D&D 5E What's a wizard to do?

[Zaruthustran]

Anyway, to respond to the OP: I hear ya. The classic strength of the wizard was versatility, as others have said. But it was also exclusivity: no other class had spells like Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Teleport, and Stone Shape.

That's no longer the case. The only primary caster class that doesn't have access to Fireball (through domain, patron, or magical secrets) is the Druid. Bard is now a primary caster (?!) and gets classic Wizard spells like Knock, Polymorph, Leomund's and Mordenkainen's, Teleport, even Power Word Kill. Druid has all the environmental control spells like Fog Cloud, Stone Shape, Wall spells, Ice Storm, and conjurations. Sorcerer of course has all the blast spells and enchantments. Clerics... oh geez, clerics.

RANT
Clerics cast the exact same number of spells as wizards except they "know" every spell on their list, can't lose their spellbooks (and don't have to spend time and gold on them), have better HP, better armor & weapons, can channel divinity for cool and effective tricks per short rest, have a more useful primary stat (better save and skills), and access to healing magic. They're wizards but better, with no pesky restrictions like having to adhere to a doctrine or otherwise have any sort of relationship with the supposed source of their divine power.
/RANT

What does that leave the wizard? Ritual magic is AMAZING, but most primary classes get it and literally everyone (even the 8 Int half orc barbarian) can get it with a feat. The schools give interesting flavor (I really like the conjurer) but except for the diviner the effects aren't all that mechanically powerful.

Reading your lament, I suggest you switch to a Light domain cleric. Blast away with Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, and Fireball. Use channel divinity to fry every enemy creature within 30'--and do this at least once per short rest. Turn or destroy undead. Use your reaction to give attackers disadvantage. Wear medium armor and a shield. Take the Magic Initiate feat to get access to Eldritch Blast (you do have a high Cha, right?). Now you can blast, you can battlefield control, you're well-protected. You may not be a god, but you're friends with one.

 

[KarinsDad]

You need to read the complete paragraph:



So if a creature fails its save, it's restrained as long as it remains in the web. If it starts its next turn in the web, it's still restrained. It must make a new save if it starts its next turn there, and that save is made at disadvantage (due to being Restrained). But the save doesn't matter: if he fails it, nothing happens because you can't be double-restrained. And if he makes the save, so what? The rule does not say "On a successful save, the creature is no longer restrained." Making the save does not free you from the restrained condition--that condition sticks. The only thing that frees you from the restrained condition is somehow getting out of the webs (like from a teleport, or burning or otherwise removing the webs) or breaking free.

I hate getting old. Obviously, that's the case.

 

[Kalshane]

What does that leave the wizard? Ritual magic is AMAZING, but most primary classes get it and literally everyone (even the 8 Int half orc barbarian) can get it with a feat. The schools give interesting flavor (I really like the conjurer) but except for the diviner the effects aren't all that mechanically powerful.

Considering how useful feats are, I wouldn't say "Anyone can get it with a feat" makes it less worthwhile.

Also, wizards can cast any ritual spell they have in their spellbook at anytime, versus other classes, like clerics, that have to have the spell prepared. That's incredibly useful. They can fill their prepared slots with other spells, and still pull out whatever ritual spell is useful at the time when needed.

 

[was]

You need to cast those lower level spells in higher slots to greatly boost your damage.

 

[Joe Liker]

I haven't played to very high levels yet, but I get the impression that your specialty is a much more important choice than you might initially think.

As a diviner, your strengths are going to lie in swinging the "luck factor" in your party's direction, and of course reconnaissance, research and the seeking of otherworldly advice. Damage and control, not so much.

If you want to be more damage-y, you need to be an evoker; if you want to be more protect-y, you need to be an abjurer, etc. For control (which is what you seem to be pining for), you should have chosen enchantment.

 

[ppaladin123]

Well, not sure what your full day constitutes, but generally most people work an 8 hour day. 10 hours on the high side. Even if you consider 16 hours of work and 8 hours of sleep that is a 24 hour day. And a level 9 spell is 450 gold.

You look at 30 spells (not your school cause the other 15 you have are in your school) say they are an average of level 5 or lets say level 6 spells. That is 360 hours, which for 8 hour days is 45 days. And 9,000 gold.

That is a lot of time. Especially for Adventurer's League. Now for a home campaign, as always you just go as you go with DM discresion.

If I could learn a spell that bends the fabric of reality itself (level 9 spells like wish) with 18 hours of work for the price of a horse I would drop everything, hand over my money and get cracking. That is a steal when you consider the power you are about to gain.

 

[ppaladin123]

What does that leave the wizard? Ritual magic is AMAZING, but most primary classes get it and literally everyone (even the 8 Int half orc barbarian) can get it with a feat. The schools give interesting flavor (I really like the conjurer) but except for the diviner the effects aren't all that mechanically powerful.

Ritual caster requires 13 int or wisdom, so not everyone will be able to take it. And the opportunity cost is a feat that actually supports their class abilities directly or an ability score boost. It is there if one wants it but it is expensive as it should be.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I hate getting old.

I hear you, brother. The good news is: we're all still playing.

 

[I'm A Banana]

In past editions, I've played the "god" wizard; battlefield control, debuffs, as well as a support role.

Hmm.. "battlefield control" and "debuffs" are kind of the same thing (limiting actions) so you did a yin-yang thing? One round, buffing your friends, the next round, debuffing the enemies?

Yeah, that's still pretty viable.

Step 1: Cast a debuff spell (like web or sleep or whatever).
Step 2: While that debuff is wreaking havoc, cast a buff spell.

It is hard to do both at once, but lets be honest -- any time you can describe your character as a "god," you're probably trucking in effects that deserve a good hit with the nerf bat.

As I've studied the spell section, I've noticed that most of the classics have been altered or nerfed to the point of being fairly pointless; many of the save or suck spells allow a new save each round\, and every time I've used them, the opponents either make their initial saving throw, or the next one after being effected for that first round. It's kind of irritating to have my precious few spell slots wasted after a single round.

That's pretty much the intent. A lot of them fill an area, so "crowd control" should be one of their major features. That is, you're not going to stop all the goblins from attack, you're just going to stop maybe 1/3rd of them.

I don't see that as a waste. I mean, no one else can really do that.

Due to the concentration rule, I can't really augment my teammates anymore. Only having one buff available at a time makes since to counter all the buff stacking back in past editions, but now it feels like it has swung too far in the other direction.

What's wrong with one buff at a time? You can augment your teammates....one at a time....which isn't nothing.

So now I'm sort of frustrated with my character; all of his options kind of stink now. He's not good at battlefield control, debuffs will be shrugged off, buffs only affect one person in the group, and damage is less than it used to be. Am I missing something, or is magic pointless in the edition?

I think you might be holding this game to a different standard than it holds itself to. Shutting down part of an enemy group or giving one ally a good buff job isn't tiny in this edition. Every little thing matters. The math is lower. Don't worry about being a "god" who turns encounters into cakewalks. That's not what being a successful buffer/debuffer looks like anymore. It's an impossibly high standard. Focus instead on the power of the effects you DO create, on your unmatched versatility. Play the numbers game with debuffing (target a big group!), and do the reverse with buffing (dogpile it on one character!).

 

[Psikerlord#]

My impression is wizards are very strong... if you start as a fighter, or MC a cleric for armour. Pure wizards I get the impression are ok, but a little squishy at lower levels. Flexible ritual casting, collecting as many rituals as you can, is very important for wizards.