Why do Wizards get bonus feats?

[Grayhawk]

Does any of you have any insights or thoughts about why it was deemed necessary to grant bonus feats to Wizards?

Wouldn't they have been powerful enough without them?

 

[Schmoe]

Does any of you have any insights or thoughts about why it was deemed necessary to grant bonus feats to Wizards?

Wouldn't they have been powerful enough without them?

I have two ideas. First, WOTC had a cool new system of metamagic, and they wanted to encourage players to explore the system. Second, each of the other primary casters (druids and clerics) got all sorts of cool things to go along with their full caster progression (2 good saves, better HP, domain powers, druid powers, turn undead, etc). By comparison, the wizard looked really boring and underpowered.

I still can't explain the sorcerer, though.

 

[Gez]

Given the number of item creation feats, they had to give bonus feats to wizard so that an artificer character could be created.

Oh, and actually, only the druid isn't boring. The cleric, wizard, and sorcerer all gets empty "Special" columns. Except for a very few bonus feats for the wizard. Sure, spells, familiar, and undead turning are boosted; but that don't fill the "Special" column enough.

 

[Li Shenron]

...

I still can't explain the sorcerer, though.

I have another theory (just for fun). That the Wizard was balanced from the start without the need for bonus feats. Some playtesters at WotC complained about the stupid rules of the Wizard being too much dependent on a single piece of equipment - his spellbook - rules that in fact come from oldfashioned flavor and are very often simply ignored. Therefore, Wizards got a free Spell Mastery feat every 5 levels to be less dependent on the spellbook. But later other people at WotC complained that if you didn't care for spellbook rules (that the DM doesn't try to destroy it, that you don't keep track of weight/encumbrance of carrying all your spellbooks in dungeons...) those gifts were worth nothing, so they let you choose metamagic or item creation as alternative bonus feats. The conclusion is that some groups think it's fair to house-rule free feats for the Sorcerer too because it's weaker.

 

[Darklone]

I always thought the wizard-sorcerer to be the fighter-barbarian equivalent... to improve the wizards versatility towards the sheer force of the sorcerer, they gave him some extra feats.

 

[Tessarael]

Wizards also have better skills than Sorcerers, courtesy of high Intelligence. I think some feats are a good idea for any class, for the sake of customization. (Basically advocating more feats for everyone and less class features; class features becoming generic feats that people can take with appropriate prerequisites.)

To encourage metamagic and item creation feats, Wizard bonus feats are essential. And I don't think these feats make someone substantially more powerful, so I think the Wizard remains fairly balanced vs. not having the feats. It just adds some more flavor. On the subject of item creation feats ... blech, way too many ... make it two or three: potions/scrolls (one shot items), charged items, permanent items. Or maybe not even that. I don't really see the need for item creation feats.

So balance-wise, I think the Wizard feats help improve Wizard a little, but not hugely, and Sorcerer is very good in combat, so closer to Sorcerer if you give Wizard some extra feats.

Just my thoughts ...

 

[Li Shenron]

...it's also possible that if you consider metamagics for those free feats, getting them for free compensates a little for the more difficulties in using them compared to the Sorcerer.

 

[KarinsDad]

Actually, I think it is a mistake that Sorcerers do not get some abilities every 4 or 5 levels as well (other than next to worthless familiar abilities).

Druids get a lot of abilities.
Clerics get domain spells.
Wizards get bonus feats.

Sorcerers do not get anything.

The problem this presents is that Prestige Classes that give both additional abilities and one level of the previous classes spell casting capability are win win situations. There is no incentive whatsoever for a Sorcerer to stay single classed and not go PrC like there is (at least marginally) for Clerics, Druids, and Wizards.

 

[Li Shenron]

The problem this presents is that Prestige Classes that give both additional abilities and one level of the previous classes spell casting capability are win win situations. There is no incentive whatsoever for a Sorcerer to stay single classed and not go PrC like there is (at least marginally) for Clerics, Druids, and Wizards.

yeah, yeah... old thought o'mine

 

[pawsplay]

yeah, yeah... old thought o'mine

Familiars. Sorcerers with Familiars want to advance as Sorcerers, at least to 6th. Familiar-less Sorcerers, OTOH, should think seriously about Prestige Classes, especially EK, Archmage, or Arcane Trickster.