"Create Spell" creates a "Wizard" spell. You then have to cast "Scribe Spell" in order to permanently have the spell.
"Scribe Spell" (as written) only works on "Arcane" spells, not "Wizard" spells. (the simple fix would be to have Scribe spell work on both, but it doesn't explicitly say so -- RAI vs RAW)
"Create Spell" creates a "Wizard" spell. You then have to cast "Scribe Spell" in order to permanently have the spell.
"Scribe Spell" (as written) only works on "Arcane" spells, not "Wizard" spells. (the simple fix would be to have Scribe spell work on both, but it doesn't explicitly say so -- RAI vs RAW)
While it should definitely be clarified, I think you could argue that Create Spell is the more specific rule in this case, so gives you permission to use Scribe Spell with a Wizard spell. It probably makes more sense for this to be clarified slightly in Create Spell since it's the edge case.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
"Create Spell" creates a "Wizard" spell. You then have to cast "Scribe Spell" in order to permanently have the spell.
"Scribe Spell" (as written) only works on "Arcane" spells, not "Wizard" spells. (the simple fix would be to have Scribe spell work on both, but it doesn't explicitly say so -- RAI vs RAW)
While it should definitely be clarified, I think you could argue that Create Spell is the more specific rule in this case, so gives you permission to use Scribe Spell with a Wizard spell. It probably makes more sense for this to be clarified slightly in Create Spell since it's the edge case.
They don't actually need to change anything here:
Modify and Scribe both need an Arcane Spell.
Create only needs a Modified Spell (which is still Arcane.)
The end result of a Create spell is also still Arcane (i.e. legal for Scribe) and lasts only for 10 minutes after the hour you spent concentrating. If you fail to scribe it in that time, you need to start over. It is only after you scribe it that it becomes Wizard rather than Arcane.
I see that True Strike is still in the Arcane cantrip list. I wonder if they're going to do what they did with Guidance and Resistance: Make it a Reaction cantrip, that you can cast immediately after missing an attack roll.
The good news: it becomes a very compelling spell. (IMO: the "reaction" change is a very compelling make-over for Guidance and Resistance -- they effectively make up for having a stat that is slightly lacking)
The bad news: it burns your reaction, keeping you from using Shield or things like that.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I see that True Strike is still in the Arcane cantrip list. I wonder if they're going to do what they did with Guidance and Resistance: Make it a Reaction cantrip, that you can cast immediately after missing an attack roll.
The good news: it becomes a very compelling spell. (IMO: the "reaction" change is a very compelling make-over for Guidance and Resistance -- they effectively make up for having a stat that is slightly lacking)
The bad news: it burns your reaction, keeping you from using Shield or things like that.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
The end result of a Create spell is also still Arcane (i.e. legal for Scribe) and lasts only for 10 minutes after the hour you spent concentrating. If you fail to scribe it in that time, you need to start over. It is only after you scribe it that it becomes Wizard rather than Arcane.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I'd argue the reaction change doesn't work for guidance either; it's already a fantastic cantrip in 5e, you just have to think about the timing (so it's really out-of-combat only). Making it a reaction makes it far too easy to use, and turns it from an already highly valuable cantrip into a no-brainer; plus a lot of Clerics usually don't have any real competition for their reaction anyway, which makes it an even easier pick.
Unless blade ward, resistance and true strike function a bit differently, the same will happen to them as well if they don't see other changes. While I think making them instantaneous is definitely the way to go, and some will only make sense as reactions in that case, I think they need more limitations to keep them balanced.
Blade ward could work as a reaction if it only worked against a single weapon attack? True strike needs to be more restrictive than just "free advantage" though, maybe if it were just an +1d4 (an average of +2.5, whereas advantage is equivalent to +5)? I could see that being abused with stacking though (add it on top of bless on top of something else etc.).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
I see that True Strike is still in the Arcane cantrip list. I wonder if they're going to do what they did with Guidance and Resistance: Make it a Reaction cantrip, that you can cast immediately after missing an attack roll.
The good news: it becomes a very compelling spell. (IMO: the "reaction" change is a very compelling make-over for Guidance and Resistance -- they effectively make up for having a stat that is slightly lacking)
The bad news: it burns your reaction, keeping you from using Shield or things like that.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Having multiple “must haves” is called good design. Then it means they are balanced against each other and the player has meaningful choices to make. The problem is when there’s one, like guidance, that far outclasses everything else, so everyone takes it.
