D&D 5E Why does Wizards of the Coast hate Wizards?

[Rafael Martin]

So read the most recent Unearthed Arcana....Major flavor/Mechanical bonuses for Sorcerer, followed by Bard and Warlock.....and next to nothing for the Wizard...unless you are a Diviner (& even then not much gain).

-Any flavor/enhancement to the Spellbook....nope.
-Any Expertise like enhancement to the Arcana or Investigation skill.....nope....that Arcane Trickster with Expertise Arcana is a better scholar than Wizard,
(and has a better True Strike alternative with Aim now)
-Automatic Tool Prof in Calligrapahy...nope


WOTC needs more love for Barbarians and Wizards in 5e

Todd, I have to ask you this question: why do you hate WOTC?

 

[Undrave]

As an aside, I think it's funny that making 'Tiers' jargon for level bands has finally caught on enough to make it slightly harder to talk about Class Tiers. The Wizard is still solidly Class Tier 1, given the unprecedented versatility of prepping daily and casting spontaneously, it'd be Tier 0 if spells had proliferated in number & power the way they did in 3.x, but it's place on the top of the heap is the same as in 3e, either way. Really, the Bard is the only class that's dramatically changed in the rankings since 3e, though most boats have been floated on the rising tide of increased versatility, loosened restrictions, and spells for all. Like, it's hard to put any whole class at Tier 5. The Champion and Berserker may arguably languish there, as sub-classes, but they're pretty lonely. Nothing is so badly designed as to rate Tier 6, not even the Ranger.

I think the different between Class Tier is just not as dramatic as before. It exists, but it's not a case where Tier 5 is an ant and Tier 1 is a GOD you know?

 

[Tony Vargas]

I think the different between Class Tier is just not as dramatic as before.

Tiers 6 has been vacated and Tier 5 arguably so, so yeah, less difference between the top & bottom, in general.

It exists, but it's not a case where Tier 5 is an ant and Tier 1 is a GOD you know?

I think you underestimate ants. I mean, an ant can carry 100x it's own body weight, a Campion Fighter isn't a Remarkable enough an Athlete to duplicate that feat. (OK, maybe a 20 STR halfling Champion...)

 

[Ashrym]

The lack of Arcana Expertise IS a bit weird for the Wizard. Seems like that would be his forte... aside from that the Wizard is fine.

Wizards aren't loremasters. They are incidentally good because they are smart. Bards are loremasters.

 

[Salthorae]

Wizards aren't loremasters. They are incidentally good because they are smart. Bards are loremasters.

Sure Bards are loremasters thematically.

Wizards are masters of the Arcane arts... but they're not even close to the best at the Arcane skill. It's nonsensical.

 

[Tony Vargas]

So read the most recent Unearthed Arcana....Major flavor/Mechanical bonuses for Sorcerer, followed by Bard and Warlock.....and next to nothing for the Wizard...unless you are a Diviner (& even then not much gain).

Same issue as with sub-classes, the Wizard already had so much more than everyone else, there just wasn't much left to give it, without just obviously gilding the lily. It's like the Chairman of the board giving the 21yo VP of Marketing a smaller Christmas bonus because he doesn't want to show favoritism to his son.

-Any flavor/enhancement to the Spellbook....nope.
-Any Expertise like enhancement to the Arcana or Investigation skill.....nope....that Arcane Trickster with Expertise Arcana is a better scholar than Wizard,

I mean, a Wizard not knowing everything there is to know about Arcana is like a surgeon not knowing everything there is to know about Biology or an EE no knowing everything there is to know about sub-atomic physics.

-Automatic Tool Prof in Calligrapahy...nope

don't see how that could hurt, honestly, but wouldn't it step on the Monk's "illuminate manuscripts?"

 

[Sacrosanct]

Crawford explains why and how they did the wizard in the first 2 minutes here

 

[Bardic Dave]

Crawford explains why and how they did the wizard in the first 2 minutes here

Ooooh, I can hear the hatred just dripping from his voice! What a scoundrel!

 

[Sacrosanct]

Ooooh, I can hear the hatred just dripping from his voice! What a scoundrel!

He is a scoundrel. That's why he immediately started talking about the rogue right after. Kindred spirit

Honestly though, it was interesting how he describes the rogue aim ability as a way not to necessarily grant advantage, but to cancel disadvantage the rogue might have.

 

[Ashrym]

Sure Bards are loremasters thematically.

Wizards are masters of the Arcane arts... but they're not even close to the best at the Arcane skill. It's nonsensical.

It's because higher DC's refers to rare information not better use of information. Arcana being INT does make wizards close to the best because INT + proficiency compares well to 2 x proficiency given the rarity of INT development or expertise in arcana in the first place.

The better arcana from non-wizards is more hypothetical than actual and requires a build specifically devoted to that one skill.