D&D 5E Giving the arcane gish an identity.

[Mind of tempest]

I mean that's basically the strike/smite spells of paladin, ranger, and hexblade.

You bonus action to cast the spell, and then when your next weapon attack hits the effect goes off. Searing smite, ensnaring strike, and lightning arrow are all examples.

This is very similar to the swordmage spells in 4e. But in 5e, they barred the arcane classes from accessing spells like this. Depriving them of their signature feature while giving out that feature to the other classes.

that fix goes under giving them a unique spell list.

 

[Undrave]

Unfortunately, as has been said, the game had the chance to make a dedicated weapon-caster during the D&D Next period when the Sorcerer was going to be it. Rather than another blaster caster, it was going to be focused (or at least highly leaning) towards the idea that your internal magic would power all the stuff you could possibly do, including fighting with weapons. But apparently enough people weren't crazy about the shift and they went away from the idea. Which is a shame, because Sorcerer could have been a good name to become the fighter-caster identity (or at least part of it).

If there is a class concept that would have worked great with a slider that went from 'lots of martial' to 'no martial at all' it's the guy BORN with magic. Only way to represent that nowadays is to MC into Sorcerer or something.

Sorcerers should have been more like Warlock in that they would pick both a 'soul' and how they express their magic. Some Dragon Sorcerer could go all blaster while others pick up the sword, and so on.

We'd have something interesting here.

might would work better, kratos

I didn't want to use it, because of the obvious association with God of War.

Hm... there's also the '-agogue' suffix that means 'leader, bringer of', and '-phoros' that means 'bringer' (like in Eosphoros, the Dawn-Bringer)...

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I mean that's basically the strike/smite spells of paladin, ranger, and hexblade.

You bonus action to cast the spell, and then when your next weapon attack hits the effect goes off. Searing smite, ensnaring strike, and lightning arrow are all examples.

This is very similar to the swordmage spells in 4e. But in 5e, they barred the arcane classes from accessing spells like this. Depriving them of their signature feature while giving out that feature to the other classes.

I am not thinking about spell that trigger off a melee attack on a bonus action like the smite spells. Many of which use concentration for their effect. But more like levelled version of Booming blade.
As in: "Cast spell: Make melee attack and on hit: rider effect go off" No concentration and no bonus action consumption. I think something like that is needed to make Eldritch Knight, more magical. And Melee focused Bladesinger more martial.

Though smite would work for the Eldritch Knight.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Shadowrun uses Martial Adept for their violence wizards.

Also, since the ability we all want is spellstrike, how about spellstriker?

 

[Mind of tempest]

If there is a class concept that would have worked great with a slider that went from 'lots of martial' to 'no martial at all' it's the guy BORN with magic. Only way to represent that nowadays is to MC into Sorcerer or something.

Sorcerers should have been more like Warlock in that they would pick both a 'soul' and how they express their magic. Some Dragon Sorcerer could go all blaster while others pick up the sword, and so on.

We'd have something interesting here.

I didn't want to use it, because of the obvious association with God of War.

Hm... there's also the '-agogue' suffix that means 'leader, bringer of', and '-phoros' that means 'bringer' (like in Eosphoros, the Dawn-Bringer)...

bringer of something could work if we got the first part working.

Shadowrun uses Martial Adept for their violence wizards.

Also, since the ability we all want is spellstrike, how about spellstriker?

spellstricker sounds like a 90's comic book character.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

that fix goes under giving them a unique spell list.

I mean honestly, eldritch knight and bladesinger with unique spell lists would have been a perfectly good gish. I think if they did have dedicated lists, there would be a lot less complaints about wanting a gish class today. But instead they're tied to a list which is not designed around weapon attacks at all.

That ship has now sailed. WotC has shown that they are much more willing to add something than to go back and edit it. (see undying and undead warlocks).

My next closest hope is an elemental based paladin or ranger. But looking at the themes of the subclasses for those, I can't picture that ever coming.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I mean honestly, eldritch knight and bladesinger with unique spell lists would have been a perfectly good gish. I think if they did have dedicated lists, there would be a lot less complaints about wanting a gish class today. But instead they're tied to a list which is not designed around weapon attacks at all.

That ship has now sailed. WotC has shown that they are much more willing to add something than to go back and edit it. (see undying and undead warlocks).

My next closest hope is an elemental based paladin or ranger. But looking at the themes of the subclasses for those, I can't picture that ever coming.

so we ask for a proper arcane halfcaster.

 

[Xeviat]

Finding a story for the class is tough because it's a newer concept compared to the other 13 classes, or even 14 if you include the Mystic/Psion in the bunch.

I hate compound word class names.

We're wanting something that does the d&d elven fighter/mage, the anime mystical swordsman, and possibly even the jedi knight. It's a solid concept. It just needs glue to bind it. The paladin has a concept bigger than "fighter/cleric".

 

[Mind of tempest]

Finding a story for the class is tough because it's a newer concept compared to the other 13 classes, or even 14 if you include the Mystic/Psion in the bunch.

I hate compound word class names.

We're wanting something that does the d&d elven fighter/mage, the anime mystical swordsman, and possibly even the jedi knight. It's a solid concept. It just needs glue to bind it. The paladin has a concept bigger than "fighter/cleric".

so what is the difference between fightcleric and paladin as that will likely illuminate what we lack?

 

[Frozen_Heart]

so what is the difference between fightcleric and paladin as that will likely illuminate what we lack?

Going 50/50 fighter/cleric gives better support spells due to access to the cleric list, but more limited melee power. Paladin has the full on smite abilities, and a spell list designed for use with its weapons. Lots of smite spells along with things such as elemental weapon.

I'd say that the paladin is the front line, point blank range, 'screw your boss monster' class. While a 50/50 fighter cleric is more a second line pc, casting support spells on their allies and moving into melee to take pressure off those who need it.

I currently have a 5 battlemaster/6 forge cleric character. They're definitely not dishing out the damage of a paladin in melee, but they're a tank, working to keep the heat off allies while letting off spells like spiritual weapon and spirit guardians.

So a 50/50 fighter wizard should have similar differences to an arcane swordmage half caster.