I see that True Strike is still in the Arcane cantrip list. I wonder if they're going to do what they did with Guidance and Resistance: Make it a Reaction cantrip, that you can cast immediately after missing an attack roll.
The good news: it becomes a very compelling spell. (IMO: the "reaction" change is a very compelling make-over for Guidance and Resistance -- they effectively make up for having a stat that is slightly lacking)
The bad news: it burns your reaction, keeping you from using Shield or things like that.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Having multiple “must haves” is called good design. Then it means they are balanced against each other and the player has meaningful choices to make. The problem is when there’s one, like guidance, that far outclasses everything else, so everyone takes it.
having 4 must have options out of 30 cantrips, is not balanced.
The end result of a Create spell is also still Arcane (i.e. legal for Scribe) and lasts only for 10 minutes after the hour you spent concentrating. If you fail to scribe it in that time, you need to start over. It is only after you scribe it that it becomes Wizard rather than Arcane.
Ah so it does, thanks for clearing that up!
That would be a reasonable work around ... but that's not what is RAW in 1DD. Create Spell creates a Wizard spell, and not an Arcane spell. Scribe Spell only works on (and produces) Arcane Spells.
I didn't see any language that explicitly says that Class-Specific Spells are just a restricted subset of that class's larger spell type (it would make sense that they are, but i don't see it stated anywhere).
I think RAI is pretty clear: the result of Create Spell should qualify for Scribe Spell. It kind of has to. But according to RAW, it doesn't (unless you can tell me which preview PDF that clarification is in, and the page/etc.). And WOTC needs to make their RAI into RAW. IMO: the easiest way is for Scribe spell to also work on Wizard Spells, and it doesn't change the spell's class type (so an Arcane spell stays an Arcane spell when you scribe it, a Wizard Spell stays a Wizard Spell when you scribe it). Another clarification would be that Class-Specific spells are still of the larger type (so anything you can do to an Arcane Spell a Wizard can do to a Wizard spell, a Warlock can do to a Warlock spell, etc.), they're just restricted to that class.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I'd argue the reaction change doesn't work for guidance either; it's already a fantastic cantrip in 5e, you just have to think about the timing (so it's really out-of-combat only). Making it a reaction makes it far too easy to use, and turns it from an already highly valuable cantrip into a no-brainer; plus a lot of Clerics usually don't have any real competition for their reaction anyway, which makes it an even easier pick.
I think Guidance works find as it is in 1DD (as a reaction spell). And I'll elaborate below about how it might work out for Clerics.
Unless blade ward, resistance and true strike function a bit differently, the same will happen to them as well if they don't see other changes. While I think making them instantaneous is definitely the way to go, and some will only make sense as reactions in that case, I think they need more limitations to keep them balanced.
Blade ward could work as a reaction if it only worked against a single weapon attack?
That would seem to be very appropriate. Same with Resistance: it only works against the thing you're reacting to. If the target gets a second spell cast on them (or other need for a second save that turn), the previous Resistance doesn't apply to it. That's sort of how Resistance (for 1DD) is worded, but it's not explicit.
True strike needs to be more restrictive than just "free advantage" though, maybe if it were just an +1d4 (an average of +2.5, whereas advantage is equivalent to +5)? I could see that being abused with stacking though (add it on top of bless on top of something else etc.).
If all four of those cantrips are done the same way in 1DD (one die roll via reaction), then Clerics don't really need Bless anymore. They just make use of True Strike and Resistance. Also note that in 1DD, there are a lot of smite spells that Clerics have access to. All of them consume Reaction (not BA) in 1DD.
So now the Cleric does have a lot of decisions to make about their Reaction. Smite Spell? True Strike? Resistance? Guidance? Blade Ward?
And if the Cleric has several of those Cantrips ... they have fewer cantrip picks to devote to Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, and (if it comes back) Word of Radiance.
The big question, in that case, would be: what happens to Bane?
having 4 must have options out of 30 cantrips, is not balanced.
I guess if they're all reactions there's a limit to how many you can realistically take; just as it's often better to have a mix of attack and save cantrips, a mix of damage types etc., you don't want to go too hard on reaction cantrips because you can only ever use one per round (and might be losing something else you could be using instead).
So if the reaction cantrips are strong people will definitely take at least one, but which one? And how many total? You could easily shoot yourself in the foot taking too many, because then your only way to deal damage will be spells which means burning resources.
