You decide what TRICKS stands for, could be anything, Trying Real Ideas Cleverly Knowing Specifics, Theorizing Recreating Imagining Caring Kidding Striving, That Room Is Clearly Killing Stuff, don't have to come up with anything. Wanted to share things that, depending on dungeon master, may or may not apply to wizards. The spellcasting mechanic will vary to some degree with each dungeon master, so knowing as much as possible could make the session more interesting when the wizard weaves mechanical alterations in fun ways.
Nothing posted here is to be taken too seriously, we don't have to be mad, we got rituals in the spellbook named Abraham and it can be replaced later by the spellbook named Agatha or others through instant summons. The dungeon master is the one who'll be providing the party with items and spell mechanics so in order to navigate the class you're gonna need to sync up with the table. Sometimes an expedition can be long enough to warrant building a path for mine carts to go through dungeons, the merchant camp set outside eventually grows into a small village then a town then a big city, maybe the idea is to go in a dungeon only once and be done with it either by finishing it completely or partially, never returning.
Tier 0, the same spells do opposite things at different tables
A nonplayer character ideally would cast a spell to demonstrate how it functions most of the time in the world. Otherwise always allow the dungeon master to fully intertwine every ruling because that's the social contract, they get unlimited power in exchange of trying their best to make every little thing make the most sense while the players give their full consent in exchange of being allowed to partake and try having fun in the world.
To exemplify with Floating Disk, Rope Trick and Tiny Hut: A player character might wanna try using these lower level spells to facilitate resting in the game, a dungeon master can simply say sure you get to rest, they can also say that a floating disk copies the spent movement of its caster so it doesn't move when their mount moves them without using the caster's movement, the rope trick description says nothing about how large the entrance itself is and also doesn't say it has a floor, creatures might need to have a flying speed to rest there out of view or the ability to breathe underwater and cast it there, the tiny hut spell could be homebrewed to serve the narrative, it could adopt the form of a dome instead of the hemisphere informed in the written spell range (the description says it's a dome while the range says it's a hemisphere, it's initially intended to be a hemisphere), giants could wear magic gloves that allow them to move the spell and can only be changed in the presence of a certain named creature wielding/wearing a certain named object. Figure out how a nonplayer character casts the spell at the table and even then the way the spell works during an emergency could be the functional opposite of what you wanted it to do there, the enemy might enter a plane of existence that isn't the ethereal and go right through wall of force, they might absorb another spell's damage type and then do something weird with it.
Fast advice for maintaining spell consistency is to mimic the capabilities of a fighter with your spells, so, when using them, do it to make the situation more interesting in some way for both allies and enemies, instead of horribly screwing the enemy over, let them have a way of retaliating somehow or retreating to call reinforcements/reunite with family/report spellcaster to community/etc. It's counterintuitive to downplay spells but downplayed spells usually get to go off more predictably, which makes them leagues more tactically valuable than a spell you don't know what'll happen if you finish casting it.
Quick overview of fifth edition basic rules' chapter ten: spellcasting, remember the dungeon master can and is encouraged to change anything to make the game more fun. Please, for everyone's sakes, try making sure the spellcaster knows what every single one their spells do in as much detail as possible so they don't embarrass themselves and get killed for not knowing every little thing. Maybe let them do a practice run of the spell before they decide to select it or something, we all want to have fun:
what is spell
spell is magic unless it isn't
spell level
zero to nine, zero is called cantrip
preparation
spell list is limited by preparation
spell slots
preparation is limited by slots
upcasting
cantrips can't be upcast because they already always are, when a spell's upcast they are treated as the level of the slot expended, you can't downcast
armor
you need proficiency with donned armor otherwise you can't cast spells
ritual
spells can have the ritual tag, if the class has the ritual caster feature, the ritual can be cast at its lowest level without spending a slot by taking additional 10 minutes to cast it
casting time
there are four: action, bonus action, reaction, long; concentration is required to begin casting a long one, a cantrip with a casting time of an action is the only other spell allowed to be cast in a turn a bonus action spell's cast, a fighter can cast three spells that aren't cantrips if they action surge and counterspell in the same turn provided the other two spells have a casting time of an action, by the way a spell with a casting time of an action can also be readied using concentration so the spell initiates later in the round with the caster's reaction, which might protect it from both effects that interrupt the casting of spells and effects that remove the effects of spells due to the fact that a readied spell has both finished casting and its effects have yet to start
range
there are three: self, touch, feet; touch isn't long enough to project ten feet from caster's body, self isn't long enough to exit caster's body so they shouldn't be able to affect any other creature other than the caster using common sense as in you don't need to leave your clothes behind when you nonmagically walk, you take what you're carrying and wearing with you when you teleport, the important part of range is affecting more than one creature or affecting a creature other than the caster with a range of self
