Feat: Unified Theory (PEACH)

[Greywander]

I'm curious to get people's opinion on this, and wondering if I might be over- or underestimating the usefulness of some of its traits.


Unified Theory

Your Intelligence increases by 1.

Whenever a spell, class feature, or other ability refers to your spellcasting ability score, you may use your Intelligence score instead of another ability score. For example, you may use your Intelligence score to determine your spell attack bonus and spell save DCs for cleric spells, but the number of cleric spells you can prepare would still depend on your Wisdom score.

You may also use any spellcasting focus for all your spells (such as using a holy symbol to cast wizard spells).

In addition, you may choose one spell from any spell list. You can cast that spell normally. The spell must be a cantrip or of a level for which you have spell slots (or are otherwise able to cast), and equal to or lower than your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1st level). Whenever you finish a long rest, you may choose a new spell which replaces the previous one.

You aren’t able to copy this spell into your spellbook or scribe spell scrolls.


This is a half feat, giving no choice over which ability score to boost and boosting an ability score that is frequently dumped. That said, many of this feat's traits key off of Intelligence, so you probably weren't going to take it anyway if you dumped INT.

You can use INT as your spellcasting ability score for all spells and abilities. This is the main reason I created this feat, but the benefit is extremely situational. It's obviously helpful for multiclassing, but can also help with racial spells or if you wanted to make an INT build for a non-INT caster. Note that this doesn't affect things like Agonizing Blast, so you could use INT for your attack roll with Eldritch Blast, but you'd still add your CHA mod to damage. I'm unsure how this would interact with e.g. how many spells a cleric can prepare, which scales with Wisdom (which also happens to be the clerics spellcasting ability score).

Lets you use any spellcasting focus for all spells. Again, this is a benefit mostly for multiclassing, so that you aren't forced to use a component pouch. It does allow for some shenanigans like using a shield with a holy symbol to cast wizard spells. With Warcaster, this let's you perform both material and somatic components, even when wielding a weapon and shield. I'm unsure of how this would interact with certain magic items like the Rod of the Pact Keeper or the Talisman of Pure Good/Ultimate Evil.

Lastly, it lets you pick one spell from any spell list, letting you cast it normally. I put this here because everything else felt pretty circumstantial, whereas this can benefit any caster. Getting an extra spell can be really nice, particularly for sorcerers, being able to switch that spell out for a different one when you rest makes it even better, and being able to choose from any spell list gives any caster that takes this feat a lot of extra versatility. Since your INT caps out at 20, you can only ever choose up to a 5th level spell. And it's still only one spell. I made sure to disallow copying the spell into your spellbook, but I'm not sure if scribing scrolls should be disallowed.

[Composer99]

I'm curious to get people's opinion on this, and wondering if I might be over- or underestimating the usefulness of some of its traits.


Unified Theory

Your Intelligence increases by 1.


You may use Intelligence as your spellcasting ability score for all your spells and abilities.


You may also use any spellcasting focus for all your spells (such as using a holy symbol to cast wizard spells).


In addition, you may choose one spell from any spell list. You can cast that spell normally. The spell must be a cantrip or of a level for which you have spell slots (or are otherwise able to cast), and equal to or lower than your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1st level). During a long rest, you may choose a different spell with the same restrictions. This spell replaces the previous one.


You aren’t able to copy this spell into your spellbook or scribe spell scrolls.

This is a half feat, giving no choice over which ability score to boost and boosting an ability score that is frequently dumped. That said, many of this feat's traits key off of Intelligence, so you probably weren't going to take it anyway if you dumped INT.

You can use INT as your spellcasting ability score for all spells and abilities. This is the main reason I created this feat, but the benefit is extremely situational. It's obviously helpful for multiclassing, but can also help with racial spells or if you wanted to make an INT build for a non-INT caster. Note that this doesn't affect things like Agonizing Blast, so you could use INT for your attack roll with Eldritch Blast, but you'd still add your CHA mod to damage. I'm unsure how this would interact with e.g. how many spells a cleric can prepare, which scales with Wisdom (which also happens to be the clerics spellcasting ability score).

Lets you use any spellcasting focus for all spells. Again, this is a benefit mostly for multiclassing, so that you aren't forced to use a component pouch. It does allow for some shenanigans like using a shield with a holy symbol to cast wizard spells. With Warcaster, this let's you perform both material and somatic components, even when wielding a weapon and shield. I'm unsure of how this would interact with certain magic items like the Rod of the Pact Keeper or the Talisman of Pure Good/Ultimate Evil.

Lastly, it lets you pick one spell from any spell list, letting you cast it normally. I put this here because everything else felt pretty circumstantial, whereas this can benefit any caster. Getting an extra spell can be really nice, particularly for sorcerers, being able to switch that spell out for a different one when you rest makes it even better, and being able to choose from any spell list gives any caster that takes this feat a lot of extra versatility. Since your INT caps out at 20, you can only ever choose up to a 5th level spell. And it's still only one spell. I made sure to disallow copying the spell into your spellbook, but I'm not sure if scribing scrolls should be disallowed.

All I have are some wording quibbles:

(1) I would consider re-wording the line about spellcasting ability to something like the following:

You use Intelligence as your spellcasting ability for any feature you possess that refers to one.

