So, I have made something (see my dmsguild releases in signature) and I am curious as to whether this is a solution to a problem that only I have!
When you make a new higher level spellcaster from scratch, and it's one of those which you can swap out a spell each time you learn a new one, I personally find it kinda convuluted to have to go through adding a spell and subbing a spell for every level to work out exactly how many of each spell level I can have!
So, I made a set of templates to make spellcaster-building a much smoother process, and put them on DMs Guild for Pay What You Want. But, is it just me? I am curious as to whether I'm the only one who's struggled with this, and I've made somethign to fix nothing, or if this could be of use to the wider community!
It is a bit complicated, I guess you could construct a table that calculates it for you. You have to have a minimum L1 spells, minimum L2 spells, etc. As DM, I just let the players do what they want, within reason. So long as they have a nice spread. If they ignore low level spells too much, their low level slots will be wasted while if they ignore high level slots...you can do that in a natural build regardless, so.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Ah, that's a fantastic idea actually, thank you! Especially for DMs making NPCs or players wanting to start at higher levels. Any tool to make a chore easier, and double check your work for accuracy, is much appreciated.
It is a bit complicated, I guess you could construct a table that calculates it for you. You have to have a minimum L1 spells, minimum L2 spells, etc. As DM, I just let the players do what they want, within reason. So long as they have a nice spread. If they ignore low level spells too much, their low level slots will be wasted while if they ignore high level slots...you can do that in a natural build regardless, so.
That table's exactly what I've made, so I'm glad that someone else thinks it could be useful!
Ah, that's a fantastic idea actually, thank you! Especially for DMs making NPCs or players wanting to start at higher levels. Any tool to make a chore easier, and double check your work for accuracy, is much appreciated.
The ones I've made have two separate tools for it, depending on how you prefer to build your character! I figured options is always easiest!
It is somewhat complicated, but not too much of an issue for me. To me at least though, the most complicated aspect of making a spellcaster is going through and picking all the spells in the first place. Changing them level by level isn’t really an issue for me.
I keep what I pick even if I never use them again. It adds to the play experience to learn to work around any little miss choice. I look at it like I can not go back and unlearn something I have already spent time and experience learning.
As a cleric/druid caster its just part of the class to have such large choices.
I keep what I pick even if I never use them again. It adds to the play experience to learn to work around any little miss choice. I look at it like I can not go back and unlearn something I have already spent time and experience learning.
As a cleric/druid caster its just part of the class to have such large choices.
Because it's allowed by the rules. You don't have to use them, but they are there to be used. Anyone is free to restrict themselves as much as they want. But the game is designed with the understanding that some spells have higher level replacements. And some classes depend on it. A Warlock has limited spells and slots. Some spells that are useful at low level don't upcast. The class is built around the fact that you trade spells up.
There's been a joke for several editions now that "half of being a spellcaster is book-keeping". In a way it's sort of unavoidable if you want to have a wide array of spells to choose from and have each caster "feel"/function in a distinct manner. 5E's probably the easiest it's been though if you asked me.
I can work out the rules on my own if I have to, but I used D&D Beyond's character builder to make it easy to track as I'm swapping out prepared spells on long rests and such.
It is a bit complicated, I guess you could construct a table that calculates it for you. You have to have a minimum L1 spells, minimum L2 spells, etc. As DM, I just let the players do what they want, within reason. So long as they have a nice spread. If they ignore low level spells too much, their low level slots will be wasted while if they ignore high level slots...you can do that in a natural build regardless, so.
If you are one of the classes that has "spells known", then there is no requirement that you have a minimum number of each level of spells, since as you level up you can swap out a spell learnt at a lower level for ANY spell that you are now capable of casting. Of course, in practise you would want at least 1 first level spell, otherwise those 1st level spell slots are likely to be of no use to you.
At 13th level a Bard has 15 spells known - and has 11 levels at which it could swap a spell for a different level spell).
For NPCs, I'd never build them as normal PCs - way too complicated!
At 13th level a Bard has 15 spells known - and has 11 levels at which it could swap a spell for a different level spell).
That's just where it cets complex, you see!
At level 13, you know 16 spells, can sub out 12 of the ones you've known since you started, but only up to one of those can be level 7, because you've only had access to them for this level, only up to 6 of them can be for level 6, because you've only known them for 3 levels, and so forth.
That's why I made these sheets, to simplify all that!
Personally, I find it easy and simple. And D&D Beyond makes it easier.
I don't actually understand the point of what your tables/etc are going to do that D&D Beyond doesn't do already, and dynamically?
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Personally, I find it easy and simple. And D&D Beyond makes it easier.
