balancing bonus traits

[Hilary]

Giving a single bonus trait to first level characters; Do these seem balanced?

(a) +3 points when buying ability scores (giving 30 points instead of 27).

(b) -3 points when buying ability scores (giving 24 points instead of 27), but gaining one Feat.

(c) A +1 magical enchantment applied to any tool, musical instrument, weapon, armor or shield the PC possesses. This is not a separate item, but a magical enchantment applied to a piece of equipment obtained during character creation.

(d) An enchantment applied to any armor the PC possesses that reduces the armor's weight by 50%. This is not a separate item, but a magical enchantment applied to (a suit of) armor obtained during character creation.

(e) An amulet that allows the wearer to casts (any) first level spell, with an effective spell save DC of 13 and an effective spell attack modifier of +5. The amulet holds only one charge. Once used, it becomes depleted of charges. If depleted of charges, it will regain one charge (its maximum number of charges) at dawn. The amulet requires attunement. The player may choose which spell the amulet contains - during character creation. If the spell requires special material components, the wearer must provide them.

(f) An amulet that allows the wearer to cast any one cantrip, with an effective spell save DC of 13 and an effective spell attack modifier of +5, up to seven times, whereupon it becomes depleted. It will regain any used 'charges' (up to its maximum of seven charges) at dawn. The amulet requires attunement. The player may choose which cantrip the amulet contains - during character creation. If the cantrip requires special material components, the wearer must provide them.

(g) +500 gp. Items listed in the PHB may be purchased prior to game start.

[Amnestic]

Giving a single bonus trait to first level characters; Do these seem balanced?

(a) +3 points when buying ability scores (giving 30 points instead of 27).

(b) -3 points when buying ability scores (giving 24 points instead of 27), but gaining one Feat.

(c) A +1 magical enchantment applied to any tool, musical instrument, weapon, armor or shield the PC possesses. This is not a separate item, but a magical enchantment applied to a piece of equipment obtained during character creation.

(d) An enchantment applied to any armor the PC possesses that reduces the armor's weight by 50%. This is not a separate item, but a magical enchantment applied to (a suit of) armor obtained during character creation.

(e) An amulet that allows the wearer to casts (any) first level spell, with an effective spell save DC of 13 and an effective spell attack modifier of +5. The amulet holds only one charge. Once used, it becomes depleted of charges. If depleted of charges, it will regain one charge (its maximum number of charges) at dawn. The amulet requires attunement. The player may choose which spell the amulet contains - during character creation. If the spell requires special material components, the wearer must provide them.

(f) An amulet that allows the wearer to cast any one cantrip, with an effective spell save DC of 13 and an effective spell attack modifier of +5, up to seven times, whereupon it becomes depleted. It will regain any used 'charges' (up to its maximum of seven charges) at dawn. The amulet requires attunement. The player may choose which cantrip the amulet contains - during character creation. If the cantrip requires special material components, the wearer must provide them.

(g) +500 gp. Items listed in the PHB may be purchased prior to game start.

From that list I would almost always be picking b) or c), potentially a) depending on class.

Dropping your tertiary stat from 14 to 12 is usually worth a feat (though it will of course depend on your class choice). A +1 weapon or shield from 1st level will last them for potentially the whole campaign. Due to starting armours not often being "optimal" depending on class that's less likely to get picked.

a) is okay for MAD builds, if it were bumped up to 31 (allowing for 15/14/14/12/10/10 pre-racials) then it might be too tempting though.

d) is fairly useless - armour weight isn't going to be impactful outside of heavy armour who can already deal with it due to having a high strength score. This is especially true since it only applies to your starting armour and can't be transferred. Even if you track encumbrance rigidly (which most groups don't) and made it just double their weight capacity and made it a permanent character buff rather than tied to the armour...I'd still probably not pick it.

If I make my feat from b) Magic Initiate I get a 1st level spell 1/day plus two unlimited cantrips, without requiring an attunement slot. Yeah it takes two attribute points, but the reward is just better. And permanent. Amulets can be stolen or replaced (if I get more than 3 attunable items) but MI's always there, and there's no limits on my cantrips.

For g), outside of plate armour money's not really that important for early stuff, and plate's 1500. It might speed the acquisition up slightly but a +1 weapon/shield or permanent stat boost/feat are far more tempting to me.

[Bobthewizard]

B. is much better than everything else. A feat is powerful early and lasts the whole campaign. Letting a variant human start with two feats or an elven archer get elven accuracy and sharpshooter by level 4 is much more powerful than anything else on the list.

