have described sounds lackluster to me.

I would much rather have +2 Cha as a sorcerer than 2 sorcery points and extra options on what to spend them on. Also keep in mind you are still in the apprentice tier. The game really gets going at level 5.

 

[Guest 7034872]

My sorcerer is already at 20 CHA. Were that available, the extra 5% odds on the DC and such would make perfect sense, but skipping this feat for +1 AC? Not to my mind, no.

 

[DND_Reborn]

(I also now think Tasha's is just....wow!...)

Yeah, it went a bit over the top just too much, so a lot of Tasha's is banned in my games.

 

[Horwath]

My sorcerer is already at 20 CHA. Were that available, the extra 5% odds on the DC and such would make perfect sense, but skipping this feat for +1 AC? Not to my mind, no.

there lies the problem, even if rolling for stats might be considered "default" it does not bring anything to game balance.

Your sorcerer should have max of 15+2 cha before level 4. Then going from DC 13 to DC 14 of spells, vs a feat is more of a decision.