Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
That would be horrible for the other players though
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D&D 5E Companion thread to 5E Survivor - Subclasses (Part XIV: Wizard)
- Thread starter Undrave
- Start date
Vaalingrade
Legend
No less horrible than having any wizard in the group, being the main character of the campaign, game and franchise.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
This is my experience with having any bard in the group.
Shadowdweller00
Adventurer
I play more wizards than any other class. I've always liked specializations, since at least the days of 2e. I miss the now defunct loss of spell school access - thought it added excellent flavor and new challenges. I like that they feel academic - the wizard as a class like the magic-user before it SHOULD feel academic IMO. I also...kinda don't want them to be TOO strongly flavored? I'd also rather see classes and even subclasses serve as a chassis for building multiple different character types. For example, one could potentially envision using the assassin (rogue) subclass to make the classic skulking murderer for hire, a ninja, a secret agent, or even some type of witch-hunting inquisitor.
Of course, not all of the specialist wizard features function all that well:
Transmuter: The second-level ability (minor alchemy) is hard to use; kind of made up for somewhat by the 6th level ability. Would be better if it wasn't that hard to use.
Diviner: The second-level ability is crazy strong (also a headache for DMs wanting non-legendary foes to be able to do cool things before being slaughtered); and I've seen quite a lot of 2-level wizard dips just to take it. However, a lot of divination spells are circumstantial and/or tricky to leverage into actual utility. So...I'm not sure.
Enchantment: Powerful when it works, but suffers from having a metric ton of foes that it just doesn't work on. I once played one in a game that primarily featured Fey and Undead and did NOT have a good time. Furthermore, all too many not-so-scrupulous GMs will sort of...fudge enemy saves because the effects are so debilitating. But these aren't really problems specific to the subclass. I think the specialization would function a hell of a lot better if some variation of Alter Memories (the 14th level ability) were available at low level.
Evoker: Potent Cantrip (6th level ability) used to suffer from a severe lack of useful damaging cantrips on the Wizard spell list that are based on saves. Fortunately better since XGtE. Kinda...doesn't compete all that well within its specialization field (i.e. blasting) against Sorcerers and some Warlocks until maybe level 10? (At least without summons, which don't seem thematically super-blasty to me at least). Makes up for this with Wizard spell versatility, but...
Of course, not all of the specialist wizard features function all that well:
Transmuter: The second-level ability (minor alchemy) is hard to use; kind of made up for somewhat by the 6th level ability. Would be better if it wasn't that hard to use.
Diviner: The second-level ability is crazy strong (also a headache for DMs wanting non-legendary foes to be able to do cool things before being slaughtered); and I've seen quite a lot of 2-level wizard dips just to take it. However, a lot of divination spells are circumstantial and/or tricky to leverage into actual utility. So...I'm not sure.
Enchantment: Powerful when it works, but suffers from having a metric ton of foes that it just doesn't work on. I once played one in a game that primarily featured Fey and Undead and did NOT have a good time. Furthermore, all too many not-so-scrupulous GMs will sort of...fudge enemy saves because the effects are so debilitating. But these aren't really problems specific to the subclass. I think the specialization would function a hell of a lot better if some variation of Alter Memories (the 14th level ability) were available at low level.
Evoker: Potent Cantrip (6th level ability) used to suffer from a severe lack of useful damaging cantrips on the Wizard spell list that are based on saves. Fortunately better since XGtE. Kinda...doesn't compete all that well within its specialization field (i.e. blasting) against Sorcerers and some Warlocks until maybe level 10? (At least without summons, which don't seem thematically super-blasty to me at least). Makes up for this with Wizard spell versatility, but...
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Vaalingrade
Legend
Bards are the main character of the story. Wizards are the class that matters to the designers.
Undrave
Legend
Why don't you sell us on the Invention Wizard?
Vaalingrade
Legend
Oh no, I know how that works out. I explain the good points and the down votes rain down like a monsoon.
The Invention Wizard cooks puppies into casseroles and will break into your house at night and wreck up the place.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
Sure, I'll bite.
"What's so great about the School of Invention?" you ask? Let's break it down.
DESCRIPTION AND FLAVOR TEXT
This School claims credit for inventing all other schools of magic. They are magical inventors, as the name implies, and believe that extreme experimentation is the best way to learn. "Most wizards are scholars who have mastered their craft through careful study, rigorous practice, and endless hours of repetition," the write-up says. "(The School of Invention) wizards would rather throw spells together and see what happens." Many Invention wizards are gnomes, alchemists, or both, and are regarded as savants and/or lunatics.
Sounds like this and the Artificer are going to have a lot in common. (They won't.)
2nd LEVEL FEATURES
Tools of the Inventor: Gain proficiency with two tools of your choice. Don't fret over which ones to choose; none of the Invention class features use or require tools.
Arcanomechanical Armor: Gain proficiency with light armor, and get a suit of magic armor that only you can attune to. (It's essentially a suit of studded leather armor of resistance (force), that only weighs 8 pounds. You can transfer this benefit to any other nonmagical suit of studded leather armor over a Long Rest, but I'm honestly not sure why you would. It's pretty great right out of the tin.
