D&D 5E Loremaster Wizard's Arcane Tradition

So as WotC leaved the Loremaster out of the XGtE and I'm fond of the concept, I did my own shot at this Arcane Tradition. What I have done so far:

2nd level feature
Arcane Savant
Your investigations allows you to go deeper in the arcana knowledge than other wizards. Beginning at 2nd level, each time you gain a wizard level, you can add three wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook for free, rather than two as per Wizard's standard rules. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Wizard table.



6th level feature
Ritual Master
Beginning at 6th level, you can inscribe spells that have the ritual tag from any class’s spell list in your Spellbook. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.



10th level feature
Prodigious Memory
At 10th level, you have attained a greater mastery of spell preparation. As a bonus action, you can replace one spell you have prepared with another spell from your spellbook. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.



14th level feature
Arcane Mastery
At 14th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain Spells that you can maintain concentration of them together with other spells. Choose a 1st-level wizard spell and a 2nd-level wizard spell that are in your Spellbook and requires Concentration. You can cast either of those Spells at its lowest level and still cast a second spell that requires Concentration. If you fail a Concentration check while concentrating on two spells, you lose both spells. (I'm grateful to [MENTION=12731]CapnZapp[/MENTION] for the original ideal which I copied).



I like to hear/read your opinions, mostly about the 2nd and 14th level features. And most important, given the existence of arcane traditions like Divinination, Bladesinging, Evocation and Abjuration, would you play a Loremaster as presented above?

Thanks in advance!

I like/love the concepts, and am interested in feedback from those with a greater grasp of unexpected combinations than myself.

I would play it. Especially if finding new spells from rivals or foes was in limited supply. If that was common, then that would reduce the affect of the 2nd level feature.

I made a very similar archetype a long time ago that was supposed to be a generalist wizard as an answer to every other archetype being a school specialist. Soliciting feedback, many people pointed out that being able to spontaneously switch out a prepared spell was too powerful. Combine that with your double concentration mechanic, even with it's 1st or 2nd level constraint, and... Well, the people back then would've called this incredibly OP. With the power creep we've seen over the years, they may just call it somewhat OP.

Here's a link to my Mage archetype, which by the end of the building process, had received broad approval from those participating in the thread.

Wizard: Mage

I do not like this take on the subclass, I feel like it misses a key draw of the subclass. For starters, you forgot the Lore Master ability of the Loremaster. Which is the heart of it's being.

Expertise in any knowledge skills you already know is basically a ribbon. It's not going to directly kill any monster, or save you from death unless you jump through additional hoops after the fact. However, the point of the subclass is to create a character that is smarter than the person who is playing it. This is accomplished by using lore checks, this gives the player the necessary feedback to find a solution to the problem at hand. For instance: The Players are fighting a creature that is quickly healing it's wounds, what do you do? The Loremaster would make a skill check, figure out the creature is a Troll, then throw some fire on it. Additionally, having expertise in the skill allows the Loremaster to be an actual Lore Master, instead of waiting for a Bard or a Rogue to do all the heavy thinking.

How I would change it: I would reinstate the skill check bonus. Then maybe add on the ability to do such checks as a bonus action. You can get rid of that bonus to initiative, the War Wizard stole it anyway.

Now, the Arcane Savant ability that you have proposed is also a ribbon. It's basically a variation on Evocation Savant. Yes, in some extremely magic starved games it would be a boon, but in magic rich worlds it will be only worth the gold you save on it. As a rule of thumb, if your wizards can learn more than 2 spells per level (which is automatically true in any game that has two wizard PC's), then you are just saving gold.

This means you need a meaty level two ability to carry whichever ribbon you go with. You could go with a heavily nerfed Spell Secrets, but all the Sorcerer lovers are going to froth at the mouth for you stepping on their toes (despite having one heal digging into the Cleric's foot ).

