I'm new to DMing and running my first ever big campaign, well my characters were rewarded with (well are about to be rewarded with) new weapons and armor. They are still only level one but facing against NPCs and monsters at most 3-5 levels ahead of them due to their in game choices. How should I create weapons and armor that aren't to OP/give them to much of an advantage but still help them?
If they're going up against high level opponents because they've made silly decisions, I wouldn't reward them for that. Magic items are rewards, after all. If you really want to avoid a Total Party Kill, I'd recommend nerfing your monsters, but honestly, the best solution is to let them experience the consequences of their actions.
Ok, I had to say it. That's my line of reasoning, but perhaps you disagree. No worries! Give 'em some single use consumables - a scroll of fireball, a quiver full of +2 arrows, or a couple potions of invisibility. They'll make the encounter you're dreading DMing easier for the PCs, but they won't have any pesky persistent bonuses messing up your combat math.
Oh, but you wanted weapons and armor, not consumables? Ok, no worries. You can easily add "charges" to magic weapons and armor to duplicate the effect of consumables. Perhaps someone gets a Shield of the Valkyrie ! It's a regular old shield most of the time, but it has three un-replenishable charges of Cure Wounds stored away in jewels encrusted on the outside. The character equipping it can spend a bonus action to cast Cure Wounds as a 1st-level spell in a dire situation. It's not game breaking, but your players will sure appreciate it when it saves one of them from a rampaging ogre! (And if you have one of those players who will say "But in 5th Ed, magic items typically regain charges at dawn! Why don't these?" Just give 'em the ol' stink eye and pencil in a dragon for their next fight. Or maybe make them go on a quest to upgrade their magic items. You don't have to be as sadistic as I am.)
Last, if you're really stuck for ideas, check out this Random Generator. It creates weak magic items which are more-or-less on par with a +1 sword, only less... consistent? They're neat, check it out.
To be fair a group of PCs that are only facing one encounter per day and a few monsters can go against monsters significantly higher than them. Though still dangerous at level one.
Honestly you really shouldn't be giving out magic weapons and armor at level one. At best the weapons can be +1. The armor should be completely mundane though.
However armor that grants a Damage Reduction of 1hp could work. But also not that helpful.
Honestly you really shouldn't be giving out magic weapons and armor at level one.
Nonsense. Magic weapons and armor have no reason to be held back until some particular level because they are, no matter what level the characters are, not assumed in the math of the game - which means that no matter what level they are handed out at, they are either a bonus that makes the characters just plain better than they otherwise would be, or counter-balanced enough to not actually be a significant change in game balance, as the DM chooses.
That depends on how you look at it. Spellcasters cantrips basically assume everyone else has magic weapons.
So perhaps not assumed in the math, but virtually assumed in the game.
I feel like if you are going to do that at level one you should just start the game with magic items so that the initial gold wasn't wasted on mundane items kept for less than a day.
Also magic weapons/armor altering the game balance is the reason you should hold off on them.
Of course I'm also the type to never have a magic weapon in a chest in a dungeon because the bag guy would be using it. (exceptions apply)
That depends on how you look at it. Spellcasters cantrips basically assume everyone else has magic weapons.
So perhaps not assumed in the math, but virtually assumed in the game.
No, cantrips do not assume other people have magic weapons. Why do you say they do?
And magic weapons/armor only alter game balance if that's what you want them to do - which I just said, but apparently not well enough - so there is no "should" to holding off on them or not holding off on them.
I'm guessing he means that the game assumes that spells = magical weapons because there are several monsters that are mostly resistant to damage done by normal weapons. I would counter that idea with the assertion that those monsters are built assuming that they will take half damage from under-prepared characters and that the advantage is then given to parties that spring for silvered weapons, the Magic Weapon spell, or just those who have magical weapons. The game assumes those monsters are a hard fight that favor spellcasters slightly.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
Generally speaking spells should even out the fact that other classes get multiple attacks. The rate at which cantrips deal more damage seem to help make up for those other classes having magic weapons that add more damage to them. Of course one could argue that cantrips are far weaker than a fighter using a magic weapon that adds damage to it.