It would unbalance classes that can get more cantrips overall though, like the UA Sorcerer who gets a built in multi-damage type attack cantrip which already saves picks, plus another four which are now free for maybe one save cantrip plus three from the reactions and utility options. Meanwhile classes that get two and only two are going to struggle.
But yeah, I think they definitely need to be toned down to stay balanced as instants.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
having 4 must have options out of 30 cantrips, is not balanced.
I guess if they're all reactions there's a limit to how many you can realistically take; just as it's often better to have a mix of attack and save cantrips, a mix of damage types etc., you don't want to go too hard on reaction cantrips because you can only ever use one per round (and might be losing something else you could be using instead).
So if the reaction cantrips are strong people will definitely take at least one, but which one? And how many total? You could easily shoot yourself in the foot taking too many, because then your only way to deal damage will be spells which means burning resources.
It would unbalance classes that can get more cantrips overall though, like the UA Sorcerer who gets a built in multi-damage type attack cantrip which already saves picks, plus another four which are now free for maybe one save cantrip plus three from the reactions and utility options. Meanwhile classes that get two and only two are going to struggle.
But yeah, I think they definitely need to be toned down to stay balanced as instants.
I don't think its really that hard of a choice for most builds. Like the wizard really wont need true strike, guidance is nice I guess but not needed, maybe blade ward depending on the table, but resistance will be key as concentration checks are still saves I suspect. Each class will have 1 to 2 must haves, the rest will be nice to have but not must haves. Obviously this only matters for optimization, but if every fighter is taking the same feat to get 2 cantrips it is a issue.
I see that True Strike is still in the Arcane cantrip list. I wonder if they're going to do what they did with Guidance and Resistance: Make it a Reaction cantrip, that you can cast immediately after missing an attack roll.
The good news: it becomes a very compelling spell. (IMO: the "reaction" change is a very compelling make-over for Guidance and Resistance -- they effectively make up for having a stat that is slightly lacking)
The bad news: it burns your reaction, keeping you from using Shield or things like that.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Having multiple “must haves” is called good design. Then it means they are balanced against each other and the player has meaningful choices to make. The problem is when there’s one, like guidance, that far outclasses everything else, so everyone takes it.
having 4 must have options out of 30 cantrips, is not balanced.
It is if you can only have 2 cantrips at all (or 2 cantrips "active"). Which 2 "must haves" will you pick? And that means you don't get Fire Bolt or Shillelagh, etc.
Not including MI Feats, if you keep prioritizing "must haves", a Wizard doesn't get anything other than one of those Must Have cantrips until 10th level. No Mage Hand, no damaging cantrips that they can "cast all day", no flavor cantrips, no other type of utility cantrips. It's only those four until 10th level. For the Cleric, it's the same: no Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, Sacred Flame, etc. until 10th level. Similar for the Druid, and the Bard.
A Warlock only gets their free Warlock cantrips, aside from those Must Haves (and they wont get the final Must Have until 10th level).
The Paladin never even gets the fourth Must Have. They only ever get 3 cantrips total. Same with the Ranger.
The Sorcerer is the only one that isn't restricted by this, because they get all 4 must have cantrips at 1st level, plus their Sorcerous Burst. And they can take their first "other" cantrip at 5th level.
The balance is in having to make the trade off between "everything else you MIGHT be able to do all day long" vs "these 4 really compelling ones." Acid Spray, Fire Bolt, Ray of Frost, and Shocking Grasp are the spells that let a low level Wizard stay in the fight after they've blown all of their slotted spells (or hold off on slotted spells for a really compelling situation). If you only ever pick the Must Have cantrips, you are completely undoing the way 5e Cantrips solved a key problem for casters. Which means no one who really thinks about it would "only take those 4". They would almost certainly take one, but they still need to round out their all-day-long capabilities. So almost no one will have all of them until high level, or if they burn a Feat or two on it.
I don't think its really that hard of a choice for most builds. Like the wizard really wont need true strike, guidance is nice I guess but not needed, maybe blade ward depending on the table, but resistance will be key as concentration checks are still saves I suspect. Each class will have 1 to 2 must haves, the rest will be nice to have but not must haves. Obviously this only matters for optimization, but if every fighter is taking the same feat to get 2 cantrips it is a issue.
