Which Spell Lists Should a Spell Go Onto?

[epithet]

When making a new spell, or converting a spell from AD&D or 2nd Edition, I often find myself unsure about who should be able to cast it. I haven't been able to work out any coherent guidelines or consistent rules for deciding what spell lists to include them on, or been able to understand the choices made in the official 5e books.

For example, why does Leomund's Tiny Hut appear on the bard spell list, but Bigby's Hand doesn't? Why are neither of those on the warlock spell list? In 5e, wizards, sorcerers, bards, and warlocks are all arcane casters, right? How should someone reasonably go about deciding what class can cast a new spell, other than saying "that feels right, I guess" and shrugging?

The DMG has almost nothing to say about it, suggesting only that the spell should "fit with the identity of the class," so don't give healing spells to wizards or sorcerers because it would "step on the cleric's turf." (Page 283.) It doesn't seem to be stepping on the wizard's turf, however, to let a bard or a sorcerer cast teleportation circle, so why can't a warlock cast it?

Take, for example, Tenser's Hunting Hawk. This is a 2nd level transmutation spell from the "old school" days, that empowers an arrow to become a hawk when fired from a bow. The hawk harries your target until the spell runs out or the hawk is killed. Cool enough, and it obviously has to go on the Wizard list because it was created by a Greyhawk wizard. It seems to fit with the identity of the ranger class, so should it be added to the ranger's spell list? Is there any reason at all why a bard shouldn't be able to cast it, too? What about a sorcerer?

Warlocks are the least predictable. Their spell list overlaps with divine casters as much as arcane casters, and they have a lot of unique spells too.

Does anyone have a system for making sense of it?

 

[Gadget]

I would say it is mostly by "feel". For instance, bards get mostly enchantment, utility, and buff type spells, Warlocks get "curse" type spells along with some others that may match the pact, and sorcerer's get more of an X-men powers type of a feel for their spell list.

For your spell, it does sound like Ranger, Wizard, & maybe even bard would be a good fit. Heck, it might not be bad on the Druid list, or a particular Cleric domain, though these would be pushing it with the name Tenser on the spell. I do not think it would fit the Sorcerer list, and probably not the Warlock (maybe as an eldritch evocation available to a pact?). Usually spells with nomenclature <wizard inventor's name> <Spell> are fairly exclusive to the wizard list, with the exception of Evard's Black Tentacles (matches some Warlock flavor really well), and Leomund's Tiny Hut (Bard could use some of the Utility).

Another thing to consider is how the spell balances in 5e. Not knowing the details, it sounds like the caster gets a hawk summons for the duration, which might warrant a higher level spell slot than in AD&D and/or Concentration.

Edit: After some reflection, I think WOTC is a bit more tight with the <Wizard's Name><Spell> nomenclature now for reason of making spells generally available to more classes if it fits. Didn't Expeditious Retreat use to be <Wizard Name> Expeditious Retreat? Or am I mis-remembering? They seem to reserve it for mostly Wizard Exclusive spells, that maybe fit another class really well. Given what is said above about the spell in question, I would be tempted to just name it Hunting Hawk and put it on the Ranger, Bard, Wizard (maybe Druid or a particular cleric domain) spell lists.
[h=1][/h]

 

[cbwjm]

When converting spells, I normally don't worry too much about the list the spell goes on, however, when I do I tend to follow some basic guidelines. All of these can be pretty much ignored if you convert a spell and then think to yourself that it actually fits better on another classes list. Sometimes, I just go by the feel of the spell and add it to the lists I think fit well. I've converted a bunch of lightning spells that are on the druid, sorcerer, and wizard lists (currently) but I might also allow them for tempest clerics, not as domain spells, but as extra spells known that they can choose to prepare.

Spells from previous editions will at the very least be on the same spell list as the original spell. Since there is some overlap, even in 2e, this will inform you whether or not to add the spell.

2e: This is easy to do for clerics, druids, and wizards since these were the main casters. 2e has priestly spheres which provides a good guideline for whether or not the cleric, druid, or both gain the spell. If the spell shows up in the plant sphere then a druid will get it, but a cleric will not.
3e: Still really only cleric, druid, and wizard. Sorcerer shares the list with wizard. We also have bards with their own specific spell list so we can reasonably use this as a guide to adding spells to their list.
4e: All spellcasting classes in 5e are represented in 4e. Use this as a guide but many of the converted powers would also fit other classes. I've converted some sorcerer and wizard spells and put them on both lists. Any warlock spell that names a great old one is probably going to be restricted to the warlock list only. Spells from classes with an arcane, divine, or primal power source that do not have a correlating class in 5e will default to the wizard/sorcerer, cleric/paladin, or druid/ranger spell lists depending on the class the spell is taken from.

Spells which affect animals, plants, or the weather I will often add to the druid spell list. Some previously wizard only spells I've converted I've also added to the druid.
Spells which have an archery effect (like your Tenser's Hunting Hawk) will end up on the ranger list as well as the wizard list.
Paladin will receive some spells that are converted from the cleric list of earlier editions.

