UA: Domain Wizards

[Purzel]

Hi!

I've been looking over the variant rules for "Domain Wizards" in Unearthed Arcana.

Link for reference:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizardVariantDomainWizard

I don't get it, where is the drawback for a wizard here?

- She gains one extra spell per spell level she can cast
- She learns more spells for free on a level-up
- She casts her domain spells with casterlevel + 1
- She has no prohibited schools

A domain wizard is not a variant, it is more powerful than a normal wizard, isn't it?

Isn't UA supposed to provide the reader with "balanced" variant rules, that fit neatly in mostly any campaign? Everytime a new rule is nerfing or buffing a class UA gives a warning comment about that, but not here. Is this an error?

Is anyone using this rule variant? How does it work out? Did you "fix" it?

 

[Mistwell]

"A domain wizard cannot also be a specialist wizard".

That's what you lose. Your spell choice for extra spells is VERY limited, but you don't lose a school in the process. Looks like a fair trade to me, if you are in a campaign where most people would choose specialization (which is most lower level campaigns).

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Clerics don't lose anything with their domains, why should wizards?

 

[Coredump]

Clerics don't lose anything with their domains, why should wizards?

But would you say a cleric without domains is on the same power level?

The point being made, is that a domain wizard is better than a 'normal' wizard, and has NO drawbacks. Why wouild anyone choose a normal wizard, if they couild be a domain wizard instead.

 

[Mistwell]

But would you say a cleric without domains is on the same power level?

The point being made, is that a domain wizard is better than a 'normal' wizard, and has NO drawbacks. Why wouild anyone choose a normal wizard, if they couild be a domain wizard instead.

What part of "cannot be a specialist wizard" isn't making sense as a drawback? I mean, that IS the ability it is specifically replacing! Why does it not make sense to you that 9 extra spells that you CANNOT choose for yourself (because they are fixed by the domain) is not as good as 9 extra spells that you CAN choose for yourself (which is what specialization gives you)? Unless the domain you choose just so happens to have the extact same spells that you would have chosen as a specialist wizard anyway (which I think is nearly impossible, as they are generally a mix of good spells mediocre spells and bad spells), you need the caster level boost and no lost school just to make it even on par with a specialist wizard.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

It was my understanding that the Domain wizard rules were meant to totally replace the normal wizard rules. I could be wrong, however.

 

[Christian]

I think the issue is raised by comparison with the non-specialized wizard. After all, specializing is an option, not a requirement, for the standard wizard. The presumption is that the free spell choice for the regular wizard balances the extra spells for the specialist ... So, if the domain wizard is superior to the standard wizard (which it clearly is, given that it has benefits without drawbacks), then it is, ipso facto, superior to the specialist wizard.

One can argue that the specialist wizard is actually superior to the normal wizard, and that this, not the domain wizard rules, is the real problem. This may be correct-does anyone play non-specialist wizards?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

This may be correct-does anyone play non-specialist wizards?

I have played a few non-specialist wizards, and I have never played a generalist wizard.

 

[irdeggman]

Let's see if I get this down correctly.

The domain wizard chooses exactly 1 domain at first level that can't be changed.

Each domain has exactly 1 spell per spell level.

When the wizard advances a level he automatically learns the spell of his domain in addition to the normal 2 he learns every level.

He gets to cast 1 extra spell per day/spell level but this must be from his domain (which as already covered is exactly 1 spell per spell level).

Everytime he casts a spell from his domain (that single spell again) it is cast at +1 caster level.

He cannot specialize in a school of magic.

Basically as I see it this domain wizard is specializing in a single domain vice school of magic without giving up 2 other schools or gaining the +2 to spellcraft checks when learning spells of that school (unecessary since when the wizard advances he automatically learns that spell anyway).

On the surface it appears that he is coming out ahead - especially since it appears, at least to me, that the assumption when this class was written was that a specialist wizard gains an extra spell per level from his school of specialization. But that is not in the rules anymore.

 

[Purzel]

@ irdeggman and @ Mistwell:

Please don't compare the domain wizard with the specialist wizard. My issue is the comparison between the standard generalized wizard and the domain wizard.

The chapter about the domain wizard is not mentioning, if the domain wizard replaces the specialist or the generalist. So i assume, that the option "domain wizard" is intented to be used in conjunction with specialists and generalists.

Well, what i see: the domain wizard is like a generalized wizard, BUT with some extra goodies and no drawback.

Thus: the domain wizard is better than the generalised wizard.