components
there are three: verbal, somatic, material; you begin suffocating when you use a verbal component somewhere you can't breathe, you might need to hold otherwise touch a material component with a free hand and you only need the specific material if there's a gold cost informed otherwise your class feature may allow you or not to replace specific materials with a focus, somatic needs a free hand but doesn't need a free hand if you're already using the hand to provide the material component for that specific casting, if the casting requires somatic but doesn't also require material then you need a naked hand for that materialless somatic
duration
spell magic only exists while the duration lasts, once it ends, the persisting effects, should there be any, become part of the nonmagical world, if a spell requires concentration to make it last, you need to concentrate on it, the thing is that you can't concentrate on more than one thing at the same time until something explicitly says you can, what ends concentration is begin casting a spell that requires concentration after it's finished casting or that has a casting time longer than an action, taking damage makes you need to succeed on dc 10 constitution saving throw or half damage taken whichever's higher to maintain concentration, concentration also ends when incapacitated or killed, the dungeon master may ask for concentration check at their discretion as well like when on a storm tossed ship dc 10 constitution, separate concentration checks are associated with something capable of affecting different targets like an arrow, a dragon's breath, a single magic missile although you should roll one damage and use that result to determine the damage of each missile for that casting of the spell according to damage rules of damage simultaneously caused to more than one target present in previous chapter nine combat
targets
a target must be within spell range only when the spell's unleashed in the world unless something states otherwise, the spell can only target what the description says it can, so if it says it can target a creature then it can't target an object unless something says otherwise, if the spell description doesn't say anything about targeting a certain spot while disregarding cover or something reaping no benefits from cover, etc, then most likely you'll need clear path to spell target, it means an arrow's gotta be able to clear distance until there or an imaginary line must be able to reach there without bending, if target is a point in space you don't have to see or it is one you have to see but there's invisible total cover blocking the way, the point in space targeted ends up bumping into the total cover and unleashing the spell effect there, if the spell says you need to see the target then you need to see the target somehow, there can be exceptions written in the spell description or ruled by the dungeon master, there might be a list of valid targets that are normally invisible that the spell is capable of targeting Targeting Yourself: If a spell targets a creature of your choice, you can choose yourself, unless the creature must be hostile or specifically a creature other than you. If you are in the area of effect of a spell you cast, you can target yourself.
areas
usually fair to assume a spell can't be moved and doesn't require anchoring to maintain its initial position unless described otherwise, every area spell targets a point in space and they behave like a point hologram, their effects are generated in straight lines from the spell target which can be a point in space also known as point of origin for this purpose, effects may also origin from targets that are entities such as creatures or objects, areas have different geometrical forms/shapes, total cover eats at spell area like it would do for a point hologram, if a spell doesn't say its area damages objects then its area doesn't damage objects like many true dragon's breath weapons or other effects capable of damaging only creatures unless something says otherwise, some spells' area don't damage but do ignite flammable objects, others explicitly state they do both; there are five area shapes
cone
width equals distance from origin, origin optionally included in area
cube
originates from a point that must be located on a face of the cube, not an edge or the geometrical center, origin optionally included in area
cylinder
always vertical, point expands to become circle then expands again downward if not on ground otherwise upward to form shape, origin always included in area
line
straight, origin optionally included in area
sphere
expands from center, origin always included in area
saves
check spellcasting feature from creature
attacks
attacks are attacks
combos
for most effects of same name most potent effect overtakes least potent effect otherwise if equally potent most recent effect outshines least recent during all their durations
Tier 1, 1st level spells
Healer's kit can be good to have as well as unseen servant, fire bolt, light, mage hand, pole (10-foot), ladder (10 foot), chain (10 feet), you can get a lot done with them, find pressure plates, covered pits, tripwires, webs and stuff with those. Do your best to stay at range and keep allies informed so they take care of things more effectively. Thunderwave, shield, absorb elements can be decent spells, mage armor might make it into the list depending on the situation. Perhaps learn chill touch at 4th class level so even enemies who chug healing potions start behaving, by the way might wanna pay attention to rest spells, some dungeon masters start piling encounters right at the border of rest spells which makes them worse for the party's survival in such cases, similar deal with a familiar, if the dungeon master isn't on board with familiar they'll remain dead, your gold will be wasted and you will start thinking you could have picked a different spell, as always, the way to go is to get in tune with the group. Suggested ability score increase concentration.