So really not an argument I care to defend all that much. I think the rogue quickly becomes weaker than a spell casters cantrips unless the rogue gets magical items to help make up for the times he can't use sneak attack. So basically multiple attacks make up for the spellcasters normal spells, magic weapons help make up cantrips increase in power.
Or cantrips have to increase in power in order to keep up with everyone else gaining magical weapons. In regards to stating that cantrips make up for multiple attacks once spells run out, I would basically use the rogue as the counter, since the rogue only makes one attack and does not necessarily get sneak attack. (Getting sneak attack really only makes up for the fireball and other spells the spell casters use.)
of course if I ever play in a game where the party actually spends 6 or so encounters per day, I might have to adjust my thoughts.
My rule of thumb as a GM. If you want to "reward" players with a magic item or two, have the monsters ( or monster, usually the session boss) have it or use it. It makes the game more natural feeling. You don't want to hand them out willy-nilly, and you don't want them to turn it into a Monty Hall grind.
Since they'll have the big bad guy to be 3-5 levels above (or what, a CR 5-6?), put a lot of encounters in their way or have an alternative win condition for the battle. Or you could just reduce the difficulty of the encounter.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, even though I really can't seem to sort them out into anything that makes sense to me.
Basically I believe that spellcasters damage is high enough to account for other classes having magical wepaons and multiple attacks. Cantrips increasing in power help with this. So basically a martial character with all his attacks really isn't going to be able to catch up with the spellcasters damage output without magic weapons. But this also means granting the martial characters magic weapons isn't really penalizing the magic users because their spells kinda already account for it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, even though I really can't seem to sort them out into anything that makes sense to me.
Basically I believe that spellcasters damage is high enough to account for other classes having magical wepaons and multiple attacks. Cantrips increasing in power help with this. So basically a martial character with all his attacks really isn't going to be able to catch up with the spellcasters damage output without magic weapons. But this also means granting the martial characters magic weapons isn't really penalizing the magic users because their spells kinda already account for it.
At level 1, the average DPS for a spellcaster is d6 (3-4), a melee character is d8 + strength/dex (5-6).
At higher levels, I agree with you. Also, casters can't keep up with melee when it comes to damage taken.
Tank: high armor - low/no magic - mid-DPS Melee DPS: light/medium armor - mid magic - high/mid-DPS Ranged DPS: low/no armor - high magic - high DPS Healer: high Armor, high Magic - low DPS
My solution to glass cannons is magic-resistant monster encounters. That's what you wish for when you min/max.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, even though I really can't seem to sort them out into anything that makes sense to me.
Basically I believe that spellcasters damage is high enough to account for other classes having magical wepaons and multiple attacks. Cantrips increasing in power help with this. So basically a martial character with all his attacks really isn't going to be able to catch up with the spellcasters damage output without magic weapons. But this also means granting the martial characters magic weapons isn't really penalizing the magic users because their spells kinda already account for it.
At level 1, the average DPS for a spellcaster is d6 (3-4), a melee character is d8 + strength/dex (5-6).
At higher levels, I agree with you. Also, casters can't keep up with melee when it comes to damage taken.
Tank: high armor - low/no magic - mid-DPS Melee DPS: light/medium armor - mid magic - high/mid-DPS Ranged DPS: low/no armor - high magic - high DPS Healer: high Armor, high Magic - low DPS
My solution to glass cannons is magic-resistant monster encounters. That's what you wish for when you min/max.
On paper having around a +3 more damage sounds good, but most spell casters have a d10 cantrip while most classes are probably using a d8 for damage. However, the ability to shift to a save where the monster is weakest, might make up for the +3 damage if you can hit more.
