Generalist Wizard

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

FallingIcicle

Jul 27, 2014 19:12:21

From what I've heard, there won't be a generalist wizard in the PHB - only the 8 school specialists. I decided to make my own generalist wizard. Let me know what you think.

 

Arcane Scholar (Wizard Arcane Tradition)
Rather than specializing in a particular school or type of magic, you focus on the magical theories underlying spell design and the arcane techniques of rituals. Each arcane word, gesture, symbol and spell is just one part of a much greater pattern, and you seek to one day understand the weave of magic in its entirety. Though you lack the potent abilities of those who focus on a single school of magic, your mastery of spellcraft gives you greater versatility.

 

Expanded Mind
Starting at 2nd level, you can prepare one additional spell of each level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the wizard table.

 

Spell Mnemonics
Beginning at 6th level, preparing a new list of spells takes you half the normal time, and you can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a short rest.

 

Arcane Sight
Beginning at 10th level, you can cast the detect magic spell at-will whenever you have it prepared, without expending a spell slot. You add this spell to your spellbook if it isn't there already.

 

Ritual Mastery
Starting at 14th level, you can cast any wizard spell in your spellbook as a ritual by adding 10 minutes to its casting time, even if it doesn't have the ritual tag. If the spell doesn't have the ritual tag, you must still expend a spell slot when you cast it this way.

#2

Emerikol.

Jul 27, 2014 19:17:49

I love the idea.  Love!

 

Not sure expanded mind and ritual mastery aren't too powerful.  The others sound good.  I might make Arcane Sight a bonus action if used in combat.  

 

Expanded mind though just needs tweaking.  Maybe double your attribute bonus.  

 

Maybe Ritual Mastery could be limited 5th level and lower.

 

Still you are on the right track that is minor balance adjustments.  I like the idea.

#3

Mephi1234

Jul 27, 2014 19:17:58

Ahhhh... umm... how to say this.   

 

Dear gods, no to ritual mastery at 14.    One of the big checks on caster is their limited spell slots on utility things.   That basically says "What spell slots?"    It has the potential to turn the wizard back into the 3e problems.

 

Arcane Sight... well, its a casual spell, and already ritual-able.   I see no need of it actually being so high a level, truthfully.

 

Being able to swap out spells at short rest... I'm not sure on that one,    Though, honestly, being able to have an extra spell per spell level?   You're already sporting more spells than slots.   On top of the level 2 ability?   I'd say you're probably already tapped out on spells you'd want memorized for the day.

 

 

 

#4

FallingIcicle

Jul 27, 2014 19:25:22

Emerikol. wrote:
(Reply to #4)

SilentSin

FallingIcicle wrote:
#6

Fellstrike

Jul 27, 2014 20:15:50

SilentSin wrote:
(Reply to #6)

SilentSin

Fellstrike wrote:
#8

Sailing_Pirate_Ryan

Jul 29, 2014 9:10:13

You should probably limit Spell Mneumonics to switching out prepared spells you haven't cast yet. Swapping out a prepared 9th level spell once you've used its one and only spell slot seems unbalancing (and cheesy) to me.

#9

FallingIcicle

Jul 29, 2014 18:00:23

Sailing_Pirate_Ryan wrote:
#10

Consona

Jul 30, 2014 7:50:10

FallingIcicle wrote:
(Reply to #10)

JC999

Consona wrote:
#12

Consona

Jul 30, 2014 8:40:05

JC999 wrote:
#13

ChrisCarlson

Jul 30, 2014 8:42:48

JC999 wrote:
#14

Daganev

Jul 30, 2014 9:31:45 		I like extra prepared spells and slots for versatility. Perhaps the universal theory of magic allows you to improvise a spell. Which means each level you add one more spell to your spell book than normal after 14th level instead of the ritual concept. And then move arcane sight to level 2? Oh and make the extra spells out into your spell book retroactive, so you get 14 new spells in your book.
#15

Kalani

Jul 30, 2014 10:19:54

FallingIcicle wrote:
(Reply to #9)

Sailing_Pirate_Ryan

FallingIcicle wrote:
#17

MacEochaid

Aug 03, 2014 23:20:33

I love the no generalist angle. I like my party's to have Illusionists luring the monsters around the corner where they are suprised with a facefull of Evoker, both of whom spend their downtime bickering about the most difficult spell school. I don't need any Blandalf the Blands.

