New Design: Wizards...

[Jhaelen]

These new 'schools' remind me strongly of the magical colleges in the DSA rpg. If there are any similarities these 'schools' will more closely resemble the psionic disciplines than the 3E schools, i.e. the majority of spells is available to everyone but to get 'specialist' spells you have to be a member/visit the associated college.

If my guess is correct it would also mean that you could create an endless number of new 'schools' that have a different mix of 'specialist' spells.

 

[TheArcane]

...

Sounds about right to me, that's what I'd guess is going to be. Problem is, it also sounds like a combat wizard. Where will the utility spells/abilities be? I doubt many players will opt to choose, say, Knock/at will over Magic Missile/at will, as a permanent ability, while earlier wizards could mix and match according to their specific mission or other requirements. Then again, if all these utility spells (at least the ones not deemed as game-breaking) are normal per-day vancian spells, while at will and per-encounter abilities deal mostly with blasting stuff and combat support, well, video game copmarisons may arise...

 

[Plane Sailing]

The f4anboys will love it anyway unconditionally, so I hope WotC throws the rest of us a bone here.

Keep it civil please - 4e is a tense forum, and we don't need anyone casting fuel onto warm coals.

Thanks

 

[Plane Sailing]

1. I pray that combat (midst of battle) is not the cardinal upon which all character classes's abilities are measured, especially the wizard.

2. The magical effects tomes are said to influence are generally not those used in the midst of a battle. Teleportation, summoning, and the like all seem more at home as spell-casting to be done in the wizard's laboratory, tower, or other safe location. I especially hope that combat summoning is greatly reduced because I feel it is at least one ability that does feel videogamey/anime (forgive the terms) to me. I'd rather summoning be done "at home," with the wizard needing to draw pentagrams or other arcane symbols on the floor to contain the devil/demon/monster while he performs the rites to bind it to his will.

The point is moot since Tomes have been removed from the list, but if you consider the full list originally ascribed to tomes

"A tome is tied to powers that reduce or neutralize an enemy’s capability in combat in some fashion, whether by slowing the foe, dazing, or through some other fashion. Tomes are also often important for spells of teleportation, summoning, shapechanging, and a few physical enhancement effects."

Frankly, powers that reduce or neutralise and enemy's capability has got to be usable in combat or else... it's not going to be very useful, eh?

I also think that you are confusing summoning (lasts less than two minutes at best, and can't teleport - almost like creating a shadow of a real creature) with planar binding (takes a long, long time to do and gets a creature with full capabilities, but at some risk to yourself and the creature is really there, and dies if it is killed).

I can understand a personal preference for less summoning going on - as well as the thematic reasons you give, each summoned critter is an additional figure to account for during combat, and can be time consuming.

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

Very well said. I prefer the term "jargon," but "useless verbiage" has a poetic quality.

Although arguably "useless" is unnecessary in this context, as the word verbiage already contains that connotation

 

[Khuxan]

These new 'schools' remind me strongly of the magical colleges in the DSA rpg.

What's the DSA RPG?

 

[Tarril Wolfeye]

What's the DSA RPG?

"Das Schwarze Auge" - Biggest German RPG
Wikipedia link

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

1. I pray that combat (midst of battle) is not the cardinal upon which all character classes's abilities are measured, especially the wizard.

It will be. I don't even need to pray for it. The rules of D&D always have been, and always will be, predicated on combat and balanced to that core goal.

It's a rules system for combat to which, at its best, you may bring a number of other, excellent elements of play.

Although arguably "useless" is unnecessary in this context, as the word verbiage already contains that connotation

That's what gives it its poetic quality. Try sneering it out like, say, a villainous John Hurt.

 

[Pbartender]

That's what gives it its poetic quality. Try sneering it out like, say, a villainous John Hurt.

"Useless verbiage!"



I like it.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Try sneering it out like, say, a villainous John Hurt.

Ah, that works well