Also a Dwarf Wizard can have a really high AC, so I'm not sure that is great to judge.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, even though I really can't seem to sort them out into anything that makes sense to me.
Basically I believe that spellcasters damage is high enough to account for other classes having magical wepaons and multiple attacks. Cantrips increasing in power help with this. So basically a martial character with all his attacks really isn't going to be able to catch up with the spellcasters damage output without magic weapons. But this also means granting the martial characters magic weapons isn't really penalizing the magic users because their spells kinda already account for it.
At level 1, the average DPS for a spellcaster is d6 (3-4), a melee character is d8 + strength/dex (5-6).
At higher levels, I agree with you. Also, casters can't keep up with melee when it comes to damage taken.
Tank: high armor - low/no magic - mid-DPS Melee DPS: light/medium armor - mid magic - high/mid-DPS Ranged DPS: low/no armor - high magic - high DPS Healer: high Armor, high Magic - low DPS
My solution to glass cannons is magic-resistant monster encounters. That's what you wish for when you min/max.
On paper having around a +3 more damage sounds good, but most spell casters have a d10 cantrip while most classes are probably using a d8 for damage. However, the ability to shift to a save where the monster is weakest, might make up for the +3 damage if you can hit more.
Also a Dwarf Wizard can have a really high AC, so I'm not sure that is great to judge.
A list of all cantrips that do damage (on DnDB, at least)
Acid splash d6
Chill touch d8
Create Bonfire d8
Eldritch blast d10
Fire bolt d10
frost blast d6
magic stone d6
poison spray d12
produce flame d8
ray of frost d8
sacred flame d8
shocking grasp d8
thunderclap d6
vicious mockery d4
So there are some (3) that do a d10 or more.
The hardest hitting one is poison spray that does a d12 and available to wizards, sorcerer's warlocks, and druids. But then you're in melee range. Ouch. Fire bolt does a d10, but is only used by wizards. Eldritch blast also does a d10, but is only used by warlocks. So a wizard is a bit higher on the DPS list over other casters. and only experienced players would hunt it out.
if a DPS has an average score (10-11) they'll fall behind on DPS assuming max damage. most DPS that I see at Level 1 has at least a +1 in their damage stat (strength for most DPS, dex for a finesse build). minimum damage, therefore, is a 2 and not a 1.
Dwarf Wizard will have higher HP, not AC.as dwarves do not get a bonus to their dex.
Mountain Dwarf with an 18 dex (lol) AC 14 average DPS has AC 14 . With mage armor it's 17, but it uses one of your two spell slots.
The problem is that you have assumed that everyone always hits, which would place melee classes as slightly more damage than the Casters. I'm not sure this is accurate, as casters may use a d6, but they can target an ability that makes them more likely to hit then having to attack AC all the time. So I think not having the extra damage from strength and dex is going to even out.
A mountain dwarf means that a spellcaster only needs a dex of +2 to have an AC of 17. Mage armor becomes useless because of wearing half-plate. Yes they have to reach the point of actually buying the half-plate, but once they do or find it, they have an AC that is actually higher than a lot of PCs without the need to use any spells.
Also at low level and following the books guidelines, using a spell to gain a benefit that lasts for 8 hours is really good since you have six encounters and only two spells, you are going to be using your cantrips anyway most encounters.
Not to toot my own horn, but I created this product for specifically that reason. A lot of low powered and unique abilities and items that are perfect for handing out to your players without actually giving them a magic item, or low end magic items that won't unbalance your campaign.
But really, feel free to look and let me know what you think. It might just be what you were looking for. Heck, I know I have it printed for use in my own games.
The problem is that you have assumed that everyone always hits, which would place melee classes as slightly more damage than the Casters. I'm not sure this is accurate, as casters may use a d6, but they can target an ability that makes them more likely to hit then having to attack AC all the time. So I think not having the extra damage from strength and dex is going to even out.
