D&D 5E Weird Low Level Wizard Play?

[Zardnaar]

This is a spin off from another thread. I have a level 5 diviner in a game and for level 1-4 I often did not bother using firebolt. I took the healer feat and spent most of my time near the front line playing combat medic and/or using my action to provide help (advantage) to the barbarian. I had mage armor running after level 2 for AC 15 and used shield vs hard hitter or took my chances at getting hurt. The Healer feat was also useful in the event I did take damage and in effect it was a hit point sink to spread out the damage I suppose.

The portend ability is usually used to negate critical hits from the NPCs. Sleep, Blindness and flaming sphere are my offensive spells for the most part with absorb elements and shield being used a lot.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

If the barbarian hit because of your advantage, but would have missed without it, then your damage contribution for the round is equal to whatever the barbarian rolled. It's not a terrible strategy, though I'm inclined to believe that you would have been better off just spamming a cantrip (or even better - throwing darts).

I'm not terribly familiar with the Healer feat, but aside from emergency first aid to prevent someone from dropping, I'm not sure whether offering yourself up as a soft target is a smart move. The requirement for getting in close to heal is a major design consideration for why clerics have good armor proficiencies. (Then again, a long rest will heal all of your HP and you also have Hit Dice to spend during short rests, so you're wasting that resource if you're not getting hurt at all.)

 

[Zardnaar]

THe idea is also I am wasting the healer feat if I am not getting hurt. And spamming a firebolt for 5.5 avg damage is not that exciting.

 

[Krachek]

What is the point with this thread?

Prove that we can play unfun and outstyle character in 5ed?
Cantrip lack damage vs melee damage?
Healer feat is broken?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I'm not sure what the question is.

Does this thread have a point?

 

[77IM]

Does every thread need to be a debate?

The dude had an unexpected play experience, and reported on it. Let's have a discussion!

 

[Savage Wombat]

This kind of play was quite common in 1st ed - the low-level wizard finding ways to be useful without using spells.

I had a player in an Oriental Adventures game who ran a shugenja - a pacifist priest - who contributed in combat by rushing at enemies screaming and then doing nothing but parry attacks.

 

[mellored]

(2d6+3) * .5 + 2d6*.05 = 5.35 damage
(2d6+3) * .75 + 2d6 * .0975 = 8.1825 damage
net = 2.8325 damage per turn

1d10 * .5 + 1d10 * 0.05 = 3.025


Using the help action meant you did 0.1925 less damage. That's like fighting an extra kobold, once, during the entire campaign.
Unless the barbarian had more Str, a magic weapon, or you had less Int. In which case you do more.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

This is a spin off from another thread. I have a level 5 diviner in a game and for level 1-4 I often did not bother using firebolt. I took the healer feat and spent most of my time near the front line playing combat medic and/or using my action to provide help (advantage) to the barbarian. I had mage armor running after level 2 for AC 15 and used shield vs hard hitter or took my chances at getting hurt. The Healer feat was also useful in the event I did take damage and in effect it was a hit point sink to spread out the damage I suppose.

The portend ability is usually used to negate critical hits from the NPCs. Sleep, Blindness and flaming sphere are my offensive spells for the most part with absorb elements and shield being used a lot.

Portent doesn't work that way. You have to choose to use Portent before the die is rolled, which means you don't know whether or not it would have been a critical hit.

If you could choose to use it afterwards, it would be two or three times as strong as it is by PHB rules. I don't recommend that. Portent doesn't need any buffing, it's already terrific as-is.

Edit: in answer to your real question, though, that sounds like a fine playstyle for a wizard. Helping the Barbarian is a little bit weird in the sense that it exposes you to risk, and Barbarians have their own ways to generate advantage and offset the risk (Reckless Attack and pushing prone being the two main ways), but Healer feat and Blindness/Sleep spells sounds just fine to me.

 

[DeathMutant]

Note that a Firebolt cast from a 5th level character (cantrips scale based on character level, not class level) does 2d10 damage so your average damage would be 11 (not 5.5). Also note that your Barbarian should be attacking Recklessly anyway, thus giving him Advantage, so using an action to help him seems like a waste and puts you at risk.