True, though I wouldn't say true strike has no use to a Wizard as it currently works with attack spells as well, though obviously at higher levels Wizards won't rely on those much (and they don't really need to at low levels either). It depends what they'd do with it, a free advantage instant reaction wouldn't be balanced, and I'm not sure a +1d4 would be either unless you make it +1 (so it'd be for near misses only), but I think it in that case it would then just end up in the same situation as now (potentially useful but in practice you never actually take it).
They could prevent resistance being used to bolster your own concentration saves by making it concentration as well (make it a weird instant reaction that requires concentration); this way you'd only want to use it for a crucial saving throw where failing is worse than dropping concentration, or you use it to protect an ally's more important concentration spell etc.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take in order to get one of: Shield, Bless, Faerie Fire, Goodberry, and/or Find Familiar, so they will have 2 free cantrips to pick up the two they are missing from their spell list.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take
Uhh, what now?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take
Uhh, what now?
We will have to see where it ends up but 1 1st level spell added to your known list and 2 cantrips is pretty attractive for a spell caster. Its attractive to anyone. But I would not use it to get all 4 as I don't think you get enough out of having all 4 for most classes.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take
Uhh, what now?
We will have to see where it ends up but 1 1st level spell added to your known list and 2 cantrips is pretty attractive for a spell caster. Its attractive to anyone. But I would not use it to get all 4 as I don't think you get enough out of having all 4 for most classes.
I just have a hard time imagining "most" casters are going to go that direction, considering that it's a feat that becomes much less useful the higher level you get
It's like Heavy Armor Master now in 5e. The damage reduction can be massive at level 1, but it becomes negligeable not too far in the future
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take
Uhh, what now?
We will have to see where it ends up but 1 1st level spell added to your known list and 2 cantrips is pretty attractive for a spell caster. Its attractive to anyone. But I would not use it to get all 4 as I don't think you get enough out of having all 4 for most classes.
I just have a hard time imagining "most" casters are going to go that direction, considering that it's a feat that becomes much less useful the higher level you get
It's like Heavy Armor Master now in 5e. The damage reduction can be massive at level 1, but it becomes negligeable not too far in the future
Even in 5e I take it a lot, mainly for the cantrips. i love cantrips and you never get enough. But on a optimization level, yeah it looses its usefulness pretty quick for full casters. 1 extra 4th level spell out of 4 is not huge. But gaining access to one spell you normally wouldn't could be useful. I just don't like it thematically wizards are going to snagging divine spells, clerics arcane, just feels off. I usually took it so my mage armor did not cost against my normal spells as a wizard.
I see that True Strike is still in the Arcane cantrip list. I wonder if they're going to do what they did with Guidance and Resistance: Make it a Reaction cantrip, that you can cast immediately after missing an attack roll.
The good news: it becomes a very compelling spell. (IMO: the "reaction" change is a very compelling make-over for Guidance and Resistance -- they effectively make up for having a stat that is slightly lacking)
The bad news: it burns your reaction, keeping you from using Shield or things like that.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Celestial Human Pact of the Tome Warlock who takes all three Magic Initiate feats via its race/background and the Lessons of the First Ones invocation gets 13 cantrips (plus Eldritch Blast and Book of Shadows, at level 4. You can easily fit Guidance, Resistance, Blade Ward, and True Strike in there and still have plenty available.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take
Uhh, what now?
We will have to see where it ends up but 1 1st level spell added to your known list and 2 cantrips is pretty attractive for a spell caster. Its attractive to anyone. But I would not use it to get all 4 as I don't think you get enough out of having all 4 for most classes.
I just have a hard time imagining "most" casters are going to go that direction, considering that it's a feat that becomes much less useful the higher level you get
It's like Heavy Armor Master now in 5e. The damage reduction can be massive at level 1, but it becomes negligeable not too far in the future
But it doesn't??? At least not until tier 4 which is after most campaigns end.
The new Magic Initiate which lets you cast the spell with your own spells slots is really f---ing amazing because it means clerics, druids, and bards can pick up Shield for that sweet-sweet AC boost on top of their armour making cleric probably the tankiest class in the game until paladins get their aura (or dip Warlock to get Shield as well). Shield is always good across all tiers of play. While Wizards, and Sorcerers can use it to pick up Healing Word and be just as good a healer as anyone else until 9th level. In terms of cantrips, both the new Resistance and Guidance remain powerful across all tiers of play and will be the cantrips picked up by the Wizards & Sorcerers to give them the majority of the support power of a cleric in a single feat, if the same design is applied to True Strike that will be the cantrip picked up by bards, druids, and clerics along with one of Ray of Frost, Fire bolt, or Chill Touch as their primary damage dealing cantrip.
