Yet game designers keep doing it... but my statements were slightly different than yours and you have clearly identified an interesting thesis that does not forge a connection between too powerful and most desired... and maybe you identified the real heart of the issue and I havent exactly looked at it from a game design perspective.... but game designers are the ones that re doing this, is it really bad game desin to include find familiar?
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D&D 5E 5e "Anyspell," Would You Allow the Enclosed Spell?
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Yet game designers keep doing it... but my statements were slightly different than yours and you have clearly identified an interesting thesis that does not forge a connection between too powerful and most desired... and maybe you identified the real heart of the issue and I havent exactly looked at it from a game design perspective.... but game designers are the ones that re doing this, is it really bad game desin to include find familiar?
Worrgrendel
Adventurer
Except it's not just first level spells because you gave it the ability to upcast using higher level slots. Stop and think about this for a minute and lets use the Sorcerer first as an example. At 3rd level you choose this spell as your spell known for that level. From that point on you now know every single spell on the Sorcerer class list of 1 level lower than you can currently cast. Eventually, you will have every 8th level spell and lower at your fingertips all day long every day and, because why wouldn't you, you could know 5 of the 7 9th level spells on the Sorcerer spell list (you learn 1 spell known at level 17 and can trade 1 lower level spell out for another 9th level spell at the same time and then keep trading out a known spell of a lower level at each level up to 20). You keep your bread and butter spells that you will ALWAYS be using and trade out 4 other spells for the ability to know and cast every spell on the Sorcerer list but 2? There isn't a player alive that would not make that trade rolling up a Sorcerer for their campaign. Spells known just became meaningless for the Sorcerer which is one of their balancing class features that set them apart from Wizards. They just because almost as good as Wizards (because of a slightly smaller spell list to draw from) at being Wizards. They would be better Wizards if it were not for Wizards getting this spell too.
Lets go on to the Wizard. Similar deal but technically the Wizard, with enough time and luck and study, could have every single Wizard spell in their spellbook anyway. The difference being Wizards prepare spells each day. So you always prepare the Anyspell spell and, again prepare the bread and butter spells you regularly lean on, and you basically make every spell on the Wizard list a Ritual spell that costs a slot 1 level higher. Yeah sold. You thought Wizards were utility before? So now you are making a Wizard class feature, spell preparation, meaningless because you now have every single spell on the Wizard spell list prepared at all times every day including all 15 level 9 spells (a level 20 Wizard can prep 25 spells each day, so 15 level 9 spells and then 9 others plus Anyspell). This isn't power creep it's power vaulting Hulk style.
I would allow this if it were scoped to a narrow domain, e.g., any fire spell, any illusion spell, any healing spell, etc.
I've been exploring something similar as a metamagic option for sorcerers: The Homebrewery - NaturalCrit
Yeah the sorcerer is by far the biggest problem and (all) points well taken... EDIT: that sorc may be subpar though; using your reaction every round excludes usage of well OTHER reactions (like counterspell, shield, etc.) in a high level fight THIS IS A DAMNED RISKY SPELL TO USE
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Benjamin Olson
Hero
I would allow some variation of this to each full-spellcasting class, but it would have to vary based on the nature of spellcasting for that class.
Clerics and Druids (Perhaps Paladins and Artificers): They are essentially just getting to have all the class spells prepared at the tax of a higher spell slot. Not a problem with me. I might require it be two levels higher, but honestly this does more to just streamline play by eliminating "we all have to take a long rest because we need x spell I don't have prepared to solve x problem. On that front I think I would prefer the version of this that has a 10 minute casting time, because really I think it is more reasonable with utility spells than combat, and likely to speed up exploration and problem solving rather than slow down combat by suddenly having people look up all sorts of unfamiliar spells on their turn.
Wizards: It should work for any spell they know. They know the damned spell. It is just a gamey holdover that they somehow can only recall a spell they didn't practice that morning after a good nights sleep. If they've never learned the spell though it makes no lore sense for them to be able to use it. Players are likely to understand the spells they have taken so practical concerns of use in combat are lessened.
Warlocks: If your patron wants to help you out, I don't mind it. Once a day they should get to call on their patron to let them cast a Warlock spell for which they have a spell slot 2 levels higher. Thus they eventually get a big list of third level and below magic for which they have a limited access. I really think it just streamlines situations where they need X spell for utility. It is rarely going to be the best use of their spell slots in combat, but it saves the higher level Warlock from having to have dispel magic or whatever clogging up their spells known, and makes them more viable as the general caster in smaller parties.