Reckless Casting: you can attempt to cast a spell you don't have prepared. The mechanic is a bit clunky...you use your action, and then you choose either a cantrip or a spell slot of up to 5th level. If you choose cantrip, you roll a random cantrip and cast it as part of that action. If you choose spell slot, you roll on a random table and cast either the spell you wanted to prepare, or the spell you rolled randomly.
The random cantrips and spells are a blend of "greatest hits" spells from all spellcasting classes: flame strike, magic missile, mass cure wounds, blight, fireball, thorn whip. So more often than not, you are probably going to want the random result. It's a great way to fish for better spells, if you aren't picky about what you catch.
6th LEVEL FEATURE
Alchemical Casting: this ability has nothing to do with alchemy, potions, or even the Alchemist Tools...it's an armor buff. When you cast a spell while wearing and attuned to your suit of Arcanomechanical Armor, you can burn an extra spell slot to change the damage type of elemental spells, or cause it to deal an extra 2d10 force damage. Depending on the situation, this can have varying levels of usefulness.
10th LEVEL FEATURE
Prodigious Inspiration: as a bonus action, you can replace one spell you have prepared with another spell from your spellbook. This lets you treat your whole spell book as a list of "prepared spells," if you don't mind spending your bonus action every round. But the real benefit is out of combat, letting you re-spec all of your prepared spells.
14th LEVEL FEATURE
Controlled Chaos: When you roll a random spell (not cantrip) with your Reckless Casting feature, you can roll on the table that is one level higher than the expended spell slot. Basically you can turn a 2nd level spell slot into a 3rd level spell, so long as you aren't picky about which 3rd level spell you end up casting.
So. With all that in mind...what do you think?
"What's so great about the School of Invention?" you ask? Let's break it down.
DESCRIPTION AND FLAVOR TEXT
This School claims credit for inventing all other schools of magic. They are magical inventors, as the name implies, and believe that extreme experimentation is the best way to learn. "Most wizards are scholars who have mastered their craft through careful study, rigorous practice, and endless hours of repetition," the write-up says. "(The School of Invention) wizards would rather throw spells together and see what happens." Many Invention wizards are gnomes, alchemists, or both, and are regarded as savants and/or lunatics.
Sounds like this and the Artificer are going to have a lot in common. (They won't.)
2nd LEVEL FEATURES
Tools of the Inventor: Gain proficiency with two tools of your choice. Don't fret over which ones to choose; none of the Invention class features use or require tools.
Arcanomechanical Armor: Gain proficiency with light armor, and get a suit of magic armor that only you can attune to. (It's essentially a suit of studded leather armor of resistance (force), that only weighs 8 pounds. You can transfer this benefit to any other nonmagical suit of studded leather armor over a Long Rest, but I'm honestly not sure why you would. It's pretty great right out of the tin.
Reckless Casting: you can attempt to cast a spell you don't have prepared. The mechanic is a bit clunky...you use your action, and then you choose either a cantrip or a spell slot of up to 5th level. If you choose cantrip, you roll a random cantrip and cast it as part of that action. If you choose spell slot, you roll on a random table and cast either the spell you wanted to prepare, or the spell you rolled randomly.
The random cantrips and spells are a blend of "greatest hits" spells from all spellcasting classes: flame strike, magic missile, mass cure wounds, blight, fireball, thorn whip. So more often than not, you are probably going to want the random result. It's a great way to fish for better spells, if you aren't picky about what you catch.
6th LEVEL FEATURE
Alchemical Casting: this ability has nothing to do with alchemy, potions, or even the Alchemist Tools...it's an armor buff. When you cast a spell while wearing and attuned to your suit of Arcanomechanical Armor, you can burn an extra spell slot to change the damage type of elemental spells, or cause it to deal an extra 2d10 force damage. Depending on the situation, this can have varying levels of usefulness.
10th LEVEL FEATURE
Prodigious Inspiration: as a bonus action, you can replace one spell you have prepared with another spell from your spellbook. This lets you treat your whole spell book as a list of "prepared spells," if you don't mind spending your bonus action every round. But the real benefit is out of combat, letting you re-spec all of your prepared spells.
14th LEVEL FEATURE
Controlled Chaos: When you roll a random spell (not cantrip) with your Reckless Casting feature, you can roll on the table that is one level higher than the expended spell slot. Basically you can turn a 2nd level spell slot into a 3rd level spell, so long as you aren't picky about which 3rd level spell you end up casting.
So. With all that in mind...what do you think?
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Undrave
Legend
Oh tools... why are you so useless?
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
I sort of agree with you, but it's a fraught feeling. I deeply care about where power comes from and what does it mean.
Wizards are masters of the arcane. They "hack" reality to change the universe to their whim; the ultimate expression of this being the spell wish. They attain their powers through deep scholarship. If areas of magic are moved away from wizard, it is because these magical feats are not attainable by mortals - divine magic being a key example. You need a really good justification why the wizard couldn't do an illusion, for example. Niche protection isn't enough.
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