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<blockquote data-quote="James Gasik" data-source="post: 8874560" data-attributes="member: 6877472"><p>While the Wizard has many powerful options, largely due to the continued design of D&D to "throw spells at problems", those options only function at the DM's behest. The language of many powerful spells is loose enough to cast doubt about what, exactly, their limits are. While I agree the Wizard can be <em>potentially </em>powerful, there are many situations where they cannot be- it's all based on player knowledge, how a player wants to leverage that knowledge, and how genial the DM is towards shenanigans.</p><p></p><p>It's long been known the Wizard is the Schrodinger's Cat of D&D- it is simultaneously the strongest and perhaps weakest class, as it's abilities are largely up to interpretation.</p><p></p><p>Now does the Wizard's design empower a player unduly? No. The ability to find more spells to add to one's book beyond what you get at level up is not a right, it's a privilege. I think they <em>should</em>, but this is <strong>entirely</strong> up to the DM! Ditto with how niche uses of spells (generally the most powerful uses of magic to solve problems or empower shenanigans) are ruled upon.</p><p></p><p>I often decry how woeful the Fighter's lot seems, but at least their abilities are written in a straightforward enough matter that there's rarely a moment when a DM might decide that you shouldn't get your second attack or be able to second wind or action surge.</p><p></p><p>A DM could, however, decide your fireball destroys all your treasure, ignites dust in a room, or creates a loud enough noise to alert half the monsters in the dungeon to your presence, as well as create a local fire hazard. Perhaps it consumes all the air in a small room?</p><p></p><p>Or they could rule that it's just damage and carry on. How is that not DM empowerment?</p><p></p><p>Or perhaps the adventure is on an other plane where fire/evocation magic is weakened. Or you blundered into a wild magic zone? There are DM's who not only would do this, they feel that this is necessary to "balance" the Wizard.</p><p></p><p>Any time a player option is subject to wild table variance, I don't see it as "empowerment" at all, but quite the opposite, when you have to ask the DM if your character even functions at a given moment.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="James Gasik, post: 8874560, member: 6877472"] While the Wizard has many powerful options, largely due to the continued design of D&D to "throw spells at problems", those options only function at the DM's behest. The language of many powerful spells is loose enough to cast doubt about what, exactly, their limits are. While I agree the Wizard can be [I]potentially [/I]powerful, there are many situations where they cannot be- it's all based on player knowledge, how a player wants to leverage that knowledge, and how genial the DM is towards shenanigans. It's long been known the Wizard is the Schrodinger's Cat of D&D- it is simultaneously the strongest and perhaps weakest class, as it's abilities are largely up to interpretation. Now does the Wizard's design empower a player unduly? No. The ability to find more spells to add to one's book beyond what you get at level up is not a right, it's a privilege. I think they [I]should[/I], but this is [B]entirely[/B] up to the DM! Ditto with how niche uses of spells (generally the most powerful uses of magic to solve problems or empower shenanigans) are ruled upon. I often decry how woeful the Fighter's lot seems, but at least their abilities are written in a straightforward enough matter that there's rarely a moment when a DM might decide that you shouldn't get your second attack or be able to second wind or action surge. A DM could, however, decide your fireball destroys all your treasure, ignites dust in a room, or creates a loud enough noise to alert half the monsters in the dungeon to your presence, as well as create a local fire hazard. Perhaps it consumes all the air in a small room? Or they could rule that it's just damage and carry on. How is that not DM empowerment? Or perhaps the adventure is on an other plane where fire/evocation magic is weakened. Or you blundered into a wild magic zone? There are DM's who not only would do this, they feel that this is necessary to "balance" the Wizard. Any time a player option is subject to wild table variance, I don't see it as "empowerment" at all, but quite the opposite, when you have to ask the DM if your character even functions at a given moment. [/QUOTE]
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