I don't actually understand the point of what your tables/etc are going to do that D&D Beyond doesn't do already, and dynamically?
I suppose my tables are for those old-schoolers who prefer to use pencil & paper - I've never gotten on with online or digital character creation tools!
Plus, I can create characters based on any of the hardcover books I own, rather than finding that I cannot have a Satyr because I haven't bought the Dnd beyond book. I agree that it's a decent resource, but it's only good if you either start out with it and only have the digital books (which can run out of battery or internet, and all those downsides), or if you suffer with smouldering holes in your pockets that only the spontaneous combustion of excessive amounts of money can produce!
I'm not getting into the pros and cons of physical vs digital. Will mention you can recreate most things for free anyway.
But as somebody who prefers digital but has used both online resources as well as pen & paper - I still fail to understand what makes your pdf any better? Not having a dig, and if it helps others that's fantastic, I just don't see how. The tables in the books outline it very easily and very simply. I can take a quick look at that table, in the PHB, and instantly know how many spells I should get and at what level they could be.
And wizards in particular are the easier of the bunch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I'm not getting into the pros and cons of physical vs digital. Will mention you can recreate most things for free anyway.
But as somebody who prefers digital but has used both online resources as well as pen & paper - I still fail to understand what makes your pdf any better? Not having a dig, and if it helps others that's fantastic, I just don't see how. The tables in the books outline it very easily and very simply. I can take a quick look at that table, in the PHB, and instantly know how many spells I should get and at what level they could be.
And wizards in particular are the easier of the bunch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Well, I need to thank you! In trying to explain to you how my sheets help, I noticed an inherent flaw in them, and am now working to correct it!
so, Thanks!
can you articulate how you read the standard spell sheet for me? So I understand if I'm missing something obvious! Let's say, Bard, level 13 - how many of each spell can you have?
(Don't worry if you don't want to or don't have time to, I'm just curious!)
Since Wizards cannot replace lower spells with higher one like Bards or Sorcs, they're even easier. 6 at 1st, then +2 every level. Max level is 1 and increases by 1 every 2 wizard levels. And if you want to know the maximum number you will have from the feature it's just 4 + 2x wizard level. So 2nd level is 4 + (2 x 2) = 4 + 4 = 8. Of course the true maximum is "infinite" because you can add spells you find and to know if it is a level you can add just check your highest slot level : if equal or less you can add, if above you cannot.
It's daunting at first glance, but once you give it a proper read and see the pattern it becomes incredibly simple. When it comes to wizards I don't even need the table anymore, I'm so familiar with the pattern now.
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Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I like to theme my wizards. Transportation and movement, A single element, or just element spells, assistance spells, divination. There are not enough of any single spell type to fill all the spells slots but with a little work you can pretty much keep things to a single theme. Not just themes like illusions or necromancy.
Concentrating on just attack spells gets a little cheesy for me after a while. Just not very fun.
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So, I have made something (see my dmsguild releases in signature) and I am curious as to whether this is a solution to a problem that only I have!
When you make a new higher level spellcaster from scratch, and it's one of those which you can swap out a spell each time you learn a new one, I personally find it kinda convuluted to have to go through adding a spell and subbing a spell for every level to work out exactly how many of each spell level I can have!
So, I made a set of templates to make spellcaster-building a much smoother process, and put them on DMs Guild for Pay What You Want. But, is it just me? I am curious as to whether I'm the only one who's struggled with this, and I've made somethign to fix nothing, or if this could be of use to the wider community!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
It is a bit complicated, I guess you could construct a table that calculates it for you. You have to have a minimum L1 spells, minimum L2 spells, etc. As DM, I just let the players do what they want, within reason. So long as they have a nice spread. If they ignore low level spells too much, their low level slots will be wasted while if they ignore high level slots...you can do that in a natural build regardless, so.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Ah, that's a fantastic idea actually, thank you! Especially for DMs making NPCs or players wanting to start at higher levels. Any tool to make a chore easier, and double check your work for accuracy, is much appreciated.
That table's exactly what I've made, so I'm glad that someone else thinks it could be useful!
The ones I've made have two separate tools for it, depending on how you prefer to build your character! I figured options is always easiest!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
It is somewhat complicated, but not too much of an issue for me. To me at least though, the most complicated aspect of making a spellcaster is going through and picking all the spells in the first place. Changing them level by level isn’t really an issue for me.
BoringBard's long and tedious posts somehow manage to enrapture audiences. How? Because he used Charm Person, the #1 bard spell!
He/him pronouns. Call me Bard. PROUD NERD!
Ever wanted to talk about your parties' worst mistakes? Do so HERE. What's your favorite class, why? Share & explain
HERE.Why are you changing them with each level?
