D&D 5E (2024) Mearls has some Interesting Ideals about how to fix high level wizards.

Whizbang Dustyboots · 2026-01-15T21:13:10+0000

zakael19 said:
Mike has been saying all around the internet

It's been really disruptive when he's brought it up in YouTube comments for music videos.

Whizbang Dustyboots · 2026-01-15T21:16:39+0000

THEMNGMNT said:
Addressing the actual content of the post...

This feels like a half step toward the actual solution.

Essentially, he's 1) turning low level spells into cantrips, and 2) limiting the prepared spells to a reasonable number.

I'm down with that!

What feels off to me is that he introduces this at level 11, in one fell swoop.

How about making this a more gradual transition? For example, maybe at 7th level, 1st level spells become "cantrips" for you. Then at 10th, it's 2nd level spells. Then at 13th it's 3rd level spells. Etc.

Meanwhile, the number of prepared spells at any level--throughout all of character progression--is capped and/or grows much more slowly than 5E.

One of my biggest problems with 5E magic is not that casters are more powerful than martials, but that all casters start to feel the same after a while. Constraining some choices might help casters feel more differentiated.

Instead of transforming a class at level 11 -- which sounds like something he plans on doing with all characters over level 11 -- I'd redesign the classes from the ground up to make this process more natural.

I would also chop down what spells wizards know by default way down, and then add themed lists via subclass (and allow the possibility of acquiring other spells in the traditional way).

If level 11 wizards had half of the spells in their spellbooks, the cognitive load issue would be much less of a big deal, and invidiual wizards could be more differentiated. This would be a separate fix from the power issues, of course.

Cordwainer Fish · 2026-01-15T21:18:29+0000

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
It's been really disruptive when he's brought it up in YouTube comments for music videos.

The other day I did a git pull for the source code of the Common Lisp implementation I use, and who was right there in the code comments? Freakin' Mike, man.

W'rkncacnter · 2026-01-15T21:24:27+0000

Deekin said:
In the end, all problems are solved by reinventing 4e

oh hey, i get to dust this one off...
4E STRIKES AGAIN

Tigris · 2026-01-15T21:24:35+0000

A simpler solution would be to just end the game at level 10. Especially when almost no campaign reaches above level 10 anyway.

Whizbang Dustyboots · 2026-01-15T21:26:52+0000

Tigris said:
A simpler solution would be to just end the game at level 10. Especially when almost no campaign reaches above level 10 anyway.

SHADOWDARK STRIKES AGAIN

cranberry · 2026-01-15T21:32:24+0000

I personally don't see having "too many" spells as a problem.

Mort · 2026-01-15T21:33:54+0000

Tigris said:
A simpler solution would be to just end the game at level 10. Especially when almost no campaign reaches above level 10 anyway.

I've had multiple campaigns reach 12 and have one now where the PCs are level 18 about to be 19.

High level play has a distinct (and IMO opinion really fun) feel and I think more groups should get the chance to experience it.

With that, it can get wonky and requires a lot more effort from the DM AND players - so cleaning things up and making them easier is a worthwhile endeavor!

THEMNGMNT · 2026-01-15T21:44:01+0000

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
I would also chop down what spells wizards know by default way down, and then add themed lists via subclass (and allow the possibility of acquiring other spells in the traditional way).

Oh, don't even get me started on "themed spell lists".

I ran a 1-20 level campaign with a shadow sorcerer...and guess what? Sorcerers don't get shadow spells. That character felt soooo shadowy every time she cast polymorph or meteor swarm. [Facepalm]

I am almost literally dying for D&D to have themed spell lists, but it would require a major overhaul to the system.

Themed spell lists are one of the many reasons why I love Shadow of the Demon Lord/Weird Wizard.

You can do it, Mike!

Minigiant · 2026-01-15T21:45:53+0000

Mort said:
I've had multiple campaigns reach 12 and have one now where the PCs are level 18 about to be 19.

High level play has a distinct (and IMO opinion really fun) feel and I think more groups should get the chance to experience it.

With that, it can get wonky and requires a lot more effort from the DM AND players - so cleaning things up and making them easier is a worthwhile endeavor!

Especially since when fans get experience and become veterans, they tend to start campaigns at higher levels or speedrun low levels.

D&D 5E (2024) Mearls has some Interesting Ideals about how to fix high level wizards.

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero

Cordwainer Fish

Imp. Int. Scout Svc. (Dishon. Ret.)

W'rkncacnter

Hero

Tigris

Adventurer

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero

cranberry

Hero

Mort

Legend

THEMNGMNT

Legend

Minigiant

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