A. would normally be my second choice. If the max for a single stat were raised to 16 or 17, it could rival B.

C. and G. are nice but are things you'll find as you adventure. So they'll be helpful early but worthless later.

D. has no mechanical advantage. If it were a gem that you could apply to any armor and it eliminated the STR requirement for heavy armor I could see some builds maybe taking it.

If you were to combine E. and F. and give someone both, that would still be worse than the magic initiate feat.

So I would recommend just giving the players a bonus feat. Players love it when you let them take an extra feat at level 1, and if everyone gets one, then it's all balanced.

[Guy Lombard-O]

As others have said, B is the best choice.

Have you considered half-feats as applied to B? Because I'd much rather give up 3 points of point buy, and take Res Con for a 14 Con + proficiency, than have a 14 Con without it and 1 other point to apply to some off-stat.

Also, something like a half-elf with elven accuracy could start with an 18 in their primary stat.

EDIT: As Bobthewizard said, just give a free feat if you're seeking distinct-yet-equivalent choices. With your current list, you risk having more savvy players take advantage of B, while unwise players choose something which will quickly fade away to irrelevancy (D-G), thereby creating a distinct power imbalance within your party.

[LudicSavant]

Giving a single bonus trait to first level characters; Do these seem balanced? Not even close. Some of these are nearly useless, while B is something that's so good it's basically obligatory.

[qube]

(a) +3 points when buying ability scores (giving 30 points instead of 27).
Consider how typically you want to boost your good abilities scores? Heck, you can't even boost your 15 with this thing.

I rank this trait equalivalent to an ability score increase of +1.

(b) -3 points when buying ability scores (giving 24 points instead of 27), but gaining one Feat.
Consider how typically, you can live with a few stats that are 10 instead of 12 or 8 instead of 10? When is the last time you spend even +1 of an ASI on a barbarian's charisma or intelligence?
Even more, typically feats are worth more then ASIs because they give extra abilities (+1 to attack & damage is nice; while GWM+PAM is something people work towards.

I rank this +2 ASI.

(c) A +1 magical enchantment applied to any tool, musical instrument, weapon, armor or shield the PC possesses. This is not a separate item, but a magical enchantment applied to a piece of equipment obtained during character creation.
Not only does it give less then a +2 on a stat (as that also not boosts the, for example, attack and damage, but also gives bonusses to saves & skills, maybe even initiative and AC) ... a +1 greatsword instantly turns useless, when you find a +2 greatsword

I rank this +1.5 ASI on the short term. but only +0 on the long term.

(and +1 AC to starting armor is typically useless. as characters typically don't even start with the best mundain armor)

(d) An enchantment applied to any armor the PC possesses that reduces the armor's weight by 50%. This is not a separate item, but a magical enchantment applied to (a suit of) armor obtained during character creation.

... The only time I've seen carrying capacity being an issue is when the wizard rolled his stats and put his 3 in strength.

I rank this +0.01

(e) An amulet that allows the wearer to casts (any) first level spell, with an effective spell save DC of 13 and an effective spell attack modifier of +5. The amulet holds only one charge. Once used, it becomes depleted of charges. If depleted of charges, it will regain one charge (its maximum number of charges) at dawn. The amulet requires attunement. The player may choose which spell the amulet contains - during character creation. If the spell requires special material components, the wearer must provide them.
The mage initiate feat
(1) also gives 2 cantrips
(2) doesn't have a fixed attack bonus
(3) ... holy duck, doesn't eat up one of your attumenment slots.

I rank this +1 ASI on the short term. +0.1 on the long term

(f) An amulet that allows the wearer to cast any one cantrip, with an effective spell save DC of 13 and an effective spell attack modifier of +5, up to seven times, whereupon it becomes depleted. It will regain any used 'charges' (up to its maximum of seven charges) at dawn. The amulet requires attunement. The player may choose which cantrip the amulet contains - during character creation. If the cantrip requires special material components, the wearer must provide them.
.. wait the same thing; with a cantrip ... and only 7/day?

I rank this thing +0.5 on the short term, +0.01 on the medium term.

(g) +500 gp. Items listed in the PHB may be purchased prior to game start.
When it comes down to it? This is just a heavier armor as starting equipment (unless we're talking about consuables ... holy duck this would be a waste if you spend it on health potions; with the healer feat and all)

I rank this thing +0.5 on the short term, +0.1 on the medium term. +0 on the long term