D&D (2024) Spellcaster Rules Summaries

[GMMichael]

I tried to bone up on the new (and old) edition spellcaster rules. Using WotC literature for it was a mistake. For example, the wizard needs the following resources/rules (I think) to cast a spell: wizard spell list, spell description, a spell book, prepared spells, spell slots, components/focus, a magic action or ritual (sometimes), a spell attack modifier or a spell save DC, and whatever exceptions are introduced with wizard features and subclass features.

Instead of figuring out that WotC maze for each class, I'm calling on ENWorld's best rules lawyers for summaries! How do the primary spellcasting classes cast spells, and what makes them different (besides the spell lists)? To be gentle on my rules-light brain, I'm just looking for these classes here: wizard, sorcerer, warlock, cleric, and druid (if nature-boy is still a primary caster).

 

[mellored]

Wizard: most utility
Sorcerer: most power
Druid: most adaptable
Cleric: most support
Bard: support and variety.

 

[Ashrym]

Wizards are INT based. Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks are CHA based. Clerics and Druids are WIS based. Wizards gain Expertise in one skill from a list of what is considered academic skill proficiencies. Clerics and Druids have options to be slightly more martial or slightly more magical, and going more magical gives them a bonus to Arcana and Religion from WIS. Bards have Expertise in whatever they want and Jack of all Trades for a bonus to any skill in which they are not proficient.

Just in case you want a run down of which skills each class can be good at. It is relevant outside of spells and can be relevant with spells that call for an ability check.

Clerics, Druids, and Wizards can swap out prepared spells after a long rest. Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks can swap out 1 prepared spell when they level up.

Wizards have a huge spell list that gets filtered through their spellbooks. If you are familiar with a sideboard from MtG that is similar to how Wizards work. They take a standard list of prepared spells from the spellbook and swap prepared spells from the spellbook to suit the planned day ahead.

Wizards have a lot of offensive, defensive, and utility spells. They are largely defined as a class by the spellbook and spell selection.

Wizards also have a unique ritual mechanic as the only class that does not need to prepare ritual spells. They can be cast from the spellbook.

Sorcerers are similar to wizards with the spell list but they do not have the large list wizards have. They have an ability for spells reminiscent of Rage for Barbarians with Innate Sorcery to increase DCs and gain advantage on spell attacks. They also have Font of Magic and Metamagic to sometimes leverage spell slots, but mostly to use Metamagic to enhance their spells.

Warlocks split magic with Invocations and Pact Magic is paced by slow rests instead of long rests. They also have a lot of offensive, defensive, and utility magic but rely on at-will abilities in their Invocations and can be a lot more martial depending on how they are built. I think Mystic Arcanum gives them the lease leeway with how they can manage high level spells and spell slots.

Bards can vary wildly with spell selection. They have a wide variety of spells in their list and a huge restriction on those spells through the spell preparation mechanic they use. That only broadens at high levels. IME, they cannot do everything but it is really easy to have a variety of useful spells. I tend to make a style of spell caster out of my bards and focus on those spells with a few other useful spells added in. Bards make great support and can crack-fill gaps in the party.

Druids have a wide variety of spells like the Bard does (but not the access Magical Secrets gives) and typically has more spells prepared with the option to swap them out. Being able to change spells out with that variety plus Wild Shape gives them the adaptability mentioned.

Clerics have the best armor training options of any of them and the Cleric spell list tends to favor healing and support. Druids also have good access to healing spells, and Bards may or may not. I almost always carry healing spells on a Bard.

Wizards and Sorcerers tend to have the flashiest go boom spells. Warlocks and Druids have flashy go boom spells flavored to the respective class. Bards and Clerics have some but not to the same extent. Bards, however, can change that at high levels.

Hope that helps. ;-)

 

[Horwath]

how loud are Verbal components?
How far can "normal" voice can be heard?
what is "normal" speaking voice?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Wizards: Spells on spells on spells. Forget class features (mostly). Everything is spells. You have the most--in per-day terms and size of your list. Just be ready to read through 100+ pages of book text (or read guides online) to get the most out of it. Really though, there's a short list of amazeballs spells, and you can spend all your cash on buying the weird ones 'cause magic items barely matter for you.