#18

FallingIcicle

Aug 04, 2014 3:10:50

MacEochaid wrote:
#19

mellored

Aug 04, 2014 6:48:09

Ritual Master is very much OP.   Meteor storms going every 10 minutes?  No thanks.

 

 

IMO:

 

Level 2: Expanded Mind: You can prepare 1 extra spell per level.  (No reason to complicate it)

 

Level 6: Versitilie Cantrip: Durring a long rest, you can change 1 cantrip you know to another cantrip that exsist in your game world.

 

Level 10: Tome Casting:  You can cast spells from your tome even if you do not have them prepared.  Spells cast this way take 1 higher slot then normal.  You do not get the normal benifits of casting a spell in a higher level this way.  For instance, if you cast an unprepared fireball in a 5th level slot, consider it to be cast at a 4th level slot (9d6 fire damage).

 

Level 14: Arcane Understanding: You can cast any wizard spell without knowing it, as long as it exsist in your game world (ask your DM).  Spells cast this way take 2 higher slots then normal.  You do not get the normal benifits of casting a spell in a higher level this way.  For instance, if you cast an unknown fireball in a 7th level slot, consider it to be cast at a 5th level slot (10d6 fire damage).

#20

Lokiron

Aug 04, 2014 10:43:47 		A lot of good ideas in this thread show me that the generalist has a place in this edition (the suggested title, Arcane Scholar, is nice). I especially like the idea that he would be the most book smart of all, having abilities that force him to use the book in combat. That's the stuff you see in movies all the time!
#21

Karnos

Aug 04, 2014 11:44:10

Kalani wrote:
#22

vacthok

Aug 04, 2014 12:41:27

mellored wrote:
#23

Grifford

Aug 04, 2014 14:29:26

I'm actually really glad there is no generalist wizard. For as long as there has been a generalist wizard option, I've never seen anyone opt into a school specialization (other than maybe evocation). This is usually because specialist wizards always seemed too limited compared to the generalist. OP's custom subclass recreates this dilemma. 

#24

TiaNadiezja

Aug 04, 2014 14:47:48

FallingIcicle wrote:
(Reply to #23)

Lokiron

Grifford wrote:
#26

Grifford

Aug 04, 2014 16:35:24

Lokiron wrote:
#27

TiaNadiezja

Aug 04, 2014 16:54:52

Grifford wrote:
#28

THEMNGMNT

Aug 04, 2014 21:11:36

I'm not really qualified to judge the mechanics, but from a fluff perspective this is an interesting and flavorful approach to the generalist wizard. It doesn't feel generic. Definitely a good start.

#29

2Chlorobutanal

Aug 04, 2014 21:31:01

I think a generalist subclass is unwarranted in a setting where specialists don't suffer any disadvantages.

 

Also, I think giving extra spell preparations or spell slots to a generalist runs counter to previous incarnations of the wizard where specialists got more spells than the generalists.

 

I feel that a "generalist" school or archetype (or "arcane scholar") does not fit with the way the spellcasting classes have been presented in 5e.  It would be similar to adding a "Universal" domain which completely disregards the domain spell mechanic for clerics.

 

I think that many of the proposed class features are poorly described or imbalanced in their implementation.

As already mentioned, I don't feel that a non-specialist should get more spells (prepared, known, or cast) than a specialist.

I think that changing spells after a short rest is out of theme and possibly too powerful (or at least defeats the purpose of preparing spells).

Having detect magic as a "fast" ritual seems interesting but possibly not strong enough of a class feature.  Also, detect magic falls under the purview of Divination to me.

Casting any spell as a ritual also removes meaning from the ritual spell tag while additionally removing the importance of spell preparation.  Making the feature cost a spell slot muddies the waters of what exactly a "ritual" spell means.

 

In my opinion, without having actually seen 7 of the 8 PHB schools of magic and their benefits, I am assuming that a Diviner or Abjurer, possibly a Transmuter, would fit the role of a "general" wizard fairly well- at least how a "wizard" should act in my imagination.  Players are free to disregard the spells of their speciality and the bonus class features if they so desire.

