D&D (2024) Should Wish be an Epic boon?

[Stalker0]

Wish is commonly sighted as the "most powerful" of spells. When people discuss possible spell changes in one dnd, wish often hits that list.

There is however, another option we could consider. What if Wish was not on any spell lists, but instead was unlocked through an epic boon only?

Example:
Epic Boon of Ultimate Magic
You have come to understand the pinnacle of mortal magic.
Gain +1 to either Intelligence, Wisdom, or charisma. This stat can be increased up to 30.
The Wish spell is added to your spell list.

This would have a few implications:

• Wish becomes a spell for 20th level only. Effectively a "10th level spell" for all intents and purposes.
• Obtaining Wish is a fairly big investment, as its competing with all of the other cool epic boons you could have acquired.

This actually does have some precendence in the game. There are older versions of the game where Wish was only available to 20th level wizards....and was a "capstone" of sorts. This concept would be in line with that.


What do you think, would this change put wish in a better balance with other 9th level spells and the game?

 

[HammerMan]

I think that moving wish up to “10th level spell” is perfect.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This actually does have some precendence in the game. There are older versions of the game where Wish was only available to 20th level wizards....and was a "capstone" of sorts.

This is the first I've heard of this. Which versions are those?

(I think the overall idea is worth considering, for the record.)

 

[aco175]

I might even allow 1/day for free. Not sure if boons already do this. I also never play that high, so it never comes up.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

Wish is commonly sighted as the "most powerful" of spells. When people discuss possible spell changes in one dnd, wish often hits that list.

There is however, another option we could consider. What if Wish was not on any spell lists, but instead was unlocked through an epic boon only?

Example:
Epic Boon of Ultimate Magic
You have come to understand the pinnacle of mortal magic.
Gain +1 to either Intelligence, Wisdom, or charisma. This stat can be increased up to 30.
The Wish spell is added to your spell list.

This would have a few implications:

• Wish becomes a spell for 20th level only. Effectively a "10th level spell" for all intents and purposes.
• Obtaining Wish is a fairly big investment, as its competing with all of the other cool epic boons you could have acquired.

This actually does have some precendence in the game. There are older versions of the game where Wish was only available to 20th level wizards....and was a "capstone" of sorts. This concept would be in line with that.


What do you think, would this change put wish in a better balance with other 9th level spells and the game?

I don't hate it.

(Edit to clarify: Cool idea. I don't hate it as a house rule, and I would consider it for a campaign. But the designers aren't going to remove access to it as a general 9th-level arcane spell because it is built in to the fabric of the game already, with Wish being in stat-blocks, and being called out as an ultimate hail-mary solution to many things.)

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I certainly might allow a caster of Wish who has lost it through casting stress to regain it as an Epic Boon.

 

[Clint_L]

I might even allow 1/day for free. Not sure if boons already do this. I also never play that high, so it never comes up.

Oooooof!

This would be very, very powerful.

I like the idea of it as an epic boon, but I still think there needs to be a high cost or potential risk to using Wish. Frankly, I don't think it should be in the game as a spell that characters can have - it should only be granted through an extremely powerful entity or an extremely rare and powerful item.

But since that ship has sailed, making the player invest an epic boon in it might work. Does this also give them an extra level 9 spell slot? Because that in itself would be an epic boon.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Looks like a rather elegant solution.

 

[lall]

I’d be okay with this for non-sorcerers.

 

[Stalker0]

this also give them an extra level 9 spell slot? Because that in itself would be an epic boon.

my OP was no, jf just adds it to the list, but you still must consume a 9th level slot to cast it