Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DaleMcCoy Mar 11, 2015 13:26:33	Link to Original Blog Post   As my warlock, Sir Tim von Daggerdale, gains levels, I am learning more of the subtle differences that have changed in the spells from 3.5/Pathfinder to 5th edition. While many work the same (or close enough to the same), some have more substantial changes. Some spells that I have had a beef with for a long time have finally been changed and I am glad of it. Here are a few spells that I am glad got an overhaul.    Teleport. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of bouncing around from place to place. Imagine if Gandolf could have just taken Frodo straight to Mount Doom. There wouldn't have been a story worth telling. Before before 5e and now if you didn't want to go a long journey but had to do so for the story, the GM could just say, "Yea, you had a couple of encounters along the way, but they were no match for you. No, Bob, you are not getting experience for that."  Teleport is now a 7th-level spell. This means that your group is not going to be bouncing around all over the place until quite late in the game (more on teleportation circle another time). Additionally, teleporting to the wrong area is a significally higher possibility. In 3.5/Pathfinder, scrying the location before teleporting in means you have a 3 in 4 chance of showing up without a scratch on you. In 5e that success rate has been bumped down to a 1 in 4 chance. What even better, there are a few additional lines added to the table about how familiar you are with the destination. My favorite is the "associated object" entry. Don't like the 1 in 4 odds, your rogue can use this contacts in the thieves' guild to get the location of a book from the building next door. Sends the players on a short adventure that they are going to remember more than "ok, I cast teleport." Plane Shift. Plane shift if now a 7th-level spell for everyone. Sorry clerics. This means that not only are the number of people that can cast it are significantly reduced, the number of scrolls from which you can cast it are massively reduced. Add that to the fact that no spellcasting class can cast a second 7th-level spell per long rest before 20th level and you made sure that your group doesn't jump into the plane, adventure, and jump back to their home base to rest. If I want to do a planar adventure, I don't want the way back to be too easy.  Dispel Magic. This one I just like because of how simple it now is. In Pathfinder, the whole spell is more than a solid column. In 5e, dispel magic is 6 lines (not counting the at higher level part). You can argue that it should be longer since counterspell is broken off to its own spell. But the two are so similar that if you understand one, you understand the other. Simplicity that works well is always  a plus in my book. And lastly, ... Every spell with an At Higher Level section. I don't really like adding spells just because "this kind of spell is not available at this level." I mean sure there is a wizard fire damaging spell in the core 3.5/Pathfinder games at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd levels. So do we need to add one at 4th? Or how about a cleric's cure spells? Do we really need one at every level. I love that 5e allows many spells to be useful at higher levels. This is probably my favorite part of 5e's magic system.  So there you have it. Several spells that changed that I absolutely love about 5e. Thank you, designers. What spells have changed that you like? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. See you next time.
#2 Nevvur Mar 11, 2015 13:46:50	Wish.   Earlier editions had you lose experience points, or age several years. Now you're just feeble for awhile. I have conflicting feelings on the 'never able to cast wish again' consequence, though.   On the other hand, I've never been the player or DM in a group that reached a high enough level to even cast the spell.
(Reply to #2) DaleMcCoy	Nevvur wrote:
(Reply to #3) randl	DaleMcCoy wrote:
#5 Nevvur Mar 11, 2015 14:26:47	To be honest, I haven't read most of the spells above 6th level. I tend to study only the resources my party can currently access, or will be available in the near future. They're currently at level 9-10, hence familiarizing myself with 6th level magic.   Wish just stands out as something most wizards aspire to, so it was one of the first spells I read when I got the PHB back in August. Good call on the other spells, though I wouldn't mind a block of text on Dispel Magic to determine the spell level for a magical effect created by a monster. Ex: Scarecrow, Terrifying Glare, you are magically frightened. Given his low CR, Dispel Magic should end the effect without contest. How about a Galeb Duhr's ability, Animate Boulders? The Animate Objects spell is close (5th level), so that could be a good reference point. A Djinni's Create Whirlwind? I could find plenty more examples, but I'd rather have a standardized system written into Dispel Magic for monster 'magical effects that are not spells,' probably just based on their CR.   If there's an existing method to extrapolate the spell level of such effects, I must have missed it.
#6 Jenks Mar 11, 2015 14:58:10	I've long been at odds with Teleport. It's a love/hate relationship that will probably go on forever.   On one hand, it lets the players skip possibly interesting content.   On the other hand, it lets the players skip possibly uninteresting content.
#7 Shasarak Mar 11, 2015 15:23:21	DaleMcCoy wrote:
#8 Reius Mar 11, 2015 15:57:16	DaleMcCoy wrote:
(Reply to #2) AaronOfBarbaria	Nevvur wrote:
(Reply to #6) CCS	Jenks wrote:
#11 mellored Mar 11, 2015 23:29:51	it doesn't take teleport to skip uninteresting content. player "i want to travel to a far off city with minimal threat" dm "it takes you a month to get there".
(Reply to #11) CCS	mellored wrote: