D&D 5E Niche protection: the wizard’s niche

[Tony Vargas]

The wizard's unofficial niche is to take the heat for all balance issues in the game.

That would be unfair. It's not the class's fault it was designed to be Tier SS... the fault clearly lies with the designer who took notes from the Edition War.

...I believe his name rhymed with bike furls...

 

[CreamCloud0]

i voted for utility, but controller, sage and buff/debuffer are close follow ups as secondary class priorities.

the wizard is very much a 'solutions' guy, be that directly solving things with utility spells, knowing stuff through knowledge checks, or enabling the rest of their party to do the thing with buffs.

edit: though i do admit some of the 'solutions' the wizard provides is damage type coverage.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Bard has the skills and the expertise to be a way better sage.

 

[Charlaquin]

He's the member of the party who gets to develop a set of tools and techniques that allow him to decide what role he plays in the party, basically, by picking the spells for his spell book. And then change those over time if he needs/wants to.

So, unironically, the wizard’s niche is getting to step on everyone else’s niche?

This is why D&D will never be balanced.

 

[billd91]

So, unironically, the wizard’s niche is getting to step on everyone else’s niche?

This is why D&D will never be balanced.

Yeah, because problem players are problem players. Good players craft their niches to work with other players.

 

[Tonguez]

My favourite Wizard is Abjurer/Controller - countering others, banishing demons and then creating barriers, be it antimagic fields, difficult terrain, prismatic forcefields or walls of fire. I’d prefer to minimise damage dealer but accept that fireballs and lightning bolts are going to stay as AoE artillery. I also agree to Diviners/Sage role

I’d prefer summoners, illusionist and evocker (Scorcerer) to be distinct from Wizards though. De/Buffs belong to clerics and bards

and face/scout/utility should default to other classes too

 

[Corinnguard]

We all have a niche to play.

 

[Vaalingrade]

So, unironically, the wizard’s niche is getting to step on everyone else’s niche?

This is why D&D will never be balanced.

That is the point of the wizard at this point.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yeah, because problem players are problem players.

And the designers.

 

[Leatherhead]

Does having a niche mean that nobody else is allowed to do anything with that niche ever?