D&D 5E What (low level) 5e PC Options Other Than Spells Would Change The World?

[doctorbadwolf]

So, this is always a fun thought experiment, but this time let's do it differently.

What PC Options other than spells would totally change the world, if they were common enough to impact the world.

For sanity, let's keep it to things that come online by level 4-5, at the highest, and again, no spells. The only consideration of spells I wanna see here is stuff like a whole race having magic of a particular kind, like what forest gnome society would look like with everyone having a built in holograph projector and sound emitter.

So, what feats, alchemical items, common magic items, class and subclass features, races, and whatever else comes to mind, would change the world, and how?

I'll post my ideas in a secondary post, but I really want to hear all of yours!

EDIT: Lets stick to the current edition of dnd, and try to use it's assumptions as much as possible.

 

[Coroc]

So, this is always a fun thought experiment, but this time let's do it differently.

What PC Options other than spells would totally change the world, if they were common enough to impact the world.

For sanity, let's keep it to things that come online by level 4-5, at the highest, and again, no spells. The only consideration of spells I wanna see here is stuff like a whole race having magic of a particular kind, like what forest gnome society would look like with everyone having a built in holograph projector and sound emitter.

So, what feats, alchemical items, common magic items, class and subclass features, races, and whatever else comes to mind, would change the world, and how?

I'll post my ideas in a secondary post, but I really want to hear all of yours!

Well according to RAW a simple healing potion cures enough damage just by gulping it down to bring a "Level 0" commoner with 1d8 HP or so back to full health in most cases.
Means the healer is out of work for everyday injuries isn't it?
E.g. someone works as a hunter or lumberjack and has an accident or gets attacked by animals in the woods. What would be the solution of choice? An instant cure by a pot or wait three hours for the healer to arrive, assuming you got a colleague whom you can send to fetch the healer?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well according to RAW a simple healing potion cures enough damage just by gulping it down to bring a "Level 0" commoner with 1d8 HP or so back to full health in most cases.
Means the healer is out of work for everyday injuries isn't it?
E.g. someone works as a hunter or lumberjack and has an accident or gets attacked by animals in the woods. What would be the solution of choice? An instant cure by a pot or wait three hours for the healer to arrive, assuming you got a colleague whom you can send to fetch the healer?

Well, the healer probably costs dramatically less. 50 gold is...a lot.

And, 5e doesn't deal with lingering injuries normally, just assuming they don't happen, but I think we can assume that if someone has broken a limb, that is gonna fall under lingering injuries, which a healing potion doesn't cure.

That does beg the question of whether there should be some kind of cheap elixer that stabilizes a person and eventually gives them 1 HP, simply due to healing potions having been around long enough for a cheaper, lesser, everyday, version to be invented.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

The Gnome nation of Zilargo in Eberron incorporates the racial traits of Gnomes. They use rats and similar animals as spies, and minor illusion in performances, as well as other aspects of life.

That does beg the question of whether there should be some kind of cheap elixer that stabilizes a person and eventually gives them 1 HP, simply due to healing potions having been around long enough for a cheaper, lesser, everyday, version to be invented.

Sounds like it would be one of the components in a healer's kit.

 

[Minigiant]

"Taming the savages" just got harder.

If every tribal warrior was an actual barbarian, then they would have little use for cheap animal armor. They'd focus on toughness and have Constitutions high enough to mimic leather, studded leather, and hide armor with Unarmored Defense.

Their priests are now nature priests who can CD: Charm Animals and Plants without spells. So predatory animals will be no worry.

And their rangers can easily feed the tribe with Natural explorer.

More time to practice raiding.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

"Taming the savages" just got harder.

If every tribal warrior was an actual barbarian, then they would have little use for cheap animal armor. They'd focus on toughness and have Constitutions high enough to mimic leather, studded leather, and hide armor with Unarmored Defense.

Their priests are now nature priests who can CD: Charm Animals and Plants without spells. So predatory animals will be no worry.

And their rangers can easily feed the tribe with Natural explorer.

More time to practice raiding.

That assumes not just commonality, but ubiquity.

What about if PC options are still uncommon, say 1% of the population?

 

[Minigiant]

That assumes not just commonality, but ubiquity.

What about if PC options are still uncommon, say 1% of the population?

That's lower than normal for tribal folk.

Tribal folk would push to "adventuring classes" harder than civilized folk. They would have to focus on defenses, hunting, and foraging more. I'd expect more than 5 PC classes per 100 adults in the wild.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That's lower than normal for tribal folk.

Tribal folk would push to "adventuring classes" harder than civilized folk. They would have to focus on defenses, hunting, and foraging more. I'd expect more than 5 PC classes per 100 adults in the wild.

I wouldn’t. There are NPC shamans and warriors and scouts and spirit warriors and the like. They don’t need PC class levels.

But I’m not trying to argue about whether the assumption is reasonable, just wondering what the impact would be from something closer to what the game seems to assume.

 

[TwoSix]

In my settings, healer-types with access to a Lay on Hands ability are fairly common; it's what I favor for making those types of NPCs over spells like Cure Wounds or Lesser Restoration.

Basically, it assumes most healers can handle saving people from death and cure disease, which means medieval staples like plague and rampant infant mortality are not common in my fantasy worlds. It doesn't really impact the gameplay, but it supports the more hopeful, vibrant aesthetic I prefer to promote in my fantasy settings.

 

[Oofta]

If you're talking feats, healer's kits are pretty impressive and something most people don't consider. At 5 GP for 10 low level heals it's affordable for most people.