Thanks for testing, that's great info!
The reason I was saying that it's generally not the "optimal" choice for melee characters is just because generally getting a bonus which is otherwise unavailable (like Tavern Brawler) or additional options for your actions / reactions (like Great Weapon Master, Polearm Master or Sentinel) or one of the massive damage increases (Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter) is more powerful than just replacing one stat for another, especially in a game where you can dump Str and still have a score higher than if you poured all your efforts into it by using a single item. That being said I 100% agree it's an awesome feat and great in a Gish build not to mention packed with flavor, a choice doesn't need to be the most powerful one around to be a great option and a ton of fun.
