FrogReaver
As long as i get to be the frog
You do know a wizard doesn't have every spell in their book prepared right?
A novel way to acheive intra-spell balance
You do know a wizard doesn't have every spell in their book prepared right?
So? It's easy enough to shift which spells you have prepared.
Edit: Huh, coulda sworn they switched which they had on a short rest.
jgsugden
Legend
You can go old school and just deny your PCs the chance to learn some spells. Some examples of this idea:
For example, when a wizard gains a level and gets 2 spells, they have to roll an intelligence check for each with a DCof 15+spell level. if they fail, they can't learn the spell for a number of levels equal to the amount by which they failed the check. They can immediately attempt again with a different spell until they've learned 2. They have to make the same check when trying to learn a spell from a scroll or spellbook, but do not get to try another spell in the place of the original spell.
A cleric can pick half of their prepared spells, but the God (DM) picks the other half.
Half of the spells a sorcerer knows must be original creations.
For example, when a wizard gains a level and gets 2 spells, they have to roll an intelligence check for each with a DCof 15+spell level. if they fail, they can't learn the spell for a number of levels equal to the amount by which they failed the check. They can immediately attempt again with a different spell until they've learned 2. They have to make the same check when trying to learn a spell from a scroll or spellbook, but do not get to try another spell in the place of the original spell.
A cleric can pick half of their prepared spells, but the God (DM) picks the other half.
Half of the spells a sorcerer knows must be original creations.
FrogReaver
As long as i get to be the frog
Interesting variations but they don't really do what I'm after. You're not incentivizing the caster to take inferior spells you are making it impossible to take their first choice spells. In which case they will just try their 2nd choice and 3rd choice etc.
TallIan
Explorer
Not any more than the spell level system already allows. The situational spell will have to be significantly better in its niche than the generally more useful spell is, to the point that the situational spell is probably over powered. I will say that this has a LOT to do with the way I play.
Your list below doesn't include many spells that would make my list if the used less "prep points", some of them might if they were tweaked.
jgsugden
Legend
The end result is the same - more variation in spellcasting.
Yaarel
He Mage
@FrogReaver
D&D 5e does a great job at removing broken spells from the spell list. Spells that are too powerful, to the point of interfering with the enjoyment of the game, are absent. D&D 5e removed the spells that are too powerful, but unfortunately has not yet removed the spells that fail to be powerful enough.
Spells that suck need to demote to a lower spell level, where they can become a more competitive option. Certain sucky spells might need to be rewritten or even reconceived.
One problematic is old school spells that might have made sense in earlier editions of D&D, but no longer make sense in D&D 5e. For example, what Legend Lore used to do, now works better as a History skill check, so it is usually unhelpful to use the spell at its relatively high level spell slot. These spells are familiar, but actually less useful.
It might even make sense to have some kind of ‘minor rituals’ category, where terribly weak spells can be cast as a ritual without needing a spell slot. Some spells might work better as a skill check.
I want to see an Unearthed Arcana that offers an updated spell list with more appropriate spell levels for spells. Also it can remove or update the spells that are usually useless.
D&D 5e does a great job at removing broken spells from the spell list. Spells that are too powerful, to the point of interfering with the enjoyment of the game, are absent. D&D 5e removed the spells that are too powerful, but unfortunately has not yet removed the spells that fail to be powerful enough.
Spells that suck need to demote to a lower spell level, where they can become a more competitive option. Certain sucky spells might need to be rewritten or even reconceived.
One problematic is old school spells that might have made sense in earlier editions of D&D, but no longer make sense in D&D 5e. For example, what Legend Lore used to do, now works better as a History skill check, so it is usually unhelpful to use the spell at its relatively high level spell slot. These spells are familiar, but actually less useful.
It might even make sense to have some kind of ‘minor rituals’ category, where terribly weak spells can be cast as a ritual without needing a spell slot. Some spells might work better as a skill check.
I want to see an Unearthed Arcana that offers an updated spell list with more appropriate spell levels for spells. Also it can remove or update the spells that are usually useless.
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Yaarel
He Mage
Check out this assessment of 5e spells.
What is the Most Powerful Spell?
Post any thoughts about specific spells.
What is the Most Powerful Spell?
Post any thoughts about specific spells.
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
There are plenty of utility spells that are great for their little niche. That does not equate to being overpowered.
Feather fall isn't overpowered. It's not even useful - until it is. Water breathing - same thing. Speak to Animals & Animal Friendship, add in Speak with Plants and Speak with Dead. Locate Object, See Invisibility. Magic Mouth, Sending, Tongues, Comprehend Languages. Create or Destroy Water.
I could go on and on. This is why the Wizard's ability to cast any ritual in her book, not just the ones she has prepared/known is so good. And there are a lot of niche spells that aren't rituals.
But no one is calling them overpowered.
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