A mountain dwarf means that a spellcaster only needs a dex of +2 to have an AC of 17. Mage armor becomes useless because of wearing half-plate. Yes they have to reach the point of actually buying the half-plate, but once they do or find it, they have an AC that is actually higher than a lot of PCs without the need to use any spells.
Also at low level and following the books guidelines, using a spell to gain a benefit that lasts for 8 hours is really good since you have six encounters and only two spells, you are going to be using your cantrips anyway most encounters.
This is getting off topic. A wizard that is proficient in any armor will have a higher AC than one that has none.
Also, your assumption assumes that the target doesn't make their save. So, all in all, it averages out. Also, Dwarven wizards are a rare breed.
I'm new to DMing and running my first ever big campaign, well my characters were rewarded with (well are about to be rewarded with) new weapons and armor. They are still only level one but facing against NPCs and monsters at most 3-5 levels ahead of them due to their in game choices. How should I create weapons and armor that aren't to OP/give them to much of an advantage but still help them?
I am a big fan of rewarding players with custom items and using custom random tables with rewards for players. From personal experience, it feels really crappy to get a reward, roll it up, and have it turn out to be something useless.
In the campaign I'm currently running, here's how I've handled custom rewards:
At level 2 they each got a custom weapon built by a few of the crafter NPCs and each had a minor magical property on it related to their character, usually some type of feature that provided them with some type of utility for the group, and also had some kind of cool cosmetic effect that fit with the character. None of them had damage bonuses.
For example, the campaign started off with a surprise invasion during which a good friend of the PC playing a Fighter was killed. The character is a very protective of others, so even though he has dark vision, the character would light the way for those who don't. Knowing this the character got a longsword with a slightly beefed up Beacon property that would be activated with a command word - the word was the name of his friend. The Bard got reflavored hand crossbows that had buttons on them that pointed toward his original home and the place he had been living for many years so that "he could always find his way back home." The Rogue was a thief, so he got two plan looking bars that transformed into rappers with the push of a button, like a switchblade. There were two others as well.
The upgrades to these items are tied to the tiers of play. They have just hit level 5, so the custom items have been upgraded by the same NPCs to be +1 and have a new added effect that provides some combat utility. The rogue can combine his rapiers together to form a shortbow (magical damage, but no bonus) as a free action, the bard has a a plus +1 hand crossbow and turned the other one into a +1 light crossbow, the barbarian can break his greatsword apart, turning it into two short swords, etc.
The upgrade each of them to the next level of bonus at every new tier of play as their proficiency goes up and will add a new minor effect to them or provide non-bonus armor with a new effect.
At level 9 (the next tier) I will begin adding in +1 armor for purchase - though I gave the fighter a +1 shield at this level because he's sword and board and only carrying one weapon that doesn't have a combat benefit.
So tl;dr - start with minor bonuses that provide a utility effect for the party and add some flavor in there to make them cool, then tie the item damage bonuses for that item of a new custom item to tiers of play/proficiency increase levels (i.e. 5, 9, 13, 17) or to the in betwand levels if you want a more steady, gradual increase (i.e. 3, 7, 11, 15). A new new minor utility effect at each boost is a nice way to make a unique item for each character that they will want to hold on to.
If they are completely steam rolling every encounter you put together, First I would suggest you don't punish the players by taking things away or not handing out items anymore. I would also suggest that you generally avoid increasing the CR of the monsters you're throwing at them to make it a Deadly encounter level because the attack damage of monsters increases significantly. The players HP won't be able to scale quick enough and the likelihood they will get one shot will go up dramatically.
Instead, I would suggest you look up the monster's HP on the CR rating table on p. 274 of the DMG and bump up monster HP to the next level above where it currently is at. This will make the monsters last longer without increasing the likelihood of greasing players and a one level bump has a negligible effect on CR.
