D&D 5E Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer

[the Jester]

Okay, so bear with me here. I'm working on a 5e-appropriate conversion of Rary's mnemonic enhancer that works within the 5e magic system. Here's my first draft:


Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer
4th-level transmutation (wizard)
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a piece of string, ink consisting of squid secretions mixed with black dragon blood, and an ivory plaque worth 50 gp)
Duration: See text

This spell has two applications: you can use it to prepare extra spells or you can use it to gain additional spell slots.

If you use it to prepare extra spells, after you cast it, you can spend one hour to prepare an additional two spells.

If you use it to gain additional spell slots, you gain three levels of spell slots of your choice- either one 3rd level slot, one 2nd level and one 1st level slot or three 1st level slots.

Any extra prepared spells or slots gained from this spell are lost after you complete your next long rest.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a 6th level slot, you can prepare an additional three spells or gain four levels of spell slots of your choie. When you cast this spell using an 8th level slot, you can prepare an additional four spells or gain five levels of spells slots.

What do you guys think? I see at most useful for expanding your prepared repertoire, but there are doubtless some cases where multiple low level slots is better than the one 4th (or whatever) level slot you give up to cast this. (For instance, what if you think you're going to want to cast invisibility 8 times before you take a long rest?)

I'm curious to see what feedback folks can give on this.

 

[Neyd]

I like it. The 10 minutes cast time makes this very wizardy (aka. well suited for long term strategic planning).

The component cost seems to be right as well.
I like it

 

[Sable]

I like it.

 

[the Jester]

Just somethoughts.

How long do the extra prepared spells last? Until the next long rest?

Yep, I just edited the OP to reflect that.

I'm not sure on the additional spell slots, definitely not overpowered though and in your example I can see why you may want more lower level slots instead of a higher level slot.

Almost sounds like it would make a decent ritual but then thst would remove the cost for the reward.

Yeah, I had originally had it tagged as a ritual (because of a copy & paste error) and someone pointed out to me how utterly broken that made it (free spell slots and prepared spells all day long!).

Thanks for the comments, folks!

 

[Godric]

Thanks Jester for your share. Undoubtedly, I’m coming late to the meeting 1/11/2020. I’m heavy into 5e now. I’m a homebrew spell DM too. Just wanted to comment:

The Dragonblood component is a joke; I really laughed. Dragons are hard to come by and rare too in my campaigns; their blood is precious, auspicious and if you can find it — priceless.

But you could always set out to commence and negotiate with a dragon. We have a Wizard player who serves Tiamat; will she do?

Okay, back to the spell. I have a spell that increases prepared spells only. Yes to your point about the obvious need to increase the Wizard’s prepared spells. For your consideration:

Notice: 12 hours duration. Yes that gives you a freebie for 4 hours after finishing a long rest and getting your spell slot back (DM’s discretion to approve this or not). But Arcane Preparation scales up much more powerfully than your spell. We actually made this spell in my campaign with trial, time and money.

Of course, I’m a DM that fosters player wizards to increase their spell books through finding, stealing, plundering, trading and yes — creating their own home brew spell that seems to me missing from the campaign. Enjoy.

 

[NotAYakk]

either one 3rd level slot, one 2nd level and one 1st level slot or three 1st level slots.

One of those choices is strictly better than the other?

 

[MarkB]

One of those choices is strictly better than the other?

Which one - the one 2nd level and two 1st level option, or the three 1st level option?

Because the one 3rd-level option is literally useless, since you're expending a 4th-level slot to gain it.

 

[Shiroiken]

This isn't an easy spell to convert to 5E, as the original spell was tied to the Vancian spellcasting system. I think that overall you've underpowered the spell. My suggestion would be to combine the effects, such as the following:

When you cast this spell, you may prepare 2 additional spells. In addition, you may either gain one 3rd level spell slot, a 2nd level and 1st level spell slot, or three 1st level spell slots.

At Higher levels: if you prepare this spell with a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you may prepare 1 additional spell for each level above 4th, and gain 1 additional 2nd level spell slot for every two levels above 4th.

This makes the choice of taking the 3rd level spell slot worthwhile, because you're downgrading 1 spell level to prepare 2 extra spell. Higher level slots are harder, because you don't want to give out too many slots for free.

 

[NotAYakk]

Which one - the one 2nd level and two 1st level option, or the three 1st level option?

Because the one 3rd-level option is literally useless, since you're expending a 4th-level slot to gain it.

Add brackets or points; it read like "either (one 3rd level slot, one 2nd level and one 1st level slot) or (three 1st level slots)" to me.

Use bullets or something.

And I didn't even consider "either (one 3rd level slot), (one 2nd level and one 1st level slot) or (three 1st level slots)" as trading a 4th level slot for a 3rd is a stupid spell effect.