Most spells available at first level?

[Tortoise]

What exactly would be a level 1 version of the "anything" spell wish? Beg? Obviously suicidal backfiring wish?

Does that make the Cantrip version of Timestop "Dude, wait ... what?"

 

[hanez]

No. Not even a little bit.

 

[Sunseeker]

This would work for a lot of spells, but I think Wizards is trying to avoid the whole "scaling with level" thing.

 

[Mattachine]

Not every spell needs a version at each level.

For instance, some spells might have level 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9th level versions.

Some other spells might not even be available until level 5, then have versions up through level 9.

Likewise, a low level spell might only have versions at levels 1-4, or even only at just one level.

 

[Mattachine]

Not every spell needs a version at each level.

For instance, some spells might have level 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9th level versions.

Some other spells might not even be available until level 5, then have versions up through level 9.

Likewise, a low level spell might only have versions at levels 1-4, or even only at just one level.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

Not every spell needs a version at each level.

For instance, some spells might have level 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9th level versions.

Some other spells might not even be available until level 5, then have versions up through level 9.

Likewise, a low level spell might only have versions at levels 1-4, or even only at just one level.

Hey, a double-post that was actually worth saying twice. Seriously, this is a problem with a lot of the nifty ideas in various forms of D&D. Take a perfectly good idea, if limited to where it makes sense, and try to shoehorn a whole system into using it. If only a third of the spells could use something like this cleanly, but those use it well--use it with those spells and only those spells. Just think, that cuts down on the design team having to come up with new names for "wimpy fireball", "slightly hotter fireball, and "fireball, have heat, will travel."

 

[The Red King]

This is a great idea!



Just what we need. More layers of complexity for spells!

 

[howandwhy99]

Hey, a double-post that was actually worth saying twice. Seriously, this is a problem with a lot of the nifty ideas in various forms of D&D. Take a perfectly good idea, if limited to where it makes sense, and try to shoehorn a whole system into using it. If only a third of the spells could use something like this cleanly, but those use it well--use it with those spells and only those spells. Just think, that cuts down on the design team having to come up with new names for "wimpy fireball", "slightly hotter fireball, and "fireball, have heat, will travel."

I agree. Sometimes an Acid Cloud really isn't the 1st level spell you think it is. And conditions that are the standard in monsters, like poison, are a certain level. Weak, weak, poison would be a joke. So would 1st level petrification. Or Imprisonment (up to one's ankles?)

I'm not saying these shouldn't be optional spells that players can dream up and customize themselves. That their spells may be pretty much 1 or 2 other spells, but at a different power level. (That's hardly rare when your game enables players to create their own spells.) I'm saying the standard spells learned by attempting to duplicate spell-likes in nature should be the one's that are actually useful in nature. Mature. Impressive. Fully fleshed out in what their consequences are.

The overkill and comically weak can be made up later.

"This poison will kill you twice!"

 

[Mercule]

Ugh. I hate this idea. Let's take the kludginess of Vancian magic and keep it because it really is a sacred cow for D&D. Now, let's mutilate it beyond recognition so that it doesn't retain any of the nostalgia value, but has all the original weaknesses and and extra layer of precarious balancing and complexity on top, just to make sure it breaks something or someone (most likely a green player who will just head back to WoW and Skyrim).

 

[Mercule]

So would 1st level petrification.

Eczema

Or Imprisonment (up to one's ankles?)

Twisted Knickers (or Wedgie)

"This poison will kill you twice!"

Burp (reversible to Dramamine)