Tier 2, 3rd level spells
Again about rest spells, you really gotta know how things are at the table, because if the rest spell creates combat encounters then they are worse for the group's chances of survival. Misty step, see invisibility, remove curse, fly, counterspell, dispel magic may see use in game, watch out for resistances, magic resistance, damage resistance, legendary resistance, sometimes there are limited and full immunities at play, creatures might be able to fly, teleport, breathe underwater, damage multiple targets in one turn, cast heavy obscurement and dispel magic multiple times for multiple rounds. Might learn acid splash at 10th class level to get guaranteed acid damage against paralyzed, petrified, stunned, unconscious targets. Suggested ability score increase concentration.
Tier 3, 6th level spells
Wall of force, dimension door can be useful at times while less or more often, depending on the dungeon master, disintegrate and sunbeam may have use. Can have around +9 bonus to concentration checks beyond advantage depending on feat availability and other options. Suggested ability score increase try finishing concentration and then balance initiative with maximum hit points.
Number stuff, getting good for good runs in tier 4
Hit Points Could aim for 200 at 20th level, to get in that range you're gonna need a +6 to maximum hit point calculation, which means 20 constitution as a hill dwarf or a different race with 18 constitution and the tough feat, might wanna be an elf to get immunity to magical sleep traps. The table for hit die to reach 200hp at 20th level goes: Hit die, relevant bonus to determine maximum hit points d12, +3 d10, +4 d8, +5 d6, +6
Spell magnitude This isn't in any rules you might say and yes you are very right. This is the part in the post you can feel free to crack more jokes and stuff.
Multitarget healing might add to a decent number until the opposition throws an area effect, multitarget damage might look small in individual target's hit points but dang isn't it a lot more than multitarget healing if you were to compare one to the other. Spell magnitude is an evaluation of a leveled spell slot in hit points, I believe the ratio is eleven times starting at second spell level, it's just bananas from my part, it occurred when the slots started running real dry and the hope of surviving the day was down real low *audience laugh track*.
So how does it work, put it in a table already, yes I hear you over there and here it is: Spell Slot Level, Hit Points
I disagree, I think that's random as heck, yes that's good thinking, that's healthy thinking, that's thinking that'll hopefully maybe keep you alive long enough in the wilds until you're out of the woods. I think this magnitude is low and that's because a life cleric divine soul sorcerer can pull up a twinned spell metamagic heal with six sorcery points so each sorcery point would really be worth thirteen hit points right and yeah that could be something there, what would it look like in a table my fellow practitioner of the arcane arts I can wait no longer to taste it, hey calm down there please: assuming 6 sorcery points correspond to 78 hit points, 1 sorcery point corresponds to 13 hit points, sorcerer would need 2 sorcery points and a bonus action to create a 1st level spell slot and they could convert a 2nd level spell slot into 2 sorcery points as a bonus action, so: Spell Slot Level, Hit Points 1st, same as 2nd because it's 2 sorcery points to make it, 26 2nd, 26 3rd, 39 4th, 52 5th, 65 6th, twinned life heal, 78 7th, 91 8th, 104 9th, 117
those are some numbers indeed what do they mean to you they mean
if the spell looks like it has a good chance of doing something comparable to that number amount of hit points fast enough then it might be worth using the spell slot for that effect at a high character/class level let's say the wizard's 8th class level so in that turn they have two 4th level spell slots, zero 1st level spell slots, one 2nd level spell slot and they take 36 damage but if they cast the shield spell they will take zero damage is it worth it to cast the shield spell with a second level spell slot you look there it says 26 which counts as being worth it so you go wait a minute 36 is a tonna damage for an 8th level wizard of course casting shield is the right move here but this keeps getting harder to tell the more hit points spell slots health potions class levels and time between rests you deal with somewhere you're not gonna be so sure if it's worth it to do it or not and that's why this spell magnitude thing came into being for the dire emergencies when you just feel like you don't know anything anymore who am I why did I decide to go here I think I'm about to cry at any second now and all that adventuring stuff you can look back fondly when you're back home safe and laughing on top of a pile of treasure telling everyone else it was no big deal maybe next time you bring back a pile ten times larger wink