Sorcerers: Kings of Spam, especially if mixed properly with Warlock. You don't have as many spells, but you can do trick shots with them. Wizard requires up-front research to know all your options. Sorcerer requires up-front research so you don't screw yourself with crappy picks on the few spells you actually get. Metamagic helps--so pick good ones--but mostly those just make your damage spells more flexible.

Clerics and Druids: You don't have a big spell list, but you know all of it. That's a big deal, and means you can fall back on ol' reliables. This is also where class features really start to matter a lot; unlike metamagic, your class-specific resource (Channel Divinity and Wildshape, respectively) and subclass-specific features actually matter a fair amount, so spells are just one part of the picture, not all of it.

Bards: The pseudo-generalist. You'll still be picking something you focus on (5e does not really reward generalist characters much), but the class itself can be bent toward almost any end. Between that and wanting good Cha and Dex, you're also a great skillmonkey and face, so it's rare for you to have nothing at all to contribute. Just pick spells wisely--you're like a Sorcerer without the bonus flexibility of metamagic. I'd say this is where class features matter slightly more than spells.

Warlock: Build Your Own Class. This is the go-to if you want the freedom to do whatever you want, and don't care about the risk of maybe being not very good at whatever you wanted to do. Guardrails are off and you can blend together nearly all the components of any other class, especially with the right choice of Patron (Celestial = decent healer, frex). Your class features (+ cantrips) are arguably more important than your (levelled) spells, though (levelled) spells remain important.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

how loud are Verbal components?
How far can "normal" voice can be heard?
what is "normal" speaking voice?

I would say they need to be spoken at a more or less normal speaking voice for if you were talking to someone at a reasonable, comfortable distance without a ton of loud sounds nearby. Whispering seems to be against the spirit of the rules, even if it might be allowed by the letter thereof, but I would not demand that you shout such things at the top of your lungs either.

In an environment with minimal background noise and speaking at an ordinary volume, around 15-20 feet to hear and understand. I'd say at least triple that for hearing in general (without understanding), again, assuming a mostly quiet environment. In the heat of battle, while folks are shouting and parrying etc. etc.? Definitely not more than 30 feet away.

A normal speaking voice, from what I can tell, is about 55-60 decibels at a distance of 1 meter (3ish feet). At a distance of 7.3 meters (24 feet), a "normal" speaking voice will have fallen to about 38-42 decibels, which is approximately as loud as a whisper. Double that distance and it would be effectively inaudible.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I tried to bone up on the new (and old) edition spellcaster rules. Using WotC literature for it was a mistake. For example, the wizard needs the following resources/rules (I think) to cast a spell: wizard spell list, spell description, a spell book, prepared spells, spell slots, components/focus, a magic action or ritual (sometimes), a spell attack modifier or a spell save DC, and whatever exceptions are introduced with wizard features and subclass features.

Instead of figuring out that WotC maze for each class, I'm calling on ENWorld's best rules lawyers for summaries! How do the primary spellcasting classes cast spells, and what makes them different (besides the spell lists)? To be gentle on my rules-light brain, I'm just looking for these classes here: wizard, sorcerer, warlock, cleric, and druid (if nature-boy is still a primary caster).

OK. We've got two different groupings here; Wizard vs Sorcerer and Cleric vs Druid

Sorcerer: A blast mage. Their spells are roughly 2/3 damage, 1/3 utility and they are almost entirely lacking in summons and rituals. If you want to be a blaster play a sorcerer. Sorcerers are the best blasters because on top of their actual spells they get metamagic. Remember that from levels 1-10 unless you are a Wild Sorcerer you get two spells per spell level added to your list so you know quite a lot of spells.

Wizard: A utility caster whose spells are roughly 1/2 Sorcerer Overlap, 1/2 Utility (and the sorcerer gets a normal sized spell list with only a couple of spells not also being on the wizard list). They are the masters of rituals and can cast rituals without preparing them - but in terms of spells in their book by default they only get as many as non-wild sorcerers know. 2024 is the first ruleset where I think that sorcerers are the stronger class.