On to Ritual Master. I will commend you for latching on to the idea of lore wizards working with their spellbooks and running with it. I am assuming that you mean they can cast the ritual spells only as rituals. Otherwise this is an expanded spells list and another roundabout way to save gold. If what I am assuming is true: This is great for Warlocks, not that hot for Wizards, who already have one of the best, if not the best, ritual lists around. Not that there aren't some choice off-class picks, Augury comes to mind. Another ribbonish ability. This rendition of the lore wizard really needs some combat potency right now.

The lazy fix, as I touched on before, is take Spell Secrets, put the elemental damage at level 2, the modify the save feature at level 6, nerf them both to x/rest, and make it so the saving throw change only lasts for a turn or two. But this is the lazy change, and will likely make many people very mad. Don't consider Alchemical Casting, there is nothing worth saving there.

Prodigious Memory is Prodigious Memory. I'm quite fond of it. Because it enables the character to be smarter than the player (whoops, I memorized the wrong spell, lets fix that), it makes the wizard mess with their book in the middle of combat (quite risky), and because the mental image of doing so is entertaining. Other people consider the entire concept a non-starter.

As for what I consider to be a non-starter: Arcane Mastery. Bypassing the concentration limit is a big no-no for me.

First of all, thank you very much for your feedback.

Regarding some issues raised, I like to add my own comments:

Nevvur said:

Soliciting feedback, many people pointed out that being able to spontaneously switch out a prepared spell was too powerful. Combine that with your double concentration mechanic, even with it's 1st or 2nd level constraint, and... Well, the people back then would've called this incredibly OP. With the power creep we've seen over the years, they may just call it somewhat OP.

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It's something to test. In my experience, the most chosen Concentration-tag spells from 1st-2nd level Wizard's list range are: Blur, Fog Cloud, Hold Person, Invisibility, Magic Weapon, Protection from Evil and Good, Silent Image, Suggestion, Tasha's Hideous Laughter and Web. While they can be powerful with "Arcane Mastery", I don't think the ability could be broken -- at least not at the level of MoonDruid Bear Shape at 2nd level. But, as I said, it's something only playtest will give an answer.

Leatherhead said:

Expertise in any knowledge skills you already know is basically a ribbon. It's not going to directly kill any monster, or save you from death unless you jump through additional hoops after the fact. However, the point of the subclass is to create a character that is smarter than the person who is playing it. This is accomplished by using lore checks, this gives the player the necessary feedback to find a solution to the problem at hand. For instance: The Players are fighting a creature that is quickly healing it's wounds, what do you do? The Loremaster would make a skill check, figure out the creature is a Troll, then throw some fire on it. Additionally, having expertise in the skill allows the Loremaster to be an actual Lore Master, instead of waiting for a Bard or a Rogue to do all the heavy thinking.

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My first version had a feature like you cited. To be true, I copied the 1st level Knowledge Domain feature, Blessings of Knowledge. But after some debate with other fellows and thinking, I abandonned that idea. First because it wasn't original, and second because, in my head, Expertise-like features are for specialists like Rogue or Bard. Wizards already focus on Intelligence, giving him Expertise on Intelligence-based skills places him above these "specialists". If I'm reworking the Loremaster concept, avoiding to enter niches well stablished in 5e (like Sorcerer Metamagic), I think isn't fair to give him a feature like that -- Yet that "Ritual Master" is a version of Warlock's Eldritch Invocation "Book of Shadows". But, sure, is a personal point of view.

Regarding your other arguments, [MENTION=53176]Leatherhead[/MENTION], about "Arcane Savant" and "Ritual Master" -- and [MENTION=7706]SkidAce[/MENTION] commented more or less in the same way --, I think I'm too influenced by my own playing experience when I developped these features. I agree with you that in a "magical rich" world, these features are less attractive (and mere gold saving). But if your DM is like mine, well these are gold (no pun intended). I have to think better to achieve something in the middle.

Ritual Master is stepping on the toes of Tome Pact warlocks, but I say, step away. I just don't like that class, mechanically. Thematically, I love it, which makes it all the sadder mechanically. But the cost should be 50gp per level of spell, as normal. Or, the amount per spell level could be less, since this is the specialty, but it should still cost more to copy higher-level spells.

