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Cantrip Auto-Scaling - A 5e Critique
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7535135" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>I think the basic statement about limited usage vs. at-will, while having an intuitive appeal, does not work within the framework of the design goals of the game. I think that all characters have at-will options so that they will always be able to contribute, and then they have varying degrees of limited resources that can provide other boosts. Those with less limited resource boosts will likely have better at-will abilities.</p><p></p><p>I think there's some cognitive dissonance going on because "cantrips are spells" that don't allow us to evaluate that in the larger game. So let's shake this up and compare the idea that at-will should be inferior to limited usage breaking from that and using another class.</p><p></p><p>Hypothesis: A limited use resource must always be more powerful than an unlimited use resource.</p><p></p><p>Example limited use resource: One action used to cast a 1st level direct damage spell with a 1st level slot.</p><p>Example at-will resource: Fighter using one action to attack with weapons.</p><p></p><p>Result: Hypothesis is shown not to be true.</p><p></p><p>Results if rules changed to support hypothesis: Balance of caster damage and weapon wielder damage will greatly favor casters. Short adventuring days - which favor long-rest-resource-recovery classes more - will become more prevalent. Either a return to quadratic wizard/linear fighter, or if fighter is nerfed we have linear caster / logarithmic fighter who barely ever advances.</p><p></p><p>This isn't saying that a limited-use resource can't be better, just that it need not be better. </p><p></p><p>And when at-will features need to be at a level to allow all characters to contribute meaningfully, it's a separate imperative that scales them. Making cantrips one of the examples where there are cases it's better then a limited use resource.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7535135, member: 20564"] I think the basic statement about limited usage vs. at-will, while having an intuitive appeal, does not work within the framework of the design goals of the game. I think that all characters have at-will options so that they will always be able to contribute, and then they have varying degrees of limited resources that can provide other boosts. Those with less limited resource boosts will likely have better at-will abilities. I think there's some cognitive dissonance going on because "cantrips are spells" that don't allow us to evaluate that in the larger game. So let's shake this up and compare the idea that at-will should be inferior to limited usage breaking from that and using another class. Hypothesis: A limited use resource must always be more powerful than an unlimited use resource. Example limited use resource: One action used to cast a 1st level direct damage spell with a 1st level slot. Example at-will resource: Fighter using one action to attack with weapons. Result: Hypothesis is shown not to be true. Results if rules changed to support hypothesis: Balance of caster damage and weapon wielder damage will greatly favor casters. Short adventuring days - which favor long-rest-resource-recovery classes more - will become more prevalent. Either a return to quadratic wizard/linear fighter, or if fighter is nerfed we have linear caster / logarithmic fighter who barely ever advances. This isn't saying that a limited-use resource can't be better, just that it need not be better. And when at-will features need to be at a level to allow all characters to contribute meaningfully, it's a separate imperative that scales them. Making cantrips one of the examples where there are cases it's better then a limited use resource. [/QUOTE]
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