another way to write it Spell Slot Level, Hit Points 1st, same as 2nd total, 24+2 2nd, 22+4 3rd, 33+6 4th, 44+8 5th, 55+10 6th, 66+12 7th, 77+14 8th, 88+16 9th, 99+18 this is magnitude+2 because it adds double spell level to magnitude+0, remember 1st level slot has same total value as 2nd level slot because of literal sorcery or math or both or neither you decide, six sorcery points for seventy-eight hit points in one turn ain't too bad, if you gotta squeeze every little bit of magic to make it last as long as you can this might be a good point of reference to help decide spending a spell slot on the go, in other words magnitude+0 no but magnitude+2 yes in case you got health to spare, otherwise spend away you die if your hit points are neglected long enough
Disintegrate on invisible creation of magical force, visible nonmagical object or visible creature incapacitated by the paralyzed, petrified, stunned, unconscious conditions making them automatically fail the saving throw Spell Slot Level, Hit Point Average, Difference from Magnitude+2 6th, 75, -3 7th, 85, -6 8th, 96, -8 9th, 106, -11
Sleep on non undead/elf/immune to charmed Spell Slot Level, Hit Point Average, Difference from Magnitude+2 1st, 22, -4 2nd, 31, +5 3rd, 40, +1 4th, 49, -3 5th, 58, -7 6th, 67, -11 7th, 76, -15 8th, 85, -19 9th, 94, -23
Ninja step also known as +0 strength +9 acrobatics allows a creature to overcome written difficult terrain through standing long jumps which might require proficiency in acrobatics and 16 dexterity at 17th character level
Random race change through a trapped portal along with item removal/destruction, teleportation, age and gender change can throw a character for a loop when they're not expecting it so maybe take care in that regard
Places in the multiverse might be disconnected from other planes so divine/pactual magic from cleric, druid, paladin, ranger, warlock classes might stop working, there might be antimagic, modified/blocked teleportation/banishing effects/planar travel and general spellcasting changes, secret intruders in telepathic/interplanar communication, subverted divinations, immutable terrain/structures, etc, basically treat your wizard as if they were a modified fighter until you open up the place to regular spellcasting or change location.
edit: Looks like this is the 777th thread, 9916th post in wizard class at class forums 👍 edit2: Additional information/quick reminders:
Every spellcaster could consider planning their spells around resources such as ammunition (spell components, spell slots, hit points, etc), information (where are the spies, is your benefactor your true enemy, etc), range, vision, cover, breathing, exhaustion, reinforcement, advantage +9 to concentration, surprise, hit point maximum, position, privacy, etc.
5th level wizard or higher is able to cast Phantom Steed and Floating Disk. If you combo these two together you are able to basically be pulling a little wagon behind you at 100/200ft a round. Combine this with just having some archers/long range EB builds and trivialize outdoor combat by being able to kite out basically any enemy that isn't also able to shoot at 600 feet.
Fog Cloud makes an entire area heavily obscured, which gives everything disadvantage and makes nobody able to see things inside. This spell blocks a LOT of spells from working, and also counters pack tactics monsters. It gets pretty great when you combine it with spells that actually explicitly work with it, so look over your spell list and have your fellow players do the same to pick out spells that don't need you to see to cast.
Combine Mold Earth with Minor Illusion to make a pit trap with an illusory cover. Add spikes to the bottom too if you have some time but a 5 by 5 pit can be pretty useful alone.
Warding Wind means you and those around you get to avoid gaseous spell effects, combine it with another caster using stuff like stinking cloud for a pretty effective safety zone to counter enemy swarming. Basically also follows the ideas of the fog cloud stuff.
Wizards should gain a Feat that could allow them at higher levels to do either Magic Crits or a Second Attack ( as the Fighters have )
I think any class should have access to a feat that allows one extra attack, so long as they don't already have that as a class/subclass feature.
Wizards can magically crit, on spells that have an attack roll. I would hate to see it implemented on spells with saving throws.
If they save, it's half damage; if they don't save it's full damage; if they crit fail, it's double damage? Or roll the dice again and add the two rolls together? Too much
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Hi
How are you? Hope you're doing great!
You decide what TRICKS stands for, could be anything, Trying Real Ideas Cleverly Knowing Specifics, Theorizing Recreating Imagining Caring Kidding Striving, That Room Is Clearly Killing Stuff, don't have to come up with anything. Wanted to share things that, depending on dungeon master, may or may not apply to wizards. The spellcasting mechanic will vary to some degree with each dungeon master, so knowing as much as possible could make the session more interesting when the wizard weaves mechanical alterations in fun ways.