"All your spells and abilities" might be a little on the vague side - I, for instance, wondered why Agonising Blast should be excluded if "all [emphasis mine] your [...] abilities" count.

This change in wording would clear that up - spellcasting features refer to your spellcasting ability, as do racially-bestowed cantrips or innate spellcasting, while, for instance, Agonising Blast does not.

(2) Pretty well all references to resting in 5e mechanics require that you finish a rest. This feat should do the same - so you can swap out your spell when you finish a long rest.


Apart from those quibbles, I think that this feat is just fine. It's certainly not overpowered - IMO you would only take it if it fit your character concept, and (somewhat distinct from the previous point) you need to invest a lot of build resources to get a spell of 3rd level or higher.

[Greywander]

Thanks, I updated the wording to be clearer.

I see this as being most useful for wizards that dip a few levels into another casting class and want their non-wizard spells to be just as strong as their wizard spells.

I worry a bit that this feat might be underpowered, but I also don't want to make it too good for wizards (who will have a high INT). I think it's more niche than underpowered; it's good in the right circumstances, and would be OP if it were buffed much more.

I just had a thought: what if, instead of the level of the bonus spell being dependent on your INT mod, it would depend on either your INT mod or the mod for the ability score associated with that spell list? So, if you have an INT of 16, you could choose up to a 3rd level spell from any list, but if you had a WIS of 18, you could choose up to a 4th level spell from the cleric, druid, and ranger lists. This doesn't make it any stronger for INT builds, but it does make this feat a little more appealing to WIS and CHA builds.

[pygmybatrider]

Thanks, I updated the wording to be clearer.

I see this as being most useful for wizards that dip a few levels into another casting class and want their non-wizard spells to be just as strong as their wizard spells.

I worry a bit that this feat might be underpowered, but I also don't want to make it too good for wizards (who will have a high INT). I think it's more niche than underpowered; it's good in the right circumstances, and would be OP if it were buffed much more.

I just had a thought: what if, instead of the level of the bonus spell being dependent on your INT mod, it would depend on either your INT mod or the mod for the ability score associated with that spell list? So, if you have an INT of 16, you could choose up to a 3rd level spell from any list, but if you had a WIS of 18, you could choose up to a 4th level spell from the cleric, druid, and ranger lists. This doesn't make it any stronger for INT builds, but it does make this feat a little more appealing to WIS and CHA builds.

I like this idea, and this feat overall. Anything that encourages more int builds is fine by me! It looks balanced to me - like you said, one extra spell is a boost for sorcerers, especially at low levels, but that’s a niche case, and I don’t think it’s too strong then as unless you’re a Gnome who played the first 3 levels with a crappy charisma, you’re only gonna have a +3 to your main stat instead of a potential +4 when your first ASI rolls around.

Really nice idea. I will definitely be stealing this for future campaigns :)

[Xyrz]

It is a very interesting feat for sure. I like the idea of giving the Wizard, Eldritch Knight, and Arcane Trickster different multi-classing options. Very cool!

[ATHATH]

This feat is basically Magical Secrets, but available at 1st level. Expect people to take this just for the familiar and the steed (from Find (Greater) Steed). Also expect people to use this as a sort of pseudo-Ritual Caster, but for all classes. It's not limited to [ritual] spells like Ritual Caster is, so expect people to use this to pick up Awaken, Raise Dead, Speak with Dead, etc.

Side note: This feat is an EK or AT's wet dream, because it isn't limited by spell school and likely frees up an off-school(s) spell known that they used on Find Familiar.

Multiclassed spellcasters can use this to get a spell known for their highest level spell slots (up to level 5), even if they wouldn't normally have a spell known at that level (and thus would have to upcast a lower level spell to use those spell slots).

I mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again: This feat heavily steps on the toes of Lore Bards, whose defining feature is replicated in a way that is (almost?) as good as the original/actual feature.

I would take this feat with my first ASI (or human bonus feat) on every spellcaster (even single-classed ones) that I make. That... doesn't bode well for the balance of it.

Removing the third ability and letting the first two abilities affect spells known would be a pretty good fix to this feat (and it'd still be a solid feat).

Side note: Due to the wording of this feat, once you pick it up, you can't scribe ANY scrolls, even ones for spells you could cast without the assistance of this feat (you can still add spells to your spellbook from scrolls, though). It's still worth it, but you should probably change the wording.

[Greywander]

This feat is basically Magical Secrets
Magical Secrets is probably the closest thing to a pre-existing feature to this feat. Although Magical Secrets gives you two spells, not one, and they can be of any level you can cast. They are, however, fixed (you can't change them during a long rest).

This is a fair criticism, and I'll give it some more thought on how to balance it. I do like the idea of gaining access to spells you wouldn't normally be able to cast. A couple thoughts off the top of my head are (1) you have to copy the spells into a spellbook first (which doesn't really change the overall power, just makes you do more work to get it), or (2) making you choose one class and restricting you to their spell list (so if you want Find Steed you have to restrict your bonus spell to the paladin list).

I will say I don't think this really compares to Ritual Caster. That only requires 10 minutes to cast a spell from your ritual book, whereas this requires a full 8 hours to switch to the spell you need and still burns a spell slot. If you have 8 hours to burn and spell slots to spare, then yes, it's probably better.