D&D (2024) Paladin/Ranger Masteries and/or Cantrips

[DEFCON 1]

I have no idea what any potential balance issues there would be with this idea... but we've been hearing based on these new packets that some people like that Paladins and Rangers having gotten Weapon Masteries, but others are disappointed that they have lost Cantrips.

So it made me wonder... what do we think the equivalence is between the two? Meaning... if rather than giving Paladins and Ranger either just masteries OR just cantrips.... could the rules instead say they get two masteries/cantrips of their choice? So the player could decide for themselves whether they wanted 2 masteries, or 2 cantrips, or 1 of each?

I have no idea if this would satisfy all the various camps, and whether or not people think either masteries or cantrips is inherently "more powerful" than the other (and thus rendering the decision a cliched "trap choice")... but it might be a possible way to get most people what they ultimately want for their Paladin and Ranger.

 

[mellored]

Seems good to me. Clerics and druids get similar choices.

Divine Training (paladin 1). Choose one of the following.
Martial: you gain 2 masteries
Ordinance: you gain 2 cantrips

 

[DEFCON 1]

Seems good to me. Clerics and druids get similar choices.

Divine Training (paladin 1). Choose one of the following.
Martial: you gain 2 masteries
Ordinance: you gain 2 cantrips

I'd also want to see the 1 mastery / 1 cantrip option too though.

 

[Stalker0]

I'd also want to see the 1 mastery / 1 cantrip option too though.

You mean the "Gain Guidance and a Mastery" option?

 

[Charlaquin]

Seems like a good option!

 

[Chaosmancer]

I'd accept being able to swap masteries for cantrips.

 

[Parmandur]

Crawford said in the previous packet video that the Masteries are balanced at Cantrip values, so yeah, I think that would be fair.

 

[Horwath]

Anyone with access to spellcasting feature from class should start with at least 2 cantrips.
Having mastery or no, should not be an issue about this.
Find another way to balance.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Anyone with access to spellcasting feature from class should start with at least 2 cantrips.
Having mastery or no, should not be an issue about this.
Find another way to balance.

Disagree. This is part of the reason for the magic feat you can select through your background, so you can gain 2 more cantrips if you want. I do not think it is an imperative that all paladins and rangers have to have 2 cantrips automatically on top of any other cantrips gained through the background feat or any other gains.

In my opinion... gaining 2 cantrips at 1st level with the option for swapping those 1 or 2 cantrips out for 1 or 2 masteries is perfectly acceptable, especially when you can get 2 more cantrips via the background feat. Others may disagree, which is cool.

 

[DEFCON 1]

You mean the "Gain Guidance and a Mastery" option?

We could at least pretend that paladins and rangers might take other cantrips, can't we?