What makes Prodigious Memory powerful is that it only costs a bonus action. Make that take an action, so that you can't just pluck any spell from your spellbook during combat and cast it in one turn. (I've done something similiar with an arcane tradition I am working on.) If folks think even that's too powerful, make it take a whole minute.

I agree that there's no lore in your loremaster. Maybe just call it something else.

I like it a lot better than the UA version, and the silly School of Invention effort.

I might be inclined to let them learn one ritual and on cantrip from any spell list at level 2. I can see them quickly getting to the point where they are having to fill up space with rubbishy spells with 3 per level.

I wouldn't worry about "stepping on the toes of the warlock". It's a fairly obscure option for them.

Leatherhead said:

Otherwise this is an expanded spells list and another roundabout way to save gold. If what I am assuming is true: This is great for Warlocks, not that hot for Wizards, who already have one of the best, if not the best, ritual lists around. Not that there aren't some choice off-class picks, Augury comes to mind. Another ribbonish ability. This rendition of the lore wizard really needs some combat potency right now.

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One of the most powerful benefits of Ritual Master is saving prep slots for casters who are required to prepare their ritual spells. Being able to cast those spells from a book can radically increase the variety of spells your party is able to cast because they can take other things. And more spell variety = more solutions.

It’s one of the coolest things about Tome Warlocks.

Level 2 needs work. In my games, if I defeat a wizard, I *am* getting their spell book! If it isn't on them, I will find out where they keep it and go get it. Now, I will expect to have half or more of the spells in that book be ones I already know (any self respecting wizard picks up all the basics) but should at least get a few. Same thing if I'm the DM. Claiming the spellbooks of defeated opponents is part of a D&D wizard. And, I'm going to say it, let those with sensitive eyes hide them: any DM who does not do that is *doing it wrong*! So the point is it is way to weak; just a ribbon as is.

Level 6 is perfect, assuming they can only cast the spells as rituals.

Level 10 needs at least an action (maybe a minute), but is otherwise great.

Level 14 is the iffiest. Concentration probably isn't something to mess with.

Hey guys, thank you for your answers! (And sorry to take so long to comment, but I have internet issues to acces EnWorld from here. Don't ask me why, 'cause I don't know).

So, to be true the version presented before is outdated. I heard your past comments, changed some things and came with another approach. Not much different from what you saw, but more, imo, "concept focused". Currently (that is at my table), my Loremaster's take follows which is shown below:

2nd level feature
Magic Savant
Your investigations allows you to go deeper in the arcana knowledge than other wizards. Beginning at 2nd level, each time you gain a wizard level, you can add three wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook for free, rather than two as per standard rules. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Wizard table.

In addition, you can inscribe spells that have the ritual tag from any class’s spell list in your Spellbook. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.


6th level feature
Font of Knowledge
Beginning at 6th level, you become proficient in your choice of two of the following skills: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, or Religion. You can learn a language instead of becoming proficient in one of these skills.

In addition, you add the Identify spell to your spellbook if it is not there already. When you cast the Identify spell with a spell slot you regain one expended spell slot of 1st level. At 9th level, you add the Legend Lore spell to your spellbook if it is not there already. When you cast the Legend Lore spell with a spell slot you regain one expended spell slot of 5th level or lower.


10th level feature
Prodigious Memory
At 10th level, you have attained a greater mastery of spell preparation. As a bonus action, you can replace one spell you have prepared with another spell from your spellbook. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.


14th level feature
Arcane Mastery
At 14th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain Spells that you can maintain concentration of them together with other spells. Choose a 1st-level wizard spell and a 2nd-level wizard spell that are in your Spellbook and requires Concentration. You can cast either of those Spells at its lowest level and still cast a second spell that requires Concentration. If you fail a Concentration check while concentrating on two spells, you lose both spells.

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For now (9th level character, no multiclass game), the Loremaster is fine. No power oveshadowing the party (composed by a paladin, rogue, barbarian and cleric) and this Arcane Tradition proved be useful to the group (his spells are drawn from the Wizard list after all) and fun to play. I'm waiting to test the 10th and 14th level features to have a verdict about them. For now, I'll just let them like that.