D&D 5E (2024) Preferences in a New Official 5.5e Specific Setting

[Minigiant]

Low Magic Power
Only 1st and 2nd level spells can be prepared. 3rd level scrolls can be crafted.

Low Magic Frequency
Only 1 power level of caster allowed 4 PCs.
AKA 1 Full caster, 2 half casters, or 3 third casters per 4 PCs.

Low Magic Versatility
Cantrips count to spells prepared. Casters must ban a spell school. No multiclassing full casters.

Low Magic Visibility
Full Casters must 50% multiclass. Magic items are only weapons and armors.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

A setting can be more than one of those. For example, Eberron supports heroic, mystery, intrigue, urban, war, and a smidge of science. I would hope a new setting would try to check off more than one box.

Honestly the Forgotten Realms is pretty much ALL of them.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

Having less magic in the setting always seemed to lead to certain classes enjoying a lot more power, because there're fewer common counters to them.

If fewer folk know about magic, there's less reason for enemies to know the counters to said magic.

I wonder what could be done about that

That has not been our experience, can you clarify what you see as the issue?

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

I've done it, and I love it. I even thought about making a thread about it, but never got around to it. The answer is surprisingly simple yet possibly highly unsatisfying:

Only low levels. Like, 1~3 only. My favorite is level 1.

Does tossing out levels 4+ count as tossing out a huge amount of the game? Probably.

Interesting, we do low magic and we are up to level 15. Why do you think it only works at low level?

 

[Deset Gled]

Interesting, we do low magic and we are up to level 15. Why do you think it only works at low level?

Between the two of us, I think you're the one that's got the 'splainin to do.

 

[Minigiant]

Again this is why I don't like using the terms High magic or Low Magic because they're different levers of magic that can be turned down or up.


Low Magic Power
The actual magic ability to alter reality is rather weak. Often the magic cannot produce something that cannot be produced by the technology of the world. One of the main drivers within the world for magic users is to find methods to bypass whatever limitations the setting has on Magic use. Often miraculous magic is limited to divine figures, extraplanar creatures, or Monsters.

Low Magic Frequency
There are very few magic users or magic items In existence. Magic typically either requires any special rare innate trait or a mentality or physically that is rare to produce. If not that then the setting might have a natural prejudice to Magic users which keeps them from occurring in large numbers.

Low Magic Stamina
Magic users do not have the endurance to produce many magical effects and must save their few uses of magic for extremely important abilities. Often recovering for the magic is also limited with long durations of recovery or limited areas where they can recharge.

Low Magic Versatility
Magic users do not have a long list of magical effects that they can produce. Usually magic users are limited within the theme of their magic.

Low Magic Visibility
Very strong magic users exist but in the background of society typically because their power corrals them within huge conflicts with each other or with other dimensional figures.

For example the setting of Dragon Age is a low magic power setting. Magic uses there are pretty much just humanoid siege engines and hospitals. Only via demonic possession to may just get enough power to truly change reality. Whereas the Lord of the Rings is a low magic visibility and frequency setting. There are a few very very powerful magic users who are each limited in their ability to use their magic in their full form for one reason or another.

D&D as a game pretty much cannot function as a low magic power, low magic versatility, or low magic stamina game because of the design of its magic system. You would literally have to ban stuff to make those work at all.

Low Magic Frequency and Low Magic Visibility can work because powerful spellcasters can exist in the setting and the DM is still allowed to pop them into the player's story because the player story is its own pocket plot. However if the DM is not willing to pocket to players experience and put in Magic users as opposition to them it becomes extremely hard to make that kind of D&D game work.