D&D 5E What can a wizard do in that other casters can't?

[CapnZapp]

But what else can Wizards do to a degree more then the other casters out there besides their spell flexibility?

In other words, why wizard instead of some other caster. (Outside knowledge skills.)

Why are you excluding their major feature?

It is precisely their flexibility that provides a reason for playing them!

Traditionally (and especially with Monte Cook era adventures) you needed a Wizard to cast that highly specific spell once in a while.

Even in 5E you can't replace that role in the party with a Sorcerer or Warlock. They can't afford to pick spells they aren't using themselves.

(Lore Bard maybe)

In 5E this aspect is much less pronounced, almost to the level of being eradicated.

So in these cases a Wizard is not strictly needed, and if DPS is a concern, bring a Sorcerer instead. (Or forget casters and instead bring melee DPS monsters)

That said, being the party Wizard can be a lot of fun. Especially if the party already contains a blaster caster, since that takes away the pressure for you to focus on damage dealing.

 

[Blue]

Why are you excluding their major feature?

It is precisely their flexibility that provides a reason for playing them!

Because I didn't ask what was good about playing them, I asked what they could do that the other casters can't.

Both Clerics and Druid have the flexibility to choose their spells every day, and can do it across their whole list. While wizards may have a better list, in most campaigns they don't have every spells so C&D being to choose from every spell they have and like wizards completely change on a long rest is comparable.

It's a great feature, but not something that other classes can't do.

 

[CapnZapp]

Because I didn't ask what was good about playing them, I asked what they could do that the other casters can't.

Both Clerics and Druid have the flexibility to choose their spells every day, and can do it across their whole list. While wizards may have a better list, in most campaigns they don't have every spells so C&D being to choose from every spell they have and like wizards completely change on a long rest is comparable.

It's a great feature, but not something that other classes can't do.

A question such as "What can AA do that others can't?" implies "What is the value of AA?"

Traditionally and historically the flexibility to cast most any arcane spell has definitely been the killer feature of the Wizard class. (And of course, if we go way back, it was the only arcane caster)

The class needs to be analyzed with at least a glance in the rear-mirror, otherwise you might not make sense of its design.

In this light, yes, it's definitely something no other class couldn't do.

More generally, the Wizard class has been the victim of feature creep to the point of not being needed at all. Not needing a particular class isn't all bad, however. (Maybe for the class and its fans but not for the game as a whole)

In the end, the highly sophisticated analysis boils down to: if YOU can't find any compelling reason to play a Wizard... then don't

 

[Particle_Man]

Polymorph doesn't heal
Rope Trick doesn't heal
Leomund's Tiny Hut doesn't heal

There's absolutley no point to this disagreement because none of the spells you cite for a wizard actually heal.

One allows one to take short rests safely, one allows one to take long rests safely, and one gives a huge buffer of hp in combat. Thus two spells allow for safe "natural" healing and one allows for free "temporary hp", which is not healing but is a close cousin to it, especially in combat.

 

[FrogReaver]

One allows one to take short rests safely, one allows one to take long rests safely, and one gives a huge buffer of hp in combat. Thus two spells allow for safe "natural" healing and one allows for free "temporary hp", which is not healing but is a close cousin to it, especially in combat.

Agreed.

 

[Yunru]

Agreed.

So the Wizard has healing.

 

[FrogReaver]

So the Wizard has healing.

You gave XP to a post that said it’s not healing. When I say that same phrase you argue with me about it. It’s not healing. I agree with [MENTION=892]Particle_Man[/MENTION] I would call it a close cousin but not healing. Apparently you agreed with him enough to give him XP as well. Is it something about me that brings this out in you?

 

[Yunru]

You gave XP to a post that said it’s not healing. When I say that same phrase you argue with me about it. It’s not healing. I agree with [MENTION=892]Particle_Man[/MENTION] I would call it a close cousin but not healing. Apparently you agreed with him enough to give him XP as well. Is it something about me that brings this out in you?

On the contrary, I gave XP to a post that outline exactly how Rope Trick and Tiny Hut are healing, and how Polymorph is very close.

 

[FrogReaver]

On the contrary, I gave XP to a post that outline exactly how Rope Trick and Tiny Hut are healing, and how Polymorph is very close.

He in fact explained that they weren’t healing.

 

[Yunru]

He in fact explained that they weren’t healing.

Show me where.
Because it's quite a claim that "two allow for [...] healing" means the spells don't result in healing.