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

[Yunru]

So you would agree that fireball can heal the party but doesn’t always do so?

No. A fireball never heals the party. A fireball can only contribute to ending an encounter, outside of things like burning down the only way into a saferoom.
A Rope Trick, on the other hand, allows you a short rest. Not allows you to start taking, like ending an encounter with a fireball will, it guarantees you the hour needed to complete a short rest.

 

[FrogReaver]

No. A fireball never heals the party. A fireball can only contribute to ending an encounter, outside of things like burning down the only way into a saferoom.
A Rope Trick, on the other hand, allows you a short rest. Not allows you to start taking, like ending an encounter with a fireball will, it guarantees you the hour needed to complete a short rest.

But if ending the encounter was all that stood in the way of a party taking a rest then a fireball ending the encounter did allow for a rest. Since your argument is that a spell which allows a rest heals then the only logical thing to do is to admit that fireballs sometimes heal.

 

[Yunru]

But if ending the encounter was all that stood in the way of a party taking a rest then a fireball ending the encounter did allow for a rest. Since your argument is that a spell which allows a rest heals then the only logical thing to do is to admit that fireballs sometimes heal.

... you call that logical? Hell no!

A fireball may allow you to start taking a rest, but it's not gonna ensure you an uninterrupted hour to finish said rest.

A spell only counts if it is responsible from ensure you have a short rest from start to finish.

 

[FrogReaver]

... you call that logical? Hell no!

A fireball may allow you to start taking a rest, but it's not gonna ensure you an uninterrupted hour to finish said rest.

A spell only counts if it is responsible from ensure you have a short rest from start to finish.

Then no spell ensures that because they can all be dispelled.

 

[Yunru]

Then no spell ensures that because they can all be dispelled.

You're grasping at straws here.
A few, very specific, exceptions is not the same as "literally nothing helping you rest safely."

 

[Grue AC]

Just because Rope Trick or Leaumonds can give you time to rest doesn't mean you'll complete one successfully. Just google "leaumonds tiny hut" and the 3rd result is Reddit talking how to counteract it.

 

[Blue]

Just because Rope Trick or Leaumonds can give you time to rest doesn't mean you'll complete one successfully. Just google "leaumonds tiny hut" and the 3rd result is Reddit talking how to counteract it.

There's a big active thread on if Rope Trick is healing in the 5e Forum so I don't want to derail this thread with discussion about exact terminology.

What I will say is that Wizards have both spells that increase HP-related survivability via temp HPs (False Life, etc.) and faux-HPs (Polymorph). They also have spells that reduce risks of taking rests. Rope Trick, for example, may not be perfect but it's a lot more likely to allow an undisturbed short rest then just camping in the same spot.

 

[Mort]

There's a big active thread on if Rope Trick is healing in the 5e Forum so I don't want to derail this thread with discussion about exact terminology.

That whole tangent seems like unnecessary semantics.

As you go on to say, wizards have a whole range of spells that either help a PC stay up longer (false life, polymorph, the abjurer's ward) or help facilitate healing (rope trick, tiny hut, magnificent mansion). Heck by mid levels teleportation circle, it's not healing but it can easily put you in a position to be healed.

Wizards do have a little direct healing: vampiric touch is situational and self only, but qualifies. And of course, at the highest levels, wish pretty much allows for any healing needed.

This does relate to the OP, wizards do breadth of ability like no other spellcasting class - to the point of even in a field they are deliberately limited in, healing, they can still help in a huge way.

 

[FrogReaver]

That whole tangent seems like unnecessary semantics.

As you go on to say, wizards have a whole range of spells that either help a PC stay up longer (false life, polymorph, the abjurer's ward) or help facilitate healing (rope trick, tiny hut, magnificent mansion). Heck by mid levels teleportation circle, it's not healing but it can easily put you in a position to be healed.

Wizards do have a little direct healing: vampiric touch is situational and self only, but qualifies. And of course, at the highest levels, wish pretty much allows for any healing needed.

This does relate to the OP, wizards do breadth of ability like no other spellcasting class - to the point of even in a field they are deliberately limited in, healing, they can still help in a huge way.

Wizard's get a spell in Xanathar's that heals. I forgot the name though.

 

[Mort]

Wizard's get a spell in Xanathar's that heals. I forgot the name though.

Possibly life transference? Take damage and give twice that many HP to a desired creature?

That's another big benefit wizards get. When a new spell comes out, which happens fairly often, wizards can get access pretty easily (assuming the DM is even somewhat permissive). They don't have to make big decisions like sorcerers or bards do in spell selection. Granted clerics are even more permissive on that front (as they get any spell on their list unless the DM limits it) but they don't seem to get the same breadth of spells.