D&D 5E A simple houserule for martial/caster balance.

[Tales and Chronicles]

Just remove spells learned after 4th level. Wizards either find them as treasure in a scroll form or spellbook. Or research them themselves the same way a magic item is made. Problem solved, the dm doesn’t have to allow the problematic spells and can keep wizard power balanced with the fighter.

Yup, this is where I'm going too for future campaigns.

Martials dont automatically gain magic weapons and armors as they level up, but casters, in addition to gaining more spells slots of higher power (the equivalent to a fighter's extra attack), automatically gain the magic means to put those slots to use.

So let's say that spells up to 4th levels are more readily available, much like higher end mundane weapons and lesser magic items. After that, its up to the character to adventure forth and find more powerful stuff (I'd move clerics, druids and bards to the ''prepared from know spells'' group)

You could even have the player generate its first mage book/prayer scroll at 1st level, putting 2-3 spells per spell level up to 4th level already scribed in the book.

I'd maybe even go back to the ''chance to scribe spells'' from previous editions. Something like you have to make a Arcane/Religion/Nature check against a DC of 10+Spell level to scribe a spell in your book (in addition to the cost and time). On a failed check, you cant try to scribe it again for a week, and on a failed by 5+, the scroll is destroyed.

 

[FrogReaver]

In that light, my rules for my e6 5e campaign, providing casters a small boost for using higher level slots.

Cantrip Damage and Extra Attacks
Cantrip damage and extra attacks do not scale past 6th level. Thus, you gain no more than one extra cantrip damage die or weapon attack.

Spell Slots and "Enhanced Spell Slots"
Classes and sub-classes with the spellcasting feature gain "enhanced spell slots" in place of the higher-spell-level slots they would ordinarily access beyond 6th level. For full-casters that applies to 4th-level-spell-slots and higher, for half-casters 3rd-level-spell-slots and higher, and for third-casters 2nd-level-spell-slots and higher. Casters can only prepare or know spells up to the level of their highest ordinary spell-slot.

To cast one of their spells, a character can expend an enhanced slot of twice the spell's level or higher. Enhanced spell slots count at their full level for counterspell , dispel magic and similar - both for countering and dispelling, and being countered or dispelled - otherwise counting as half their level. That is also true for non-casting purposes, such as Combat Wild Shape, Divine Smite, Font of Magic and Arcane Recovery: count enhanced spell slots as spell slots of half their level.

For example, a wizard can expend a 4th level enhanced slot to cast melf's acid arrow - a 2nd level spell - counting it cast at 4th level for counterspell , dispel magic and similar, and otherwise as 2nd level. Another wizard could expend a 6th level enhanced slot to cast counterspell , automatically countering the acid arrow .

Enhanced spell slots are regained at the same time as other spell slots.

Enhanced Spell Slots for Warlocks
Warlock spell slots are capped at 3rd level, and then become enhanced spell slots that count as 4th (and later 5th) level for counterspell , dispel magic and similar - otherwise counting as 3rd level.

I think e6 takes a sledgehammer to everything when it's only really the casters later that break things. Take the fighter, he has some more hp, makes some more attacks and possibly has a feat or 2 that enhance his damage. There's no need to cap his progression at level 6. It doesn't really do anything for the game. (Unless you just like the aesthetics of more heroic and less super heroic style encounters).

Caster progression due to higher level spells really do start harming the game.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think e6 takes a sledgehammer to everything when it's only really the casters later that break things. Take the fighter, he has some more hp, makes some more attacks and possibly has a feat or 2 that enhance his damage. There's no need to cap his progression at level 6. It doesn't really do anything for the game. (Unless you just like the aesthetics of more heroic and less super heroic style encounters).

Caster progression due to higher level spells really do start harming the game.

Do you think any caster player is going to be ok with, "you caster classes are capped at level 6. The rest of you are fine"?

 

[James Gasik]

I think it could be an interesting campaign with multiclassing enabled, but obviously, you'd need buy in. I'm wondering how viable a Bard 6/Sorcerer 6/Warlock 6 would be.