Nothing posted here is to be taken too seriously, we don't have to be mad, we got rituals in the spellbook named Abraham and it can be replaced later by the spellbook named Agatha or others through instant summons. The dungeon master is the one who'll be providing the party with items and spell mechanics so in order to navigate the class you're gonna need to sync up with the table. Sometimes an expedition can be long enough to warrant building a path for mine carts to go through dungeons, the merchant camp set outside eventually grows into a small village then a town then a big city, maybe the idea is to go in a dungeon only once and be done with it either by finishing it completely or partially, never returning.
Tier 0, the same spells do opposite things at different tables
A nonplayer character ideally would cast a spell to demonstrate how it functions most of the time in the world. Otherwise always allow the dungeon master to fully intertwine every ruling because that's the social contract, they get unlimited power in exchange of trying their best to make every little thing make the most sense while the players give their full consent in exchange of being allowed to partake and try having fun in the world.
To exemplify with Floating Disk, Rope Trick and Tiny Hut: A player character might wanna try using these lower level spells to facilitate resting in the game, a dungeon master can simply say sure you get to rest, they can also say that a floating disk copies the spent movement of its caster so it doesn't move when their mount moves them without using the caster's movement, the rope trick description says nothing about how large the entrance itself is and also doesn't say it has a floor, creatures might need to have a flying speed to rest there out of view or the ability to breathe underwater and cast it there, the tiny hut spell could be homebrewed to serve the narrative, it could adopt the form of a dome instead of the hemisphere informed in the written spell range (the description says it's a dome while the range says it's a hemisphere, it's initially intended to be a hemisphere), giants could wear magic gloves that allow them to move the spell and can only be changed in the presence of a certain named creature wielding/wearing a certain named object. Figure out how a nonplayer character casts the spell at the table and even then the way the spell works during an emergency could be the functional opposite of what you wanted it to do there, the enemy might enter a plane of existence that isn't the ethereal and go right through wall of force, they might absorb another spell's damage type and then do something weird with it.
Fast advice for maintaining spell consistency is to mimic the capabilities of a fighter with your spells, so, when using them, do it to make the situation more interesting in some way for both allies and enemies, instead of horribly screwing the enemy over, let them have a way of retaliating somehow or retreating to call reinforcements/reunite with family/report spellcaster to community/etc. It's counterintuitive to downplay spells but downplayed spells usually get to go off more predictably, which makes them leagues more tactically valuable than a spell you don't know what'll happen if you finish casting it.
Quick overview of fifth edition basic rules' chapter ten: spellcasting, remember the dungeon master can and is encouraged to change anything to make the game more fun. Please, for everyone's sakes, try making sure the spellcaster knows what every single one their spells do in as much detail as possible so they don't embarrass themselves and get killed for not knowing every little thing. Maybe let them do a practice run of the spell before they decide to select it or something, we all want to have fun:
what is spell
spell is magic unless it isn't
spell level
zero to nine, zero is called cantrip
preparation
spell list is limited by preparation
spell slots
preparation is limited by slots
upcasting
cantrips can't be upcast because they already always are, when a spell's upcast they are treated as the level of the slot expended, you can't downcast
armor
you need proficiency with donned armor otherwise you can't cast spells
ritual
spells can have the ritual tag, if the class has the ritual caster feature, the ritual can be cast at its lowest level without spending a slot by taking additional 10 minutes to cast it
casting time
there are four: action, bonus action, reaction, long; concentration is required to begin casting a long one, a cantrip with a casting time of an action is the only other spell allowed to be cast in a turn a bonus action spell's cast, a fighter can cast three spells that aren't cantrips if they action surge and counterspell in the same turn provided the other two spells have a casting time of an action, by the way a spell with a casting time of an action can also be readied using concentration so the spell initiates later in the round with the caster's reaction, which might protect it from both effects that interrupt the casting of spells and effects that remove the effects of spells due to the fact that a readied spell has both finished casting and its effects have yet to start
range
there are three: self, touch, feet; touch isn't long enough to project ten feet from caster's body, self isn't long enough to exit caster's body so they shouldn't be able to affect any other creature other than the caster using common sense as in you don't need to leave your clothes behind when you nonmagically walk, you take what you're carrying and wearing with you when you teleport, the important part of range is affecting more than one creature or affecting a creature other than the caster with a range of self
components
