Best Magic Initiate selection for an Eldritch Knight archer

[Blas_de_Lezo]

Hi grounders,

What's the best Magic Initiate spell selection (two cantrips and one 1st level spell from a single spellcasting list) for an Eldritch Knight archer who has already taken Shocking Grasp, Ray of Frost, Green Flame Blade, Absorb Elements, Expeditious Retreat, Protection from evil, Shield, Magic Weapon, Shatter and Web?

Thanks!

[Drayrs]

I would go with Hex from Warlock if you would enjoy more damage (and disadvantage on Strength checks). In terms of the cantrips, Eldritch Blast is reasonable but you can always grab Minor Illusion or Mage Hand.

There are arguments for several 1st level wizard spells, but keep in mind any spells from Wisdom and Charisma spellcasters which allow a save will use those stats for their DC. This limits your spell choices to non-save spells, unless your Eldritch Knight has high Wisdom or Charisma for some reason, or if you don't care (which is fair). This is also true for Wizard spells if you have dumped Intelligence.

[Joe the Rat]

I'm going to assume you're taking MI from the Wizard list.

The primary things I look for are 1) What makes you a better archer, and 2) What can you use with War Magic.

Cantrips:
Mold earth - take a round, and give yourself cover. Never underestimate the value of an extra +2 or +5 to your AC. Shape water can do similar things (create ice shapes), but requires water.
Chill touch - another ranged rider cantrip, your target cannot heal. Good against trolls, vampires, and a variety of other nuisances.
Light - cast it on an arrow. Light up your target. You can do that in one round once you hit 7.
Dancing lights - Skip the shooting, put the light where you want it.
Mending - Pure utility: fix bowstrings and broken arrows.
Mage hand -you can bond with your bow, but you may still need a way to retrieve arrows.

1st level Spell - I think going Wizard lets you add this selection to your spells known - if so, pick something outside of Abjuration/Evocation, or something you'll cast at least once a day.

If I'm off on that point, then I'd recommend:
Find Familiar - Now you have a spotter/helper. Also, it can deliver touch spells for you (like shocking grasp). Do not try to use your snake as an arrow - it's not as effective as it looks.

[ad_hoc]

You're getting diminishing returns because you already have so many spells.

I guess Bless is good? Other options include Healing Word and Hellish Rebuke.

[Drayrs]

I'm going to assume you're taking MI from the Wizard list.
If I'm off on that point, then I'd recommend:
Find Familiar - Now you have a spotter/helper. Also, it can deliver touch spells for you (like shocking grasp). Do not try to use your snake as an arrow - it's not as effective as it looks.

This. Find Familiar is useful in so many ways.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

I would go with Hex from Warlock if you would enjoy more damage (and disadvantage on Strength checks). In terms of the cantrips, Eldritch Blast is reasonable but you can always grab Minor Illusion or Mage Hand.

There are arguments for several 1st level wizard spells, but keep in mind any spells from Wisdom and Charisma spellcasters which allow a save will use those stats for their DC. This limits your spell choices to non-save spells, unless your Eldritch Knight has high Wisdom or Charisma for some reason, or if you don't care (which is fair). This is also true for Wizard spells if you have dumped Intelligence.

Well, my stats are:

Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 8

[pdegan2814]

Joe's got some good suggestions, I would definitely recommend going for utility over damage, you've got plenty of the latter already.

For your 1st-level spell, I'd probably go with either Find Familiar or Feather Fall. Find Familiar can get you a scout, and if you make it an owl w/ flyby it can be great at using the Help action to give you advantage on shots. Feather Fall can be a nice emergency option, and only being able to cast it once per day is probably not a big deal.

For cantrips, I'd go with Light & Mending. Mending has lots of simple utility, and for an archer its even better. Rule of thumb from the books is that half the arrows you shoot can be recovered, but with mending you can recover the broken ones too. And even if your entire party has Darkvision, the Light cantrip can really come in handy. I played an Aasimar Barbarian for a while, and I was amazed at how often I used it, especially to cast Light on a pebble or other small object then hurl it into the area I wanted to light up. Or in your case, have your familiar cast it on your target's helmet :)

[Specter]

Booming Blade as a cantrip is good, because it discourages people from following you in melee. For the 1st-level spell, Mage Armor can give you +1 AC for 8 hours.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

Wow, thanks, there are some very good advices here.

I think Light, Mending (retrained for other if I get Quiver of Ehlonna), for cantrips, and maybe Find Familiar, Feather Fall, Mage Armor or even Healing Word for 1st level are all wonderful options. Bless and Hex are nice too, but I already have many good Concentration spells for an archer (Expeditious Retreat, Web, Magic Weapon), so my Concentration slots are filled up. So many good choices, thanks!