D&D 5E Low Level Wizards Really Do Suck in 5E

[Fralex]

I like to use minor illusion to create needlessly complex 3D holo-maps of the areas we're in if someone needs directions.

 

[Chocolategravy]

I like to use minor illusion to create needlessly complex 3D holo-maps of the areas we're in if someone needs directions.

The wizards at the academy get all the apprentices together in the evenings and use them as a human Minecraft 5x5x5 block making choir.

 

[Fralex]

The wizards at the academy get all the apprentices together in the evenings and use them as a human Minecraft 5x5x5 block making choir.

Oh, that just made me realize: Illusionists would make really great DMs. They could just project the map and miniatures onto the table, and it would always look just the way they wanted. Do you think bards in D&D would become medieval animators, sharing illusory movies to accompany their stories? Everyone seems to focus on the "tricking people" aspect of illusion magic, but the ability to realistically project animated 3D images would probably be a huge business!

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

Advantage really should not be handed out with a cantrip, especially without some form of to hit roll or save.

Really? Because advantage can be handed out with nothing more than an Action, with no hit roll or save required. Or do you require those taking the Help Action to make an attack roll?

but any NPCs standing in that vicinity would probably be looking around wondering who was yelling this out.

Who cares? The agitator is trying to incite the *crowd*. A few individuals thinking "huh?" isn't going to matter.

But even if it could, as the buyer tries to move the item upwards of 5 feet away, it stops glowing. Hmmmm. Worse yet, as the buyer physically interacts with the item, he immediately knows that there is an illusion (the roll is only needed if someone tries to figure out the illusion without physically interacting with it).

Again, who cares? At that point the charlatan has the mark's money and is hopefully legging it.

My point is that the illusory magic available to low-level casters (minor illusion, prestidigitation, druidcraft, silent illusion, etc) supports and reinforces other activities. It is only limited by the imagination of the players (and, I guess, the GM not being a Grinch).

It seems like you are changing the cantrip to give it the umph that I stated that it does not have.

I am giving it the "umph" that other cantrips already have. A mage can do more damage than a crossbow to a target 120 ft away, with no disadvantage on their ranged attack roll and no ammo . A druid can set something on fire more reliably and faster and much further away than someone using a flint & steel can. Cantrips are already powerful, by design.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Really? Because advantage can be handed out with nothing more than an Action, with no hit roll or save required. Or do you require those taking the Help Action to make an attack roll?

The Help action in combat costs more than an action. It also costs proximity, which brings vulnerability. (That's why owls are popular familiars: Flyby reduces vulnerability when Helping.)

 

[sithramir]

How can you create a door with an illusion only 5' high? Maybe a dwarven door but my doors aren't that short. Somewhat obvious...

 

[KarinsDad]

How can you create a door with an illusion only 5' high? Maybe a dwarven door but my doors aren't that short. Somewhat obvious...

Maybe the wizard could make it look like a broken decrepit door with a little extra space at the top as if the door is not the original door?

 

[KarinsDad]

Really? Because advantage can be handed out with nothing more than an Action, with no hit roll or save required. Or do you require those taking the Help Action to make an attack roll?

The Help action in combat costs more than an action. It also costs proximity, which brings vulnerability. (That's why owls are popular familiars: Flyby reduces vulnerability when Helping.)

It also often costs movement to do a normal Help if a familiar is not available. The wizard often has to move up to help.

Plus allowing the use of the cantrip also allows the wizard to cast and then go behind total cover. Pretty cheesy way to "Help". He does not even risk his familiar. Plus, he can be upwards of 55 to 65 feet away (race dependent).


One of the issues of allowing spells to do a lot more than what they seem to be designed for is that it can change the balance dynamics of the game.

 

[KarinsDad]

Again, who cares? At that point the charlatan has the mark's money and is hopefully legging it.

Yeah because NPCs are never suspicious before handing over lots of gold pieces for a "magic item". They never take out a few minutes examining it and wondering why the PC wizard is waving his fingers over and over again.

Maybe this is one of those "Oh crap, the illusion failed, Hold Person" type of moments. "Crap, that failed too"


Thinking that in a world of magic that buyers would not be aware, suspicious, and ready for the possibility of fake magic is seriously non-plausible. Wouldn't a buyer take out a short rest in order to identify the magic item (or have a spell caster along to cast Identify), just like the PCs do?

 

[steeldragons]

How can you create a door with an illusion only 5' high? Maybe a dwarven door but my doors aren't that short. Somewhat obvious...

Maybe the wizard could make it look like a broken decrepit door with a little extra space at the top as if the door is not the original door?

Yeah, this is a good place to bring up/case for the "rulings not rules" of 5e [and pre-3e editions]. Illusions in D&D have always been somewhat DM/interpretation dependent. It depends on the DM, of course, but I'm more than willing to "bend" rules to accommodate creative play.

The illusionist wants to make a door appear in an archway to try to hide the party on the other side or make another open passage appear more welcoming/throw off pursuit or something, "Let's go/They must have gone this way, there's no door blocking it." The spell stipulates 5'x5'. You want to fill a doorway that's say, 3' wide by 7' tall? Sure. I'm going to allow that. The illusion's area is 2 feet more narrow to stretch 2' taller...you are easily meeting the 5'x5' "area" of the spell. No brainer, for me, to say "Yeah/sure/of course you can do that."

EDIT to add: ...and well within the spirit/intention of the spell/game, imho.