D&D (2024) Why is Ritual Caster gated?

[Paul Farquhar]

Why? You can already get it through another origin feat.

Because Ritual Caster is flat better than Magic Initiate: Wizard.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Because Ritual Caster is flat better than Magic Initiate: Wizard.

You know not everyone believes that, right? That there will be many, many characters for whom that's not true? Even in 2014, when Ritual Caster was more powerful, Magic Initiate was taken much more frequently, in my experience.

 

[bedir than]

Thanks to several of you for pointing out that 2024 Ritual Caster doesn't have a spellcaster requirement.

I'm still pondering a way to make it an origin feat

 

[WanderingMystic]

I would look to the Rune Sculpter feat from the Giants book for inspiration.

 

[Seramus]

I'm still pondering a way to make it an origin feat

I fully agree with @Kobold Stew and @Charlaquin. Just drop the +1 to an attribute, and keep the rest. The feat is underwhelming to me as a 4th level choice, and would make a fine Origin Feat with that one single change. Some Origin Feats are already stronger than Ritual Caster if we don't include the +1.

 

[Charlaquin]

I fully agree with @Kobold Stew and @Charlaquin. Just drop the +1 to an attribute, and keep the rest. The feat is underwhelming to me as a 4th level choice, and would make a fine Origin Feat with that one single change. Some Origin Feats are already stronger than Ritual Caster if we don't include the +1.

I really think they should have just removed the ASIs from all Feats that had them, erased the background feat/general feat distinction, and said whenever you take a Feat at 4th level or higher, you also get +1 to an ability score of your choice. I’m very likely to house rule exactly that, though probably not in my first campaign with the new rules, as I generally prefer to give things a fair shake as written before messing with them.

 

[Yaarel]

Let any character perform any ritual. Use skill checks to determine success or failure.

 

[Horwath]

Requiring level 4 means that it wouldn't be an origin feat.

yes,
but most if not all level 4 feats are now more "balanced" that you can houserule any 4th level feat for origin feats, losing the +1 ASI OFC.

and vice versa, add option to take any origin feat at 4th level with a +1 ASI added

 

[Horwath]

Requiring level 4 means that it wouldn't be an origin feat.

1. Custom background
2. remove +1 ASI from all 4th level feats
3. make those feats now available as 1st level origin options
4. Profit

 

[WanderingMystic]

1. Custom background
2. remove +1 ASI from all 4th level feats
3. make those feats now available as 1st level origin options
4. Profit

While I think this mostly balanced I really dont like certain feats being available for origin feats (most of the combat ones). Ritual caster on the other hand is a perfect background feat, as are feats like Keen Mind, Observant, Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Telepathic, Telekinetic, Actor, Athlete, Chef, Durable, I would have also added the feat to get a fighting stlye as an origin feat.