Magic Initiate for a Druid first level spell breakdown

[Aaedimus]

I'm looking to decide what my first level spell for Magic Initiate will be, so I went through the list of available spells, and chose what I think are the best choices. Let's all together help anyone else who needs to make the decision in the future. Anything I didn't include, I decided would be a waste to have only 1 a day, or like Armor of Agathys didn't scale enough (because you can't upcast)

How I chose which spells to look at:
Can my class learn the spell?
What classes can learn the spell (do their cantrips interest me?)
How often will the spell be used?
How much benefit will I get from one casting?
Will its usefulness last through higher levels?
Will anyone (including me) want to keep the spell prepared otherwise?
Is there a save? (Might it be wasted?)

Can trips I'm interested in:
Booming Blade (for use with shillelagh) (S,WL/W)
Lightning Lure (S/WL/W)
Message (B/S/W)
Minor Illusion (B/S/WL/W)
Prestidigitation (B/S/WL/W)
Shape Water (D/S/W)

for ease I've created 3 categories (none more important than the other)
1: Constant usage every day/gains huge benefits
2: Rarely used, generally a waste to prep/learn, but will save you
3: Could benefit me to have 1 a day/Makes life easier in general/would usually have prepared anyways(X)

1:
Mage Armor (S,W)
Find Familiar (W)

2:
Feather Fall(B,S,W)
Absorb Elements (D,S,W)
Expeditious Retreat (S,WL,W)
Comprehend Languages (B,S,WL,W)
Identify (B,W)
Alarm (W)
Speak with Animals (B,D)


3:
Goodberry(x) (D)
Detect magic(x) (B,C,D,S,W)
Disguise self (B,S,W)
Faerie Fire(x) (B,D)
Heroism (B)
Unseen Servant (B,WL,W)
Silent Image (B,S,W)
Hex (with Eldritch Blast only) (WL)
Command (C)
Charm Person (B,D,S)
Sleep (B,S,W)
Fog Cloud (D,R,S,W)
Shield of Faith (x) (C)

I'm a Shepherd Druid from the underdark with 1 level in Grave Domain Cleric, and our only other caster is a Sorcerer. I've also got some of the best HP because no-one cared about constitution. It looks like I'm going to be playing a tanky support role in general, (the entire team is building almost fully combat focused) and my most commonly used wildshapes at 1/2CR will be Male Steeder, Panther, Warhorse, Constrictor Snake, Cow. Playing Curse of Strahd. Leaning towards Mage Armor....

[Aaedimus]

Section 1:

Mage armor is generally only used once a day anyways, you don't get it in the druid class, and it makes the already squishy Cr 1/4 and 1/2 beasts less so, added to the fact that I may have access to other AC improving spells, wildshapes like Giant Poisonus Snake with an AC of 19 aren't out of reach.

Find Familiar has all of the normal advantages. Ravens can give you a way to communicate while in wildshape, Scouting, Extra Perception, and constant use of the help action for free advantage is always a huge bonus. Cons: If abused, can create issues with DM and even other players, if not, can lose its usefulness

Section 2:
If I'm in a bind, these spells will get me out of it, or add great flexibility to my choices. I generally wouldn't want to waste a prepared spell as they're used rarely, but if you need them they're life-savers.

How much of a benefit will having the spell in my back pocket give the team? ex:(1-life or death for team 2-life or death for one 3-Problem Solved 4- Nice to have)
What is the likelihood I'll run into a need for the spell, and how many times will it likely happen over the course of a dungeon(on avg)? ex:(50%,2)

Rating example-> 1(60%,2) - 60 percent chance that the team will be saved from a life or death scenario twice
rating math: a(b%,c) + d(e%,f) => ((.b(c))/a)+((.e(f))/d)

Feather Fall (B,S,W) 1,2(60%,2) 3(75%,1) 4(50%,1) -> 1.4
Absorb Elements (D,S,W) 2(90%,1) 4(80%,3) -> 1.1
Expeditious Retreat (S,WL,W) 2(40%,1) 3(80%2) 4(90%,3) -> 1.4
Comprehend Languages (B,S,WL,W) 1(30%,1) 3(60%1) 4(70%,2) -> .85

Section 3:
Saves a spellslot. Nice to have. Not hugely game changing but may see more use

Goodberry(x) (D) -> used daily, avoid unwanted deaths without wasting spell slots. Heal NPC for free.
Detect magic(x) (B,C,D,S,W) -> Saves prepared spell, less likely to waste time ritually casting. Always useful.
Disguise self (B,S,W) -> niche situations can be great.
Faerie Fire(x) (B,D) -> make 1 encounter a day allot easier, save prepared spell
Heroism (B) -> worse than higher AC from Mage Armor
Unseen Servant (B,WL,W) -> Free casting means you'll find more uses for your friend. fluffy fun.
Silent Image (B,S,W) -> extremely flexible, many good uses in and out of combat.
Hex (with Eldritch Blast only) (WL) -> only really scales well with eldritch blast, ability checks, not saves hurts too
Command (C) -> fluffy, saves a spell slot, requires save (might be wasted)
Charm Person (B,D,S) -> Can backfire. Avoids bad skill checks, manipulation, and tom-foolery
Sleep (B,S,W) -> less useful at higher levels, good for not killing things.
Fog Cloud (D,R,S,W) -> great crowd control, saves prepared spell and spell slot.

