D&D 5E Xanathar's Guide to Everything: Spells

[Li Shenron]

I do think they will both likely have access to over 12 new spells each.

If it's only 12, I am not overly concerned.

But I do think that clerics & druids know too many spells, and it would be more fair to other classes if they had a fixed number of spells known like all other classes do. It's especially the low-level spells which are too many. There are also some near-duplicate spells, designed for the sake of players who had different requirements for example on touch healing vs ranged healing, but there is no fundamental need why each and every one cleric character must know both of them. The large number of 1st-to-3rd level spell has caused analysis-paralysis to some of my players before (which by the way is one reason why I typically give the players a "prepared spells starting package" suggestion).

It is however a much, much better situation now compared to 3e, that was a true nightmare*! So if they really only get 12-15 new spells hopefully distributed across the 9 levels (8th and 9th clerical spells are otherwise even too few), then it won't be bad.

*IMHO the whole edition was tainted by the bad bad idea that "since gods can do anything, so clerics should too"

 

[gyor]

I looked at the EEPC and I likely under estimated the amount of Druid spells, by alot.

 

[Greg K]

If it's only 12, I am not overly concerned.

But I do think that clerics & druids know too many spells, and it would be more fair to other classes if they had a fixed number of spells known like all other classes do.

I agree which is why, as I prepare to DM a 5e campaign, I am doing what I have always done- go through the spell lists (including the phb) and determine a) which spells I consider appropriate for all Clerics in my game and which spells are appropriate for clerics of each deity in my game. Then, go through and determine which are appropriate for druids of my world. It is more work, but I dislike how D&D has typically handled both 2e clerics and druids with their regards to their spell lists (2e being somewhat of an exception). Some thematically appropriate existing spells may not make the list for other reasons and several spells won't even be included in the campaign.

 

[FlyingChihuahua]

I looked at the EEPC and I likely under estimated the amount of Druid spells, by alot.

What they'll probably do is put in less Druid spells and more Cleric spells to compensate.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I agree which is why, as I prepare to DM a 5e campaign, I am doing what I have always done- go through the spell lists (including the phb) and determine a) which spells I consider appropriate for all Clerics in my game and which spells are appropriate for clerics of each deity in my game. Then, go through and determine which are appropriate for druids of my world. It is more work, but I dislike how D&D has typically handled both 2e clerics and druids with their regards to their spell lists (2e being somewhat of an exception). Some thematically appropriate existing spells may not make the list for other reasons and several spells won't even be included in the campaign.

That's what I used to do back in the day, every deity had a list of regular cleric spells it didn't give it's clerics, and spells not normally on the cleric list that they could. 2e made that easier, with Spheres, but even then I'd tweak it a little...

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

I hope they haven't gone overboard with new cleric & druid spells... they already have quite a lot of them, and they would get immediate access to all the new ones.

Why? Do the players tell the DM what the rules are? No one gets immediate anything if the DM says no.

 

[tuxedoraptor]

I hope they do something about frostbite, that spell is bananas. Ray of frost is just a joke right now. I changed the damage type to acid and that definitely made it more palatable. It is now called ray of acid and the slowing effect is because caustic gunk sticks to the target.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

So were did you see some previews of the spells.

 

[Mistwell]

I looked at the EEPC and I likely under estimated the amount of Druid spells, by alot.

My rough count was 142 current Druid spells, 207 for cleric.

 

[Greg K]

Why? Do the players tell the DM what the rules are?

Apparently, in many instances, the answer is yes (if the internet during 3e was to be believed). Many DMs online claimed that, despite feeling uneasy about specific options and/or overwhelmed by the release of 3e material, they feared either a) a confrontation with players; or b) losing players. Therefore, they ignored the DMG about being in charge of what is and what is not allowed and allowed whatever a player wanted or simply made everything by WOTC available.