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Turning full-casters into half-casters
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<blockquote data-quote="cbwjm" data-source="post: 8690498" data-attributes="member: 6788732"><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">I came up with this idea when looking through the Even More Magic & Mayhem d20 fan made book for the WoW RPG while looking for ideas for my adaptation of the WoW shaman. In this book, one of the ideas was to turn the shaman into something like a 3e version of the paladin or ranger with increased attack bonus and reduced spellcasting. As it turns out, the 5e fan made book also had a similar idea.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Ideally, a subclass choice would be made at 1st level, however, there is minimal disruption for those classes that gain a subclass at levels 2 and 3, with only the bard having a slight advantage by having 3 1st-level spell slots at level 2, whereas a cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard reduced caster would only have 2 1st-level spell slots.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">What they lose:</span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Full-casting. These spellcasters gain improved toughness and martial ability at the cost of being limited to a maximum of 5th level spells.</span></li> </ul><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">What they gain:</span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">These spellcasters gain 2 extra subclass levels, essentially to increase their combat effectiveness at levels 5 and 11, in addition to any other subclass level abilities. These would normally be Extra Attack at 5th level, and another damage increase at 11th (something like improved divine smite).</span></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">They gain increased toughness. Normally 1 hit point/level (retroactive) taking them up to the average hit points of the next highest hit die, without changing hit die size.</span></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">They might gain armour proficiencies. This isn't always necessary, though as a rule of thumb, gain the next highest armour proficiency from the base class. A wizard or sorcerer might gain light armour, a bard might gain medium armour and shields, a cleric might gain heavy armour.</span></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">They might gain weapon proficiencies. Some classes will need this more than others (such as wizards and sorcerers)</span></li> </ul><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">What they keep:</span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">You keep the same cantrip progression of the base class.</span></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">You keep all other features of the base class. A sorcerer who takes this path would gain metamagic and sorcery points at the same rate as a regular sorcerer.</span></li> </ul><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">What I like about using reduced spellcasting is that it can open up new avenues of subclass creation. While I'd like a fighter/mage full class, I can now take the wizard and change it up to be a half-caster and create a subclass with a little more of a martial boost to compensate for the lost spell capacity. About the only thing which I don't like, is that different classes gain their subclasses at different levels, leading to some differences in spell slots at lower levels as summarised in the table below. For instance, a 2nd level bard has 3 slots when compared to the wizard or sorcerer half-caster, for instance, even if the bard player intends to take a reduced casting subclass. </span></p><p></p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>Level</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>Full caster<br /> Spell Slots</strong></span></td><td></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>Subclass level 1 (cleric, sorcerer)</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>Subclass level 2, (druid, wizard)</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>Subclass level 3 (bard)</strong></span></td></tr><tr><td></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>1st</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>2nd</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>1st</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>1st</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>1st</strong></span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>1</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">-</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>2</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">3</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">-</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">3</span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"><strong>3</strong></span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">4</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">2</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">3</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">3</span></td><td><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">3</span></td></tr></table><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">As an example, if moving a bladesinger to this reduced casting rate, they might end up looking something like the following.