there are three: verbal, somatic, material; you begin suffocating when you use a verbal component somewhere you can't breathe, you might need to hold otherwise touch a material component with a free hand and you only need the specific material if there's a gold cost informed otherwise your class feature may allow you or not to replace specific materials with a focus, somatic needs a free hand but doesn't need a free hand if you're already using the hand to provide the material component for that specific casting, if the casting requires somatic but doesn't also require material then you need a naked hand for that materialless somatic
duration
spell magic only exists while the duration lasts, once it ends, the persisting effects, should there be any, become part of the nonmagical world, if a spell requires concentration to make it last, you need to concentrate on it, the thing is that you can't concentrate on more than one thing at the same time until something explicitly says you can, what ends concentration is begin casting a spell that requires concentration after it's finished casting or that has a casting time longer than an action, taking damage makes you need to succeed on dc 10 constitution saving throw or half damage taken whichever's higher to maintain concentration, concentration also ends when incapacitated or killed, the dungeon master may ask for concentration check at their discretion as well like when on a storm tossed ship dc 10 constitution, separate concentration checks are associated with something capable of affecting different targets like an arrow, a dragon's breath, a single magic missile although you should roll one damage and use that result to determine the damage of each missile for that casting of the spell according to damage rules of damage simultaneously caused to more than one target present in previous chapter nine combat
targets
a target must be within spell range only when the spell's unleashed in the world unless something states otherwise, the spell can only target what the description says it can, so if it says it can target a creature then it can't target an object unless something says otherwise, if the spell description doesn't say anything about targeting a certain spot while disregarding cover or something reaping no benefits from cover, etc, then most likely you'll need clear path to spell target, it means an arrow's gotta be able to clear distance until there or an imaginary line must be able to reach there without bending, if target is a point in space you don't have to see or it is one you have to see but there's invisible total cover blocking the way, the point in space targeted ends up bumping into the total cover and unleashing the spell effect there, if the spell says you need to see the target then you need to see the target somehow, there can be exceptions written in the spell description or ruled by the dungeon master, there might be a list of valid targets that are normally invisible that the spell is capable of targeting
Targeting Yourself: If a spell targets a creature of your choice, you can choose yourself, unless the creature must be hostile or specifically a creature other than you. If you are in the area of effect of a spell you cast, you can target yourself.
areas
usually fair to assume a spell can't be moved and doesn't require anchoring to maintain its initial position unless described otherwise, every area spell targets a point in space and they behave like a point hologram, their effects are generated in straight lines from the spell target which can be a point in space also known as point of origin for this purpose, effects may also origin from targets that are entities such as creatures or objects, areas have different geometrical forms/shapes, total cover eats at spell area like it would do for a point hologram, if a spell doesn't say its area damages objects then its area doesn't damage objects like many true dragon's breath weapons or other effects capable of damaging only creatures unless something says otherwise, some spells' area don't damage but do ignite flammable objects, others explicitly state they do both; there are five area shapes
cone
width equals distance from origin, origin optionally included in area
cube
originates from a point that must be located on a face of the cube, not an edge or the geometrical center, origin optionally included in area
cylinder
always vertical, point expands to become circle then expands again downward if not on ground otherwise upward to form shape, origin always included in area
line
straight, origin optionally included in area
sphere
expands from center, origin always included in area
saves
check spellcasting feature from creature
attacks
attacks are attacks
combos
for most effects of same name most potent effect overtakes least potent effect otherwise if equally potent most recent effect outshines least recent during all their durations
Tier 1, 1st level spells
Healer's kit can be good to have as well as unseen servant, fire bolt, light, mage hand, pole (10-foot), ladder (10 foot), chain (10 feet), you can get a lot done with them, find pressure plates, covered pits, tripwires, webs and stuff with those. Do your best to stay at range and keep allies informed so they take care of things more effectively. Thunderwave, shield, absorb elements can be decent spells, mage armor might make it into the list depending on the situation. Perhaps learn chill touch at 4th class level so even enemies who chug healing potions start behaving, by the way might wanna pay attention to rest spells, some dungeon masters start piling encounters right at the border of rest spells which makes them worse for the party's survival in such cases, similar deal with a familiar, if the dungeon master isn't on board with familiar they'll remain dead, your gold will be wasted and you will start thinking you could have picked a different spell, as always, the way to go is to get in tune with the group. Suggested ability score increase concentration.
