A different kind of halfcaster?

[steeldragons]

Interesting. I guess we weight the relative value of higher level spells and a short-rest recharge differently.

I suppose.

For me high level spell access means very little/practically nothing to my view as most games are not going to get beyond a 5th or, maybe, 6th level spells anyway.

The short rest recharge, a very nice magical bell/whistle is essentially nullified, to my mind, with a paladin being able to change what spells they know every single day [long rest]. Having more of the same is really not as..."useful", I guess, as being able to change what you can do every day.

Take, for example, 6th level (as a decent average level for the bulk of [ime] play). The Warlock has two slots (up to 3rd level) they can use every short rest. That's 4-6 potential slots. depending on how many short rests you get in. You have 7 spells to choose from.

A paladin has 6 slots, all day every day, and they can be different every day. Though they are only up to 2nd level slots, I would still weigh the utility/versatility over a few 3rd level slots the warlock has, especially if they're only (as I generally expect) getting 1 short rest during the day.

 

[TwoSix]

I suppose.

For me high level spell access means very little/practically nothing to my view as most games are not going to get beyond a 5th or, maybe, 6th level spells anyway.

The short rest recharge, a very nice magical bell/whistle is essentially nullified, to my mind, with a paladin being able to change what spells they know every single day [long rest]. Having more of the same is really not as..."useful", I guess, as being able to change what you can do every day.

Take, for example, 6th level (as a decent average level for the bulk of [ime] play). The Warlock has two slots (up to 3rd level) they can use every short rest. That's 4-6 potential slots. depending on how many short rests you get in. You have 7 spells to choose from.

A paladin has 6 slots, all day every day, and they can be different every day. Though they are only up to 2nd level slots, I would still weigh the utility/versatility over a few 3rd level slots the warlock has, especially if they're only (as I generally expect) getting 1 short rest during the day.

No, that makes sense to me. I do agree that the paladin/cleric/druid method of preparation is extremely strong. I would say that independent of the spells known method, I'd rather have 2 max-level spell slots on a short rest than half-casting spell slots. Paladin and warlock casting may be competitive, but I think warlock definitely has a leg up on ranger.

 

[steeldragons]

The ranger casting is closer. But their magic system is just another symptom of a strangely [poorly] organized class.

Again, using 6th level as an "average": If the warlock only or consistently only receives a single short rest, they have 4 slots to use their 7 spells know. If they can get in two, they have 6 slots.

The ranger, same as the paladin, has 6 (1st or 2nd level) slots. They do, however, only have 4 spells known/to choose from. Like the warlock, you can swap out spells at level up. But still, 4 options across 6 slots is just...weird/bad.

So the warlock beats the ranger on versatility in this case. But they are comparable, or outweighed if only getting 1 short rest, for usage.