I would discourage you from bumping the AC of monsters because it means they are going to miss more, which is no fun, and as you can see on that table, a boost in AC has a far greater impact on a monster's defensive rating than a boost in HP does. A bump of +1 AC It could make the fight much longer than it needs to be, turning a well paced fight into a slog.
I hope that's helpful. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
The problem is that you have assumed that everyone always hits, which would place melee classes as slightly more damage than the Casters. I'm not sure this is accurate, as casters may use a d6, but they can target an ability that makes them more likely to hit then having to attack AC all the time. So I think not having the extra damage from strength and dex is going to even out.
A mountain dwarf means that a spellcaster only needs a dex of +2 to have an AC of 17. Mage armor becomes useless because of wearing half-plate. Yes they have to reach the point of actually buying the half-plate, but once they do or find it, they have an AC that is actually higher than a lot of PCs without the need to use any spells.
Also at low level and following the books guidelines, using a spell to gain a benefit that lasts for 8 hours is really good since you have six encounters and only two spells, you are going to be using your cantrips anyway most encounters.
1) Most cantrips don't account for your spellcasting stat into damage, while (pretty much) all weapon attacks use your primary stat as a bonus to the damage. So, the increased damage makes up for the increased chance to hit. However, I think you're overestimating the actual ability to "target" saving throws.
There are only 3 saving throws that are targeted by cantrips (Con, Dex, and Wis). The highest damage potential of those spells is Acid Splash (Dex) at 2x 1d6, but that's only if two targets are next to each other, or Poison Spray (Con) at 1d12, but that requires you to be within 10 feet of the enemy. The only attack that targets Wisdom is Vicious Mockery a Bard only spell and only does a d4 in damage.
So, as a Wizard/Sorcerer, you can target Dexterity or Constitution. As a Warlock you can target Constitution (only has Poison Spray for saving throw spells) Or as a Bard you can target Wisdom (the bard only gets Vicious Mockery as an attacking cantrip). Clearly the ability to choose which saving throw you want to target is not only very limited as far as the stats themselves go, but also to what class can use those spells (and have their own draw backs)
2) Assuming point buy/standard array, a Mountain Dwarf Wizard will also have a lower Int than any race that gives a racial bonus to it. This means they will be less accurate, so they will do less damage overall than say a gnome (with either subclass potentially adding to health/AC). So, while a dwarf spellcaster might have a higher AC and possibly higher HP than another race, their damage will also be potentially lowered to compensate for it. So, you're substituting protection for damage (which falls into EB's point about armor vs magic).
A min-maxed dwarf wizard would be looking at 10 Str, 14 Dex, 15 Con, 15 Int, 12 Wis, 10 Cha meaning with half plate it would have 17 AC, spell attacks would be a +4 and saving throws would be DC 12.
A min-maxed gnome wizard would be looking at 8 Str, 16 Dex, 13 Con, 16 Int, 12 Wis, 10 Cha meaning it would have 13 AC (16 with Mage Armor), spell attacks would be a +5 and saving throws would be a DC 13.
I picked gnome because it was the closest race in comparison to non-calculable statistics like darkvision, movement speed, and resistances (dwarf is good against poison, gnomes are good against Int/Wis/Cha saving throws). The Dwarf gets 1 hit point per level more and is 20% harder to hit (5% harder to hit with mage armor) while the gnome is 5% more likely to hit the target (and if both are Evocation Wizards, will eventually do 1 more damage).
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I'm new to DMing and running my first ever big campaign, well my characters were rewarded with (well are about to be rewarded with) new weapons and armor. They are still only level one but facing against NPCs and monsters at most 3-5 levels ahead of them due to their in game choices. How should I create weapons and armor that aren't to OP/give them to much of an advantage but still help them?
If they're going up against high level opponents because they've made silly decisions, I wouldn't reward them for that. Magic items are rewards, after all. If you really want to avoid a Total Party Kill, I'd recommend nerfing your monsters, but honestly, the best solution is to let them experience the consequences of their actions.
