D&D 5E Nov 8 Next Q&A: TWF, Manuevers, and Atwill spells

[tuxgeo]

I hate the new, "sometimes it is at-will and sometimes it isn't" status of 0-level spells. Just go with what Pathfinder did and make them weak and castable at-will regardless of specialty. I don't think elementary spells that every caster masters as part of their training, faith, bloodline, etc. are the place to be introducing distinctions between specialists. A grand master of French cuisine can boil spaghetti just as well as a grand master of of Italian cuisine. It is when you get to the more difficult and specialized dishes that you start to see differences in abilities.

I couldn't give XP for this fine post, but I'll quote it all because it needs to be emphasized, and it was getting lost in all the back-and-forth TWF stuff.

IMHO, all 0-level spells should be at will. If Detect Magic isn't something that Rangers and Paladins should be able to do at will, then Detect Magic shouldn't be a 0-level spell. Instead, it should be a 1st-level spell, and the classes that can cast it at will should have special class features that allow them to cast it at will anyway -- plus an extra slot so they can have it prepared.

Better yet, make the detection of magic be a feature of using the Arcana skill (Remember the Arcana skill? Not everybody does, because it was part of 4E.) that spellcasters get as part of their training.

Edit: Or go the 3E route: any given spell can be different levels for different classes.

 

[gyor]

A level six twf fighter has two attacks, so she rolls eight dice just to see if and how many times she hits, then if all hit she rolls damage 4 times, and then she rolls any of her expertise dice she chooses to spend. That's clunky, this isn't a complaint about power level, its just messy.

The twf mechanics need to be elegent.

My idea is to drop the damage die of the offhand attack to 1d4 with no modifier damage added to the off hand attack. No matter the,weapon you use, although you weapon would still dictate your weapon. So your flametongue off hand rapier would do 1d4 fire and piercing damage. Think of it as jab for your off hand attack.

To balance the d4, using a shield would add +2 to your AC, and using a one handed weapon would add +1 to the attack roll and a two handed weapon would add 1+1/2 strength or dexertity modifier to the attack.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

As expertise is for martial character, what spells are for magic characters, you should take a closer look at the current implementation of casters:

even though both, the cleric and the wizard use vancian casting, the cleric can mix spells spontaneously. And then the rogue and the fighter use exactly the same mechanic.

So I would be in favour for keeping expertise for the rogue, but add a twist. SOmewhere on the forum someone proposed a nice idea.

I like, that not all 0 level wizard spells are "at-will".