Hello once again everyone and a happy new year from germany!
Now, back to business:
I want to straighten the edges of the wizard class where I see them but I really would like your input on this.
My version is not nearly finished but I will post a link nontheless since post-editing is still not allowed here.
Anyways, I think I start with listing my basic changes I am planning and hope you guys will brainstorm with me:
- Skill points: 4 + Int.
All my classes receive a minimum of 4 skill points per level. I know the wizard will got plenty through his high INT, but it's something I simply do.
- Class skills: Craft, Fly, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Profession, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device.
I dropped Appraise since the only obvious reason was to "detect" magic items, but detect magic does the trick much butter, so I dropped it and added Intimidate and UMD to the list. I think every class should have at least one social skill and Intimidate fits quite well: "Fear me and my arcane powers or I will turn you into a toad! (and please don't realize that I am a 1st level wizard)".
I also think that a wizard should be quite adapt at handling magic items, so UMD was really missing here. Sure CHA won't be great for the wizard but class skill bonus might ease up on this.
- Bonus feats: 1 feat every 4th level (instead of 5th).
One more feat and a bit smoother progression. I simply prefer it.
- Spellcasting: +1 Spell per spell level.
This is part of one major change, because a specialist no longer receives an additional spell slot. It was the one reason no one would play a universalist and this is my way of fixing this. Specialists will get other benefits and other penalties.
- Arcane Bond:
I want to change the way familiars and Arcane Objects work. For now, I will simply drop the Concentration penalty for losing the Arcane Object. But I am thinking of adding a small Concentration bonus or penalty when having or not having the Arcane Object.
Familiars will receive a bigger nerf to be honest. I want to nerf the action economy trick with an improved familiar and UMD. It's simply too good and even more unbalancing than the wizard himself.
I want the familiar to be actually useful for scouting, delivering spells from a distance and helping when learning or crafting.
I would like to add one or two additional bond options but actually can't think of any ATM. Maybe making bonded weapons (athame) into a seperate bonded item type.
- Arcane School:
Now as I said, specialists no longer receive the additional spell slot. Instead, they receive +4 on ALL skill checks (usually spellcraft) and +1 spellcaster level when dealing with spells from their school, and start with one additional specialty spell at 1st level.
The opposition schools receive the mirrored penalty: -4 skill checks, -1 spellcaster level, and they count as two spells when chosen as new spells at 1st level or on level up.
(They no longer need two slots to be casts)
The Universalist gains neither bonuses nor penalties, as usual.
I will also look at all the school powers and try to bring them all at eye level if possible. I guess I will need your help especially on this part.
Well, I guess that's it. Maybe add some more Arcane Discoveries when I can think of some, we will see.
Thanks for reading and hopefully for many constructive posts.
Cheers.
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Link to the Improved Wizard
- Skill points: 4 + Int.
All my classes receive a minimum of 4 skill points per level. I know the wizard will got plenty through his high INT, but it's something I simply do.
They have enough skill points from their INT.
- Class skills: Craft, Fly, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Profession, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device.
I dropped Appraise since the only obvious reason was to "detect" magic items, but detect magic does the trick much butter, so I dropped it and added Intimidate and UMD to the list. I think every class should have at least one social skill and Intimidate fits quite well: "Fear me and my arcane powers or I will turn you into a toad! (and please don't realize that I am a 1st level wizard)".
I also think that a wizard should be quite adapt at handling magic items, so UMD was really missing here. Sure CHA won't be great for the wizard but class skill bonus might ease up on this.
Appraise is basically a knowledge skill and so is appropriate to the wizard. I don't see any reason to give wizards a social skill. And to give them intimidate is to shoehorn all wizards into angry types. I don't see any reason diplomacy or bluff wouldn't be more appropriate for certain builds.
UMD will just allow wizards to use cleric items more easily. This is bad power creep.
- Bonus feats: 1 feat every 4th level (instead of 5th).
One more feat and a bit smoother progression. I simply prefer it.
Again, power creep. If you do do this you should drop scribe scroll as a bonus feat to even it out. This isn't a great option, but just giving wizards more feats is crazy (you would also need to change arcane discoveries to line up with the new feat progression).
- Spellcasting: +1 Spell per spell level.
This is part of one major change, because a specialist no longer receives an additional spell slot. It was the one reason no one would play a universalist and this is my way of fixing this. Specialists will get other benefits and other penalties.
The only problem here is the universailst arcane school is both boring and underpowered. Making it more attractive is a much better fix.
- Arcane Bond:
I want to change the way familiars and Arcane Objects work. For now, I will simply drop the Concentration penalty for losing the Arcane Object. But I am thinking of adding a small Concentration bonus or penalty when having or not having the Arcane Object.Familiars will receive a bigger nerf to be honest. I want to nerf the action economy trick with an improved familiar and UMD. It's simply too good and even more unbalancing than the wizard himself.
I want the familiar to be actually useful for scouting, delivering spells from a distance and helping when learning or crafting.I would like to add one or two additional bond options but actually can't think of any ATM. Maybe making bonded weapons (athame) into a seperate bonded item type.
I don't see any reason for these changes. In my experience, the familiar is a vastly inferior option to the bonded item. No reason to buff the item either.
- Arcane School:
Now as I said, specialists no longer receive the additional spell slot. Instead, they receive +4 on ALL skill checks (usually spellcraft) and +1 spellcaster level when dealing with spells from their school, and start with one additional specialty spell at 1st level.
The opposition schools receive the mirrored penalty: -4 skill checks, -1 spellcaster level, and they count as two spells when chosen as new spells at 1st level or on level up.
