D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook Reveal: "New Wizard"

"The paramount collector of spells."

Open your spellbooks, everybody. Today we get a Wizard video.

​

The last version of the class was in the UA Playtest 7 package (PT7). It's not clear how much they'll say here. Of the base class, I am hoping that they have recanted the level 5 ability, Memorize Spell (or perhaps shifted it to needing a short rest). They've said that the PHB will get clearer rules for how illusions work -- maybe they'll talk about that? Other than that, I think the most they can do is show us some revised spells: Will the revised version of Counterspell be kept? Any surprise Necromancy reveals? Let's find out.

OVERVIEW

• "the paramount collector of spells": "many" of new spells are for the wizard.
• As in PT7: cantrip change after long rest (level 1); scholar -- expertise in an academic field (at 2)
• NO MENTION OF ARCANE RECOVERY
• NEW: Ritual Adept broken out as a new class feature. They can cast spells in their spellbook, as before, but here ID'd as a new feature.
• NEW: Memorize Spell at 5: you can swap a spell after short rest.
• Each subclass gets a new version of Savant: free spells in spellbook of preferred school. 2 free spells of favored class, and a new spell for each spell level (so every 2 levels, as in the playtest. This isn't what is said in the video, but has been corrected elsewhere.

SUBCLASSES
Abjurer

• new abjuration spells feeds back onto how subclass functions.
• NEW: Arcane Ward at 3: resistance, immunity applied before the Arcane Ward.
• NEW: Projected Ward a 6: your friend's resistance is applied before the ward for them.
• NEW: Spell breaker at level 10: Counterspell and Dispell Magic are both prepared (PT7 did not include Counterspell). Dispell Magic is a bonus action.

Diviner

• NEW: Third Eye at 10. As in PT7, bonus action to activate; 120' darkvision, see invisibility. NO MENTION of Greater Comprehension ("read any language")

Evoker -- "all about bringing the boom"

• As in PT7: Potent Cantrip at 3 applies to cantrips both with a saving throw or an attack roll.

Illusionist -- "we felt that the subclass needed more" (YAY)

• NEW: Improved Illusions at level 3:
  • cast illusion spells with no verbal components. (FUN)
  • illusions with range with at least 10' is increased to 60' (no-- by 60' to 70').
  • you get minor illusion cantrip, with both visual and audible
  • you cast minor illusion as a bonus action.
• NEW: Phantasmal Creatures
  • summon beast and summon fey spells always prepared. These MAY BE changed from conjuration to Illusion, and the illusory version can be cast without expending a spell slot, but the summoned version, only with half the hit points. ONCE PER DAY.
  • illusions can step on a trap to set it off (?!)
  • (replacing Malleable Illusions, which I complained about here. This is so exciting.)
• NEW: Illusory Self triggered by you being hit by an attack (not when you are targeted). As in PT7, you can get more uses by giving up a spell slot of level 2+.

SPECIFIC SPELLS

• NEW: school shift to Abjuration: no examples
• Counterspell as in PT7.
• GUIDANCE ON ILLUSIONS in Rules Glossary. E.g. How are they affected by environment?
  • spell descriptions also clarified. Rules Glossary to be discussed in future video (also conditions, areas of effects, guidance on teleportation, telepathy, "
• "being dead" to be discussed in Cleric Video. Tease...

So this gave much more than I was expecting, and it looks amazing. Playing an illusionist will now be much more clearly not a "mother may I?" situation, which (I feel) has long been the case. I think I got most of what I'd asked for in the PT feedback.

 

[mellored]

Your oversimplifying misses the problem with how other arcane casters point at the wizard list to double dip benefits. Back away from the single leaf on a single tree and look at the forest

You really need to use different words. Your point is not coming across very clearly.

 

[mellored]

I feel like cantrips ought to be similar to other spells, where you can prep a certain number per day. Wizards ought to be able to swap them (for other cantrips in their book) every long rest. Clerics shouldn't be stuck with the same cantrip selection forever.

Wizards can swap cantrips every day.
Clerics can swap every level.

So WotC agreed with you.

 

[Marandahir]

I feel like cantrips ought to be similar to other spells, where you can prep a certain number per day. Wizards ought to be able to swap them (for other cantrips in their book) every long rest. Clerics shouldn't be stuck with the same cantrip selection forever.

I am a huge fan of meaningful choices, and cantrip selection seems like one of those, but it is frustrating to see the same cantrips get chosen over and over and others never see play. Treat them (more) like other spells, I say.

Wizards can swap out cantrips for other cantrips on their list every long rest. Though not from their spellbook, from their spell list.

 

[tetrasodium]

They can't afford to have the flexibility of spells prepared the same way the Wizard does, though.

Well this particular tangent came up like this....

.

Assuming they both prepare the same spells for combat.

That even being an option to consider as plausible is a big problem because the sorcerer gets a bunch of class & subclass features to offset the purely hypothetical white room scenario where their limited selection presents a meaningful handicap to offset. That came up before someone ran from it to talk about rituals pulled from a quantum spellbook

 

[Marandahir]

Well this particular tangent came up like this....

