Simple Spellcasters

[RhaezDaevan]

I often see people wishing there was a spellcasting equivalent of the Champion fighter that was simple to use.

With that idea in mind, here's my first attempt at one.

Mage (Simple Wizard)

Notes: this variant is meant to be easy to use, but not necessarily powerful. As it’s meant to be basic, it’s not meant to be used with multiclassing rules.

Changes:

Drop spell slots. Keep cantrips, but the mage get 2 more than the normal wizard.
Gain spell dice. Spell dice start as d6s and increase to d8s at 5^th level, d10s at 10^th level and d12s at 18^th level. You start with 3 dice, and gain 1 extra spell die each level of Mage after 1st. Spell dice are restored during a short or long rest. You spend spell dice to improve cantrips that deal damage.

You can spend spell dice to add one or more of the following effects:

• When casting a cantrip that deals damage, roll the spell die and add it to the cantrip’s damage. Starting at 5^th level, you can spend 2 dice at once using this effect. At 10^th level you can spend 3 dice at once, at 15^th you can spend 4 dice, and 5 dice at once at 18^th level.
• Change the damage type of the cantrip to one of the following: fire, cold, lightning, poison, acid or thunder.
• If the cantrip targets only creature, it can target one extra per die spent.
• If the cantrip affects an area, you can target a single

All effects can be combined, but each effect has its own cost. For example you could spend 2 dice at once to both increase the cantrip’s damage and change its type.

Spellbook remains and you can still copy spells into it, but only rituals. The normal spells gained through level up must be those that can be cast as a ritual.

Arcane Recovery no longer gives back spell slot. Instead, it gives the ability to restore half your spell dice as an action, but you must take a short or long rest to use the ability again.

Spell mastery and signature spells can remain, but can be any spell on the wizard spell list of the appropriate level, and not one you have in your spell book. Since these aren’t cantrips, you can’t spend spell dice on them.

Instead of arcane tradition, gain the following abilities:
Starting at 2^nd level, you can spend a spell die to cast Mage Armor on yourself as a 1^st level spell.
Starting at 6^th level, you can spend a spell die to cast Shield as a 1^st level spell.
Starting at 10^th level, you can spend two spell dice to cast a cantrip as a bonus action
Starting at 14^th level, you can spend five spell dice to maximize the damage of a cantrip being cast.

I know it doesn't compare to a real wizard, but is it a good start? I think the first few levels are OK, but perhaps I need to boost the higher levels? What say you?

 

[RhaezDaevan]

A simple cleric is a bit harder, but I'm working on it.

 

[Sadrik]

A simple cleric is a bit harder, but I'm working on it.

Um I think slots are more simple, there is a lot of complexity in your rules.

I think points are easier than dice too. Use beads during play.

For instance:
Casters get 1 spell point per level + their caster stat.

Casting a spell costs spell points equal to its spell level +1 (could add +0 - have to play test this).

Recover 1/4 your maximum spell points on a short rest (or 1/2 - have to play test this).
Recover all of your spell points on a long rest.

Casters begin with 5 + caster stat spells known.
Casters learn 2 spells per level.
Casters can select 0 and 1st level spells at level 1, level 2 spells at level 3 and so on.

That seems simple to me.

 

[Khaalis]

First off I will say I can see where there might be a "desire" for a simpler class than Wizard (or any other spellcaster for that matter) due to having to keep track of all your spells (which is more "class abilities" than non-casters). However, with what you propose you really aren't playing a caster, but a re-skinned melee class. Yes technically there are a few cantrips that aren't damage spells but not many. If all you want is a class that can mage armor, shield and hurl damage spells, you'd honestly just be better off with a bow warrior and re-skin it to be hurling magic bolts rather than arrows. Honestly, casters have never been the "entry level" class and really never will, not without stripping them of anything that makes them unique and useful. JMHO.