One Dnd Wizard: Yes, it really is broken

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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:32 Basics and level 1
5:05 levels 2 - 20
11:38 Evoker subclass
15:29 Thoughts about the wizard
17:32 Modify and Create spell
21:50 Why they're broken
29:26 Solutions

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[BoPeep_]

Really liked your blurb on how the game becomes less fun for everyone when one character is able to negate features that make other characters shine. I personally find this to already be a bit of a problem with spellcasters in 5e, but I don’t think parties always talk about this at the table.

[hommbonedragon]

I'm so glad Wizard is even *more* tied in power to how much gold your DM gives you. That was my *favourite* part of the class, not being able to copy any of the spell scrolls given to me because i was poor. Why allow such a swingy mechanic to be tied to something *so* inconsistent?

Edit: of course you've already covered that perfectly Chris, thank you :)

[Kapppa]

The problem with modified spells costing spell slot higher is that it would make many modifications that people would otherwise try just not worth it. It would push people to focus more on optimization than on creativity or just having fun. This new wizard feature is the coolest thing that was added in the entire playtest while also being the most impossible to balance.

[honorarybard]

I honestly LOVE your new intros. Tbh, I used to skip the patron reading and temple intro, but now I always stick around for the absolutely absurd subscribe/support plead that sounds believable to begin with, but by the end is just hilarious. This one actually had me laughing out loud, ngl.

[mrmuffins]

I think the pure number of comparisons you made between modify spell and metamagic say a lot about the wizard’s “unique identity”.

[lucasm.]

Good on that other member of your group letting everyone know of his Sleet Storm plan ahead of time and being willing to change it.

[Magnushamann]

Remember that the savant spells now make it cheaper for you to scribe spells into your spellbook that you have created - making it slightly cheaper to create spells of your specialist school.

[merlindex]

I think it's very important to note that if you lose your spellbook without scribe spell prepared, you will never be able to scribe another spell again, in a spellbook or otherwise. These wizard spells need to be features instead of added spells

[Adurnis]

One big change I would make to your fixes is the “your new spell is one level higher per modification.” Rather than have every modification increase the spell’s level, I would put it in the description of Modify Spell for each such effect. A fireball that doesn’t require a material component or deals acid damage is probably okay as a 3rd level spell. A sleet storm that has concentration protected and doesn’t prone your allies is probably not. So for Targets and Concentration, I would specify in the text: “This modification adjusts the spell to a level one higher than before.”

[stevesmith]

I thought that those emails from Jeremy Crawford were fake and just a little joke that Chris included in his videos. However, after this video, I now KNOW it is REAL! #HasbroSpaceWeaponConfirmed

[juliendrainville]

I think your proposed modifications to Modify and Create Spell would salvage the excellent ideas behind these features, which I would be incredibly sad to see get thrown out.

However, I think only the upcasted casts of Modify Spell should raise the spell's level when casting Create Spell. Having a single modification not increase the spell's level wouldn't be broken according to me. But it's mostly a question of fine-tuning the balance at that point.

Great video!

[jordanw]

Ffs I hate to say "I told you so", but I've been proselytizing for so long of the dangers of Hasbro's R&D department. And now it's too late. We can only comply now, lest we doom our world. I can only pray that enough people come around and sub to Treantmonk....

[joshuahampton]

I have gotten the impression from the devs that one of the ways they are planning on smoothing out progression is related to default encounter design. I highly suspect that there will be a Wealth by Level chart for One D&D. That would make the suggested numbers make more sense (and would also allow the community to factor magic items into buildcraft).

[TheTdroid]

WotC addressing the martial/caster gap:
"Let's give martials a bit more dmg at higher lvls."
"Let's give Wizards metamagic as ritual that can make any of their spells into ritual spells. And let them mess around with persistent effects like Fog Cloud and Sleet Storm. And make every spell party friendly on AoE blasting. And the option to ignore dmg for concentration spells, which will let buffs like Haste be much, much better than it is now. And let's remove the Sorcerer spell list restrictions. And let's make Bards prepared casters. And let's make medium armor+shields into a single 1st lvl feat anyone can pick up with no prerequisites or drawbacks."

Martials needed a substantial buff to their dmg potential across all levels as well as their utility and defense, while casters needed some tweaks to address broken spells and how easy it was to get stuff like medium armor+shields. Martials (except Rogue) got a bit better at dmg *at higher levels, * Barbarians specifically got a little more utility... and most casters look like they've gotten *buffs across the board.*

After nearly a decade of it being a spellcasting meta, I am really not encouraged by this. I was hoping it would be worth playing non-casters, but it looks we're in for *another* decade of being forced to specific feats and multiclass options (usually involving half- and fullcaster lvls because we still need spells to work properly) to have passably powerful martial characters.

[Trafoder]

The “Savant” features synergize well with Create Spell, since it gives a slight discount on scribing the new spell.
Also, be careful what you say about Hasbro and WotC’s use of military assets, lest you end up with some corporate bruisers at your front door.

[PedanticTwit]

The gold dependency and campaign variability are actually quite reminiscent of 2e Wizards. If you recall, 2e was basically vaporware when it came to rules regarding spell acquisition. There was no default rule, only varied advice on what a DM _might_ choose to do. Everything was ultimately left to the DM.

So you could call this a throwback. A throwback of the wrong sort, of course, but a throwback nonetheless consistent with 5e era WotC.

[tomgymer]

I know it would be more work for the design team, but honestly I was disappointed Create Spell didn't really let you make a new spell. What I was imagining was a number of points per spell level, and you could spend those to increase area, damage, choose damage type, choose saving throw, add effects like prone, etc. I get that would be hard to balance, but it would be really interesting.

[KevUnchained]

Create Spell should just be a repeating class feature that lets you create 1 spell at level 7, 11, and 15. No more gold cost "mother may I" and no abuse for gold-happy DMs.

[MegaZed]

I was wondering to myself what would be a fair replacement for Arcane Recovery, should it be swapped back to Level 1, and honestly, maybe just giving them the same ability that Tasha's gave them, but a level earlier? You know, making them the one Mage class that has the ability to swap a known cantrip with another one at the end of a Long Rest. Goes back to the idea of the Wizard being the class whose strength lies in their versatility, when given the time to prepare. Could even be an ability that improves with level, like you can swap two at X level, and maybe even three at an even higher level?

[Eduardo-pkqb]

I honestly think that create spell should be automatically prepared and also should allow you to never lose your book like the scribes wizard, currently there is that weird interaction whereby if you lose your book and you don't have that spell ready you will be permanently left without the option to make a new book. When I've mentioned that online, some say it's not a problem because they've never seen a wizard without a toxic dm lose his book, but then why is there such a possibility if it's never going to be seen and nobody likes it? at that point the need to make a copy of the book is unnecessary and tedious, and it would be better to replace it, you don't even have to change the lore much, just add a paragraph that says "Your connection to your book allows you to recover it using a ritual to transfer its contents to a new blank book, even if your original book is destroyed”