D&D 5E Spellsoul [WiP]

[Yunru]

The Spellsoul takes a single spell to its completion, mastering it fully before moving onward. In general Spellsouls tend to be perfectionists, but this doesn't have to hold true. Rather it would be more accurate to say perfectionists feel more of a calling to the Spellsoul than others.

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 100%, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Level[/TD]
[TD]Features[/TD]
[TD]Cantrips Known[/TD]
[TD]1st Level Spells[/TD]
[TD]2nd Level Spells[/TD]
[TD]3rd Level Spells[/TD]
[TD]4th Level Spells[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Cantrip Magic, Arcana Expertise[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Ritual Casting[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]ASI[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]ASI[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]ASI[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]ASI[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]ASI[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Cantrip Magic: Drawing on long hours of practice, you've mastered spells to an unrivalled degree. You draw your selection of spells from the Wizard's spell list.

Cantrips: At 1st level, you know a single cantrip of your choice from the Wizard's spell list. You learn additional Wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Spellsoul table.

Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your Wizard spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability.In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Spellcasting Focus:
You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your Wizard spells.

Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher:
Starting at 3rd level, you master progressively more complex spells. You know a very limited number of spells, as shown in the Spellsoul table, and you can cast them as spells up to the level of your highest spell known this way without spending a spell slot.

Ritual Casting: Beginning at 2nd level, you've perfected the art of preparing and casting rituals. Choose two first level spells from the Wizard's spell list with the Ritual tag. You can cast these spells as rituals. Additionally you memorise any Ritual spells from the Wizard's spell list that you come across, provided they are no higher than half your level. Intelligence is your casting stat for these rituals.

 

[Chryssis]

am i understanding right? at level 20 they know 10 spells (treated as cantrips) that are cast at spell level 4?

 

[Satyrn]

I couldn't even begin to give a balance critique on this. I just don't know.


But it looks awfully boring - but then that makes it champion-esque, which could make it extra fun. Are you adding in some more, minor, class features before playtesting this. It ought to get something flavorful, I'd think, like Arcana expertise.

Oh, but I guess that stuff could come from the subclass - have you any ideas for subclasses, yet?

 

[Yunru]

I have no idea where I want to go from here. I had... less a class concept and more a spellcasting concept. Then I worked out the numbers for balance.

Re: Spells known. Yes, 10 spells that can be cast up to fourth level and 5 cantrips. It helps prevent decision paralysis - which I've seen at least three separate people suffer when playing Wizards (out of a pool of about 10) - but compensates with reliability.

It's intended to be very Champion-esque: It's the Wizard, but simpler. Although it does force creative use of what spells are chosen.

Arcana Expertise sounds great, thanks for suggesting it! Any ideas are welcome at this point.

 

[cbwjm]

If the spellsoul masters a spell, perhaps they also learn new ways to alter their chosen spells via metamagic.

You could also create subclasses, gained at level one, that determines their spell list. Even if keeping the wizard list, it definitely needs subclass abilities to make it more interesting, perhaps focusing on various elemental forces?

Another subclass idea, building on the elemental forces. Reduce the number of spells gained by 1 for each spell level. Give the subclass 5 spells (a cantrip and spell levels 1-4) that are focused on the theme. Since the fluff is that they master a single spell before moving forward, it could mean that the fire spellsoul masters fire bolt and burning hands before moving onto scorching ray, fireball, and wall of fire.

I do like the idea and the basic framework, I'm not 100% sure on how powerful it is to be able to cast their spells all day long. Mind you, they do only get 4th level spells maximum and then they only get those at level 19 so it may not be so bad.

 

[TwoSix]

I like the idea, but I think using the Wizard spell list straight up could be a problem. You need to go through the list very carefully and make sure there aren't any spells that could be broken if used at-will.

 

[Yunru]

I'm thinking maybe an improved quicken (as in doesn't restrict what other spells you can cast) 1/Rest for a lower level ability ("Spellchain"?) and the ability to concentrate on two spells at once for a high level ability (15? 17? 20?), what are your thoughts?

Edit: Re: Fears over balance: 1st and 2nd spells I'm somewhat ignoring as the Wizard already gets the ability to cantrip those. But 3rd and 4th level spells I can see being an issue. Primarily: Animate Dead. That said, you don't get that until 13th level, at which point a Wizard could have dipped 5 levels into Warlock and had levels to spare.

Edit 2: Dammit, Spellchain would bring the damage too high. So does a cantrip version of War Magic.

 

[Yunru]

Added Arcana Expertise and Ritual Casting.

Thinking about having the subclasses focus on a school of magic like the Wizard does.

Please keep the suggestions coming guys, it's very useful.

 

[Yunru]

Babump. The heart of the thread beats again.