Bards: Lorewise I go back and forth. I both like to think of them as the ones who know spells because they really practiced that spell but also as a class where it feels like, just as a skilled musician can muddle through a variety of easy songs they have never really practiced, they should be able to take a shot at low level magic they don't know. Also they have a fairly thematically circumscribed spell list in terms of what they can do, focused mostly on buffs, debuffs, social/shenanigans magic. Please don't lecture me on the numerous exceptions, I know about the numerous exceptions, the point is simply that they are a class where generalized spell list access is a less versatile gift than with others. Finally they are a class that gets new abilities or ability boosts at every level except 7 and 11. I would therefore, as a class ability, say that at level 7 I would give them all 1st level Bard spells as 2nd level spells known, and at level 11 all 2nd level Bard spells as 3rd level spells known.
Sorcerers: I believe Sorcerers are the worst designed class for low levels in 5e, and even if you can't agree with that you should at least agree that they get the least love at second level. They Sorcery points which they can only use to generate one level 1 spell slot, something wizards can already match with Arcane recovery, albeit not on a bonus action. So there they are at level 2 and they really don't measure up to their rival the wizard at all. They then proceed to spend a couple more levels as a crappy wizard who can unleash amazing metamagic a few times a day before eventually, in tier 2, having the resources to be worthwhile in a campaign with more than one or two combats a day. Basically a really cool class that I never play unless we are rolling characters at level 5 or up.
Which is all to say that, rather than this spell, they should get the level 2 ability to pay the spell slot cost in sorcery points on top of a spell slot in order to cast any spell on the Sorcerer list. This should trigger a wild magic surge. It fits my perspective of the lore of them being people just bristling with intrinsic magic potential that they have limited power to control, and gives them the flexibility to cover a bit more utility. It also makes them stop being about the most stressful class to make spell choices for. If you view sorcerers more as people who have innate magic but only for the several spells they know, perhaps this doesn't jive with you. To each their own. I would limit it to spell levels 1-3 or 1-5 or some such, much like the spell slot purchasing ability.
A more limited option would be to give them access like this to a limited list of additional spells which almost no Sorcerer would otherwise take. A sorcerer shouldn't have to waste a known spell on featherfall just because they know that there might be that one time on the airship with the dragon when they will absolutely need it.
Clerics and Druids (Perhaps Paladins and Artificers): They are essentially just getting to have all the class spells prepared at the tax of a higher spell slot. Not a problem with me. I might require it be two levels higher, but honestly this does more to just streamline play by eliminating "we all have to take a long rest because we need x spell I don't have prepared to solve x problem. On that front I think I would prefer the version of this that has a 10 minute casting time, because really I think it is more reasonable with utility spells than combat, and likely to speed up exploration and problem solving rather than slow down combat by suddenly having people look up all sorts of unfamiliar spells on their turn.
Wizards: It should work for any spell they know. They know the damned spell. It is just a gamey holdover that they somehow can only recall a spell they didn't practice that morning after a good nights sleep. If they've never learned the spell though it makes no lore sense for them to be able to use it. Players are likely to understand the spells they have taken so practical concerns of use in combat are lessened.
Warlocks: If your patron wants to help you out, I don't mind it. Once a day they should get to call on their patron to let them cast a Warlock spell for which they have a spell slot 2 levels higher. Thus they eventually get a big list of third level and below magic for which they have a limited access. I really think it just streamlines situations where they need X spell for utility. It is rarely going to be the best use of their spell slots in combat, but it saves the higher level Warlock from having to have dispel magic or whatever clogging up their spells known, and makes them more viable as the general caster in smaller parties.
Bards: Lorewise I go back and forth. I both like to think of them as the ones who know spells because they really practiced that spell but also as a class where it feels like, just as a skilled musician can muddle through a variety of easy songs they have never really practiced, they should be able to take a shot at low level magic they don't know. Also they have a fairly thematically circumscribed spell list in terms of what they can do, focused mostly on buffs, debuffs, social/shenanigans magic. Please don't lecture me on the numerous exceptions, I know about the numerous exceptions, the point is simply that they are a class where generalized spell list access is a less versatile gift than with others. Finally they are a class that gets new abilities or ability boosts at every level except 7 and 11. I would therefore, as a class ability, say that at level 7 I would give them all 1st level Bard spells as 2nd level spells known, and at level 11 all 2nd level Bard spells as 3rd level spells known.
