D&D (2024) Playtest 6: Spells

[James Gasik]

So clear you completely ignored the question and just went along as though you answered it.



Enchantment has nothing to do with item enhancement. Any spell that does that is generally transmutation, evocation, or abjuration.

This wasn't always the case, however; back in AD&D, Enchant an Item was in the school of Enchantment (and also Evocation, for whatever reason).

 

[Maxperson]

Enchantment has nothing to do with item enhancement. Any spell that does that is generally transmutation, evocation, or abjuration.

You're right. God I hate the stupid school changes 5e made. It's like they changed schools on things to make themselves feel like they made a brand new D&D game. In any case, enchantment is still more than one subspecialty. Mind affecting, mind control and mind damage.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

"Enchantment spel ls affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. Such spells can make enemies see the caster as a friend, force creatures to take a course of action, or even control another creature like a puppet."

Clear enough. Just like...................magic!! Chemistry has subcategories, just like enchantment does. Enchament represents mind influencing, mind attacking and item enhancement.

Hey Max, I actually saw you quote the PHB entry for Enchantment earlier (quoted above) but then saw you include "magic item enhancement" in your later description. I'm curious why you include that.

I ask because I think so many people can't agree on what the schools are supposed to represent because of the evolving multi-edition history of magic schools in D&D (Enchantment and healing among them), and individual personal preferences based on other IPs ((I remember a Dragon Age: Origins quote from a magic item crafter... "EnCHANTment!), and colloquial use in myths and legends to refer to magic items as "enchanted" to mean "magical."

I feel like when a person's preferences don't mirror the official design in the current edition, it no longer serves a purpose for them, is discordant to them, and is therefore no longer valuable to include in design.

 

[Maxperson]

Hey Max, I actually saw you quote the PHB entry for Enchantment earlier (quoted above) but then saw you include "magic item enhancement" in your later description. I'm curious why you include that.

I ask because I think so many people can't agree on what the schools are supposed to represent because of the evolving multi-edition history of magic schools in D&D (Enchantment and healing among them), and individual personal preferences based on other IPs ((I remember a Dragon Age: Origins quote from a magic item crafter... "EnCHANTment!), and colloquial use in myths and legends to refer to magic items as "enchanted" to mean "magical."

I feel like when a person's preferences don't mirror the official design in the current edition, it no longer serves a purpose for them, is discordant to them, and is therefore no longer valuable to include in design.

I included it because I forgot that WotC changed enchanting items to be not enchanting items. It's one of their more annoying changes. Enchanting magic items used to be, well, enchanting them and was of that school.

 

[Chaosmancer]

You're right. God I hate the stupid school changes 5e made. It's like they changed schools on things to make themselves feel like they made a brand new D&D game. In any case, enchantment is still more than one subspecialty. Mind affecting, mind control and mind damage.

Alright, but now look at your list.

Mind Affecting
Mind Control
Mind Damage

So... Enchantment is magic that affects or changes the minds of others. Seems pretty straightforward.

 

[Maxperson]

Alright, but now look at your list.

Mind Affecting
Mind Control
Mind Damage

So... Enchantment is magic that affects or changes the minds of others. Seems pretty straightforward.

Sure. That's the school, yes. Which I told you was...............clear.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Sure. That's the school, yes. Which I told you was...............clear.

Cool, cool.

So why do we have a Divination spell that does Mind Damage, if Mind damage is Enchantment? We also have evocation spells that do mind damage, and Illusion spells that do mind damage. Also, why do we have an enchantment spell that does necrotic damage and weakens someone?

We both just agreed these things are clear... but now we have these exceptions?

 

[Maxperson]

So why do we have a Divination spell that does Mind Damage, if Mind damage is Enchantment?

That spell is a blunder on the part of WotC. Either they should have given it two schools like used to be done in prior editions, or they never should have made that spell. It's divination because you can locate the individual hit by it. It's enchantment because it does mental damage. That they only chose one school is instant failure on their part.

We also have evocation spells that do mind damage, and Illusion spells that do mind damage. Also, why do we have an enchantment spell that does necrotic damage and weakens someone?

See above. Allowing spells to be the multiple schools that they are instantly solves the problem.

 

[James Gasik]

That is interesting. Why did WotC stop allowing spells to have more than one school? Did they think two specialists sharing a spell harmed their identity or niche? That seems strange since these days, specialization doesn't prevent Enchanters from throwing out Fireball if they want to.

 

[Chaosmancer]

That spell is a blunder on the part of WotC. Either they should have given it two schools like used to be done in prior editions, or they never should have made that spell. It's divination because you can locate the individual hit by it. It's enchantment because it does mental damage. That they only chose one school is instant failure on their part.

See above. Allowing spells to be the multiple schools that they are instantly solves the problem.

Ah, so the spell school system is entirely clear and easy to understand... as long as you allow some spells to be in two schools at once. Which isn't how it works. So it would need to be changed.