D&D (2024) Should the PHB have an arcane half caster?

[Yaarel]

Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster should be arcane half-casters -- for me that would be ideal.

Do you think both Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster could work as Artificer subclasses?

 

[MechaTarrasque]

The trouble with chain is the flying intelligent at will invis proxy. 5e got rid of the reasons why using familiars for anything risky scary AF, it no longer has counterbalance for things like that.

That may be true, but no one expects the imp to take out an adult dragon on the warlock's behalf (heck, it isn't even a good meat shield), and the 'lock bragging about how he got shillelagh from his tome won't get very far using it on a frost giant. No one is denying the good utility value, but there is a limited window where they directly contribute significant damage. The sword is really the same. About the time you can get 3 beams out of EB, it is time to put the sword away unless you need to pretend you aren't a magic user by stabbing something (especially if you can look like someone else when you do it)--good luck CSI: Neverwinter finding that sword.

I totally understand why that is a bummer, and a solution is the build something like a warlock designed so you can contribute by stabbing without having to multiclass or beg the DM for a "just under an artifact" weapon you can make into your pact weapon. Alternatively, you could throw in something so that when you successfully stab something, you get recharge a spell slot, but then you would need to do it for the pet and the tome too. And if you thought the pet was bad now.....

 

[tetrasodium]

That may be true, but no one expects the imp to take out an adult dragon on the warlock's behalf (heck, it isn't even a good meat shield), and the 'lock bragging about how he got shillelagh from his tome won't get very far using it on a frost giant. No one is denying the good utility value, but there is a limited window where they directly contribute significant damage. The sword is really the same. About the time you can get 3 beams out of EB, it is time to put the sword away unless you need to pretend you aren't a magic user by stabbing something (especially if you can look like someone else when you do it)--good luck CSI: Neverwinter finding that sword.

I totally understand why that is a bummer, and a solution is the build something like a warlock designed so you can contribute by stabbing without having to multiclass or beg the DM for a "just under an artifact" weapon you can make into your pact weapon. Alternatively, you could throw in something so that when you successfully stab something, you get recharge a spell slot, but then you would need to do it for the pet and the tome too. And if you thought the pet was bad now.....

You are describing the warlock as if 1d10+cha plus knockback at 120ft with equal or better multiattack scaling than fighter is barely limping along & only allowed in the group out of pity. The invisible flying intelligent imp with opposable thumbs poses noncombat problems.

 

[Clint_L]

The choice is pretty simple:
Take a class already in the PHB, make it an arcane half-caster.

I'd go either with Warlock or Bard, myself.

Warlock doesnt gain much from their ''full'' spellcasting anyways. Remove ''mystic arcanum'', keep them at 2 slots per SR if need be and give them more Invocations. Keep them either as a CHA-caster or move them to INT-casting.

The sorcerer could be a good solution too, since them being full spellcasters dont help in differentiating them from other full spellcaster. Change them to half-casters with special defenses and attacks based on their origin. Having scales and at-will breath weapon, or blinking effect and at-will chaos bolt could be awesome and way more than yet another caster who can cast Earthquake!

But that's not what OneD&D is. OneD&D is still 5e, just updated. There aren't going to be radical redesigns of existing classes because it has to be backwards compatible, including with characters that people are already playing. They aren't going to turn sorcerers into a Gish class.

WotC has been very clear about that. So if there is any hope for another half-caster class, besides the artificer, then it would have to be in another supplement.

 

[Horwath]

Bard, Druid, Warlock, Sorcerer should be 2/3rd casters.

That leaves only cleric and wizard as "full" casters

Eldritch knight/arcane trickster should be removed.

In place of 1/3rd spellcasters there should be one arcane/fighterish 1/2 caster class, Duskblade/swordmage and one skilled based sneaky 1/2 caster class; arcane trickster/beguiler/shadowmage.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Do you think both Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster could work as Artificer subclasses?

Arcane trickster as an artificer subclass focused on thieves tools and mage hand shenanigans. Eldritch Knight as a subclass of a swordmage class. Along with bladesinger and hexblade.

Either that or make a weapons focused artificer subclass. Something about crafting your own weapon to empower it with lots of different effects on combat.

 

[Yaarel]

Arcane trickster as an artificer subclass focused on thieves tools and mage hand shenanigans. Eldritch Knight as a subclass of a swordmage class. Along with bladesinger and hexblade.

Either that or make a weapons focused artificer subclass. Something about crafting your own weapon to empower it with lots of different effects on combat.

I assume Hexblade, Bladesinger, Swordmage, and Eldritch Knight are all a fullcaster class? It is ok if it uses Warlock slots, which I consider a fullcaster because of the Arcanums at high levels. If so, I am fine with that.

Meanwhile the Artificer is a halfcaster.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I assume Hexblade, Bladesinger, Swordmage, and Eldritch Knight are all a fullcaster class? It is ok if it uses Warlock slots, which I consider a fullcaster because of the Arcanums at high levels. If so, I am fine with that.

Meanwhile the Artificer is a halfcaster.

I've always preferred the idea of the swordmage type class being a half caster. I've never liked a full caster also being able to walk into the martials area of expertise and do well there as well.

Additionally we already have hordes of full casters (5 or 6 depending on if warlock counts). While martials and half caster niches are not covered nearly as thoroughly.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

But that's not what OneD&D is. OneD&D is still 5e, just updated. There aren't going to be radical redesigns of existing classes because it has to be backwards compatible, including with characters that people are already playing. They aren't going to turn sorcerers into a Gish class.

WotC has been very clear about that. So if there is any hope for another half-caster class, besides the artificer, then it would have to be in another supplement.

We're just spit balling here. The title says ''should'', not ''will''.

I know the change will be minimal and there will be no half arcane caster in the new PHB.

For some of us, discussing and designing what could have been and how things could be is part of the fun, even if it goes nowhere.

 

[Mephista]

Isn't Artificer the arcane gish half-caster class? They already said that's not going into the PHB