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Level 2: Bladesong, performance skill, Reduced Spellcasting, light armour, weapon proficiency (proficient weapons count as arcane focus), +1 hit point/level</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Level 5: Extra Attack+</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Level 6: Training in Sword and Spell (add any enhancement bonus from weapon to spell attack rolls)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Level 10: Song of Defence</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Level 11: Song of Victory (moved to level 11)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Calibri'">Level 14: Greater Bladesong (what is it? who knows, but as the capstone it is likely awesome)</span></p><p></p><p>I know 5e in general doesn't like to take things away, however, I think this half-casting swap could lead to some great new subclasses.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="cbwjm, post: 8690498, member: 6788732"] [FONT=Calibri]I came up with this idea when looking through the Even More Magic & Mayhem d20 fan made book for the WoW RPG while looking for ideas for my adaptation of the WoW shaman. In this book, one of the ideas was to turn the shaman into something like a 3e version of the paladin or ranger with increased attack bonus and reduced spellcasting. As it turns out, the 5e fan made book also had a similar idea.[/FONT] [FONT=Calibri]Ideally, a subclass choice would be made at 1st level, however, there is minimal disruption for those classes that gain a subclass at levels 2 and 3, with only the bard having a slight advantage by having 3 1st-level spell slots at level 2, whereas a cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard reduced caster would only have 2 1st-level spell slots.[/FONT] [FONT=Calibri]What they lose:[/FONT] [LIST] [*][FONT=Calibri]Full-casting. These spellcasters gain improved toughness and martial ability at the cost of being limited to a maximum of 5th level spells.[/FONT] [/LIST] [FONT=Calibri]What they gain:[/FONT] [LIST] [*][FONT=Calibri]These spellcasters gain 2 extra subclass levels, essentially to increase their combat effectiveness at levels 5 and 11, in addition to any other subclass level abilities. These would normally be Extra Attack at 5th level, and another damage increase at 11th (something like improved divine smite).[/FONT] [*][FONT=Calibri]They gain increased toughness. Normally 1 hit point/level (retroactive) taking them up to the average hit points of the next highest hit die, without changing hit die size.[/FONT] [*][FONT=Calibri]They might gain armour proficiencies. This isn't always necessary, though as a rule of thumb, gain the next highest armour proficiency from the base class. A wizard or sorcerer might gain light armour, a bard might gain medium armour and shields, a cleric might gain heavy armour.[/FONT] [*][FONT=Calibri]They might gain weapon proficiencies. Some classes will need this more than others (such as wizards and sorcerers)[/FONT] [/LIST] [FONT=Calibri]What they keep:[/FONT] [LIST] [*][FONT=Calibri]You keep the same cantrip progression of the base class.[/FONT] [*][FONT=Calibri]You keep all other features of the base class. A sorcerer who takes this path would gain metamagic and sorcery points at the same rate as a regular sorcerer.[/FONT] [/LIST] [FONT=Calibri]What I like about using reduced spellcasting is that it can open up new avenues of subclass creation. While I'd like a fighter/mage full class, I can now take the wizard and change it up to be a half-caster and create a subclass with a little more of a martial boost to compensate for the lost spell capacity. About the only thing which I don't like, is that different classes gain their subclasses at different levels, leading to some differences in spell slots at lower levels as summarised in the table below. For instance, a 2nd level bard has 3 slots when compared to the wizard or sorcerer half-caster, for instance, even if the bard player intends to take a reduced casting subclass. [/FONT] [TABLE] [TR] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]Level[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]Full caster Spell Slots[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]Subclass level 1 (cleric, sorcerer)[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]Subclass level 2, (druid, wizard)[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]Subclass level 3 (bard)[/B][/FONT][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]1st[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]2nd[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]1st[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]1st[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]1st[/B][/FONT][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]1[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]-[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]2[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]3[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]-[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]3[/FONT][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][FONT=Calibri][B]3[/B][/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]4[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]2[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]3[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]3[/FONT][/TD] [TD][FONT=Calibri]3[/FONT][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [FONT=Calibri] As an example, if moving a bladesinger to this reduced casting rate, they might end up looking something like the following. Level 2: Bladesong, performance skill, Reduced Spellcasting, light armour, weapon proficiency (proficient weapons count as arcane focus), +1 hit point/level Level 5: Extra Attack+ Level 6: Training in Sword and Spell (add any enhancement bonus from weapon to spell attack rolls) Level 10: Song of Defence Level 11: Song of Victory (moved to level 11) Level 14: Greater Bladesong (what is it? who knows, but as the capstone it is likely awesome)[/FONT] I know 5e in general doesn't like to take things away, however, I think this half-casting swap could lead to some great new subclasses. [/QUOTE]
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