Clerics that don't want to be Tanky McTanks a lot, can pick up Guidance/Resistance (whichever they didn't take with their own cantrips) + Thorn Whip and Goodberry/Faerie Fire to steal the most powerful healing / buffing from druid along with the best battlefield control cantrip to double down on their role as healer / support. All of these remain good even in Tier 3, and arguable are more powerful on a Cleric due to synergies with their high level spells than on a druid - i.e. Thorn Whip + Spiritual Guardians.
Druids who are happy being squishy, can pick up Guidance/Resistance (whichever they didn't take with their own cantrips) + Spare the Dying and Bless (the best up-casting buff spell in the game) to double down on their support roll and give them a better option when the enemy has Legendary Resistances.
I mean for Moon Druid in one D&D, Magic Initiate is mandatory so that you can combine Mage Amour + Shield while in WS to survive in your WS for more than a round which Crawford basically said in some of the interviews about it.
and of course Magic Initiate keeps is power to give clerics and bards (or anyone else) Find Familiar which some have argued is the single most powerful spell in the game.
Other "always useful" cantrips across all tiers of play include: mage hand, minor illusion, and message - even something as simple as Light. If we look at the other 1st level feats available really only Alert is a serious competitor to Magic Initiate in terms of power, though a Barbarian / Fighter might want to pick up Tough to try to be tanky.
"Create Spell" creates a "Wizard" spell. You then have to cast "Scribe Spell" in order to permanently have the spell.
"Scribe Spell" (as written) only works on "Arcane" spells, not "Wizard" spells. (the simple fix would be to have Scribe spell work on both, but it doesn't explicitly say so -- RAI vs RAW)
While it should definitely be clarified, I think you could argue that Create Spell is the more specific rule in this case, so gives you permission to use Scribe Spell with a Wizard spell. It probably makes more sense for this to be clarified slightly in Create Spell since it's the edge case.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Pact Weapon isn't an Arcane spell. It can't be used as an input by Modify or Scribe.
They don't actually need to change anything here:
Modify and Scribe both need an Arcane Spell.
Create only needs a Modified Spell (which is still Arcane.)
The end result of a Create spell is also still Arcane (i.e. legal for Scribe) and lasts only for 10 minutes after the hour you spent concentrating. If you fail to scribe it in that time, you need to start over. It is only after you scribe it that it becomes Wizard rather than Arcane.
Lets see if those spells survive the playtest in the first place. It might work for guidance, but resistance and true strike it might become too much of a must have cantrip.
I wont be surprised if that's the case. (Same with Blade Ward)
But, the thing is: that could make Four "Must Have" cantrips. Which means it would take a lot of effort for a low level character to have all of them .. and then what else do they have for do-it-all-day cantrips?
Ah so it does, thanks for clearing that up!
I'd argue the reaction change doesn't work for guidance either; it's already a fantastic cantrip in 5e, you just have to think about the timing (so it's really out-of-combat only). Making it a reaction makes it far too easy to use, and turns it from an already highly valuable cantrip into a no-brainer; plus a lot of Clerics usually don't have any real competition for their reaction anyway, which makes it an even easier pick.
Unless blade ward, resistance and true strike function a bit differently, the same will happen to them as well if they don't see other changes. While I think making them instantaneous is definitely the way to go, and some will only make sense as reactions in that case, I think they need more limitations to keep them balanced.
Blade ward could work as a reaction if it only worked against a single weapon attack? True strike needs to be more restrictive than just "free advantage" though, maybe if it were just an +1d4 (an average of +2.5, whereas advantage is equivalent to +5)? I could see that being abused with stacking though (add it on top of bless on top of something else etc.).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Having multiple “must haves” is called good design. Then it means they are balanced against each other and the player has meaningful choices to make. The problem is when there’s one, like guidance, that far outclasses everything else, so everyone takes it.
having 4 must have options out of 30 cantrips, is not balanced.
That would be a reasonable work around ... but that's not what is RAW in 1DD. Create Spell creates a Wizard spell, and not an Arcane spell. Scribe Spell only works on (and produces) Arcane Spells.
I didn't see any language that explicitly says that Class-Specific Spells are just a restricted subset of that class's larger spell type (it would make sense that they are, but i don't see it stated anywhere).
