D&D 5E Spell-paths

[Morrus]

I remember an old Dragon article which had spell paths in it, which I assume were inspired by Rolemaster/MERP etc. I was thinking about how that would work in 5E.

So this is just random musings -- but if say "fire mage" was a sub-class for the wizard, and you get access to all fire-themed spells in the core rules (whatever class the spell was originally intended for).

Alternatively, you get access to paths as feats, and each of those feats opens up an entire spell-path to you (fire, ice, plants, whatever).

Very, very rough musings!

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Like the old 2E AD&D Priest Spheres? I always liked that kind of specialization for spellcasters.

 

[gyor]

I wish they'd done Speciality Priests for the PHB, as well as clerics.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Funny, I was just thinking about that article over the weekend!

 

[Todd Roybark]

Clerics are Specialty Priests.

I am a big advocate of this style. Give each spell one or more Facet designations, and you can eliminate class lists all together.

 

[Minigiant]

In my own p&p game, spellcaster get access to spell paths and spell levels based on their magic type and magic subtype. A mage could be Fire 3, Air 2, Earth 2, Water 1, Death 2, Life 2, etc.

You know. Like vidya games

I would bring that to 5e for one class: Sorcerer
A red dragon sorcerer would get all fire spells.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Would work best with more thoughtfully balanced spells across various domains.

Where "more thoughtfully balanced" == "intentionally designed", rather than being decades worth of accretion and cruft.

(And I hate to admit it, because I don't like WotC-bashing, but even if they did, I expect it would 90% refluffed duplication. "Here is your 3rd level aoe fire spell, and here is your 3rd level aoe frost spell, and here is your..." etc.)

 

[toucanbuzz]

Doable and AD&D did this from time to time. The Dragonlance setting, Taladas supplement, had a "nature" wild elf wizard whose spells were, as you can imagine, restricted and themed. Could be imbalanced, but if you're doing this route, you're doing it because the theme fits what you want to play, not because it was the optimal choice to maximize your DPS. Players might volunteer to help create a themed list. If they want an incentive for a restricted spell list, that's up to you. Maybe restrict non-themed players to the PHB and allow themed lists to incorporate Xanathar's.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I liked it when specialty wizards got bonus spells for a particular school but were then banned from a another school.

I had a DM who split the casters into 3 schools. One was a Possessor who got Enchantment, Conjuration and Necromancy.

I find the wizards too similar.

I was trying to figure out how to do the four nations for Avatar the Last Air Bender. sorcerer/Monks who specialized in specific elemental magics

 

[Don Durito]

Part of the fun of this kind of system is where you can get interesting combinations by mixing paths.

So for example if you go down the illusion and necromany path, maybe you get access to shadow magic.