D&D (2024) Should the PHB have an arcane half caster?

[tetrasodium]

yes, with sword magic you have a niche, but you ought to also have breadth within that niche, we can only use our magic to supplement our fighting style and weapon attacks, but let us be able to do that in a dozen different ways.

So why does the "breadth" always seem to zero in so exclusively on A & S tier wizard spells?

 

[Minigiant]

So why does the "breadth" always seem to zero in so exclusively on A & S tier wizard spells?

Because the lesser versions for a lot of the S & A don't exist in 5e. Nor do many of the D or lower tier spells of previous exist.

This is because 5e's spell list is developed slowly and designed for full casters. The Arcane spell list is 90% tailored to wizards despite 5 other classes having access.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

. I personally think that there isn't much reason beyond tradition for the ranger to be its own class, but I think the paladin is distinct enough to be its own thing.

Interesting. IMO, the ranger is vastly more distinct than the Paladin, which is just a divine subclass of fighter, or the war cleric branches off into its own thing.

 

[tetrasodium]

Because the lesser versions for a lot of the S & A don't exist in 5e. Nor do many of the D or lower tier spells of previous exist.

This is because 5e's spell list is developed slowly and designed for full casters. The Arcane spell list is 90% tailored to wizards despite 5 other classes having access.

I'm not so sure about that bold bit. the 5e spell list is absolutely littered with spells that exist to serve a function* that no longer exists due to system differences. Those spells once served an important function other than damage that took thought so a lot of them were "iconic" or they were copied over without considering what the iconic part needs to do or why. I'd say it was designed for casters of a different edition then given a quick onceover by a munchkin chanting firefirefire.

* For example... save or not web used to interfere with ranged attacks & slow those moving through it. Floating disk was important because it was somewhat easy to hit medium load & reduce your speed even on a strength build while now it's almost implausible for someone to be encumbered at all. Tons of ultility spells became never prep when they had to compete with top shelf spells for a prep slot rather than competing against equal level spells in a low level slot. etc

edit: wotc doesn't really seem to get subtle or extrapolate" like x but appropriate" so we get things like hexblade healing spirit & umm... twilight(?) cleric insanity.

 

[Minigiant]

I'm not so sure about that bold bit. the 5e spell list is absolutely littered with spells that exist to serve a function* that no longer exists due to system differences. Those spells once served an important function other than damage that took thought so a lot of them were "iconic" or they were copied over without considering what the iconic part needs to do or why. I'd say it was designed for casters of a different edition then given a quick onceover by a munchkin chanting firefirefire.

* For example... save or not web used to interfere with ranged attacks & slow those moving through it. Floating disk was important because it was somewhat easy to hit medium load & reduce your speed even on a strength build while now it's almost implausible for someone to be encumbered at all. Tons of ultility spells became never prep when they had to compete with top shelf spells for a prep slot rather than competing against equal level spells in a low level slot. etc

edit: wotc doesn't really seem to get subtle or extrapolate" like x but appropriate" so we get things like hexblade healing spirit & umm... twilight(?) cleric insanity.

Well a spell designed for a 2e Wizard isn't designed for 5e Arcane Warrior, right?

If OneD&D changes anything,it shold be that game elements should be designed for players of this game. Especially after the OGL drama.

 

[tetrasodium]

Well a spell designed for a 2e Wizard isn't designed for 5e Arcane Warrior, right?

If OneD&D changes anything,it shold be that game elements should be designed for players of this game. Especially after the OGL drama.

It's not "designed" for a 5e wizard either, that's a problem that 6e should solve. Instead of writing things like this they should probably redo most of the spell list from the ground up to make sense with the mechanics of 6e in a way that makes taking those spells plausible. Spells "designed" for a fractional caster gish should be class abilities that fit within the power budget like we see with the artificer or it's very likely they just litter the spell list & create reasons to complain that the top shelf wizard equivalent is better.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

The 5.5e spell lists make it pretty clear that the arcane list still isn't being made with much in the way of weapon strikes in mind. The primal and divine lists still have all the spells like searing smite and ensnaring strike.

What's more, is the bladetrips are gone, so there is no arcane swordmage capability in any way whatsoever this edition so far.

 

[mellored]

generic level 3 theoretical Gish feature - You have advantage on weapon attacks when landing from a teleportation effect. There. You got your teRepoLUtationuuuu suRashuuuuuu)

Going to change my answer a bit.

You have bonus damage on weapon attacks when landing from a teleportation effect.

Giving out Advantage can get a little wonky with multiclassing, or if you have a smite, or other stuff. But if it's just damage, you can balance that a bit more and scale with the class levels.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

What's more, is the bladetrips are gone, so there is no arcane swordmage capability in any way whatsoever this edition so far.

Hang on.

What?

 

[Neonchameleon]

Hang on.

What?

Green Flame Blade and Booming Blade weren't in the PHB. So they aren't in the One D&D playtest and aren't core. (IMO they should be made core but as things stand they aren't).