Tier 2, 3rd level spells
Again about rest spells, you really gotta know how things are at the table, because if the rest spell creates combat encounters then they are worse for the group's chances of survival. Misty step, see invisibility, remove curse, fly, counterspell, dispel magic may see use in game, watch out for resistances, magic resistance, damage resistance, legendary resistance, sometimes there are limited and full immunities at play, creatures might be able to fly, teleport, breathe underwater, damage multiple targets in one turn, cast heavy obscurement and dispel magic multiple times for multiple rounds. Might learn acid splash at 10th class level to get guaranteed acid damage against paralyzed, petrified, stunned, unconscious targets. Suggested ability score increase concentration.
Tier 3, 6th level spells
Wall of force, dimension door can be useful at times while less or more often, depending on the dungeon master, disintegrate and sunbeam may have use. Can have around +9 bonus to concentration checks beyond advantage depending on feat availability and other options. Suggested ability score increase try finishing concentration and then balance initiative with maximum hit points.
Number stuff, getting good for good runs in tier 4
Hit Points
Could aim for 200 at 20th level, to get in that range you're gonna need a +6 to maximum hit point calculation, which means 20 constitution as a hill dwarf or a different race with 18 constitution and the tough feat, might wanna be an elf to get immunity to magical sleep traps. The table for hit die to reach 200hp at 20th level goes:
Hit die, relevant bonus to determine maximum hit points
d12, +3
d10, +4
d8, +5
d6, +6
Spell magnitude
This isn't in any rules you might say and yes you are very right. This is the part in the post you can feel free to crack more jokes and stuff.
Multitarget healing might add to a decent number until the opposition throws an area effect, multitarget damage might look small in individual target's hit points but dang isn't it a lot more than multitarget healing if you were to compare one to the other. Spell magnitude is an evaluation of a leveled spell slot in hit points, I believe the ratio is eleven times starting at second spell level, it's just bananas from my part, it occurred when the slots started running real dry and the hope of surviving the day was down real low *audience laugh track*.
So how does it work, put it in a table already, yes I hear you over there and here it is:
Spell Slot Level, Hit Points
1st, same as 2nd, 22+0
2nd, 22+0
3rd, 33+0
4th, 44+0
5th, 55+0
6th, 66+0
7th, 77+0
8th, 88+0
9th, 99+0
I disagree, I think that's random as heck, yes that's good thinking, that's healthy thinking, that's thinking that'll hopefully maybe keep you alive long enough in the wilds until you're out of the woods. I think this magnitude is low and that's because a life cleric divine soul sorcerer can pull up a twinned spell metamagic heal with six sorcery points so each sorcery point would really be worth thirteen hit points right and yeah that could be something there, what would it look like in a table my fellow practitioner of the arcane arts I can wait no longer to taste it, hey calm down there please:
assuming 6 sorcery points correspond to 78 hit points, 1 sorcery point corresponds to 13 hit points, sorcerer would need 2 sorcery points and a bonus action to create a 1st level spell slot and they could convert a 2nd level spell slot into 2 sorcery points as a bonus action, so:
Spell Slot Level, Hit Points
1st, same as 2nd because it's 2 sorcery points to make it, 26
2nd, 26
3rd, 39
4th, 52
5th, 65
6th, twinned life heal, 78
7th, 91
8th, 104
9th, 117
those are some numbers indeed what do they mean to you they mean
if the spell looks like it has a good chance of doing something comparable to that number amount of hit points fast enough then it might be worth using the spell slot for that effect at a high character/class level let's say the wizard's 8th class level so in that turn they have two 4th level spell slots, zero 1st level spell slots, one 2nd level spell slot and they take 36 damage but if they cast the shield spell they will take zero damage is it worth it to cast the shield spell with a second level spell slot you look there it says 26 which counts as being worth it so you go wait a minute 36 is a tonna damage for an 8th level wizard of course casting shield is the right move here but this keeps getting harder to tell the more hit points spell slots health potions class levels and time between rests you deal with somewhere you're not gonna be so sure if it's worth it to do it or not and that's why this spell magnitude thing came into being for the dire emergencies when you just feel like you don't know anything anymore who am I why did I decide to go here I think I'm about to cry at any second now and all that adventuring stuff you can look back fondly when you're back home safe and laughing on top of a pile of treasure telling everyone else it was no big deal maybe next time you bring back a pile ten times larger wink
another way to write it
Spell Slot Level, Hit Points
1st, same as 2nd total, 24+2
2nd, 22+4
3rd, 33+6
4th, 44+8
5th, 55+10
6th, 66+12
