D&D 5E Being strong and skilled is a magic of its own or, how I learned to stop worrying and love anime fightin' magic

[Minigiant]

The warlock is that-a-way.

The warlock has a whole bunch of additional class features and whole Invocation subsystem.

I'm taking an Arcanist class that literally have 10 cantrips and pew pews Acid Splash, Chill Touch, Fire Bolt, Light, Mage Hand, Prest, ROF, and Shocking Grasp for dice+ INT mod all day. The class that doesn't get real spells without taking it as a sublcass.

Heck with 1D&D, it could be the one class that can crit with spells and go full Spampion to get Improved Cantrip Critical.

Now that's a class for new players.

 

[Oofta]

Problem is it seems like 5e does and does not have epic.The flavor text/presented of the 4th tier in 5e is a fairly close to that of 4e's epic levels, and wizard having wish spells and similar things (feel like they are there already). I mean what are you going to do for spells for these over 20th level characters? I know they do not get any ... ahem does not sound so interesting. Kind of like fighters having only maneuvers appropriate for level 3

While I think it's likely self-fulfilling thing, but most people don't play above 10th. I did epic in 4e, but the nature of the game changed.

Not sure how I'd do it in 5e.

 

[CleverNickName]

The warlock has a whole bunch of additional class features and whole Invocation subsystem.

I'm taking an Arcanist class that literally have 10 cantrips and pew pews Acid Splash, Chill Touch, Fire Bolt, Light, Mage Hand, Prest, ROF, and Shocking Grasp for dice+ INT mod all day. The class that doesn't get real spells without taking it as a sublcass.

Heck with 1D&D, it could be the one class that can crit with spells and go full Spampion to get Improved Cantrip Critical.

Now that's a class for new players.

Now, I say this as a huge fan of the class: The Warlock is the "arcanist pew-pew cantrip spammer" you are looking for. Yes, they have other spell slots and features too, but they are pretty few in number compared to the Sorcerer or Wizard. And many of those features serve to augment cantrips only.

Go with High Elf (or V.Human and choose the Spell Sniper feat) to get +1 cantrip, then choose Pact of the Tome (+3 cantrips) and take the Magic Initiate feat at 4th level (+2 cantrips.) That's 9 cantrips at 4th level! Even without the quote-unquote "optional" rules for feats, a High Elf Warlock with Pact of the Tome has 7 cantrips at 4th level.

If Intelligence is a deal-breaker for you, just ask your DM if you can play an Intelligence-based warlock instead of Charisma. It's a simple enough change, and most DMs agree that Intelligence is an under-utilized ability score in the game...I bet they'd go for it.

 

[Minigiant]

Unlike you, I don't assume to know what "almost every fan" wants. I know what I want. I know what people that I've played with want. I, and the people I actually game with, are happy with the fighter as is. No house rules involved.

I'm not assuming anything. I'm listening to people who say the fighter is fine, then add complex base houserules on combat or make NPCs always talk to fighters first or make the fighter the leader of the party's henchmen, or give the fighter on the spot bonuses sourced from the background of the fighter or have the king or lord respect have a more favorable reaction to the fighter or use the treasure charts and adventure hoards that are heavly biased to fighters...

 

[Minigiant]

Now, I say this as a huge fan of the class: The Warlock is the "arcanist pew-pew cantrip spammer" you are looking for. Yes, they have other spell slots and features too, but they are pretty few in number compared to the Sorcerer or Wizard. And many of those features serve to augment cantrips only.

Go with High Elf (or V.Human and choose the Spell Sniper feat) to get +1 cantrip, then choose Pact of the Tome (+3 cantrips) and take the Magic Initiate feat at 4th level (+2 cantrips.) That's 9 cantrips at 4th level! Even without the quote-unquote "optional" rules for feats, a High Elf Warlock with Pact of the Tome has 7 cantrips at 4th level.

If Intelligence is a deal-breaker for you, just ask your DM if you can play an Intelligence-based warlock instead of Charisma. It's a simple enough change, and most DMs agree that Intelligence is an under-utilized ability score in the game...I bet they'd let you.

The 5e Warlock gets spells.

The Arcanist would be like the 3.5e Warlock that spams upgraded at wills and only get complex by choice. No spells unless you take a subcalss with spells.

 

[CleverNickName]

The 5e Warlock gets spells.

The Arcanist would be like the 3.5e Warlock that spams upgraded at wills and only get complex by choice. No spells unless you take a subcalss with spells.

It's true, the warlock gets spells. But nobody is going to twist your arm and force you to cast them on your turn. If spells are too complex for your character concept, just ignore them and stick to cantrips.

 

[FireLance]

It's true, the warlock gets spells. But nobody is going to twist your arm and force you to cast them on your turn. If spells are too complex for your character concept, just ignore them and stick to cantrips.

Or allow spell slots to add bonus damage to a cantrip - maybe 1d8 + 1d8 per spell level in line with paladin smites.

 

[Minigiant]

It's true, the warlock gets spells. But nobody is going to twist your arm and force you to cast them on your turn. If spells are too complex for your character concept, just ignore them and stick to cantrips.

Spells and access to spells slots are part of the part of the Warlock's power and design budget.

All classes have a power and design budget. Spells and extra Attack are the biggest budget hogs.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The 5e Warlock gets spells.

The Arcanist would be like the 3.5e Warlock that spams upgraded at wills and only get complex by choice. No spells unless you take a subcalss with spells.

Have you looked at the warmage class from Mage Hand Press? It was specifically designed to be the class that focuses on cantrips.

 

[Oofta]

I'm not assuming anything. I'm listening to people who say the fighter is fine, then add complex base houserules on combat or make NPCs always talk to fighters first or make the fighter the leader of the party's henchmen, or give the fighter on the spot bonuses sourced from the background of the fighter or have the king or lord respect have a more favorable reaction to the fighter or use the treasure charts and adventure hoards that are heavly biased to fighters...

I've never played in, nor have I heard of, a game where the fighter got special treatment. They still worked just fine.