 

[clearstream]

I think e6 takes a sledgehammer to everything when it's only really the casters later that break things. Take the fighter, he has some more hp, makes some more attacks and possibly has a feat or 2 that enhance his damage. There's no need to cap his progression at level 6. It doesn't really do anything for the game. (Unless you just like the aesthetics of more heroic and less super heroic style encounters).

Caster progression due to higher level spells really do start harming the game.

A justifying observation is that in 5e casters and martials are fairly equal until level 4+ spells, but their imbalance is not the only issue for me with higher level play. My concerns are partly as you identify, but also form around game challenge, hit-point bloat and other matters. Here's the full text.

Some core elements associated with level advancement stop at 6th level. In summary, after 6th level:

• Hit points stop increasing with level
• Proficiency bonuses stop at +3 (but see below)
• No further cantrip damage increases or extra attacks are gained
• The highest spell level characters can ordinarily access is 3rd level (also see below)
• The optional Feats rules are used, but ability scores are capped at 18
• The optional multiclassing rules are not used
• Overall character advancement is capped at 12th level

These changes are further explained below.

Hit Dice and Hit Point Maximum
You gain hit dice and roll to increase your hit point maximum only up to 6th level. Your maximum number of hit dice is therefore six. Any bonuses to hit points count no more than six levels. For example, a 9th level character with a Constitution ability modifier of +2 gains 12 hit points, not 18.

If you choose to roll for your new hit point maximum, reroll any die that comes up 1.

Proficiency Bonus
Your highest proficiency bonus is +3. However, features that count proficiency bonus for uses between rests still use the standard value.

Cantrip Damage and Extra Attacks
Cantrip damage and extra attacks do not scale past 6th level. Thus, you gain no more than one extra cantrip damage die or weapon attack.

Spell Slots and "Enhanced Spell Slots"
Classes and sub-classes with the spellcasting feature gain "enhanced spell slots" in place of the higher-spell-level slots they would ordinarily access beyond 6th level. For full-casters that applies to 4th-level-spell-slots and higher, for half-casters 3rd-level-spell-slots and higher, and for third-casters 2nd-level-spell-slots and higher. Casters can only prepare or know spells up to the level of their highest ordinary spell-slot.

To cast one of their spells, a character can expend an enhanced slot of twice the spell's level or higher. Enhanced spell slots count at their full level for counterspell , dispel magic and similar - both for countering and dispelling, and being countered or dispelled - otherwise counting as half their level. That is also true for non-casting purposes, such as Combat Wild Shape, Divine Smite, Font of Magic and Arcane Recovery: count enhanced spell slots as spell slots of half their level.

For example, a wizard can expend a 4th level enhanced slot to cast melf's acid arrow - a 2nd level spell - counting it cast at 4th level for counterspell , dispel magic and similar, and otherwise as 2nd level. Another wizard could expend a 6th level enhanced slot to cast counterspell , automatically countering the acid arrow .

Enhanced spell slots are regained at the same time as other spell slots.

Enhanced Spell Slots for Warlocks
Warlock spell slots are capped at 3rd level, and then become enhanced spell slots that count as 4th (and later 5th) level for counterspell , dispel magic and similar - otherwise counting as 3rd level.

Ability Score Improvements
The optional feats rule is used (prerequisites are greatly loosened, and half-feats allow increase of any ability score.) Ability Score Improvements can't be used to increase scores above 18. Higher scores might be gained via deeds, sacrifices, perilous research, hard-won magic items, or as boons from supernatural entities.

Level Advancement is Capped
Characters cannot advance past 12th level. Beyond that, further features might be gained in the same way as miraculous ability scores.

 

[FrogReaver]

Do you think any caster player is going to be ok with, "you caster classes are capped at level 6. The rest of you are fine"?