Top Choices (in my opinion)
Mage Armor: Die Less. Be the "tank" druid.
Find Familiar: CHEAT!
Feather Fall: Don't die that one time you all would have. thank god/
Absorb Elements: (save life vs rando fireball or dragon's breath)
Expeditious retreat: (101 reasons to want high mobility)
Silent Image: so many uses.....
Fog Cloud: (the one caviat: concentration)

[MagneticKitty]

Sorry i thought you were done. Edit : repost

Im a little confused.. if youre a druid with magic initiate something else why even consider a spell you an normally get like good berry

If you're magic initiate something else what are your other mental stats? You need to consider spell attacks and saves being low because your charisma or int might be subpar .

If you're a moon druid you might give special consideration to spells you can later cast in beast form
If you're not moon I wouldn't consider spells that put you in the front lines. Trying to tank as a non moon druid seems... like an odd choice

Don't need feather fall since you get flying forms later. Worst case shift to something with high up and absorb fall damage that way for now. Unless your team has no other casters

[Aaedimus]

Lol I got you,

My mental stats are Wis 16 Cha 14. You'll see that most of the spells there don't have saves attacks or checks. We're maxing around level 10 and I multiclassed, so beast form spells are not that big of a deal.

I'm a shepherd druid, but I'm in a weird position. The ranger and sorcerer both have an 8 constitution so I'm going to be tanking(ish) a bit.

from the first post:
I'm a Shepherd Druid from the underdark with 1 level in Grave Domain Cleric, and our only other caster is a Sorcerer. I've also got some of the best HP because no-one cared about constitution. It looks like I'm going to be playing a tanky supporty role in general, (the entire team is building almost fully combat focused) and my most commonly used wildshapes at 1/2CR will be Male Steeder, Panther, Warhorse, Constrictor Snake, Cow. Playing Curse of Strahd. Leaning towards Mage Armor....

[MagneticKitty]

What is your total character level? What is your end goal ratio of druid to cleric? Also as someone who never takes less than 14 con your compatriots are giving me a heart attack... my ranger is close combat only, no range. 16 con and 71 hp at lv 9. Lol

So sounds like your int may be low. Rule out wizard exclusives. Flavor wise I'd go familiar. Just don't ever use help action if you don't want to cheese it.

What I do for magic initiate is figure out a "must have" spell or cantrip that you really want/ need for your build and let that determine what you pick (narrows class source). Then pick to cover your weaknesses. If you don't have a must have, dont pick magic initiate.

[Citan]

Hi!
Well, if you're confident in your DEX stat, then I'd say Mage Armor is the obvious choice.

By the way, you forgot one spell in your list, that i'd put in Section 2: Comprehend Languages.
You will rarely have a constant use for it, so having it once per day is not a big deal.
But you will probably have, once per day on some days (socializing in new place, scouting near enemy camp), a reason to wish to be able to understand all languages.
You could act as a translator for your CHArismatic friend or negociate yourself, or Wild Shape as a tiny beast and go spy on the goblin/orc/whatever camp that is planning an attack on the village you have to protect, etc...
Paired with Observant (and later Pass Without Traces) it makes you the greatest spy as there can be (nearly ^^).

[Aaedimus]

I did actually have comprehend languages in section 2 lol, (it was easier to read when I had it on the bigger screen vs my phone, and everything was one line)

They've been doing ok so far, because I was throwing myself into a battle, using thunderwave or fairy fire, and than taking the dodge action to try and tank the attacks while they pew pew from afar. It's a Sharp Shooter ranger, so at level 2 and 3 he hits really hard. As soon as they hit close combat though...

Remember, this is Curse of Strahd, so I feel that comprehend languages loses allot of its effectiveness... but would it still have that same usefulness???

the cleric was a 1 level dip. It gives me radiant and ranged damage, with a wider range of level 1 prepared spells (including shield of faith) and the ability to detect undead and keep my teammates alive. As an Aasimar with those radiant damage buffs, I can become the bane of the undead.

My int and str are the low stats lol you're right, but that hardly matters if I took something like expeditious retreat, absorb elements, or feather fall. Those are all emergency savior type spells that people just don't usually think to prepare.

You know... The nice thing about getting mage armor is that it's like pulling a light version of the barbarian or monk multiclass for the wildshape. I might just go with that.

[Citan]

I did actually have comprehend languages in section 2 lol, (it was easier to read when I had it on the bigger screen vs my phone, and everything was one line)

Remember, this is Curse of Strahd, so I feel that comprehend languages loses allot of its effectiveness... but would it still have that same usefulness???

Oh, my bad I missed it.
Also, reminder, I don't know one thing about that campaign (apart that it's a difficult one from what I read around here) so between us both, you're the one who is probably right about that spell's usefulness. :)

[CTurbo]

The Sorcerer and Ranger have an 8 Con? That's just downright irresponsible lol

I think I'd go Find Familiar as it's just too useful, but you can't go wrong with Mage Armor either.

I might consider taking a couple more Cleric levels if you're going to be the only tank.