D&D (2024) What would you actually want from an arcane half-caster in 1D&D PHB?
Yaarel
He Mage
I have grown fond of the Paladin as sufficiently magical.
Yet generally, I dont go for half-casters. I want those high level spells.
But enough players like half-casters, and the "Fighter/Magic-User" has been in demand since the origins of D&D, I feel there must be a dedicated half-caster, specifically for the "arcane gish".
Yet generally, I dont go for half-casters. I want those high level spells.
But enough players like half-casters, and the "Fighter/Magic-User" has been in demand since the origins of D&D, I feel there must be a dedicated half-caster, specifically for the "arcane gish".
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
That’s fine.
Tbh, the half-caster pet is, IMO, a mechanical preference based on what we can observe about existing classes. The Anathemir I’m building exists somewhere in a Venn diagram comprised of the Witcher, the Abhorsen, RL swordmasters like Agrippa and Thibault, and RL mystics like the order of The Golden Dawn. Pact magic, ritual casting, secondary choice is from 3 ritual implements to “master”, but you get the other two at later levels.
Doesn’t necessarily get 6+ level spells, but can. Has Vestiges instead of invocations, each themed as an object that contains of focuses a specific power, or as a special named implement.
The Blade implement can be a sword, dagger, glaive, or scythe, and has the ability to turn a cantrip attack roll into a melee spell attack using the reach and any other properties of your blade, with vestiges empowering it further and at least one subclass making it really shine.
It’s very much WIP, so the specifics of how it uses a weapon to do spell attacks might change, and I might shift things around to beef up defenses with “gish” in mind now that the flavor has morphed fully into that territory.
My swordmage that I was working on last year uses a monk/warlock chassis and translates a lot of 4e powers, and really can swing from 4e swordmage to 4e avenger, but also has a mark and an aegis, which provide defense bonuses and the ability to either relentlessly pursue an enemy or punish them for going for your friends.
I’ve also considered using auras, or just taking the monk and stripping out the orientalism and making it more free to use or not use weapons, and wear at least light armor, and making the ki (focus) abilities more directly magical. Probably give it ritual casting with a book to drive home the esoteric mysticism angle.
I don’t mind that idea, I just don’t see the bard as any less powerful in the secret arts than a priest or mage, personally.
I’d be tempted to use different means to make room for more martial and lore skill, like reducing higher level spell slot progression, but keeping it a 9-levels caster. The key thing to me would be giving them bardic level 9 spells.
Or perhaps do something very odd and give the bard full caster casting up to 5th level spells and stop there (other than gaining a few more spell slots and cantrips over time, and replace magical secrets with the warlock’s mystic arcanum? And give them ritual casting (they’re loreMasters it’s a no-brainer) like the warlock book of ancient secrets.
Right. That’s really why half-caster tends to be the preferred vehicle. All it requires is expanding on existing types of spells and features.This.
There are some features that combine attack + spell. Like booming blade, ensnaring stike, smites, etc...
Just build a class where you can get all of them. I would also be fine with ki--points-like instead of slots.
Also Nightcrawler. I want to play nightcrawler
How many “gish” subclass features are held back by being subclass features, as well? Like let them do magical weapon damage from level 1. Why not!?
Let them teleport at-will short distances and spend focus or whatever to teleport farther using existing spells. Like why reinvent the game to make them not spellcasters? Why create a balancing burden by making them full casters?
I can see monk-style “half-caster inspired” or a half caster version of pact magic, but otherwise just…use what is already available?
Ruin Explorer
Legend
I like your ideas - and yeah Agrippa who is linked to La Verdadera Destreza which to me always seemed like it had a least a thematic link to Hermetic Magic and particularly magic circles and warding circles and stuff, particularly John Dee and all that.
Just to clarify.
To me the Arcane Half Caster Warrior would be an inevitability in a high magic setting.
Eventually some wizard will figure out how to cast spells quickly or with few somatic components. Or invent spells that do.
And eventually some wizard who is decent at swordsmanship will combine the two and teach a dumber but more physically fit wizard.
Then some government or noble would fund a bunch of them and Boom!
And that's basically how I see the Arcane Half Caster Warrior. A new class that can cast a restricted list of Arcane spells as an attack or move. And a few spells that more or less are useless unless you can cast then attack.
Possibly the list be based on subclass and school.
Like the Swordmage gets evocation and conjuration
The Shieldmage gets abjuration and transmutation
The Netherblade get illusion and necromancy
etc
To me the Arcane Half Caster Warrior would be an inevitability in a high magic setting.
Eventually some wizard will figure out how to cast spells quickly or with few somatic components. Or invent spells that do.
And eventually some wizard who is decent at swordsmanship will combine the two and teach a dumber but more physically fit wizard.
Then some government or noble would fund a bunch of them and Boom!
And that's basically how I see the Arcane Half Caster Warrior. A new class that can cast a restricted list of Arcane spells as an attack or move. And a few spells that more or less are useless unless you can cast then attack.
Possibly the list be based on subclass and school.
Like the Swordmage gets evocation and conjuration
The Shieldmage gets abjuration and transmutation
The Netherblade get illusion and necromancy
etc
I voted for the Eldritch Knight option but I do not agree on the analysis of the Eldritch Knight.
The number of spells is low but the real issue is that Shield is such a good defensive option and martial melee attacks made cantrip use problematic.
In my opinion I would give the EK more cantrips, some thing like invocations that they can add to their weapon attacks or defences, perhaps something like the War Wiz's Arcane Deflection and other effect that can knock enemies prone, etc.
The number of spells is low but the real issue is that Shield is such a good defensive option and martial melee attacks made cantrip use problematic.
In my opinion I would give the EK more cantrips, some thing like invocations that they can add to their weapon attacks or defences, perhaps something like the War Wiz's Arcane Deflection and other effect that can knock enemies prone, etc.
Benjamin Olson
Hero
I think my problem with an arcane half-caster in a 5e game is I basically want them to get to 2nd level magic quickly, which is a trove of Arcane spells that up a warrior's game, but am ambivalent about them getting very far beyond that. The Full-Caster, Half-Caster, and 1/3 Caster paradigms don't play well with this.
I think my proposal would be a Half-Caster-ish Swordmage on the Warlock model. I'm less interested in the "short rest slots" aspect of Warlockery, and more interested in their access to higher level spells being on a different, more limiting mechanic than low level. The other class features should be a mix of Eldritch Knight and Bladesinger.
I think my proposal would be a Half-Caster-ish Swordmage on the Warlock model. I'm less interested in the "short rest slots" aspect of Warlockery, and more interested in their access to higher level spells being on a different, more limiting mechanic than low level. The other class features should be a mix of Eldritch Knight and Bladesinger.
W'rkncacnter
Hero
i picked artificer even though i don't like artificers as casters