(Reply to #27)

CCS

TiaNadiezja wrote:
#31

FallingIcicle

Aug 04, 2014 22:01:28

mellored wrote:
#32

Lokiron

Aug 04, 2014 23:02:23 		I think the halogenated aldehyde has a point (as was made earlier as well) that diviner, abjurer, or possibly transmuter could fit the "classic" pure wizard. BUT, I think it's a mistake to say that there isn't room for the OP suggested theme. Is everyone saying that the only subclasses you'd ever want are covered by classic specialization within spell schools? Sounds very limited to me.
#33

Nautilus

Aug 05, 2014 0:41:36
Arcane Weaver

 

"I've tutored young wizards for decades, and inevitably some of them will ask me 'Do I have to choose a school to specialize in?'. My answer is always the same. 'No, you can become an arcane weaver, an expert of magic's underlying secrets. Go research it.'  A few weeks later, they always return, wide-eyed with terror and much more decisive about picking a school. Looking beneath the veil to understand how the Weave really operates is confounding, illogical and a glimpse into madness. Only one of my students ever became a fully fledged weaver, and I've heard she now howls out her days in some distant sanatorium. Weavers are uncommonly puissant, but put themselves in constant peril to gain forbidden secrets."

-Merach Harlequin, Archmagus of Silvervine Academy.

 

Arcane weavers are wizards who eschew specializing in one of the standard schools, in favor of mastery of the Weave at a fundamental level. This allows them to acquire powers that no other wizard can master, at the risk of their minds and souls.

 

Written spells, when mentioned below, refers to spells inscribed on scrolls or within books.

 

Insanity can result from trying to use a power and failing. By default, an insane weaver takes disadvantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom & Charisma checks and saves. The player and DM can also tailor the weaver's insanity to suit their preference, perhaps replacing one or more of the afflicted abilities with equally debilitating conditions. At the end of a long rest, the weaver or another PC may make a single Wisdom(Medicine) check to remove these effects. The DC is set by the event that granted the insanity.

 

Level 2: Eldritch Discovery.

You may learn any wizard spell you are capable of casting, and add it to your book, by spending 8 hours, expending one different written spell of the same or higher level than the target, and succeeding on a DC 15 + (target spell level) Intelligence check. Including another written spell, with the same difference and level criteria, grants advantage to the check. Rolling a natural 1 on any die causes you to become insane with a DC 10+target spell level removal threshold. All written spells, including those in books, turn to smoke and vanish, regardless of the result. If you have advantage on the check, it's possible to learn the target spell and still go insane.

 

Level 2: Weave Intricacy.

Your manipulations of the Weave allow you to cast in an economical fashion, leaving enough energy for an extra slot for each spell level that you are capable of casting.

 

Level 6: Cantrip Storm

Once per day, you may weave together two different cantrips into a single effect that takes one action to cast. You resolve each cantrip in the order of your choice. Extra different cantrips may be added to this effect, but you must make a DC 10 + (5 per extra cantrip) Intelligence check or go insane, with a removal DC equal to the check.

 

Level 10: Tome Channelling

You may cast a spell from a book, that is not on your available spell list, by placing one hand on the book containing the spell and using the other hand to gesture. The hand on the book must stay there until the spell is resolved, or the spell is lost without expending a slot. Casting the spell expends a slot of a level one higher than the level the spell was cast at. Alternatively, you can expend a slot of the same level, but the spell will turn to smoke and vanish. After using this feature, you must complete a short or long rest to use it again.

 

Level 14: Weave's Reward

Once per day, choose a wizard spell you don't know between 1st and 5th level that your DM agrees is available, and expend two slots of that level or higher to cast it. Alternatively, you can choose a spell between 6th and 9th level, expending one slot of that level or higher and making a DC 15 + (1 per spell level above 5th) Intelligence check. On a natural d20 result of the spell's level or less that's also a failure, you are battered for 10 force damage per spell level. In addition, a natural 1 causes you to become insane, with a DC equal to the previous check plus five and disadvantage on all checks to dispel it, which cannot be removed.