D&D General Chris just said why I hate wizard/fighter dynamic

[Mort]

Yep. That is why we made Bards half-casters again akin to Paladins and Rangers. It avoid power imbalance like this.

And what did you do to compensate?

I've seen Bards played as high as 15th level. Because of lack of damaging cantrips and otherwise less versatility than, say, wizards, they burn through their spells FAST - so can't keep up easily. Or did you make other casters half casters too?

 

[Cadence]

Is Star-Lord in the MCU actually a super hero anymore, or just a guy who owns the ship they use?

 

[Minigiant]

They don't get to come for a stroll on the prime, man. They get summoned and forced into service. The thing doesn't have the option to tell the wizard, "Go fork yourself, I'm going to hang out outside just in case a fighter comes along." It gets summoned and set up guarding the Pea of Ebon Flame or something like that.

Yes, but long term summoning is dangerous and often done by fools.

Monsters aren't set up to fight a fighter. They're set up to fight a team of 4-5 PCs.

The point is that the fighter is supposed to be the heavy in the fighting of said monster but at mid levels, mosnters can reality break or supernatural around the fighter unless the is given counters in magic items.

However being forced to give a fighter a X of Flight and Y of Speed and Z of Resistance by level 11 is frowned upon.

 

[DND_Reborn]

And what did you do to compensate?

A couple things. How big they are depends on your POV. Anyway, it just made sense to us that Bards are good at everything, but not great at anything.

One important feature we changed (depending on your view is BIG) is made it so Bardic Inspiration can be granted using your reaction, but then the die must be used for the trigger, and you can give it to yourself.

Another is they have three "jinxes" (our term for damage cantrips):

• Create Bonfire
• Sword Burst
• Vicious Mockery

 

[Micah Sweet]

So run the monsters like idiots.

"I'm a fiend with a fast flying speed and infinite balls of fire. I'm gonna plot all my evil in a cave or castle with low ceiling and small rooms"

Again, everyone is looking at the problem backwards. It's not the fighters but the ridiculously powerful monsters and insane obstacles.

Are we now saying combat in D&D is too hard on the PCs? When did this happen?

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Wouldn't work. That's taking away content again.

It doesn’t have to “take content away”.

Having casters be less proficient at dealing damage than warriors is not taking damage dealing way from casters. Warriors would just be better.

Casters could still cast fireball or magic missile or eldritch blast. Just do it rarely, carefully saved to just the right moment that day.

 

[Yaarel]

For my part, I wouldn't mind a "Batman" fighter, but I'd want it designed that way as it's own subclass, or perhaps even a completely separate class. I don't think tossing it into the current fighter would do either concept any favors.

I think a Fighter subclass for a "Batman" with magical gear is perfect. Fans who want this archetype can easily choose it.

 

[Maxperson]

I feel this, and its a shame, because I enjoy playing Bards (dont tell Snarf)

::shifty fighter looks both directions:: "What's it worth to ya? I need magic items."

 

[Yaarel]

Should D&D have an optional morale system spelled out in the DMG? Probably. But why does it matter if the NPC just saw there buddy get their head caved in or if their buddy disintegrated before their eyes? I have enemies run away ... umm ... retreat all the time. Seems like being set on fire in many ways is more terrifying that dropping in combat because you were hit by a weapon.

Im still thinking about the best way to do it, and so far adjudicate it narratively and arbitrarily. But I use the Intimidation skill as the morale check.

Relatedly, one can use the Persuasion skill to cause a Charmed condition, and one can use the Intimidation skill to cause the Frightened condition.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Whoa, what a thread!

I agree that that "a high level fighter is just a normal guy" is an utterly untenable in a game where the casters have the sort of power they have in D&D. And I think the answer is to clearly address what the levels mean. Flat out say that beyond level ten you're in the land of myths, and simply can do things no one in the real world can. No one in the real world ever was above level ten. And sure, you should have options to keep it mostly in the area of "heightened power and competence" like Xena or Captain America, but it would be fine to have options to choose some more blatantly weird stuff at the highest levels too. (And no, no D&D character needs to be Thor. Thor has strength of at least seven thousand on the D&D scale and can tank a neutron star.)

Also, I feel casters still could be nerfed a bit. They probably have too many spell slots at the end game. And there still are some "plot circumventing" spells that should be further limited or removed. Teleportation magic, resurrection magic and rest enabling magic being the main offenders.

Oh, and I really don't like magic items as a solution. I don't want my character's power to be tied to some toys.