D&D General Making Spellcasters feel Caster-y without actually Casting?

[CreamCloud0]

So, there's once again discussion in a thread about how casters get too many slots to properly balance them for the adventuring day and while i don't want to focus on that specifically it sparked something to think about, if we wanted to move caster design away from being reliant on having a big ol' pile of spell slots to enable the casters to do their magical things and feel magical what abilities would we give them instead?

personally i think the paladin and the artificer are a good place to draw inspiration from because they have to try to 'feel magical' while only relying on halfcaster progression, as well as the warlock who already embodies this kind of slot-minimalism caster design, paladins have their lay-on-hands: healing which isn't dependent on slots, and their auras, always-on proximity buffs, artificers have their magical tinkering and their infusions, proxying their magic into objects instead.

so what kind of design would you choose to use if casters needed to be designed with their slots being less of their primary avenue of magic?

 

[James Gasik]

How about a recharge mechanic, where spells go "offline" after they are used for a set (or even random) duration? Or how about some spells can't even be used right away, but need to "charge up", to prevent turn 1 novas?

 

[CreamCloud0]

How about a recharge mechanic, where spells go "offline" after they are used for a set (or even random) duration? Or how about some spells can't even be used right away, but need to "charge up", to prevent turn 1 novas?

Well, i’d say those feel more like answers to the question of how to limit the rate slot based casting is used at rather than actual alternatives to it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well, i’d say those feel more like answers to the question of how to limit the rate slot based casting is used at rather than actual alternatives to it.

How much less? How many slots do you believe casters should have? Is this another stab at having all casters play like the warlock?

 

[zakael19]

So, there's once again discussion in a thread about how casters get too many slots to properly balance them for the adventuring day and while i don't want to focus on that specifically it sparked something to think about, if we wanted to move caster design away from being reliant on having a big ol' pile of spell slots to enable the casters to do their magical things and feel magical what abilities would we give them instead?

personally i think the paladin and the artificer are a good place to draw inspiration from because they have to try to 'feel magical' while only relying on halfcaster progression, as well as the warlock who already embodies this kind of slot-minimalism caster design, paladins have their lay-on-hands: healing which isn't dependent on slots, and their auras, always-on proximity buffs, artificers have their magical tinkering and their infusions, proxying their magic into objects instead.

so what kind of design would you choose to use if casters needed to be designed with their slots being less of their primary avenue of magic?

Maybe we could move a lot of their utility into rituals or feats that allow them to use magic / arcana in place of other skills with a chance of failure, perhaps the former could be powered by Hit Dice.

 

[DeviousQuail]

I think warlocks with their pact magic/boons and invocations are probably the closest thing to this idea in 5e. Slots are way more limited, while invocations and boons are quite magical without being a spell (most of the time).

After the warlock I would point to many of the subclass features of spellcasters and the more magical martial subclasses. Shepherd druid spirit totem, rune knight runes, transmuters stone, and most channel divinity abilities are all places you could start. A themed magical ability that you can build on as you level up.

 

[CreamCloud0]

How much less? How many slots do you believe casters should have? Is this another stab at having all casters play like the warlock?

This isn’t about how many slots casters should or shouldn’t have, it’s about what kind of abilities they could have that’d make them feel like they’re using magic but which don’t rely on spells and slots.

 

[FrogReaver]

This isn’t about how many slots casters should or shouldn’t have, it’s about what kind of abilities they could have that’d make them feel like they’re using magic but which don’t rely on spells and slots.

Artificers are infusions/subclasses and paladins are a combinations of channel divinity, auras and improved divine smite.

You need mechanics that add magical flavor without being actual spells. Those can take about any form, but it’s harder when the classes identity is spell casting as wizards is.

 

[Charlaquin]

Maybe we could move a lot of their utility into rituals or feats that allow them to use magic / arcana in place of other skills with a chance of failure, perhaps the former could be powered by Hit Dice.

This would be my preferred alternative. Infuse magic into the mundane actions of spellcasters. Maybe when your wizard with Stealth proficiency sneaks around, he’s not just hiding but using his petty magic to place a veil of shadows around himself, or to make his clothes change color to camouflage. Not anything that necessarily grants a mechanical benefit, just as a way to narrate the skill check.

I also wish rituals were more than just… the same spell, but takes 10 more minutes and doesn’t cost a spell slot. Something more than that, without going as far as the new “get six guys together to cast fireball a mile away” circle casting. Not that there’s anything wrong with circle casting, but some kind of intermediary step between that and regular rituals would be nice.

 

[Voadam]

I would lean into the subclass themes, so for wizards an evoker would have blasts, a conjuror would have a big long lasting summons, etc. Some inspiration might come from the monster/NPC specialist mages.

Clerics would be more channel type stuff, based on the domain or god theme so fire clerics might have or grant fire protection and grant flames to weapons. Maybe take inspiration from 2e specialty priests. Basic clerics could do unlimited turning at first level before they could cast their first single spell per day at second.