Sorcerers: I believe Sorcerers are the worst designed class for low levels in 5e, and even if you can't agree with that you should at least agree that they get the least love at second level. They Sorcery points which they can only use to generate one level 1 spell slot, something wizards can already match with Arcane recovery, albeit not on a bonus action. So there they are at level 2 and they really don't measure up to their rival the wizard at all. They then proceed to spend a couple more levels as a crappy wizard who can unleash amazing metamagic a few times a day before eventually, in tier 2, having the resources to be worthwhile in a campaign with more than one or two combats a day. Basically a really cool class that I never play unless we are rolling characters at level 5 or up.
Which is all to say that, rather than this spell, they should get the level 2 ability to pay the spell slot cost in sorcery points on top of a spell slot in order to cast any spell on the Sorcerer list. This should trigger a wild magic surge. It fits my perspective of the lore of them being people just bristling with intrinsic magic potential that they have limited power to control, and gives them the flexibility to cover a bit more utility. It also makes them stop being about the most stressful class to make spell choices for. If you view sorcerers more as people who have innate magic but only for the several spells they know, perhaps this doesn't jive with you. To each their own. I would limit it to spell levels 1-3 or 1-5 or some such, much like the spell slot purchasing ability.
A more limited option would be to give them access like this to a limited list of additional spells which almost no Sorcerer would otherwise take. A sorcerer shouldn't have to waste a known spell on featherfall just because they know that there might be that one time on the airship with the dragon when they will absolutely need it.
Stormonu
NeoGrognard
I would not allow the version as written.
Personally, I don't think Anyspell shouldn't come into play until a spellcaster has hit 9th level (the old "name" level and "master" of the class), so about a 4th level spell. The rest would just be working backwards from Wish - as a lower level version probably more limited in scope ("on your spell list" seems reasonable), longer casting time (1 action at least, maybe use the original casting time or 1 minute) and so forth. The spell shouldn't invalidate Wish, and shouldn't be a "no-brainer", though it could be useful in those situations where the party runs into something unexpected. However, having the correct spell on hand should give better results than using this spell, so forethought is rewarded.
Personally, I don't think Anyspell shouldn't come into play until a spellcaster has hit 9th level (the old "name" level and "master" of the class), so about a 4th level spell. The rest would just be working backwards from Wish - as a lower level version probably more limited in scope ("on your spell list" seems reasonable), longer casting time (1 action at least, maybe use the original casting time or 1 minute) and so forth. The spell shouldn't invalidate Wish, and shouldn't be a "no-brainer", though it could be useful in those situations where the party runs into something unexpected. However, having the correct spell on hand should give better results than using this spell, so forethought is rewarded.
Thank you for the thoughtful response! Alot of good points, especially concerning your ruling and perspective on Wizard and Sorceror (although I may resist making it into a sorc specific class feature). EDIT: I figured the sor would be a point of contention and i, seemingly much like yourself, think it makes perfect sense for the sorc and wouldnt really be op... would you keep the cost mechanics I have? (reaction, etc.)
This is a spell with a casting ime of 1 reaction. THE EFFECT: you cast a spell (expending the required resources like normal, except spell slots and you dont need to know it). Its clear enough given the way 5e does things and how its worded but it may be deceptively stated.
Benjamin Olson
Hero
I wouldn't make it reaction based for most of the classes, as for most of them I think the lore would be more that they concentrate real hard and expend extra resources to do something they know how to do but are not prepared for that day. It seems like something that should take 10-20 minutes or so to scour their memories, review their spellbook, whatever. For Sorcerer though, where it is less something they know how to do than something they can do by sheer force of will applied to their innate magical abilities, I am more okay with just being able to cast as per the normal action, material, and casting time economy, provided their is a steep additional cost in higher spell slots, sorcery points, and/or some variation of random magic surges. Sorcerer is the only one for which I would definitely make it a low level ability because I consider them rather anemic at low levels and think it is just too big a burden for them to have to keep various low level necessities like shield or mage armor at higher levels.
I would finally want to play Sorcerer without a multiclass dip to free up low level spells known. And I generally always hated both the cost of such a dip (slower spell progression and loss of levels in a class that gets exponentially better with levels) and the lore of a Sorcerer multiclassing (the worst being the warlock dip. It's so pathetic to see these characters of pure innate magic sucking up to some demon, or a stupid magic weapon, for a d10 cantrip like some loser scrub).
yeah I may just do that. My Emphasis.
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