Spell Mastery [Feat]

[JNAProductions]

Spell Mastery
Requirements: The Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature

You have focused your time and energy into a select few spells. You may pick a number of spells equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded down)-those spells gain the following benefits:

-They are always prepared, without counting against the normal limit of prepared spells. If you do not prepare spells and instead simply know spells, your mastered spells do not count against your spells known limit, allowing you to learn an additional spell for each mastered spell
-Whenever they are cast, treat them as having been cast from a slot one level higher than the actual slot used
-Once per short rest, you may ignore a single Verbal, Somatic, or non-expensive Material component for one of the spells

You may change which spells you have mastered whenever you gain a level in a Spellcasting or Pact Magic class.

[DeTess]

I like it, but I think the first part might be a bit too good. For a wizard that's up to 20% more spells prepared. If you think that's fine, then it definitely needs an additonal clause to give a similar benefits to non-prepared casters.

[JNAProductions]

I like it, but I think the first part might be a bit too good. For a wizard that's up to 20% more spells prepared. If you think that's fine, then it definitely needs an additonal clause to give a similar benefits to non-prepared casters.

I was gonna do that... And then I forgot. :P

Let me add in a clause for spells known people.

Edit: Done and done. Might be a bit too good for Sorcerers now... But Sorcerers could use some love.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I do like it, but I think it violates the "why WOULDN'T I pick this option?" rule of game design-- I can't think of a single spellcaster (especially those with limited spells known) who wouldn't grab this feat ASAP. Especially since it only gets stronger as you get to higher levels and spellcasters start really shining anyway. Maybe if you limited it to only one or two spells, period?

[JNAProductions]

I do like it, but I think it violates the "why WOULDN'T I pick this option?" rule of game design-- I can't think of a single spellcaster (especially those with limited spells known) who wouldn't grab this feat ASAP. Especially since it only gets stronger as you get to higher levels and spellcasters start really shining anyway. Maybe if you limited it to only one or two spells, period?

I don't see that. I can see it as a must-have for Sorcerers and other spells known people, as it expands their spell repertoire, but for a Wizard or Cleric? What's so essential there?

[jjordan]

I think it's too powerful as written. Always prepared or cast as one spell slot higher, not both. And I don't think they should be able to change the spells. If they master a spell they later find to be less useful then they have still mastered that spell.

[Old Harry MTX]

I like it, but I think it's a bit OP. Maybe I would drop the upcasting part.

[JNAProductions]

I like it, but I think it's a bit OP. Maybe I would drop the upcasting part.

Without the upcasting, it's just a few extra prepared spells/spells known, and a once per short rest niche usage.

[theVoidWatches]

I don't see that. I can see it as a must-have for Sorcerers and other spells known people, as it expands their spell repertoire, but for a Wizard or Cleric? What's so essential there?

Extra spells prepared all the time is nothing to sneeze at, and the free upcast is fantastic.

For a Cleric, I would start by taking Cure Wounds - an extra d8 of healing whenever I need to cast it - and then Spiritual Weapon as the other (which doesn't help immediately since that upcasts every 2 spell levels instead of one, but it makes it cheaper to upcast nonetheless). If I'm doing a variant human and getting this feat to start, I would go with Bless until we hit level 3 and I can switch it for Spiritual Weapon - that way it covers 4 party members rather than just one. All three of those spells are ones I will always want prepared in any situation.
When your proficiency goes up at level 5, you can pick another spell, and 3rd level spells are options. Spirit Guardians is the obvious choice - again, it's a good enough spell to always prepare it, and it upcasts nicely.
Next time your proficiency boosts, you have up to 5th level spells. There aren't as many spells of that level that upcast, but there is Mass Cure Wounds, which again, is a good choice to always have prepared as well.
When you get another spell, Heal is probably the best choice - it upcasts and is nice to have in your pocket for free.
At +6 proficiency you have up to level 9 spells, but the upcast bonus will be wasted on those - better to take a lower level spell like Bless of Healing Word for the upcast bonus.

The choices aren't as easy for wizards because most of their standout spells aren't as upcastable, but a free upcast of Magic Missile is fantastic at low levels, Hold Person on an extra target for free is nice, an extra ray of Scorching Ray is nothing to sneeze at...

Either "a free upcast of a few spells" or "always prepared/free spells known" are worth a feat on their own, IMO. Both in one is way too much.

[Rerem115]

Without the upcasting, it's just a few extra prepared spells/spells known, and a once per short rest niche usage.

Except it's not just a few; it's about 40% more known spells for Paladins, Sorcerers, and Artificers, and more than 50% more known spells for PHB Rangers.

I'm all for broad, powerful feats, but this one is such a massive boost to so many classes that it becomes a must-pick for the extra spells alone, not even taking the upcasting boon and ability to ignore components into account.

If this was allowed in a game where I was a player, I'd take it in a heartbeat if I met the requirements, which to me suggests that it might be a touch overtuned.

[JNAProductions]

Changed to half-prof spells, rounding down.

[Old Harry MTX]

Without the upcasting, it's just a few extra prepared spells/spells known, and a once per short rest niche usage.

Exactly, IMHO it's almost enough material for 2 feats, but with the half-prof is fine. Maybe you can add the possibility to take this feat more than one time.

[MrStabby]

The upcasting is over the top... from the get go banishment can hit two creatures? That is a massive boost.

Command at the lower end? Consider a class like wizard that can use arcane recovery to spam low level spells - this can just affect such a high proportion of their spells cast. OK, so spells like bestow curse are actually pretty cool with this now...



So sorcerer looks like they need this, and it seems particularly overpowered there - consider a divine soul and all the great cleric spells that scale really well. But also bard (especially if you can use magical secrets to cherry pick the best spells to work with this) and warlock is already picking the spells that scale best with upcasting.

I think you might also need to specify in the text what spell list the spells come from. Is it any list? Any list you can cast from? Chose one when you take the feat? Do you need to beable toknow the spell or is it a delight for multiclass casters? Can you cast it as a ritual? How does this interact with the spell school limitations for arcane trickster and eldritch knight? If the spells are from your class list, then this is intended to preclude selection from domain spells or land druid circle spells?

[Old Harry MTX]

The upcasting is over the top... from the get go banishment can hit two creatures? That is a massive boost.

Command at the lower end? Consider a class like wizard that can use arcane recovery to spam low level spells - this can just affect such a high proportion of their spells cast. OK, so spells like bestow curse are actually pretty cool with this now...



So sorcerer looks like they need this, and it seems particularly overpowered there - consider a divine soul and all the great cleric spells that scale really well. But also bard (especially if you can use magical secrets to cherry pick the best spells to work with this) and warlock is already picking the spells that scale best with upcasting.

I think you might also need to specify in the text what spell list the spells come from. Is it any list? Any list you can cast from? Chose one when you take the feat? Do you need to beable toknow the spell or is it a delight for multiclass casters? Can you cast it as a ritual? How does this interact with the spell school limitations for arcane trickster and eldritch knight? If the spells are from your class list, then this is intended to preclude selection from domain spells or land druid circle spells?

You are right, I assumed that new spells should be learned from spell lists that the character normally has access to. Perhaps it should be specified.

Also I do not know what's better for the eldritch knight and the arcane trickster, IMHO there's no need to impose restrictions on the avaible schools.

[theVoidWatches]

I think the simplest way of handling the spell list question is to specify that you choose spells you know or can prepare. That means multiclassers can grab from both spell lists, but doesn't let them get access to spells they don't have access to yet.