Ok, I had to say it. That's my line of reasoning, but perhaps you disagree. No worries! Give 'em some single use consumables - a scroll of fireball, a quiver full of +2 arrows, or a couple potions of invisibility. They'll make the encounter you're dreading DMing easier for the PCs, but they won't have any pesky persistent bonuses messing up your combat math.
Oh, but you wanted weapons and armor, not consumables? Ok, no worries. You can easily add "charges" to magic weapons and armor to duplicate the effect of consumables. Perhaps someone gets a Shield of the Valkyrie ! It's a regular old shield most of the time, but it has three un-replenishable charges of Cure Wounds stored away in jewels encrusted on the outside. The character equipping it can spend a bonus action to cast Cure Wounds as a 1st-level spell in a dire situation. It's not game breaking, but your players will sure appreciate it when it saves one of them from a rampaging ogre! (And if you have one of those players who will say "But in 5th Ed, magic items typically regain charges at dawn! Why don't these?" Just give 'em the ol' stink eye and pencil in a dragon for their next fight. Or maybe make them go on a quest to upgrade their magic items. You don't have to be as sadistic as I am.)
Last, if you're really stuck for ideas, check out this Random Generator. It creates weak magic items which are more-or-less on par with a +1 sword, only less... consistent? They're neat, check it out.
Hope this helps!
https://dreadweasel.blogspot.com/
To be fair a group of PCs that are only facing one encounter per day and a few monsters can go against monsters significantly higher than them. Though still dangerous at level one.
Honestly you really shouldn't be giving out magic weapons and armor at level one. At best the weapons can be +1. The armor should be completely mundane though.
However armor that grants a Damage Reduction of 1hp could work. But also not that helpful.
Nonsense. Magic weapons and armor have no reason to be held back until some particular level because they are, no matter what level the characters are, not assumed in the math of the game - which means that no matter what level they are handed out at, they are either a bonus that makes the characters just plain better than they otherwise would be, or counter-balanced enough to not actually be a significant change in game balance, as the DM chooses.
That depends on how you look at it. Spellcasters cantrips basically assume everyone else has magic weapons.
So perhaps not assumed in the math, but virtually assumed in the game.
I feel like if you are going to do that at level one you should just start the game with magic items so that the initial gold wasn't wasted on mundane items kept for less than a day.
Also magic weapons/armor altering the game balance is the reason you should hold off on them.
Of course I'm also the type to never have a magic weapon in a chest in a dungeon because the bag guy would be using it. (exceptions apply)
No, cantrips do not assume other people have magic weapons. Why do you say they do?
And magic weapons/armor only alter game balance if that's what you want them to do - which I just said, but apparently not well enough - so there is no "should" to holding off on them or not holding off on them.
I'm guessing he means that the game assumes that spells = magical weapons because there are several monsters that are mostly resistant to damage done by normal weapons. I would counter that idea with the assertion that those monsters are built assuming that they will take half damage from under-prepared characters and that the advantage is then given to parties that spring for silvered weapons, the Magic Weapon spell, or just those who have magical weapons. The game assumes those monsters are a hard fight that favor spellcasters slightly.
Generally speaking spells should even out the fact that other classes get multiple attacks. The rate at which cantrips deal more damage seem to help make up for those other classes having magic weapons that add more damage to them. Of course one could argue that cantrips are far weaker than a fighter using a magic weapon that adds damage to it.
So really not an argument I care to defend all that much. I think the rogue quickly becomes weaker than a spell casters cantrips unless the rogue gets magical items to help make up for the times he can't use sneak attack. So basically multiple attacks make up for the spellcasters normal spells, magic weapons help make up cantrips increase in power.