Out of combat there's not much wiz/sorcerer difference other than that only wizards aren't going to dump Int but Sorcerers are charisma-heavy.

Cleric and Druid: 1/3 "common core" - mostly healing. The cleric then specialises in number-adds and has stronger healing while the druid in terrain (including battlefield) manipulation making them tricksier. Wild Shape is a direct equivalent of channel divinity - with every subclass giving you an alternative.

Bards: Mid healing (druid level) and illusions and enchantment with limited direct damage. The key thing about the bard is that they have a lot of flexibility but they actively know fewer spells than any other class (22 at level 20 to cover nine spell levels; most sorcerers will be at 32) and they have a distinct squishiness issue, having only light armour and no mage armour or shield (or Absorb Elements).

 

[Horwath]

I would say they need to be spoken at a more or less normal speaking voice for if you were talking to someone at a reasonable, comfortable distance without a ton of loud sounds nearby. Whispering seems to be against the spirit of the rules, even if it might be allowed by the letter thereof, but I would not demand that you shout such things at the top of your lungs either.

In an environment with minimal background noise and speaking at an ordinary volume, around 15-20 feet to hear and understand. I'd say at least triple that for hearing in general (without understanding), again, assuming a mostly quiet environment. In the heat of battle, while folks are shouting and parrying etc. etc.? Definitely not more than 30 feet away.

A normal speaking voice, from what I can tell, is about 55-60 decibels at a distance of 1 meter (3ish feet). At a distance of 7.3 meters (24 feet), a "normal" speaking voice will have fallen to about 38-42 decibels, which is approximately as loud as a whisper. Double that distance and it would be effectively inaudible.

this is great, but my question is still, why do we need to do this calculations?
why after 10 years they couldn't codify it in the Verbal components rules?
are they that lazy?

it would be simple to do:

you can hear verbal components within 25ft
from 25 to 50ft you need DC20 perception to hear them.
from 50+ ft they are inaudible.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

this is great, but my question is still, why do we need to do this calculations?

Because 5e has elected to leave most things of this nature to the DM. I don't care for it either, but that is their design ethos.

why after 10 years they couldn't codify it in the Verbal components rules?
are they that lazy?

Let us not cast aspersions.

it would be simple to do:

you can hear verbal components within 25ft
from 25 to 50ft you need DC20 perception to hear them.
from 50+ ft they are inaudible.

Sure, you can do that. 5e's designers believe a universal rule on things if this nature is a bad idea.

I will say that there is such a thing as going too far with rules elements like this. Because, well, that exact thing is the tragic flaw of 3rd edition and its children. For deep, widely used elements like this, a specific answer may be worth the trouble, but one must be careful about setting a precedent. I'm not saying it's a slippery slope from "setting an explicit definition for verbal components" all the way to "17 pages of situational modifiers just for typical skill rolls" or whatever. More like a warning that there is a risk of snowball effect: many, many, many, many different people each have their own personal bugaboo, their own "why can't you fix just this one thing?! How is that so hard?!" And any one of them could reasonably argue they'd been shortchanged for not getting their preference addressed while others got their little detail addressed.

 

[GMMichael]

Nice summaries! I knew I could count on the 'World. And it's a good thing that the 5RD is so "compatible" . . . are there easier casters I could be using from other games?

The key thing about the bard is that they have a lot of flexibility but they actively know fewer spells than any other class (22 at level 20 to cover nine spell levels; most sorcerers will be at 32) and they have a distinct squishiness issue, having only light armour and no mage armour or shield (or Absorb Elements).

Oddly, D&D seems to have dumped "spells known" for "spells prepared." The more you know...

Given that 5e yanked everyone's AC way down from earlier editions, I don't know that light armor is the biggest limitation, but yes, it's probably a bad idea for a bard to be in greatclub reach, anyway.

this is great, but my question is still, why do we need to do this calculations?
why after 10 years they couldn't codify it in the Verbal components rules?
are they that lazy?

Codify? The next thing you'll ask for is rules on how far darkvision works, and what it looks like. Or revised sneaking rules that clarify and add confusion at the same time.