I keep what I pick even if I never use them again. It adds to the play experience to learn to work around any little miss choice. I look at it like I can not go back and unlearn something I have already spent time and experience learning.
As a cleric/druid caster its just part of the class to have such large choices.
Because it's allowed by the rules. You don't have to use them, but they are there to be used. Anyone is free to restrict themselves as much as they want. But the game is designed with the understanding that some spells have higher level replacements. And some classes depend on it. A Warlock has limited spells and slots. Some spells that are useful at low level don't upcast. The class is built around the fact that you trade spells up.
There's been a joke for several editions now that "half of being a spellcaster is book-keeping". In a way it's sort of unavoidable if you want to have a wide array of spells to choose from and have each caster "feel"/function in a distinct manner. 5E's probably the easiest it's been though if you asked me.
I can work out the rules on my own if I have to, but I used D&D Beyond's character builder to make it easy to track as I'm swapping out prepared spells on long rests and such.
If you are one of the classes that has "spells known", then there is no requirement that you have a minimum number of each level of spells, since as you level up you can swap out a spell learnt at a lower level for ANY spell that you are now capable of casting. Of course, in practise you would want at least 1 first level spell, otherwise those 1st level spell slots are likely to be of no use to you.
At 13th level a Bard has 15 spells known - and has 11 levels at which it could swap a spell for a different level spell).
For NPCs, I'd never build them as normal PCs - way too complicated!
That's just where it cets complex, you see!
At level 13, you know 16 spells, can sub out 12 of the ones you've known since you started, but only up to one of those can be level 7, because you've only had access to them for this level, only up to 6 of them can be for level 6, because you've only known them for 3 levels, and so forth.
That's why I made these sheets, to simplify all that!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
On the other hand, I've never started a campaign at a high level, so the change of spells happens as we level up from low level - no table needed.
Personally, I find it easy and simple. And D&D Beyond makes it easier.
I don't actually understand the point of what your tables/etc are going to do that D&D Beyond doesn't do already, and dynamically?
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I suppose my tables are for those old-schoolers who prefer to use pencil & paper - I've never gotten on with online or digital character creation tools!
Plus, I can create characters based on any of the hardcover books I own, rather than finding that I cannot have a Satyr because I haven't bought the Dnd beyond book. I agree that it's a decent resource, but it's only good if you either start out with it and only have the digital books (which can run out of battery or internet, and all those downsides), or if you suffer with smouldering holes in your pockets that only the spontaneous combustion of excessive amounts of money can produce!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
I'm not getting into the pros and cons of physical vs digital. Will mention you can recreate most things for free anyway.
But as somebody who prefers digital but has used both online resources as well as pen & paper - I still fail to understand what makes your pdf any better? Not having a dig, and if it helps others that's fantastic, I just don't see how. The tables in the books outline it very easily and very simply. I can take a quick look at that table, in the PHB, and instantly know how many spells I should get and at what level they could be.
And wizards in particular are the easier of the bunch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Well, I need to thank you! In trying to explain to you how my sheets help, I noticed an inherent flaw in them, and am now working to correct it!
so, Thanks!
can you articulate how you read the standard spell sheet for me? So I understand if I'm missing something obvious! Let's say, Bard, level 13 - how many of each spell can you have?
(Don't worry if you don't want to or don't have time to, I'm just curious!)
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
for 13th level Bard, maximum of each level (not as a single combination):
7th = 2
6th = 4
5th = 6
4th = 8
and so on, incrementing by 2 for each lower level.
Because as you gain a new level of spell, you could in theory swap one of your existing spells for that new level.
Farling beat me to it.
Since Wizards cannot replace lower spells with higher one like Bards or Sorcs, they're even easier. 6 at 1st, then +2 every level. Max level is 1 and increases by 1 every 2 wizard levels. And if you want to know the maximum number you will have from the feature it's just 4 + 2x wizard level. So 2nd level is 4 + (2 x 2) = 4 + 4 = 8. Of course the true maximum is "infinite" because you can add spells you find and to know if it is a level you can add just check your highest slot level : if equal or less you can add, if above you cannot.
It's daunting at first glance, but once you give it a proper read and see the pattern it becomes incredibly simple. When it comes to wizards I don't even need the table anymore, I'm so familiar with the pattern now.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Its only as difficult as you make it.
I like to theme my wizards. Transportation and movement, A single element, or just element spells, assistance spells, divination.
There are not enough of any single spell type to fill all the spells slots but with a little work you can pretty much keep things to a single theme. Not just themes like illusions or necromancy.
Concentrating on just attack spells gets a little cheesy for me after a while. Just not very fun.