D&D (2024) Memorize Spell is one of the most obnoxious abilities I've ever seen, despite being perfectly on-theme (Packet 7)

[mellored]

To be fair, clerics and druids get access to even more spells. You don't prepare create water unless your in a desert, or bulls strength unless you need to carry a lot.

Just takes a little longer to swap.

 

[Mort]

Pass Without Trace is level 2. It's not a Wizard spell though.

Still pretty insane, makes Druids and Rangers pretty much the best at stealth, poor Rogues can't compare until way later.

Some of the recent books (Shadow of the Dragon Queen comes to mind) allow wizards to grab from other lists fairly easily. Since they are so late, I suspect the new edition will continue the trend.

For ex. in our current Dragonlance campaign the DM gave my wizard the feat Adept of the White Robes FOR FREE when we hit 4th level (end of last session). This feat not only gives access to Pass Without Trace but allows a free use per long rest.

Our party does A LOT of stealth (2 full rogues) and I suspect he will regret me having Pass Without Trace - especially for free!

As for the thread topic. Even in our current campaign, I already get the stink eye from the rogues for the sheer utility I can bring - though they seem pretty happy with me throwing around enhance on them!

If I had Memorize Spell it would just be over the top ridiculous.

 

[Kalmi]

So much of the spell list could be fixed by utility spells simply giving a bonus to skill checks (this would also fix skills at the same time).

You still have the problem of magic being required, but at least the spellcasters would want to cast the spells on people who are already good at the thing.

 

[Vaalingrade]

So much of the spell list could be fixed by utility spells simply giving a bonus to skill checks (this would also fix skills at the same time).

For my system, I did it so the spell let you roll Spellcraft, divide by 5 and that's your bonus to the skill.

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

WotC would absolutely never dare to add any narrative-type powers, but I'd like to see a wizard subclass focused on being extremely well prepared. I'd like to see an ability like this, that would be exclusive to a particular subclass:

Always Prepared: Once per day you may recall that you have actually prepared, ahead of time, exactly the right spell for the occasion. This is not an action. When you use this ability you memorise one spell from your spellbook (it was technically already memorised).

Edit: Admittedly it would be OP, but you'd balance that by taking something away from elsewhere.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to stop doing game design.

Thus is 5e: that's the DM's job.

 

[mellored]

WotC would absolutely never dare to add any narrative-type powers, but I'd like to see a wizard subclass focused on being extremely well prepared. I'd like to see an ability like this, that would be exclusive to a particular subclass:

Always Prepared: Once per day you may recall that you have actually prepared, ahead of time, exactly the right spell for the occasion. This is not an action. When you use this ability you memorise one spell from your spellbook (it was technically already memorised).

Edit: Admittedly it would be OP, but you'd balance that by taking something away from elsewhere.

Pathfinder 2e has something similar, but for items.

Prescient Planner​

Cost the Price of the chosen item
Requirements You haven't used this ability since the last time you were able to purchase goods.

---

You regularly create convoluted plans and contingencies, using your resources to enact them. You take 1 minute to remove your backpack, then carefully remove an item you hadn't previously declared that you purchased—you intuited that you would come to need the item and purchased it at the latest opportunity. The item must be a (common) piece of adventuring gear...

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

Pathfinder 2e has something similar, but for items.

Prescient Planner​

Cost the Price of the chosen item
Requirements You haven't used this ability since the last time you were able to purchase goods.

---

You regularly create convoluted plans and contingencies, using your resources to enact them. You take 1 minute to remove your backpack, then carefully remove an item you hadn't previously declared that you purchased—you intuited that you would come to need the item and purchased it at the latest opportunity. The item must be a (common) piece of adventuring gear...

That's what gave me the idea in the first place

I like how Paizo is willing to experiment with their feats and class abilities.

 

[Stalker0]

So much of the spell list could be fixed by utility spells simply giving a bonus to skill checks (this would also fix skills at the same time).

Between borrowed knowledge (to get proficiency) and enhance ability (to get advantage), you could cover the cover skill bonuses needed, and drop a good portion of utility spells if you wanted to go that route.

 

[mellored]

Always Prepared: Once per day you may recall that you have actually prepared, ahead of time, exactly the right spell for the occasion. This is not an action. When you use this ability you memorise one spell from your spellbook (it was technically already memorised).

To tweak this a bit...

Reserve Preparation
At the end of a long rest, you may chose to keep 1 spell preparation in reserve, and not immediately chose a spell. If you do, you can then spend 1 minute studying your book to prepare a spell at a later time.
This increase to 2 reserve preparations at level 5, 3 at level 11, and at level 17.

Subclass:
As a bonus action you can use a reserve preparations to prepare a (school appropriate) spell.
(I.e. evokers can suddenly have cone of cold when they find a horde of fire demons in the ice cave).