D&D 5E Does Magic Initiate need changing?

[CreamCloud0]

If Magic Initiate was officially rewritten to allow any caster to cast their MI spell with their own spell slots in addition to 'once per day/LR' then i think there should be a different bonus caveat for pure martials as the feat greatly favours the classes who already have access to magic which is a little bit backwards in my mind, perhaps something like: 'if your character does not have spell slots of thier own to cast the spell with they are instead allowed to cast it an additional number of times equal to the ability modifier of their ability score they use to cast the spell (potentially capped by proficiency bonus?)'

 

[MoonSong]

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.

Booh I'm not a fan of siloing. It takes away a lot of freedom to make your own characters the way you want them. It also restricts the kind of choices you can have because each feat has to fit neatly into a box without crossing boundaries. Otherwise we end in ridiculous situatuons where you ability to heal depends on your ability to kill things or a balance nightmare.

 

[abirdcall]

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.

Starting with 20s makes feats overpowered for this reason. Taking a feat is supposed to be a big tradeoff.

Even still, I think there are better feats out there if you are just looking for power.

I will either play with the standard array and feats or rolling without feats but not both for this reason.

 

[Guest 7034872]

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.

Hey, I let him roll, and he rolled what he rolled: half-elf with a nat. 18. This is not a guy who lies about his rolls.

 

[Horwath]

Hey, I let him roll, and he rolled what he rolled: half-elf with a nat. 18. This is not a guy who lies about his rolls.

I was not saying that. I was saying that characters with too high abilities at start make the game unbalanced.
Especially if you have high disparity between characters.

 

[ECMO3]

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

Niether are great. That said, I think Linguist is as good a feat as crusher. It depends on the campaign obviously, but having extra languages is always helpful. Having an ability that works with 9 out of about 40 different weapons in the game (and only 2 good weapons) is not nearly as powerful in play as everyone makes it out to be in the white room.

Crusher is not bad, but it is very narrow. Unless you are playing a Monk or in a 1-shot you will probably up regretting it or not using it. Being level 15 and swinging the non-magic Maul that you got at level 1 sucks.

Of Piercer, Slasher and Crusher - Crusher is the most powerful and the least useful.

 

[Horwath]

Niether are great. That said, I think Linguist is as good a feat as crusher. It depends on the campaign obviously, but having extra languages is always helpful.

Having extra languages does nothing in combat. However, it can do lot's to avoid combat, that is true.
But so can some feat that gives you expertise in Deception and Persuasion if you have proficiency in those skills. Just in a different way.
Or Telepathic feat. Or Actor, or dungeon delver.
Maybe even a version of a (half)feat that gives you a few noncombat cantrips, just for flavor of the character and some roleplay shenanigans.

In short, having separate slots for different kind of feats makes a character capable to better interact in all pillars of play.

Having an ability that works with 9 out of about 40 different weapons in the game (and only 2 good weapons) is not nearly as powerful in play as everyone makes it out to be in the white room.

Crusher is not bad, but it is very narrow. Unless you are playing a Monk or in a 1-shot you will probably up regretting it or not using it. Being level 15 and swinging the non-magic Maul that you got at level 1 sucks.

Of Piercer, Slasher and Crusher - Crusher is the most powerful and the least useful.

Just as you know for your PC that 80% of PHB weapons as waste of print, same works for every NPC.
No one will use a subpar weapon, unless they are dirt poor, but then again, those are level 1-3 encounters so your starting weapon will do just fine.