House rule to improve Wizard flexibility

[tgaptte]

One of the things I miss about the 3.5 Wizard was the spell flexibility in combat. I realize why 4e made the change they did to bring all classes into balance, and for the most part I'm ok with it. But I still miss the flexibility of playing the old Wizard. I know Rituals are not restricted, and that does help out some. But flexibility in combat just isn't there anymore, not like it used to be. Here's a house rule we're using that helps bring a bit of that flexibility back. I'm wondering if any of you think this breaks the system. So far, it hasn't for us, and it's a nice little bit of flexibility for the Wizard. Here's what we did:

A wizard may cast any of the spells he/she knows up to their Daily limit for that level. For example, if a first level Wizard has the Expanded Spellbook feat, they know three Daily attack spells. When in combat, they would be able to choose to cast any ONE of those three spells, but then they would be done for the day. If they could cast two Daily first level spells, then they could cast any of those spells twice a day (even the same spell). This ruling also goes for Daily Utility spells.

In the case where the Wizard knows both an Encounter utility (like the level 2 Shield spell) and a Daily utility (like the level 2 Expeditious Retreat spell), the Wizard may cast the Encounter spell in each encounter until they have cast the Daily utility, then they are done with their level 2 utility spells for the day, and would be unable to cast Shield again until a long rest)

Thoughts?

 

[Turtlejay]

This seems like it would work better for a stopgap Sorcerer class. After all, 3.5 Wizards had to chose which spells to memorize each day. Swap Int for Cha as the key ability and change the flavor a bit and you have a sorcerer, sort of.

Jay

 

[GorTeX]

In my campaign, I allow a Wizard to change out a spell during a short rest if they also use an Action point. Of course, the spell must be in their spellbook and they can't change out a daily if they have used the daily already that day.

Utility spells: if they've used an encounter utility spell, then they could not swap out for a daily utility, but could swap out for another encounter utility.

 

[Crowley42]

personally im thinkin of doing something similar except instead of allowing any use (much too sorcerer) i would still make my players prepare spells but allow them to prepare one spell of each lvl or an additional spell of a lower lever that they would be able to cats already (as per rules)

such as this lvl 1 and 5 have dailies (been 2 weeks since i played so i could be wrong or missing one) but instead of preparing one 5 and one 1 i would allow two lvl 1 spells to be prepared and even allow the same lvl 1 spell twice is so chosen. this would not work in reverse however no replacing or lowest lvl daily with a higher one.

the book already has a feat for extra spells contained in ones spellbook. i would make additional feats to allow for an extra casting per day or such (rules would have to be worked).

as for sorcerer i would probably allow them the two choices of dailies and such as with wizard but no need to prepare. and allow a higher daily to be used for a second shot or additional lower one. i would not allow the expanded spellbook feat for sucha class however.

 

[Old Gumphrey]

In my campaign, I allow a Wizard to change out a spell during a short rest if they also use an Action point. Of course, the spell must be in their spellbook and they can't change out a daily if they have used the daily already that day.

Utility spells: if they've used an encounter utility spell, then they could not swap out for a daily utility, but could swap out for another encounter utility.

That's harsh. I let them use action points to swap out spells on the fly. It's an action point for chrissakes.