D&D General Part 1.5: Clarifying the Results

[Faolyn]

The first poll had a few results that could use some clarification. So pick what caster classes and spell types you want.

The Winners
Reduced number of caster classes
All caster classes, but fewer or no damaging spells
Fewer or no damaging spells in general
Spells require a roll to cast properly, with potentially dire consequences if miscast
Lengthier/more difficult healing

The Runner-Ups
Lower hit points all around
Emphasis on non-supernatural monsters/humanoids as foes (but not as only monsters there)

From the Comments
Use a Constitution-based Wounds system. Wounds are more difficult to heal than hit points are. Critical hits inflict a Wound; most other damage doesn’t
Limit spells to 3rd or 5th-level or lower
Bring back caster level to determine spell power instead of spell slot level

 

[CreamCloud0]

i'm going to re-iterate the relevant points of what i said in the previous thread and my otherwise picks:
-casters: ranger, paladin, artificer, sorcerer, half-caster bard.
-you can cast any level of spell you have but casting at 3rd level and above require a skill check(using their spellcasting stat) to not fizzle and do nothing.
-all sorcerers know a 2 point metamagic that allows them to bypass the check.
-damage cantrips allowed
-all spells up to 5th level
-slots to determine power

 

[Tony Vargas]

I'd tried to run low-magic games back in the TSR era, they make playing casters much more attractive. It's downright self-defeating. Thus, I'd say don't offer casters as PC options, at all. 5e, of course, you'll have to adjust things to make that work.

If you include casters in a 'low' magic game, they will very much be the starts of the show (even more so that already the case in 5e, which is saying something), as the world will be less prepared to cope with and counter them, and there will be fewer magic items and NPC casters for non-casting PCs to resort to when magic is absolutely needed.

In addition to the possible limits, above, I'd consider something radical, like making casters the equivalent of 3.x prestige classes, unavailable until higher level. For instance, if you wanted to restrict spells to 5th level, do it by restricting full caster classes to 10th level, and don't allow a character to have more than half it's levels in caster classes, or set a minimum level to take your first level of a full caster class - could be set as high as 11th, and still get all 10 levels in, with 5th level spells on line at 19th ....

 

[Minigiant]

I think the best way is to only allow the iconic magic spells as normal spells.
The non-iconic spells are treasure, quest rewards, and subclass rewards.
This includes all 6th or higher level spells.
Cantrips are 0th level slots and take up memorization slots.

Want fireball? Become an evoker or find the spellbook of a dead evoker.

 

[Lanefan]

Don't allow arcane casters to choose their new spells at level-up, make it random.

 

[Faolyn]

This post kind of got buried so I never got to share the results.

Winner
Clerics and druids, hands down, both at 78%.

Also, people overwhelmingly wanted rangers to be non-magical, so I'd consider that to be a winner as well.

Close Seconds
Wizards and, shockingly, paladins are tied at 67%.

Third Place
Sorcerers and Warlocks tied at 56%, and bards trailed behind at 44%.

Implied Setting
We've said we don't really want there to be a defined setting in the core book, but there could be an implied setting. Judging by the above, we have (new) gods of civilization and (old) gods of the wilderness or even primal chaos, probably at least somewhat antagonistic towards each other. Both sides have holy warriors (knights in shining armor and green knights), and wizards are a neutral third party. Sorcerers, warlocks, and bards (as full casters, not half-casters) are there, but are minor players. Warlocks could be mostly aligned with the druids and bards mostly with the clerics, while sorcerers are just there being magical on their own. Possibly getting mocked by wizards.

Magic Power
In Poll #1, people voted for there being a reduced number of damaging spells, and here people overwhelmingly wanted there to be damaging cantrips (56%) and iconic spells (67%). We'll figure out the iconic spells later, but I have a feeling a lot of them are going to be the more popular named spells (with the names filed off, of course), plus staples like magic missile and fireball.

33% of people thought spells should be limited to 5th level and lower, and while I was a dolt and forgot to include a "spells go all the way to 9th level" option, nobody really wrote that in. So, unless people decide otherwise, spells are limited to 5th level and lower.

People also wanted spell power to be tied to spell slot level, not to caster level. Sorry, Lanefan.

 

[CreamCloud0]

This post kind of got buried so I never got to share the results.

Winner
Clerics and druids, hands down, both at 78%.

Also, people overwhelmingly wanted rangers to be non-magical, so I'd consider that to be a winner as well.

Close Seconds
Wizards and, shockingly, paladins are tied at 67%.

Third Place
Sorcerers and Warlocks tied at 56%, and bards trailed behind at 44%.

Implied Setting
We've said we don't really want there to be a defined setting in the core book, but there could be an implied setting. Judging by the above, we have (new) gods of civilization and (old) gods of the wilderness or even primal chaos, probably at least somewhat antagonistic towards each other. Both sides have holy warriors (knights in shining armor and green knights), and wizards are a neutral third party. Sorcerers, warlocks, and bards (as full casters, not half-casters) are there, but are minor players. Warlocks could be mostly aligned with the druids and bards mostly with the clerics, while sorcerers are just there being magical on their own. Possibly getting mocked by wizards.

Magic Power
In Poll #1, people voted for there being a reduced number of damaging spells, and here people overwhelmingly wanted there to be damaging cantrips (56%) and iconic spells (67%). We'll figure out the iconic spells later, but I have a feeling a lot of them are going to be the more popular named spells (with the names filed off, of course), plus staples like magic missile and fireball.

33% of people thought spells should be limited to 5th level and lower, and while I was a dolt and forgot to include a "spells go all the way to 9th level" option, nobody really wrote that in. So, unless people decide otherwise, spells are limited to 5th level and lower.

People also wanted spell power to be tied to spell slot level, not to caster level. Sorry, Lanefan.

given that the earlier poll emphasised the desire for lowermagic i'm kinda surprised the fullcasters got so many votes and the halfcasters didn't, although when there's only 7 votes on the most popular option maybe it just seems skewed from the misrepresentation of percentages.

 

[Lanefan]

given that the earlier poll emphasised the desire for lowermagic i'm kinda surprised the fullcasters got so many votes and the halfcasters didn't, although when there's only 7 votes on the most popular option maybe it just seems skewed from the misrepresentation of percentages.

I suspect that might be people wanting a clearer delineation between casters and non-casters, as half-casters just muddy the waters.

And once that clear delineation is in place, a DM can decide whether to include those full-caster classes in her game, and-or how many of them.

 

[Faolyn]

given that the earlier poll emphasised the desire for lowermagic i'm kinda surprised the fullcasters got so many votes and the halfcasters didn't, although when there's only 7 votes on the most popular option maybe it just seems skewed from the misrepresentation of percentages.

I'm actually surprised that warlock didn't get more votes.