Or cantrips have to increase in power in order to keep up with everyone else gaining magical weapons. In regards to stating that cantrips make up for multiple attacks once spells run out, I would basically use the rogue as the counter, since the rogue only makes one attack and does not necessarily get sneak attack. (Getting sneak attack really only makes up for the fireball and other spells the spell casters use.)
of course if I ever play in a game where the party actually spends 6 or so encounters per day, I might have to adjust my thoughts.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, even though I really can't seem to sort them out into anything that makes sense to me.
My rule of thumb as a GM. If you want to "reward" players with a magic item or two, have the monsters ( or monster, usually the session boss) have it or use it. It makes the game more natural feeling. You don't want to hand them out willy-nilly, and you don't want them to turn it into a Monty Hall grind.
Since they'll have the big bad guy to be 3-5 levels above (or what, a CR 5-6?), put a lot of encounters in their way or have an alternative win condition for the battle. Or you could just reduce the difficulty of the encounter.
At higher levels, I agree with you. Also, casters can't keep up with melee when it comes to damage taken.
Tank: high armor - low/no magic - mid-DPS
Melee DPS: light/medium armor - mid magic - high/mid-DPS
Ranged DPS: low/no armor - high magic - high DPS
Healer: high Armor, high Magic - low DPS
My solution to glass cannons is magic-resistant monster encounters. That's what you wish for when you min/max.
A list of all cantrips that do damage (on DnDB, at least)
So there are some (3) that do a d10 or more.
The hardest hitting one is poison spray that does a d12 and available to wizards, sorcerer's warlocks, and druids. But then you're in melee range. Ouch.
Fire bolt does a d10, but is only used by wizards.
Eldritch blast also does a d10, but is only used by warlocks.
So a wizard is a bit higher on the DPS list over other casters. and only experienced players would hunt it out.
if a DPS has an average score (10-11) they'll fall behind on DPS assuming max damage. most DPS that I see at Level 1 has at least a +1 in their damage stat (strength for most DPS, dex for a finesse build). minimum damage, therefore, is a 2 and not a 1.
Dwarf Wizard will have higher HP, not AC.as dwarves do not get a bonus to their dex.
Mountain Dwarf with an 18 dex (lol) AC 14 average DPS has AC 14 . With mage armor it's 17, but it uses one of your two spell slots.
The problem is that you have assumed that everyone always hits, which would place melee classes as slightly more damage than the Casters. I'm not sure this is accurate, as casters may use a d6, but they can target an ability that makes them more likely to hit then having to attack AC all the time. So I think not having the extra damage from strength and dex is going to even out.
A mountain dwarf means that a spellcaster only needs a dex of +2 to have an AC of 17. Mage armor becomes useless because of wearing half-plate. Yes they have to reach the point of actually buying the half-plate, but once they do or find it, they have an AC that is actually higher than a lot of PCs without the need to use any spells.
Also at low level and following the books guidelines, using a spell to gain a benefit that lasts for 8 hours is really good since you have six encounters and only two spells, you are going to be using your cantrips anyway most encounters.
Not to toot my own horn, but I created this product for specifically that reason. A lot of low powered and unique abilities and items that are perfect for handing out to your players without actually giving them a magic item, or low end magic items that won't unbalance your campaign.
Follow This Link.
But really, feel free to look and let me know what you think. It might just be what you were looking for. Heck, I know I have it printed for use in my own games.
So, as a Wizard/Sorcerer, you can target Dexterity or Constitution. As a Warlock you can target Constitution (only has Poison Spray for saving throw spells) Or as a Bard you can target Wisdom (the bard only gets Vicious Mockery as an attacking cantrip). Clearly the ability to choose which saving throw you want to target is not only very limited as far as the stats themselves go, but also to what class can use those spells (and have their own draw backs)
Click Here to Download my Lancer Class w/ Dragoon and Legionnaire Archetypes via DM's Guild - Pay What You Want
Click Here to Download the Mind Flayer: Thoon Hulk converted from 4e via DM's Guild
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.