D&D General Why are spells grouped into "levels"?

Eyes of Nine

Eyes of Nine

Everything's Fine
Why do spells have "levels"? Why couldn't we have used ANY other term for them?

I have new players get confused about "I'm a 3rd level Wizard, why can't I cast 3rd level spells?"

Sure, this isn't really a big deal - but it would have been entirely avoidable.

Simple fix: Call them Spell Echelons (or just about any other term like "Rank", "Stratum", etc).
 

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Ruin Explorer

Ruin Explorer

Legend
Eyes of Nine said:
Why do spells have "levels"? Why couldn't we have used ANY other term for them?

I have new players get confused about "I'm a 3rd level Wizard, why can't I cast 3rd level spells?"

Sure, this isn't really a big deal - but it would have been entirely avoidable.

Simple fix: Call them Spell Echelons (or just about any other term like "Rank", "Stratum", etc).
Click to expand...

Back in 2E we called them Circles, and I know we weren't the only ones doing this. We literally did it because it genuinely was causing confusion, especially with newer players. So a Fireball was a "Third Circle" spell. It also made more sense RP-wise and let you actually discuss spell levels with NPCs without it feeling really weird and meta.
 

DND_Reborn

DND_Reborn

The High Aldwin
Eyes of Nine said:
Why do spells have "levels"? Why couldn't we have used ANY other term for them?

I have new players get confused about "I'm a 3rd level Wizard, why can't I cast 3rd level spells?"

Sure, this isn't really a big deal - but it would have been entirely avoidable.

Simple fix: Call them Spell Echelons (or just about any other term like "Rank", "Stratum", etc).
Click to expand...
Because back in the day people were okay with "level" meaning multiple things:
  • character level
  • spell level
  • dungeon level
  • encounter level
As per the AD&D DMG:
1588704548157.png


Notice level is never used by itself, but always in context to something else.

Sure, you could call it something else, but then other people would wonder why not just use the term "level" or something. More terms would make the game confusing to those people. ;)
 


Doug McCrae

Doug McCrae

Legend
1e AD&D PHB:

It was initially contemplated to term character power as rank, spell complexity was to be termed power, and monster strength was to be termed as order. Thus, instead of a 9th level character encountering a 7th level monster on the 8th dungeon level and attacking it with a 4th level spell, the terminology would have been: A 9th rank character encountered a 7th order monster on the 8th (dungeon) level and attacked it with a 4th power spell. However, because of existing usage, level is retained throughout with all four meanings, and it is not as confusing as it may now seem.​
 

doctorbadwolf

doctorbadwolf

Heretic of The Seventh Circle
Eyes of Nine said:
Why do spells have "levels"? Why couldn't we have used ANY other term for them?

I have new players get confused about "I'm a 3rd level Wizard, why can't I cast 3rd level spells?"

Sure, this isn't really a big deal - but it would have been entirely avoidable.

Simple fix: Call them Spell Echelons (or just about any other term like "Rank", "Stratum", etc).
Click to expand...
Circle is my preference. My rogue/wizard is a mage of the 3rd Circle.
 



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