D&D 5E 5e has everything it needs for Dark Sun

[Yaarel]

Wizard slot progression drops to basically one maybe two of each level around 5th or 6rg level slots. I'm on my phone and can't check it now, but it's a big problem for full casters because it makes the opportunity cost for a sorc to take 2levels of warlock for repelling agonizing blast basically just one spell slot at the gain of an at will 4th or so spell level equivalent.

Your warlock complaint can get in line behind fill casters with borked slot progression

Right but that slowdown for slots 6 to 9 is true for all fullcasters, including both Wizard and Warlock.

The design seems to have each new level be about the same unit of power. Thus at a low level, to gain a slot 2 is worth say 3 points. So the level still has points left in the budget to purchase more than one slot plus additional class features. However, at a higher level, to gain a slot 7 is worth say 9 (?) points, so the budget for that level is already spent with not much for anything else. Whence the slowdown.

This linear progression can include some features that are shockingly arbitrary, like putting a less valuable feature at a high level and a powerful feature at a low level. But overall, the roughly linear progression allows the nonmagical classes to keep pace with the power of the magical classes.

 

[tetrasodium]

Right but that slowdown for slots 6 to 9 is true for all fullcasters, including both Wizard and Warlock.

The design seems to have each new level be about the same unit of power. Thus at a low level, to gain a slot 2 is worth say 3 points. So the level still has points left in the budget to purchase more than one slot plus additional class features. However, at a higher level, to gain a slot 7 is worth say 9 (?) points, so the budget for that level is already spent with not much for anything else. Whence the slowdown.

This linear progression can include some features that are shockingly arbitrary, like putting a less valuable feature at a high level and a powerful feature at a low level. But overall, the roughly linear progression allows the nonmagical classes to keep pace with the power of the magical classes.

Actually no nonmagical classes slingshot away the further you go last 10-11ish because of a few factors. They get to add str/dex to EA h attack. They have capped relevant str/dex and get to pile on the powerful feats or have the feats and are capping the attrib. They are more and more likely to get their hands on powerful magic weapons & armor that were originally designed to counter LFQW. Most importantly.at some point they are all but guaranteed to gain an item that literally doubles their damage against most monsters if they have not already.

Casters by comparison rarely ever add their attrib, have few if any feats to meaningfully compare, & magic items dont really hold up the same degree with no easy way of retargeting what casters have their abilities pegged at being balanced against once noncaster classes double their damage output. Monster design even ramps up to counter casters with high amounts of energy resist/immune magic resist legendary resist etc under the absurd idea that it needs to counter noncasters not being able to literally double their damage at some point.

The spell slot freeze is just bad math in the arbitrary nonsense vein you note.

 

[Yaarel]

Secondly, my own preference would not be to key the Psion (and Psionics) to Intelligence or even to Charisma - dramatic pause for SHOCK! HORROR! - but, rather, to Wisdom, an attribute associated with (extra sensory) perception, intuition, insight, and mystic traditions (e.g., cleric, druid, monk).

Use is meaning.

I view "intuition" as Intelligence (Investigation), discerning clues, piecing clues together, analysis, insight, logic, hunches.

Wisdom is sensory perception (the five senses) , or else willpower.

I know that empathy is supposed to be Wisdom (Insight), but gave it to Charisma (Insight) instead.



But now that I am saying this, I probably want Intelligence for Divination, and Wisdom for Telekinesis. Keeping track of physical objects and willpower for focus seems useful for Telekinetic effects. Understanding the meanings of vague clues during Divination invites Intelligence.

• Divination-Teleportation: Intelligence
• Telekinesis (Fly, Force Damage, Force Construct): Wisdom
• Shapeshift-Heal: Charisma
• Telepathy (Mind-Affecting, Charm, Illusion): Any

Charisma is sense of self, force of personality, and is conducive for Shapeshift.

Telepathy benefits from any mental ability: Wisdom for effective illusion and willpower, Charisma for persuasion and communication, Intelligence for discernment and improvisation.

 

[Yaarel]

Actually no nonmahical classes slingshot awY the further you go last 10-11ish because of a few factors. They get to add str/dex to EA h attack. They have capped relevant str/dex and get to pile on the powerful feats or have the feats and are capping the attrib. They are more and more likely to get their hands on powerful magic weapons & armor that were originally designed to counter LFQW. Most importantly.at some point they are all but guaranteed to gain an item that literally doubles their damage against most monsters if they have not already.

Casters by comparison rarely ever add their attrib, have few if any feats to meaningfully compare, & magic items dont really hold up the same degree with no easy way of retargeting what casters have their abilities pegged at being balanced against once noncaster classes double their damage output. Monster design even ramps up to counter casters with high amounts of energy resist/immune magic resist legendary resist etc under the absurd idea that it needs to counter noncasters not being able to literally double their damage at some point.

The spell slot freeze is just bad math in the arbitrary nonsense vein you note.

There seems to be mutual envy. I tend to play casters, and envy the damage dealing of noncasters. But I often hear those who tend to play noncasters envy the game-changing abilities of the casters.

Obviously some classes are more powerful than others. If it is possible to "prove" that high-level noncasters are much more powerful than high-level casters, I have no qualms about updating the casters to improve balance between the classes. But I want to be cautious and certain that changes are necessary.

 

[Aldarc]

I view "intuition" as Intelligence (Investigation), discerning clues, piecing clues together, analysis, insight, logic, hunches.

Wisdom is sensory perception (the five senses) , or else willpower.

I know that empathy is supposed to be Wisdom (Insight), but gave it to Charisma (Insight) instead.

That's nice, but D&D 5e explicitly links Wisdom with intuition and Intelligence with analytical reasoning.

 

[Yaarel]

That's nice, but D&D 5e explicitly links Wisdom with intuition and Intelligence with analytical reasoning.

Well speaking as an INTJ, my analytical reasoning is intuitive!

I can "feel" systems, structures, and patterns.

 

[Yaarel]

D&D Intelligence relates to Knowledge. It doesnt really matter how one knows it. If one knows it, it is an Intelligence Knowledge skill check.

 

[Aldarc]

Well speaking as an INTJ, my analytical reasoning is intuitive!

I can "feel" systems, structures, and patterns.

Well speaking as one "INTJ" to another, let me take this time to inform you that MBTI is bunk.

 

[rgoodbb]

For the defiling rule, it should be a temptation mechanic.

I suggest:

• Any time that an arcane spellcaster casts a spell from the highest spell-level, it triggers the defiling water-destroying blight.

Thus a level 5 Wizard can safely master spells from slots 1 and 2, but if casing a slot 3 spell, the Wizard defiles the environment.

I'd be tempted to go the other way and give the level 5 Wizard a one-time access to a 4th level spell and then the defiling happens.

 

[Yaarel]

I'd be tempted to go the other way and give the level 5 Wizard a one-time access to a 4th level spell and then the defiling happens.

I avoid mechanics that overpower a character mechanically, in exchange for a narrative "punishment".