I prefer the other 1e Lankhmar change, clerics are not divinely powered devotees of gods but white wizards.
Devotees of gods are fanatics, spellcasters are wizards.
It was derived from wargame rules. When was it not combat focused?I think part of the problem is that D&D has become combat-focused because the classes' abilities are combat-focused.
That's like saying my grandfather was in the military so I should join the miltary too. We're almost 50 years and 5 editions away from OD&D. The focus doesn't need to be on combat because the games earliest roots were in wargaming.It was derived from wargame rules. When was it not combat focused?
Unless my memory is wrong Gray Mouser is a half-caster (thief/wizard) and he does cast spells in combat. That is why you get the Arcane Trickster in the PHB. Other Wizards on Lankhmar are NPCs not meant to be player characters. They are scary powerful and half crazy. Completely outside the realm of normal mortals.To be clear- changing the casting time, extending the casting time, would have a massive and deleterious effect on spellcasting within combat. It would make martial characters much more important for combat, and make spellcasting more of a utility and out-of-combat experience, with only limited uses for combat. The first major hurdle would be that 5e measures almost all casting times in terms of "one action" (or one reaction, or one bonus action). Spells that are measure in "real time" (minutes, hours) are the exception.
I don't remember them being in combat.Unless my memory is wrong Gray Mouser is a half-caster (thief/wizard) and he does cast spells in combat.
"A few rounds" is a nifty way of rewriting "30+ minutes of real time" to sound like no big deal.Otherwise, why are there rules for so many non-combat events? Why all the spells for boosting social skills or overcoming non-combat challenges? As it's written, D&D allows for a vast range of different challenges where spellcasters can shine. They don't need to also shine in the one area where martials shine, just because they might be bored for a few rounds.