D&D General Arcanists Without Spell Slots

[doctorbadwolf]

Imagine an Occultist Rogue, with ritual casting but no spell slots, and the ability to perform the function of dispel magic using a skill check, along with perhaps some other odds and ends like choosing a spell per subclass level that they can cast as a ritual that normally lacks the ritual tag, from a curated list. Like a summon spell, a weapon buff, mage armor, etc.

Just riffing.

I wish 5e had support for being an expert in magic without being powrrfully magical yourself. Like as your main character concept not just "i chose expertise arcana".

 

[Horwath]

This sound like 5E needs better skill system,
or just better table of what can be done with certain skills.

what can be done with each skill with what degree of difficulty,
and what is gated behind having proficiency and having expertise.

IE, without proficiency max DC that can be made with certain usages could be 15, without expertise max could be only 20 or 22.
best example would be lockpicking/trap disabling, without proficiency max DC of locks is 15 for you, without expertise, max DC of locks is 20.
same for "knowledge" skills.

some usages could be expertise only:
as you said, dispeling,
if you have expertise in Arcana, you can make a check, DC 10+ 2×spell level to dispel ongoing effect.
you need 10 minutes for the check,
add +5 DC if you want to do it in 1 minute or +10 DC if you want to make it as an Action.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

This sound like 5E needs better skill system,
or just better table of what can be done with certain skills.

That rather goes without saying.

Personally, I think it means we need to go back to the 4e Ritual model. Convert most pure-utility spells into Rituals. Let all full-casters cast a certain number of Rituals instantly each day. Non-casters who acquire Ritual Casting thus need more time, or have to spend expensive components, or have to pass checks or the like. That way, it's quite possible to be very proficient with magic, while not actually being a "spellcaster" in the strict sense.

And, y'know what? That's...pretty much exactly what Rituals were in 4e. Situational but very useful chunks of utility which trained characters could deploy, albeit with some kind of cost. Formal "spellcasters" paid that cost in what class they chose to play--unless they want to cast tons of rituals, then they pay other costs like everyone else. Subclass-spellcasters and non-casters need the training, and always need to sink some amount of resources into it. Perhaps any subclass-caster gets the option of either Ritual Caster as a free bonus feat, or some other utility-related benefit that befits a "I learned a smattering of magic" character.