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

[OB1]

That trivializes utility spells almost as badly as this. There's little difference between 1 minutes at most and 9 minutes at most, and 3-5 minutes in most cases. If you don't have particularly tactically-minded casters, that's fine, but anyone smart will just never, ever, ever, memorize a utility spell again (or any healing or restoration spell that isn't Healing Word or Heal, basically).

Or it makes them actually useable?

I get where you are coming from, but the reality is, I can think of dozens of situations where you won't have a minute to spend before casting something. And even if you're right, that no one ever memorizes a utility spell again, I don't see what the problem is? Wizards have a big spell list and a book for a reason, guessing what will be useful for the day is unsatisfying, which is why I made the change years ago.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Or it makes them actually useable?

No.

It makes you wildly overpowered out of combat.

I can think of dozens of situations where you won't have a minute to spend before casting something

Nonsense, frankly.

You might be able to think of dozens with hardcore confirmation bias and an unrealistic attitude, but the reality is, for every one situation where you don't have even 60 seconds, there are hundreds of situations where you do.

I'm talking utility spells, not combat, let's be clear. This literally, undeniably means that you should not memorize utility spells other than perhaps Featherfall and Dimension Door and even the latter is questionable.

And even if you're right, that no one ever memorizes a utility spell again, I don't see what the problem is? Wizards have a big spell list and a book for a reason, guessing what will be useful for the day is unsatisfying, which is why I made the change years ago.

Because ALL other classes are screwed by that.

All other casters who have utility spells are made into a bad joke, where they have to waste valuable spell slots on utility that the Wizard can just pull of out of his ass with 60 seconds notice. This is particularly bad for Sorcerers and Bards - their utility spells are pretty much totally negated by this.

And classes which have to use skills? Hahahaha any smart Wizard above about level 7 can just think of a spell to do what they were going to do, except better.

So if you're happy with Wizards just completely dominating the game outside of combat, cool.

 

[Cruentus]

What's really sad is, it's totally on-brand and thematically appropriate for Wizards, but it's grotesquely overpowered, and pushes the most obnoxious thing about Wizards - their giant array of overpowered no-roll utility spells - to absolutely The Next Level, to just true obnoxiousness, real "Why did anyone else even bother having abilities" stuff. It's not free unlike Rituals, at least, but being able to do this? It really is a distinct escalation of the worst thing about Wizards.

Wow. So, now the counter argument to wizard being overpowered was ‘the overall power of wizards is being based on some wizard who somehow has the perfect spell for the perfect situation always ready’ - well, now they do… congrats WOTC. I just…

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Wow. So, now the counter argument to wizard being overpowered was ‘the overall power of wizards is being based on some wizard who somehow has the perfect spell for the perfect situation always ready’ - well, now they do… congrats WOTC. I just…

Right? That was their sole limitation. This is just absolutely classic design.

 

[Charlaquin]

Huh. So makes Wizards actually playable without all of that awful prep casting, but more obnoxiously overpowered.

Not gonna lie, I’m kinda here for it. Let’s be honest, the Wizard was never not going to be obnoxiously overpowered anyway. Might as well let them be bearable to play.

 

[Scribe]

Not gonna lie, I’m kinda here for it. Let’s be honest, the Wizard was never not going to be obnoxiously overpowered anyway. Might as well let them be bearable to play.

The march towards removing any and all downsides, real or imagined, for the class that has the highest upside, continues?

Just why?

You pretty much have to warp around what a Wizard brings and can do at this point.

I dont know how or why this was thought of as something that Wizards needed.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I dont know how or why this was thought of as something that Wizards needed.

Let's just say that enchantment spells were involved.

 

[Asisreo]

Wait, can we scrap Knock? And Friendship?

I feel like if you have to have the spell stab you in the back to balance it, you should just not have the spell.

That is a lot of spells players shouldn't have.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Not gonna lie, I’m kinda here for it. Let’s be honest, the Wizard was never not going to be obnoxiously overpowered anyway. Might as well let them be bearable to play.

This is the sole reason I'm in two minds about this spell. It's like, if you're not going to fix the spells, this is going to make it way worse, but, it's pretty bad already.

If it goes live I do expect this ability to be rated top-tier on every guide and there to be extensive advice on how to abuse it maximally.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Not gonna lie, I’m kinda here for it. Let’s be honest, the Wizard was never not going to be obnoxiously overpowered anyway. Might as well let them be bearable to play.

If we're not going to catch a fish, we might as well not catch a big fish?

I mean... fair.

It's a footfold for a 6e wizard that might actually be both playable and a team player both in game and in the meta.