(They no longer need two slots to be casts)
+4 bonus on all skill checks? Why? Also, I don't like weakening the prohibited schools. Wizards can fairly easily get more spells in their spell book so the downside you have introduced is very weak.
I'm sure he meant +4 t skill checks associated with the specialty school.
Be prepared for a dozen more "wizards are already too powerful" comments, DracoDruid--there will be no end to that sort of thing.
I haven't much criticism to give you, but I can say that I like the idea of granting wizards UMD as a class skill. Seems very wizard-like to me, and honestly, I've never understood why it was denied to them. As the most iconic "crafter" class, they really should be masters of manipulating magical items.
However it might have been described in AD&D is irrelevant. There are many vestiges of previous editions that remain, but as a necessity, the game has and will continue to evolve.
I submit to you that there are other ways to describe the skill (other than the "Fonz" touch, which is essentially the sorcerer way of dealing with things--unknowingly tapping its potential).
Imagine for a moment that a wizard discovers a magical item. What might he do with it? Surely he will try and identify it, what purpose it serves, and how it can be activated. He's going to approach it systematically, in a very formulaic way. Chances are he knows a good deal about the underlying principles surrounding the use of magic, after all, this is his life's pursuit. So, he has a point of reference from which to begin. He might recall similar items, or the components of the spell. It might unravel, piece by piece, in his mind--until, it all fits in place. With an arcane gesture and a spoken command, he activates the item!
There's even evidence to support this approach. Look no further than the trait, Dangerously Curious:
"You have always been intrigued by magic, possibly because you were the child of a magician or priest. You often snuck into your parent’s laboratory or shrine to tinker with spell components and magic devices, and often caused quite a bit of damage and headaches for your parent as a result."
Tinkering with things allows you to better understand them? No kidding! You're pulling my leg : P
TL;RD Wizards can use magic, too!
That aside, I don't think it's a power creep. Anyone can spend a trait and gain UMD as a class skill. Thus, the potentially OP-UMD-Wizard already exists. So, what's the problem?
Just sounds to me like more of the same old, "don't feed the wizards, they're already fed--thank you very much!"
I don't understand "you get a lot of that statement." Mind clarifying?
Wizards are certainly one of the most powerful classes in the game, but not quite as powerful as many seem to believe. They always assume that the wizard has precisely the right spell prepared for each and every encounter, all the time. My experiences yield the opposite to be true. Wizards might enjoy versatility in theory, but in practice they are not very adaptable. People seem to forget that the wizard must prepare his spells ahead of time, which is a severe limitation.
Edit: Took me a couple re-reads, but I get it now. No need to clarify.
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Wizards are certainly one of the most powerful classes in the game, but not quite as powerful as many seem to believe. They always assume that the wizard has precisely the right spell prepared for each and every encounter, all the time. My experiences yield the opposite to be true. Wizards might enjoy versatility in theory, but in practice they are not very adaptable. People seem to forget that the wizard must prepare his spells ahead of time, which is a severe limitation.
Edit: Took me a couple re-reads, but I get it now. No need to clarify.
Schrödinger Wizard aside, for I have played a "selfish" wizard myself (focusing on my spells instead of buffing), the inability to always have a specific spell prepared at the right time is a non-issue, annoying at best. Some spells resolve encounters by themselves and are no-brainers when preparing his own list in the morning. Prismatic Spray destroys armies, Pit Spells destroy encounters, Emergency Force Sphere deals with the sneaky bastards coming too close for your tastes, Contingency+Dimension Door when "someone will hit you with an offensive action" as a setting puts you out of danger. And that's just the minimum, base spell list or your everyday wizard.
Arcane discoveries and scrolls allow for even more versatility in the original wizard, offsetting hard this Schrödinger issue with quick preparation spells, reduces opposition schools and handy spells that you will never prepare but comes useful at the moment.
Control spells are rather applicable for a wide array of situations, but for every "god" spell there's ten or twenty niche spells (many of which are fun and interesting, but just don't see that much use due to their highly situational nature).
At high levels wizards tend to dominate--sure--but at the low-mid levels they aren't nearly as powerful. I hate how the whole of the wizard class seems to be balanced against, "They get wish at 17th level; can't give 'em nice things because that would be overpowering."
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I'm not saying the low level wizard is overpowered, only that the mid to high wizard is and does not need any buffs, even at a lower level. Before providing the wizard with goodies, you would have to do some efforts nerfing his mid-to-high level powers in order to let your fellow adventurers not feel like they are useless.
Some easy nerfs would be to increase the base level of some spells or provide them with a "concentration" duration (looking at you, haste and slow), all the while reducing the level of some others.
Well. Though this was not supposed to become just another "What-is-wrong-with-the-wizard" thread, I guess I asked for it.
I know that the thing really broken with the wizard (or all full-casters) is the quadratic power increase, the poor distribution of spells and a bunch of spells per se.
But that's something I won't be able to fix without creating a whole new game so I have to deal with what I can fix or improve or whatever.
Actually, I like the concept of giving full-casters access to the next spell level every 4th (instead of every 2nd) level. This would mean unlocking 6th spell level at level 20.
But this would go beyond scope too...
Actually, I think Pathfinder works best with 8th level as capstone level (see E6).
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Now that is been said:
Please do me a favor and take all this what's wrong with the wizard discussion elsewhere and limit yourself to CIVIL and CONSTRUCTIVE comments on the changes I am planning to make.
Thanks.
I don't like your changes so I will just hide the topic.