The debate of Martial vs Casters at high levels continues!
While we can argue how "effective" martials are versus casters at high levels, I think one of the lingering narrative issues is the notion that high level scenarios often require magical solutions. No matter how cool your martial is, when the sacred key is protected by a wall of force.....you need a wizard. It leads to the notion that casters are "essential" at high levels, whereas martials are "optional". Now of course a DM can always tailor their game for a martial only group should they need to, but if you look at the standard spells and "common dangers" of high levels, they often require the use of magic to overcome. An improvement to the game might be in redesigning these spells and dangers with more mundane solutions, so that martial can contribute to the narrative of the dungeon crawl more equally to casters. Lets take a look.
Force Effects - Overcome with Damage
A simple start that is already a common houserule in many games, make it that force effects can be taken down with damage. Maybe you give the effect some kind of regeneration or minimum damage threshold to prevent teh "rif raf" from breaking it, but a high level martial can break down a wall of force or a resilent sphere with just raw power.
Flying - More tools to beat flying creatures
5e already started the ball here with the prone condition, which lets you ground a flying creature. Perhaps other tools could be added here, make a proning type weapon like a bola more usable at distances, or alchemical devices that can disrupt flying, etc.
Teleport Circles - Anyone can use
A simple change to the narrative, have it where anyone who knows that right symbols can use a teleport circle to go to another location (aka more stargate than magic circle). This gives martials a few more long distance options. It obviously doesn't replace caster teleporting but its a step in that direction.
Plane Shift - Portals/A way to back track
Similar to the teleport circles, narratively creature general ways to travel the planes that don't require the plane shift spell. This already exists in many worlds and narratives, so it could be made more ubiquitous.
Also for the plane shift (maybe banishment spell), perhaps it leaves a tear for a few rounds that the person who went through could pry open with damage or a high skill check and return where they came from. This allows a martial who has been plane shifted or banished a possible return path without having to use their wizard buddy to save them.
so that's a few starting ideas. What else do you think would make the high level world less insurmountable for martials?
While we can argue how "effective" martials are versus casters at high levels, I think one of the lingering narrative issues is the notion that high level scenarios often require magical solutions. No matter how cool your martial is, when the sacred key is protected by a wall of force.....you need a wizard. It leads to the notion that casters are "essential" at high levels, whereas martials are "optional". Now of course a DM can always tailor their game for a martial only group should they need to, but if you look at the standard spells and "common dangers" of high levels, they often require the use of magic to overcome. An improvement to the game might be in redesigning these spells and dangers with more mundane solutions, so that martial can contribute to the narrative of the dungeon crawl more equally to casters. Lets take a look.
Force Effects - Overcome with Damage
A simple start that is already a common houserule in many games, make it that force effects can be taken down with damage. Maybe you give the effect some kind of regeneration or minimum damage threshold to prevent teh "rif raf" from breaking it, but a high level martial can break down a wall of force or a resilent sphere with just raw power.
Flying - More tools to beat flying creatures
5e already started the ball here with the prone condition, which lets you ground a flying creature. Perhaps other tools could be added here, make a proning type weapon like a bola more usable at distances, or alchemical devices that can disrupt flying, etc.
Teleport Circles - Anyone can use
A simple change to the narrative, have it where anyone who knows that right symbols can use a teleport circle to go to another location (aka more stargate than magic circle). This gives martials a few more long distance options. It obviously doesn't replace caster teleporting but its a step in that direction.
Plane Shift - Portals/A way to back track
Similar to the teleport circles, narratively creature general ways to travel the planes that don't require the plane shift spell. This already exists in many worlds and narratives, so it could be made more ubiquitous.
Also for the plane shift (maybe banishment spell), perhaps it leaves a tear for a few rounds that the person who went through could pry open with damage or a high skill check and return where they came from. This allows a martial who has been plane shifted or banished a possible return path without having to use their wizard buddy to save them.
so that's a few starting ideas. What else do you think would make the high level world less insurmountable for martials?