7th, 77+14
8th, 88+16
9th, 99+18
this is magnitude+2 because it adds double spell level to magnitude+0, remember 1st level slot has same total value as 2nd level slot because of literal sorcery or math or both or neither you decide, six sorcery points for seventy-eight hit points in one turn ain't too bad, if you gotta squeeze every little bit of magic to make it last as long as you can this might be a good point of reference to help decide spending a spell slot on the go, in other words magnitude+0 no but magnitude+2 yes in case you got health to spare, otherwise spend away you die if your hit points are neglected long enough
Disintegrate on invisible creation of magical force, visible nonmagical object or visible creature incapacitated by the paralyzed, petrified, stunned, unconscious conditions making them automatically fail the saving throw
Spell Slot Level, Hit Point Average, Difference from Magnitude+2
6th, 75, -3
7th, 85, -6
8th, 96, -8
9th, 106, -11
Sleep on non undead/elf/immune to charmed
Spell Slot Level, Hit Point Average, Difference from Magnitude+2
1st, 22, -4
2nd, 31, +5
3rd, 40, +1
4th, 49, -3
5th, 58, -7
6th, 67, -11
7th, 76, -15
8th, 85, -19
9th, 94, -23
Tier 4
16 preparations that may or may not be worth it for 17th level
thunderwave, shield, absorb elements, misty step, see invisibility, counterspell, remove curse, dispel magic, fly, dimension door, wall of force, forcecage, etherealness, mind blank, wish, true polymorph
feel free to change any of them, consider mage armor/magic missile if it makes sense, disintegrate if enemy casts too many wall of forces/forcecages, sunbeam if there're lots of darkness while enemy keeps messing up upcasted continual flames, teleport, magnificent mansion, arcanist's magic aura, darkvision and others
Ninja step also known as +0 strength +9 acrobatics allows a creature to overcome written difficult terrain through standing long jumps which might require proficiency in acrobatics and 16 dexterity at 17th character level
Random race change through a trapped portal along with item removal/destruction, teleportation, age and gender change can throw a character for a loop when they're not expecting it so maybe take care in that regard
Places in the multiverse might be disconnected from other planes so divine/pactual magic from cleric, druid, paladin, ranger, warlock classes might stop working, there might be antimagic, modified/blocked teleportation/banishing effects/planar travel and general spellcasting changes, secret intruders in telepathic/interplanar communication, subverted divinations, immutable terrain/structures, etc, basically treat your wizard as if they were a modified fighter until you open up the place to regular spellcasting or change location.
edit: Looks like this is the 777th thread, 9916th post in wizard class at class forums 👍
edit2: Additional information/quick reminders:
Every spellcaster could consider planning their spells around resources such as ammunition (spell components, spell slots, hit points, etc), information (where are the spies, is your benefactor your true enemy, etc), range, vision, cover, breathing, exhaustion, reinforcement, advantage +9 to concentration, surprise, hit point maximum, position, privacy, etc.
History:
(っ'-')╮ =͟͟ 🔥「sword, servant, hound, memory, mind, horse, lord, bolt, smoke, sight」
5th level wizard or higher is able to cast Phantom Steed and Floating Disk. If you combo these two together you are able to basically be pulling a little wagon behind you at 100/200ft a round. Combine this with just having some archers/long range EB builds and trivialize outdoor combat by being able to kite out basically any enemy that isn't also able to shoot at 600 feet.
Fog Cloud makes an entire area heavily obscured, which gives everything disadvantage and makes nobody able to see things inside. This spell blocks a LOT of spells from working, and also counters pack tactics monsters. It gets pretty great when you combine it with spells that actually explicitly work with it, so look over your spell list and have your fellow players do the same to pick out spells that don't need you to see to cast.
Combine Mold Earth with Minor Illusion to make a pit trap with an illusory cover. Add spikes to the bottom too if you have some time but a 5 by 5 pit can be pretty useful alone.
Warding Wind means you and those around you get to avoid gaseous spell effects, combine it with another caster using stuff like stinking cloud for a pretty effective safety zone to counter enemy swarming. Basically also follows the ideas of the fog cloud stuff.
Wizards should gain a Feat that could allow them at higher levels to do either Magic Crits or a Second Attack ( as the Fighters have )
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
I think any class should have access to a feat that allows one extra attack, so long as they don't already have that as a class/subclass feature.
Wizards can magically crit, on spells that have an attack roll. I would hate to see it implemented on spells with saving throws.
If they save, it's half damage; if they don't save it's full damage; if they crit fail, it's double damage? Or roll the dice again and add the two rolls together? Too much