Rick Moscatello
First Post
Sorry if this is a double post. My question is: is there a decent argument for a wizard (specifically) not casting/using Mage Armor past level 3 or so?
D&D 5E Mage Armor: A (nearly) must have?
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
'cuz they don't wanna? 'cuz they don't go to melee and the front line does a good job attracting atteniton?
On of my current characters is a sorc who doesn't have it, and has an AC of I think 12? Haven't really been worried about it. Do I drop like a rock? Oh hell yeah. Does it wreck the game? Not in the slightest.
I don't think I'd take it as a wizard unless I was in some odd situation where I was some sort of gishy mage who didn't already have better armor options, or I was an abjurer, or something along those lines.
Rick Moscatello
First Post
Ooh, that's a good point, a mage that's already wearing armor sure won't need it. Anything else?
"Don't wanna", on the other hand, isn't quite what I'm looking for. 5e is pretty robust (with a sane DM) so a player rolling up a wizard with an 8 Intelligence isn't going to "wreck" the game, but I'm just curious if there's a serious set up of spells that says "I just don't have any room for Mage Armor".
"Don't wanna", on the other hand, isn't quite what I'm looking for. 5e is pretty robust (with a sane DM) so a player rolling up a wizard with an 8 Intelligence isn't going to "wreck" the game, but I'm just curious if there's a serious set up of spells that says "I just don't have any room for Mage Armor".
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Nothing that would really exclude it. If you've got better armor options, it'd be redundant. Other spell effects (like fog cloud or invisibility or the like) could also make it pretty redundant.
ThirdWizard
First Post
Highly dependent from game to game, but if the characters have ways to procure specific scrolls, or for one PC to make them, it is easy to get away with not preparing mage armor and instead using scrolls to gain the effect instead. That way you save on spells prepared/known for other things, but you still get the benefit of mage armor.
TheMadGent
First Post
At low levels, your spell slots are arguably better spent on other stuff, and if you're a dwarf, you're better off using real armor, but for most wizards once 3rd and 4th level spells start coming in, spending the one 1st level slot on mage armor at the beginning of the adventuring day is a solid idea.
JackOfAllTirades
Explorer
I think once you've reached the point where you can spare a first level spell slot, it would be foolish not to use it for Mage Armor. Unless there's a better option.
Which I'm hard pressed to come up with.
Which I'm hard pressed to come up with.
I think the game your in matters more. If your in a group, and can comfortably set yourself up with allies in the way, you probably don't need the spell. I played in a game with a player who was paranoid, so always had it cast... and was almost never attacked (maybe once per session). It was a waste of a 1st level spell (and sometimes 2) every day. Unlike previous editions, you full heal after a Long Rest, so you don't need a high AC if you reduce the overall number of attacks per day (your HP cover it).
Fanaelialae
Legend
If you don't get attacked much, it may not be worth it. The 1st level slot is trivial after a few levels, but the fact that it eats up a precious prepared spell gives me pause.
Unless you're constantly getting attacked, I'd say having Shield prepared is enough. If you are being constantly attacked, do yourself a favor and obtain a few meatshields willing to interpose between you and anything that wants to attack you.
Unless you're constantly getting attacked, I'd say having Shield prepared is enough. If you are being constantly attacked, do yourself a favor and obtain a few meatshields willing to interpose between you and anything that wants to attack you.
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