I think RAI is pretty clear: the result of Create Spell should qualify for Scribe Spell. It kind of has to. But according to RAW, it doesn't (unless you can tell me which preview PDF that clarification is in, and the page/etc.). And WOTC needs to make their RAI into RAW. IMO: the easiest way is for Scribe spell to also work on Wizard Spells, and it doesn't change the spell's class type (so an Arcane spell stays an Arcane spell when you scribe it, a Wizard Spell stays a Wizard Spell when you scribe it). Another clarification would be that Class-Specific spells are still of the larger type (so anything you can do to an Arcane Spell a Wizard can do to a Wizard spell, a Warlock can do to a Warlock spell, etc.), they're just restricted to that class.
I think Guidance works find as it is in 1DD (as a reaction spell). And I'll elaborate below about how it might work out for Clerics.
That would seem to be very appropriate. Same with Resistance: it only works against the thing you're reacting to. If the target gets a second spell cast on them (or other need for a second save that turn), the previous Resistance doesn't apply to it. That's sort of how Resistance (for 1DD) is worded, but it's not explicit.
If all four of those cantrips are done the same way in 1DD (one die roll via reaction), then Clerics don't really need Bless anymore. They just make use of True Strike and Resistance. Also note that in 1DD, there are a lot of smite spells that Clerics have access to. All of them consume Reaction (not BA) in 1DD.
So now the Cleric does have a lot of decisions to make about their Reaction. Smite Spell? True Strike? Resistance? Guidance? Blade Ward?
And if the Cleric has several of those Cantrips ... they have fewer cantrip picks to devote to Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, and (if it comes back) Word of Radiance.
The big question, in that case, would be: what happens to Bane?
I guess if they're all reactions there's a limit to how many you can realistically take; just as it's often better to have a mix of attack and save cantrips, a mix of damage types etc., you don't want to go too hard on reaction cantrips because you can only ever use one per round (and might be losing something else you could be using instead).
So if the reaction cantrips are strong people will definitely take at least one, but which one? And how many total? You could easily shoot yourself in the foot taking too many, because then your only way to deal damage will be spells which means burning resources.
It would unbalance classes that can get more cantrips overall though, like the UA Sorcerer who gets a built in multi-damage type attack cantrip which already saves picks, plus another four which are now free for maybe one save cantrip plus three from the reactions and utility options. Meanwhile classes that get two and only two are going to struggle.
But yeah, I think they definitely need to be toned down to stay balanced as instants.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
I don't think its really that hard of a choice for most builds. Like the wizard really wont need true strike, guidance is nice I guess but not needed, maybe blade ward depending on the table, but resistance will be key as concentration checks are still saves I suspect. Each class will have 1 to 2 must haves, the rest will be nice to have but not must haves. Obviously this only matters for optimization, but if every fighter is taking the same feat to get 2 cantrips it is a issue.
It is if you can only have 2 cantrips at all (or 2 cantrips "active"). Which 2 "must haves" will you pick? And that means you don't get Fire Bolt or Shillelagh, etc.
Not including MI Feats, if you keep prioritizing "must haves", a Wizard doesn't get anything other than one of those Must Have cantrips until 10th level. No Mage Hand, no damaging cantrips that they can "cast all day", no flavor cantrips, no other type of utility cantrips. It's only those four until 10th level. For the Cleric, it's the same: no Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, Sacred Flame, etc. until 10th level. Similar for the Druid, and the Bard.
A Warlock only gets their free Warlock cantrips, aside from those Must Haves (and they wont get the final Must Have until 10th level).
The Paladin never even gets the fourth Must Have. They only ever get 3 cantrips total. Same with the Ranger.
The Sorcerer is the only one that isn't restricted by this, because they get all 4 must have cantrips at 1st level, plus their Sorcerous Burst. And they can take their first "other" cantrip at 5th level.
The balance is in having to make the trade off between "everything else you MIGHT be able to do all day long" vs "these 4 really compelling ones." Acid Spray, Fire Bolt, Ray of Frost, and Shocking Grasp are the spells that let a low level Wizard stay in the fight after they've blown all of their slotted spells (or hold off on slotted spells for a really compelling situation). If you only ever pick the Must Have cantrips, you are completely undoing the way 5e Cantrips solved a key problem for casters. Which means no one who really thinks about it would "only take those 4". They would almost certainly take one, but they still need to round out their all-day-long capabilities. So almost no one will have all of them until high level, or if they burn a Feat or two on it.