That even being an option to consider as plausible is a big problem because the sorcerer gets a bunch of class & subclass features to offset the purely hypothetical white room scenario where their limited selection presents a meaningful handicap to offset. That came up before someone ran from it to talk about rituals pulled from a quantum spellbook

The hypothetical white room scenario isn't a meaningful issue. Rituals are a utility power resource that Wizards have and Sorcerers essentially don't have because of their tighter spell choices, both in their spell list and their prepared spells.

Sorcerers still don't have the versatility of spell choices or quantity of spells per day to keep up with doing everything a wizard doing on the same day. Yes, by level 3 they have the same quantity of prepared spells (due to their subclass benefits) but they still don't have the flexibility to change up those spells from day to day, nor during short rests, nor to have backup ritual spells they can cast without preparing. And Wizards still pull ahead again at Level 14.

 

[Stalker0]

That even being an option to consider as plausible is a big problem because the sorcerer gets a bunch of class & subclass features to offset the purely hypothetical white room scenario where their limited selection presents a meaningful handicap to offset.

So as an example, a 5th level clockwork sorc has 12 spells (6 of which are dictated by the subclass).

A 5th level wizard with the new savant feature has 17 at base (3 of which have to be of a specific school).

That’s 42% more spells known, and that’s before we have even given the wizard gold to know more.

I’m glad the sorc got some subclass upgrades and more spells known but let’s not kid ourselves, the wizard still has significantly more spells without spending a dime. And of a dm is willing to give the wizard similar money to what they would give a fighter for their plate mail…it’s not even in the same league

 

[tetrasodium]

The hypothetical white room scenario isn't a meaningful issue. Rituals are a utility power resource that Wizards have and Sorcerers essentially don't have because of their tighter spell choices, both in their spell list and their prepared spells.

That was true until sorcerer warlock cleric bard paladin AT & EK also got free ritual casting by way of the spellcasting feature itself

Sorcerers still don't have the versatility of spell choices or quantity of spells per day to keep up with doing everything a wizard doing on the same day. Yes, by level 3 they have the same quantity of prepared spells (due to their subclass benefits) but they still don't have the flexibility to change up those spells from day to day, nor during short rests, nor to have backup ritual spells they can cast without preparing. And Wizards still pull ahead again at Level 14.

When the available spells & spells themselves complete with their associated mechanical hooks are designed so that the "lack of versatility" is a non-issue there is nothing that needs extra features to offset. We've not yet seen details or wording recognizing that, quite the opposite in fact.

So as an example, a 5th level clockwork sorc has 12 spells (6 of which are dictated by the subclass).

A 5th level wizard with the new savant feature has 17 at base (3 of which have to be of a specific school).

That’s 42% more spells known, and that’s before we have even given the wizard gold to know more.

I’m glad the sorc got some subclass upgrades and more spells known but let’s not kid ourselves, the wizard still has significantly more spells without spending a dime. And of a dm is willing to give the wizard similar money to what they would give a fighter for their plate mail…it’s not even in the same league

You forgot to count all the ritual spell choices you've been talking up... Do you realize that coupled with your earlier talking up of ritual spells you've just confirmed what others told you about wizards not having more spells because those spell choices need to be rituals and other edge case spells that might be useful?

 

[Neonchameleon]

The hypothetical white room scenario isn't a meaningful issue. Rituals are a utility power resource that Wizards have and Sorcerers essentially don't have because of their tighter spell choices, both in their spell list and their prepared spells.

This is no longer clear. It was certainly true for 2014 sorcerers with two spells per spell level and no ritual ability at all. For 2024 sorcerers with three spells per level plus two per spell level from their subclass (and all casters being ritualists) it might be a lot more practical depending how good the subclass list is.

And remember more spells is a diminishing returns thing; each after the first at each spell level is chosen from the list that previously wasn't good enough.

And don't forget sorcerers ability to swap their spells out; Scorching Ray for example is a defensible choice for a second level spell at level 3. But at level 11 it's little better than Firebolt.

 

[Stalker0]

You forgot to count all the ritual spell choices you've been talking up... Do you realize that coupled with your earlier talking up of ritual spells you've just confirmed what others told you about wizards not having more spells because those spell choices need to be rituals and other edge case spells that might be useful?

So a sorc gets 6 spells they literally have to take, but the wizard choosing some of their 17 spells to be rituals and suddenly they don’t have more spell choice?

Even if the wizard took the exact same spells as a sorc + 5 extra rituals….then they still have 5 more spells than the sorc does and can use them even if they are not prepared that day.

Sometimes more is….simply more

 

[tetrasodium]

So a sorc gets 6 spells they literally have to take, but the wizard choosing some of their 17 spells to be rituals and suddenly they don’t have more spell choice?

Even if the wizard took the exact same spells as a sorc + 5 extra rituals….then they still have 5 more spells than the sorc does and can use them even if they are not prepared that day.

Sometimes more is….simply more

It's not functionally more when the extra spells are edge case ritual spells that may or may not even have a chance to be useful during a campaign. The sorcerer & warlock get features as if they are upper tier picks that are regularly important rather than just maybe useful if it comes up. spell choices that are spent on rituals that never have a use in the campaign are of null value, that is the fault of the available ritual spells being overly conservative. Wotc did not waste time detailing anything about improvements to rituals in either the wizard video or the spells video & no conclusions can be drawn from "better" as a result.