 

[Leatherhead]

There are two things that are especially important to remember about spell lists:

1: Subclasses can also have their own spell lists. That way if there is ever a Nature themed Sorcerer bloodline, you can amend it's own personal spell list without having to give all Sorcerers the spell.

2: Speaking of Subclasses, the Eldritch Knight and the Arcane Trickster learn Wizard spells. So any weapon based spell you want those classes to have should go on the Wizard List.

 

[steeldragons]

I understand this was a magic-user spell bitd. But for bringing it forweward, you have the opportunity to redefine it in whatever image you like.

Do you look at it as a "Divine"-based kind of magic? Cleric list for sure. Maybe Paladin. Maybe Bard.

Do you look at it as an "Arcane"-based kind of magic? Wizard list for sure. Maybe Sorcerer. Maybe Warlock. Maybe Bard.

Do you look at it as a "Nature"-based kind of magic? Druid list for sure. Maybe Ranger. Maybe Bard.

Is it a "combat-use only" kind of spell? Maybe Paladin. Maybe Ranger. Maybe Bard. Maybe Warlock. Maybe Sorcerer.

Is it a "utility-use only" kind of spell? (this isn't, clearly, but ya know...) Wizards for sure. Cleric for sure. Maybe Druid. Maybe Bard.

...and so on. No, these descriptors (arcane/divine/nature magic) don't really have any actual defined meaning in 5e, per se,...but it is in there shaping feel and form.

I agree with Gadget here, WotC is very conscious and clear about "<Wizard name> spell" existing on the Wizard list. So, I would remove "Tenser" from the spell name to free up what/where you can put it...Given that there aren't necessarily all that many wizards running around with bows and arrows.

I would definitely put it in the Ranger list. I could see it added to Druid, Bard and Warlock lists. It's transmutable nature makes it "feel" like potential Sorcerer and Wizard spell, as well...just not a "<wizard name> wizard/arcane list only spell."

So, basically, it sounds like it could conceivably fit everywhere except for Clerics (with it possibly being swapped in on specialty "domain" lists for sky/bird/archery/forest deities) or Paladins.

 

[epithet]

Not much point in removing Tenser's name from the spell in my campaign, since the party got the spell from Tenser himself. For what it's worth, I told the bard in the party he could learn it mostly because there wasn't a wizard in the group.

I was using that particular spell as an example, but I do think there should be some system, or at least some guidelines, for assigning spells to particular classes.

 

[epithet]

I suppose since I mentioned it I might as well post my 5e version of Tenser's Hunting Hawk for your use and enjoyment.

Tenser's Hunting Hawk
2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute

You imbue a dweomer into a piece of feather-fletched ammunition that you touch. When that piece of ammunition is fired from a ranged weapon before the spell ends, it transforms into a blood hawk while in flight to a location that the shooter can see within the weapon’s range. The hawk can use its reaction to immediately make an attack with advantage against a creature of the shooter’s choice within 5 feet of that location.

Thereafter, the hawk rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn for the duration of the spell or until the hawk is destroyed. As a bonus action on his or her turn, the shooter can command the hawk to attack opponents of the shooter’s choice, and the hawk will obey if it can hear the shooter. If it is not commanded, the hawk will behave as if its last command were repeated each round until the spell ends.
If a piece of magic ammunition, or one with special properties, has hunting hawk cast upon it, then the hawk retains whatever special or magical properties the ammunition had, including attack or damage bonuses. For example, a blood hawk formed from an arrow +1 will also be +1 on all attack and damage rolls and its beak will be considered a magic weapon, and a blood hawk formed from a piece of silvered ammunition will attack with a silvered beak. An arrow of slaying cannot be affected by the spell.

When the spell's duration ends, the hawk transforms back into the piece of ammunition, which shatters.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the blood hawk gains +1 to hit, +1d4 damage, +1 to its armor class, and 4 temporary hit points for each slot level above 2nd.​

Notes: I stayed as close as possible to the original Gary Gygax spell (including using the word "dweomer.") In applying 5e mechanics, I chose the bonus action casting time to keep it in line with magic weapon, holy weapon, lightning arrow, etc. The enhancements at higher levels might seem like a handful, but that was in large part because of how easy it is to make an effect for that in Fantasy Grounds. If I were running this at a traditional analog table, I would probably have the hawk act on the shooter's initiative and do the higher spell slot boost differently to keep things simple. Also, if I were to just make this a ranger spell, I would word it more like lightning arrow ("the next time you make a ranged weapon attack...") instead of keeping the caster and the shooter separate.

 

[ccs]

How should someone reasonably go about deciding what class can cast a new spell, other than saying "that feels right, I guess" and shrugging?

What's wrong with this method? It's exactly how the game developers do it.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I suppose since I mentioned it I might as well post my 5e version of Tenser's Hunting Hawk for your use and enjoyment.

I would suggest adding concentration requirement, but otherwise, looks good.

 

[epithet]

I thought about concentration, but that would make the spell worse than spirit weapon, which I used as a base line for comparison. Also, in its current Wizardly incarnation, I imagine the caster handing the arrow to the friendly rogue and being done with it — the care and feeding of the hawk is up to the shooter.