True, though I wouldn't say true strike has no use to a Wizard as it currently works with attack spells as well, though obviously at higher levels Wizards won't rely on those much (and they don't really need to at low levels either). It depends what they'd do with it, a free advantage instant reaction wouldn't be balanced, and I'm not sure a +1d4 would be either unless you make it +1 (so it'd be for near misses only), but I think it in that case it would then just end up in the same situation as now (potentially useful but in practice you never actually take it).
They could prevent resistance being used to bolster your own concentration saves by making it concentration as well (make it a weird instant reaction that requires concentration); this way you'd only want to use it for a crucial saving throw where failing is worse than dropping concentration, or you use it to protect an ally's more important concentration spell etc.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Not really, Magic Initiate is a 1st level feat that most casters are probably going to take in order to get one of: Shield, Bless, Faerie Fire, Goodberry, and/or Find Familiar, so they will have 2 free cantrips to pick up the two they are missing from their spell list.
Uhh, what now?
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
We will have to see where it ends up but 1 1st level spell added to your known list and 2 cantrips is pretty attractive for a spell caster. Its attractive to anyone. But I would not use it to get all 4 as I don't think you get enough out of having all 4 for most classes.
I just have a hard time imagining "most" casters are going to go that direction, considering that it's a feat that becomes much less useful the higher level you get
It's like Heavy Armor Master now in 5e. The damage reduction can be massive at level 1, but it becomes negligeable not too far in the future
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Even in 5e I take it a lot, mainly for the cantrips. i love cantrips and you never get enough. But on a optimization level, yeah it looses its usefulness pretty quick for full casters. 1 extra 4th level spell out of 4 is not huge. But gaining access to one spell you normally wouldn't could be useful. I just don't like it thematically wizards are going to snagging divine spells, clerics arcane, just feels off. I usually took it so my mage armor did not cost against my normal spells as a wizard.
Celestial Human Pact of the Tome Warlock who takes all three Magic Initiate feats via its race/background and the Lessons of the First Ones invocation gets 13 cantrips (plus Eldritch Blast and Book of Shadows, at level 4. You can easily fit Guidance, Resistance, Blade Ward, and True Strike in there and still have plenty available.
But it doesn't??? At least not until tier 4 which is after most campaigns end.
The new Magic Initiate which lets you cast the spell with your own spells slots is really f---ing amazing because it means clerics, druids, and bards can pick up Shield for that sweet-sweet AC boost on top of their armour making cleric probably the tankiest class in the game until paladins get their aura (or dip Warlock to get Shield as well). Shield is always good across all tiers of play. While Wizards, and Sorcerers can use it to pick up Healing Word and be just as good a healer as anyone else until 9th level. In terms of cantrips, both the new Resistance and Guidance remain powerful across all tiers of play and will be the cantrips picked up by the Wizards & Sorcerers to give them the majority of the support power of a cleric in a single feat, if the same design is applied to True Strike that will be the cantrip picked up by bards, druids, and clerics along with one of Ray of Frost, Fire bolt, or Chill Touch as their primary damage dealing cantrip.
Clerics that don't want to be Tanky McTanks a lot, can pick up Guidance/Resistance (whichever they didn't take with their own cantrips) + Thorn Whip and Goodberry/Faerie Fire to steal the most powerful healing / buffing from druid along with the best battlefield control cantrip to double down on their role as healer / support. All of these remain good even in Tier 3, and arguable are more powerful on a Cleric due to synergies with their high level spells than on a druid - i.e. Thorn Whip + Spiritual Guardians.
Druids who are happy being squishy, can pick up Guidance/Resistance (whichever they didn't take with their own cantrips) + Spare the Dying and Bless (the best up-casting buff spell in the game) to double down on their support roll and give them a better option when the enemy has Legendary Resistances.
I mean for Moon Druid in one D&D, Magic Initiate is mandatory so that you can combine Mage Amour + Shield while in WS to survive in your WS for more than a round which Crawford basically said in some of the interviews about it.
and of course Magic Initiate keeps is power to give clerics and bards (or anyone else) Find Familiar which some have argued is the single most powerful spell in the game.
Other "always useful" cantrips across all tiers of play include: mage hand, minor illusion, and message - even something as simple as Light. If we look at the other 1st level feats available really only Alert is a serious competitor to Magic Initiate in terms of power, though a Barbarian / Fighter might want to pick up Tough to try to be tanky.