Is the domain wizard broken? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Is the domain wizard broken? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Joseph_Silver
02-10-07, 12:08 AM I play mostly as a generalist wizard, and it seems to me that the domain wizard has everything the generalist has and more!

I've reread the class description several times, and I still cannot find any weakness to this variant.

Can someone please help me?
bahamut920
02-10-07, 12:42 AM Specialist wizards get a bonus spell from their school of specialization at each spell, in exchange for losing access to two entire schools. What you are essentially doing is trading in some versatility for a little bit of "oomph." With a wizard's limited number of spells per day, this can be a good thing, but you have to choose your schools carefully, or you'll end up missing some cool spells.
Joseph_Silver
02-10-07, 01:01 AM I'm not talking about specialist wizards. I'm talking about domain wizards. Here's a link:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizardVarian tDomainWizard
TheCanadian
02-10-07, 01:25 AM I'm currently playing the Domain Wizard variant in my friend's campaign and I have to say, so far it doesn't seem that broken.

I chose the Anti-magic domain so that I could use my Wizard's slots for some other spells, and at lvl 5 it seems to be a meh variant. I suppose it might be a little more powerful at higher levels, but I don't see it overpowering the game.
Fireclave
02-10-07, 01:34 AM I've read it and reread it. Looks like pure cheese to me. Just remember that all UA material is optional rulings (that may or may not result in strong brokenation in your (DM's) campaign) and therefore all UA material is subject to DM approval.

Now if only I could get my DM to approve the Strom Domain for my Sorcerer.
Rhialto
02-10-07, 01:41 AM I read through it, and it appears that variant class gets bonuses, but no compensating penalties. It might not be broken, but it certainly means there's no reason to use teh vanilla wizard.
Soltares
02-10-07, 08:59 AM The assumption of that particular variant seems to be that the Wizard is considered to underperform slightly compared to other spellcasters, and this is offered as a way to make them a little sexier.

I'm not sure if I agree with that assumption (if anything, I kinda think the *Sorcerer* could use a few level-based abilities, to make it more than a class one PrC's out of ASAP).

Also note on p 136-139 the suggestions for powering *down* the Summon Monster spell. Some DMs might find it a little too versatile, and this, like the Domain Wizard, is a potential house rule to deal with that. Some options add power, some take away.

And there's also the house rule suggestion on p 68, for anyone who thinks the Druid is underperforming and could use help. Heh. As if.
Miss_Yersinia
02-11-07, 09:42 AM Another reason: IIRC, after the 3.0 launch, a designer said, that the Specialist Wizard was balanced against the Cleric, Druid and Sorcerer - the generalist was inherently weaker - I think it is easily to see, if you look at the spells per days for the classes.

Now, the domain wizard gains an extra spell, but is very limited, and frankly, the extra spell is not that powerful (since the other classes also have more spells). The typical wizard-flexibility argument doesn't apply as well, since the domains are fixed, so I don't think they're unbalanced, and in line with the Specialist (Domain: More flexibility for remaining slots, but none for extra slot <-> Specialist: More flexibility for extra slot, but less for remaining slots).

They... just make the Generalist useless.
Witch
02-11-07, 09:50 AM Broken? Not any more than the normal Wizard.

More powerful than the generalist wizard? Definitely.
trapspringer
02-12-07, 04:45 PM I think they are a little broken, but frankly it doesn't really matter unless you are comparing his power to another wizard in the party. The wizard is already so good at his role that a little extra kick isn't going to be noticeable.
Witch
02-12-07, 04:54 PM I think they are a little broken, but frankly it doesn't really matter unless you are comparing his power to another wizard in the party.
The term "broken" in itself implies that it matters, and will break the game.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Joseph_Silver 02-10-07, 12:08 AM	I play mostly as a generalist wizard, and it seems to me that the domain wizard has everything the generalist has and more! I've reread the class description several times, and I still cannot find any weakness to this variant. Can someone please help me?
bahamut920 02-10-07, 12:42 AM	Specialist wizards get a bonus spell from their school of specialization at each spell, in exchange for losing access to two entire schools. What you are essentially doing is trading in some versatility for a little bit of "oomph." With a wizard's limited number of spells per day, this can be a good thing, but you have to choose your schools carefully, or you'll end up missing some cool spells.
Joseph_Silver 02-10-07, 01:01 AM	I'm not talking about specialist wizards. I'm talking about domain wizards. Here's a link: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizardVarian tDomainWizard
TheCanadian 02-10-07, 01:25 AM	I'm currently playing the Domain Wizard variant in my friend's campaign and I have to say, so far it doesn't seem that broken. I chose the Anti-magic domain so that I could use my Wizard's slots for some other spells, and at lvl 5 it seems to be a meh variant. I suppose it might be a little more powerful at higher levels, but I don't see it overpowering the game.
Fireclave 02-10-07, 01:34 AM	I've read it and reread it. Looks like pure cheese to me. Just remember that all UA material is optional rulings (that may or may not result in strong brokenation in your (DM's) campaign) and therefore all UA material is subject to DM approval. Now if only I could get my DM to approve the Strom Domain for my Sorcerer.
Rhialto 02-10-07, 01:41 AM	I read through it, and it appears that variant class gets bonuses, but no compensating penalties. It might not be broken, but it certainly means there's no reason to use teh vanilla wizard.
Soltares 02-10-07, 08:59 AM	The assumption of that particular variant seems to be that the Wizard is considered to underperform slightly compared to other spellcasters, and this is offered as a way to make them a little sexier. I'm not sure if I agree with that assumption (if anything, I kinda think the Sorcerer could use a few level-based abilities, to make it more than a class one PrC's out of ASAP). Also note on p 136-139 the suggestions for powering down the Summon Monster spell. Some DMs might find it a little too versatile, and this, like the Domain Wizard, is a potential house rule to deal with that. Some options add power, some take away. And there's also the house rule suggestion on p 68, for anyone who thinks the Druid is underperforming and could use help. Heh. As if.
Miss_Yersinia 02-11-07, 09:42 AM	Another reason: IIRC, after the 3.0 launch, a designer said, that the Specialist Wizard was balanced against the Cleric, Druid and Sorcerer - the generalist was inherently weaker - I think it is easily to see, if you look at the spells per days for the classes. Now, the domain wizard gains an extra spell, but is very limited, and frankly, the extra spell is not that powerful (since the other classes also have more spells). The typical wizard-flexibility argument doesn't apply as well, since the domains are fixed, so I don't think they're unbalanced, and in line with the Specialist (Domain: More flexibility for remaining slots, but none for extra slot <-> Specialist: More flexibility for extra slot, but less for remaining slots). They... just make the Generalist useless.
Witch 02-11-07, 09:50 AM	Broken? Not any more than the normal Wizard. More powerful than the generalist wizard? Definitely.
trapspringer 02-12-07, 04:45 PM	I think they are a little broken, but frankly it doesn't really matter unless you are comparing his power to another wizard in the party. The wizard is already so good at his role that a little extra kick isn't going to be noticeable.
Witch 02-12-07, 04:54 PM	I think they are a little broken, but frankly it doesn't really matter unless you are comparing his power to another wizard in the party. The term "broken" in itself implies that it matters, and will break the game.