D&D (2024) What do you think of the new rules for preparing spells?

[Cap'n Kobold]

While I'd like to see the power and versatility of high-end casters reduced a little, this is an awkward and fiddly way to go about it. I'd prefer the current system.

Although the thought strikes that one way to reduce the power of Wizards while keeping their flavour and historical capabilities, would be to return them to the full Vancian spell memorisation system.

 

[Horwath]

Hate it!
0/10.

I would rather see that spell points variant becomes default and this as an option for "simpler" design.

 

[TwoSix]

I don't hate it, but I think it's inferior to the current method. Being able to sacrifice low level options for versatility with higher level slots was a strength of the system, which I'm not a fan of losing.

 

[Horwath]

I don't hate it, but I think it's inferior to the current method. Being able to sacrifice low level options for versatility with higher level slots was a strength of the system, which I'm not a fan of losing.

I would not worry, I think that this will score well below 50% approval in survey, let alone 70% that is kind of default for implementation.

 

[DEFCON 1]

It was a relatively simple way of trying to address one of the traditional complaints about the Wizard, which was they were too powerful and had "too much utility" (and you can go find that Wizard+ thread right now to see plenty of people still ranting about that.) Having more high-level magic prepared facilitated that, and this new set of rules curtails it a bit.

It also addresses another situation, which was the newly added idea that all classes can cast any ritual spell they have prepared as a ritual. With most rituals being 1st level, having characters forced to prepare more 1st level spells means more ritual spells get prepared, meaning more ritual spells actually being able to be cast as rituals. The 2014 book had the issue that all the classes with Ritual Casting (besides the Wizard) had to have their ritual spells prepared in order to then cast them as rituals... but if you were a higher-level caster how often did your Clerics or Druids and the like actually prepare those 1st level spells for that function? Seems to me everyone tended to only prepare the highest end 1st-levle spells (like Bless and the like)... and the ritual spells got ignored. Which meant that Ritual Caster feature was essentially useless for a lot of PCs. At least with this new system with you now forced to prepare more 1st level spells... you might as well throw in a couple ritual spells so that you can cast them as rituals later on and save yourself the spell slot.

 

[Reynard]

I would not worry, I think that this will score well below 50% approval in survey, let alone 70% that is kind of default for implementation.

That presumes the ballots aren't already "in." I mean, EVERYTHING scored high in the previous survey? Sus.

 

[Neonchameleon]

but they're no longer rewarded for prioritising raising Intelligence either.

Because extra spell attack modifier and spell save DC is meaningless? Seriously, of all the criticisms I have (and there are many) this one feels like a non-criticism to me.

Fundamentally it feels like an extra layer of faff whenever you want to pick spells; you have to fill multiple buckets rather than just one and it doesn't add many advantages. I'm rating it with a 2 not a 1 but I still really don't like it.

 

[delericho]

That presumes the ballots aren't already "in." I mean, EVERYTHING scored high in the previous survey? Sus.

If I were running things and wanted to 'fix' the survey results, I would deliberately drop in a few things that I was sure people would hate, so that I could publicly reverse course and so prove that I was listening to the feedback.

But that's if I wanted to take a cynical view. It's also entirely possible that most things scored high because most of the people in the playtest (and who bothered to fill in the surveys) liked most things.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

"Easier"? It look a lot fiddlier to me!

It’s definitely easier. It just isn’t easier in a way that matters. Anyone who can play D&D can add (half for half casters) their level and their ability mod to see how many spells they can cast.

But yeah, “here’s a table that shows what spell levels you have the ability to cast, and how many you can cast. The number you can prepare is the same as the number of spell slots you have for that level”, is technically easier.

I would not worry, I think that this will score well below 50% approval in survey, let alone 70% that is kind of default for implementation.

I wouldn’t bet on it. I think there is a good chance that it is simpler enough that most people will love it.

I’ve seen no negative chatter on social media from casual players about it, and not much overall. What little chatter I’ve seen has been fairly positive.

Hopefully you’re right, but I don’t think we are gonna get what we want on that one.

That presumes the ballots aren't already "in." I mean, EVERYTHING scored high in the previous survey? Sus.

That’s completely ridiculous, and founded in literally nothing but cynicism.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

A thought I had. What if wizards don’t have this restriction, and that is part of what makes them stand out in a field where the only other advantage they have over any other full spellcaster is a few semi-exclusive powerhouse spells?