D&D 5E [+] Ways to fix the caster / non-caster gap

[Micah Sweet]

I don’t have a problem with that as long as the cantrip is the equivalent of doing damage with a sword or bow

I do. It severely impacts the tone of the campaign. Also, infinite elemental damage has implications...

 

[Tony Vargas]

Infinite ax damage has implications, too. Like deforestation.

 

[Lanefan]

If we are talking about realistic options for official 5E, I think we need to rule out anything that would either complicate or reduce the number of spells and spell slots. I think it is pretty clear the designers are not going to go in that direction and what little they tried was aparantly not well received in the playtest.

The bolded comes as no surprise: for 30+ years players of wizards have been a very loud and vocal group, who generally want things made easier for wizards (and by extension themselves, their players) and who during that period have had IMO far too great an influence on the game's design.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Infinite ax damage has implications, too. Like deforestation.

People with axes get tired. A wizard pointing their finger at anything not immune to fire really don't from a practical standpoint.

 

[Tony Vargas]

People with axes get tired. A wizard pointing their finger at anything not immune to fire really don't from a practical standpoint.

Why not? Magic doesn't take any sort of effort? Mental focus? Nothing?

 

[Lanefan]

This very funny, but I also agree with it.

A basic crossbow is a pretty simple weapon that almost any idiot can pick up and use. I've no problem with putting it on the allowed weapon list for just about any class.

 

[Lanefan]

I don’t have a problem with that as long as the cantrip is the equivalent of doing damage with a sword or bow

And needs a to-hit roll, a la a sword or bow.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Why not? Magic doesn't take any sort of effort? Mental focus? Nothing?

Not according to the rules. If you're desirous, conscious, capable of taking actions, and know firebolt, you get a blast of fire every six seconds until one of those things changes.

 

[Fanaelialae]

People with axes get tired. A wizard pointing their finger at anything not immune to fire really don't from a practical standpoint.

Why wouldn't harnessing the power of magic be just as exhausting as swinging a weapon? It might be mental/spiritual exhaustion, as opposed to physical, but if the DM allows the wizard to cast infinite cantrips but imposes exhaustion on a fighter hacking down a door, that clearly speaks to a bias. Neither activity results in exhaustion per the rules, so it comes down to the DMs ruling. And if you rule one way for martials and the other way for casters, on your head be the consequences.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Not according to the rules. If you're desirous, conscious, capable of taking actions, and know firebolt, you get a blast of fire every six seconds until one of those things changes.

And the rules have something different to say about attacking with an ax?
I mean, other than 'holding an ax' instead of "know firebolt" and "twice every 6 seconds" if you have the Extra Attack feature.... ?