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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Baron Opal II" data-source="post: 8855817" data-attributes="member: 6794067">Wizards are and have been my favorite class. 90+% of my characters are wizards. (As I think of it, my second favorite are fighters, then thieves. I can only recall ever playing two clerics, a cleric/magic-user in Living City and an assassin/cleric way back in the day. Huh.)It's interesting that you mention this. I think wizards are certainly meant to solve problems with a spell. The first level wizard with sleep is a great example- you can solve one combat encounter that day. The issue is which one is the best to solve this way?Your last sentence I find jarring- finding orthogonal solutions with the spells my character has is part of the fun. You don't always have the right spell for the situation; sometimes you have to drive screws with a hammer, so to speak. But, I hope I address your salient point below.I've reordered the following list a bit.Yes. Gaining two spells per level for free is too many. I’ve found many to most of the complaints about wizard’s versatility addressed by restricting free spells to one per level gained. This squelches Magical Thief and Fireball Gunship nicely. If it is really important that the wizard replace the thief, they can do that but then that and only that is what they do. That’s a valid choice, but they don’t have much flexibility beyond that.To gain more spells they either have to research them, which drains gold, search ruins for old spellbooks, or target other magicians. Plot hook!I think this is an appropriate strength. The other arcane spell casters should be restricted as to theme given their origin. That said, however, I have made guilds where there are “only” 12 spells per level available. These are the spells that they can gain easily. While several are shared between guilds (Protection vs. Evil, Detect Magic, &c.) many are tied to a guild and considered theft if someone from outside the guild uses them. Plot hook! It should be strongly avoided, of course, that the character have access to every spell on their list.How many should the others have access to? "Half", strongly themed to their bloodline or patron. Not cripplingly so- there should be an interesting blend. The summoner can have fly, but they do so by being carried by an entity they call from outside their reality. A byakhee, preferentially.I see this as a feature, not a bug. The wizard, compared to the fighter, carries the Easy Button. The balance should come from there is a limited number of times it can be used and it is not always applicable. (See Too Many Spells above)Another limitation is that it doesn’t fix the situation for the whole party. Fireball cures many ills, but fly only lets the wizard cross the chasm. Now, certainly, the wizard can affix a rope, ferry people, &c., but that’s not necessarily an Easy Button fix. The wizard is, for at least part of that operation, alone. They will have to deal with complications on their own. Certainly, if there are 8 problems and they’re all one-and-done by the wizard’s 8-10 spells at that level that’s a problem. The goal should certainly be that the wizard has a number of useful tools, but not a tool for every situation and be able to use it. It’s a team game.Force spells are an exception. I’ll talk about that below.I mostly hear this about the Magical Thief. While that’s a valid choice, if you are stepping on another’s player’s toes that needs to be acknowledged. That’s a time for a Rule #1 talk. If the wizard is simply carrying the party all the time, then the number of spells known, magic item access, encounter type/ balance/ number all need to be looked at.Yes. The main issue I have here are, as expected, are the combat cantrips. Cantrips shouldn’t ever do more, or even equivalent, damage as a first level spell. Personally I think they should be limited number per day as well (Stat Mod + Proficiency per day).For me, spamming guidanace is irritating if only for it interrupting the narrative. Limiting the number per day does address that issue, however. I have no issues with people being clever with thaumaturgy or prestidigitation, but I do remind them that it’s a cantrip and weaker than a first level spell.Some, certainly. I think that resilient sphere (5th) is a well designed spell as it can be either offensive or defensive. If used offensively it is simply a pause on one creature while the rest of the situation is handled. Importantly, while it can’t hurt you, you also cannot hurt it. Force cage not so much. Although, it is 7th level and disintegrate is 6th, so there’s that.I am planning on instituting that force spells have a certain hit point value dependent on the level of spell, and perhaps cast level. If you hammer on the wall of force long enough it will come down, but I also want it to be useful for bursting dams, tidal waves, and similar issues. Still thinking about that and how to rule it.Wish I think is fine, although I use the guidelines from 3.5e. I've found them excellent guidance, and interesting to extrapolate from.While I disagree with some conclusions, hopefully I have made some suggestions to address what others find amiss.</blockquote>

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