I hear this quite often but it's an unjustified exaggeration. They still progress in slots. They still progress in spells known/prepared. Seriously look how many slots a level 9 character gets (toward the end of tier 2) vs a level 20 one and then not how much more powerful the level 20 characters slots are. 14 slots @ level 9 vs 22 @ level 20. If you take into account the strength of those slots for upcasting, the caster has nearly doubled or possibly tripled in power on slots alone. Casters still get their class features. Wizards still get 2 strong subclass features and their high level features are just amazing. Sorcerer's continue to get sorcery points and metamagic and have at least 1 typically strong subclass feature left. Bards get magical secrets. Clerics get their Divine Intervention and some nice subclass features. Druids get subclass features, best spells and archdruid. Not to mention that all of these characters get 3 ASI's that in the worst case are probably spent on Con providing a good bit of additional hp and con saves.

So casters aren't capped at level 6 either. No where near. They arguably still get slightly better high level progression than fighters, barbarians, rogues, rangers and probably others as well.

Besides casters can still get higher level spells in my scenario, that just take the form of magic items.

 

[clearstream]

I hear this quite often but it's an unjustified exaggeration. They still progress in slots. They still progress in spells known/prepared. Seriously look how many slots a level 9 character gets (toward the end of tier 2) vs a level 20 one and then not how much more powerful the level 20 characters slots are. 14 slots @ level 9 vs 22 @ level 20. If you take into account the strength of those slots for upcasting, the caster has nearly doubled or possibly tripled in power on slots alone. Casters still get their class features. Wizards still get 2 strong subclass features and their high level features are just amazing. Sorcerer's continue to get sorcery points and metamagic and have at least 1 typically strong subclass feature left. Bards get magical secrets. Clerics get their Divine Intervention and some nice subclass features. Druids get subclass features, best spells and archdruid. Not to mention that all of these characters get 3 ASI's that in the worst case are probably spent on Con providing a good bit of additional hp and con saves.

So casters aren't capped at level 6 either. No where near. They arguably still get slightly better high level progression than fighters, barbarians, rogues, rangers and probably others as well.

Yup. And a decision anyone capping caster progression has to make is whether to allow upcasting or not, if casters still gain higher level slots (while not spells). It pays to read over a number of spell descriptions before deciding on that.

 

[TheSword]

I really struggle with the virtue of E6 rather than just slowing down progression and running a campaign over 6 levels.

But every time I think about that I also think about how much I enjoy levels 6-9.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I hear this quite often but it's an unjustified exaggeration. They still progress in slots. They still progress in spells known/prepared. Seriously look how many slots a level 9 character gets (toward the end of tier 2) vs a level 20 one and then not how much more powerful the level 20 characters slots are. 14 slots @ level 9 vs 22 @ level 20. If you take into account the strength of those slots for upcasting, the caster has nearly doubled or possibly tripled in power on slots alone. Casters still get their class features. Wizards still get 2 strong subclass features and their high level features are just amazing. Sorcerer's continue to get sorcery points and metamagic and have at least 1 typically strong subclass feature left. Bards get magical secrets. Clerics get their Divine Intervention and some nice subclass features. Druids get subclass features, best spells and archdruid. Not to mention that all of these characters get 3 ASI's that in the worst case are probably spent on Con providing a good bit of additional hp and con saves.

So casters aren't capped at level 6 either. No where near. They arguably still get slightly better high level progression than fighters, barbarians, rogues, rangers and probably others as well.

Besides casters can still get higher level spells in my scenario, that just take the form of magic items.

In another thread, a point is being made about how much players hate nerfs, and how placing any limits on the PCs is extraordinarily difficult to get them to accept. That has been my experience as well as that of many others, and cutting that much off the spellcasters, even if you leave the slots, if something i can't imagine any player I've ever gamed with being accepting of. It would seem needlessly cruel and I'd have a riot on my hands.

Actually running a campaign that ends around levels 6-9 for everybody would work a lot better, imo. You just need to slow down advancement until you get the campaign length you want.

 

[le Redoutable]

... or transform the Fighter in a M-U like in this great topic of mine :
D&D General - Is the Fighter Class a Supercherie ? Hit Points and Combat Mode