AS mentioned earlier, the easiest fix for this is a limit of the number of times per long rest that they can use the ability equal to either the wizard's INT modifier, or to the character's Proficiency bonus.
Personally, I'd go with the INT mod since the Proficiancy mod is the character's overall class level and this ability is a wizard ability.
I would personally change it to Proficiency bonus times per long rest, because it's more limiting at lower levels. At higher levels it doesn't make much of a difference if you can change spell damage 6 times a day, even if you are only dipping Wizard 2 to get this ability, because it's limited to spells in your spellbook.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
I'm not so much opposed to swapping out damage types in principle but combining it with a reduced cost to adding spells to your spellbook is too much. You get both a greater breadth of spells and increased flexibility of those spells on a class that has the least need for both of those things.
And there's other ways to take advantage of it outside just forceballs.
Here's something that's probably not RAI but might work based on the wording of Awakened Spellbook. You can change a spells "damage type" but there's no specification on whether the spell has to be an offensive one or even inflict damage at all. There's also no specification that either spell be restricted to single damage type spells (though the pronoun use implies one type).
Absorb Elements is triggered on acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage and potentially deals damage of that type. Consider instead if the wizard swaps that damage type with another spell, the wizard can then get 1 round of resistance on just about any source of damage.
At level 2 a Wizard still has access to only level 1 spells however there are level 1 wizard spells that can cover bludgeoning, piercing, poison, and force damage. That's a wide variety of on demand generic damage resistance! Granted it still costs a spell slot and lasts only a single round but there you go.
And there are spells that grant immunity to damage as well, consider Investiture of Flame or rather Investiture of whatever the hell you want because your spellbook is alive and that somehow lets you change damage types on the fly.
you only have to deal with forceball 6 times a day at most as is and that is if they are lvl 18 or higher and use there arcane recovery for 3 lvl 3 spell slots
Then they upcast it 6 times as well, 3 fourth and 3 fifth level spells.
I'm not so much opposed to swapping out damage types in principle but combining it with a reduced cost to adding spells to your spellbook is too much. You get both a greater breadth of spells and increased flexibility of those spells on a class that has the least need for both of those things.
And there's other ways to take advantage of it outside just forceballs.
Here's something that's probably not RAI but might work based on the wording of Awakened Spellbook. You can change a spells "damage type" but there's no specification on whether the spell has to be an offensive one or even inflict damage at all. There's also no specification that either spell be restricted to single damage type spells (though the pronoun use implies one type).
Absorb Elements is triggered on acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage and potentially deals damage of that type. Consider instead if the wizard swaps that damage type with another spell, the wizard can then get 1 round of resistance on just about any source of damage.
At level 2 a Wizard still has access to only level 1 spells however there are level 1 wizard spells that can cover bludgeoning, piercing, poison, and force damage. That's a wide variety of on demand generic damage resistance! Granted it still costs a spell slot and lasts only a single round but there you go.
And there are spells that grant immunity to damage as well, consider Investiture of Flame or rather Investiture of whatever the hell you want because your spellbook is alive and that somehow lets you change damage types on the fly.
oh that's a good catch, yes the absorb elements eats the spell slot on cast but it's not like you need the bludgeoning/piercing spell prepared as well you just have to have it in the book. same with any of the other ones you listed.
It's not the survey for the current UA, but the Psionic Options UA. Here's the link to that one, but the survey for the current UA is not available, and probably won't be for at least a month:
The damage switch should take resources. Even if the wizard can do it infinitely, there's no reason it shouldn't cost a bonus action at the very least. Wizards may not get a ton of use out of their bonus actions, but still. This subclass is bonkers overpowered. There's some thematics worth exploring in it, but as it stands there's very little reason, if this was live in its current state, to ever play any other type of wizard again. Even with the mostly bum 14th-level ability.
Fun fact, the Spirit Shroud UA spell is a wizard spell, so if you have it in your book with this subclass, you can do radiant damage with all your blast spells too.
And REALLY? You wouldn't take the Divination Wizard's portent, the evocation wizard's spell sculpt, because there is a chance that once every 5 sessions you might have an ability that is relevant?
2 levels of tempest cleric to maximize lightning balls 1/short rest could be pretty strong.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
And REALLY? You wouldn't take the Divination Wizard's portent, the evocation wizard's spell sculpt, because there is a chance that once every 5 sessions you might have an ability that is relevant?
It depends on the campaign and the character build. For example, if you're a character that uses fire a lot, and you're playing in a campaign with a lot of fiends, being able to change the damage type is a godsend.
Bottled Respite/Sanctuary Vessel was very handy when the party was is in tough spot after an encounter and needed a short rest in hostile territory. Hid my Lamp, popped us in for 10 minutes and popped back out ready to go. The fact that it was short was not super important nor was the extra +4 HP healing that we received with our Hit Dice. The fact that we could take a rest in relative safety was the game changer.
The Genie’s Wrath was ok. +4 Damage on one eldritch blast was nice especially in battles when I used Hex, I felt a bit more powerful, but not so much so that it altered the game in any significant manner.
Elemental Gift was the bigger game changer. The ability to Fly during 4 of the battles and stay out of reach of the heavy hitting melee enemies was great. I did draw most of the ranged fire though, so I was not completely untouchable. All in all, a fun ability but I don’t think it broke the game at all.
My character was not high enough level to use Limited Wish, but it is a fairly basic ability. 1 free spell of 6th level or lower every few days.
Overall, it was fun but I don't think I would say it was broken. The ability to keep things in the bottle would have been more useful in an on going campaign, but only being able to access it once per day is pretty limiting.
And REALLY? You wouldn't take the Divination Wizard's portent, the evocation wizard's spell sculpt, because there is a chance that once every 5 sessions you might have an ability that is relevant?
If Order of the Scribe hits print, I would most likely pick it over any other subclass of Wizard, not because it it broken, but because most of the others are lame.
And REALLY? You wouldn't take the Divination Wizard's portent, the evocation wizard's spell sculpt, because there is a chance that once every 5 sessions you might have an ability that is relevant?
You're acting like the only use of switching damage types is getting a better fireball. But it applies to every spell with a damage type, even the ones that don't actually cause damage.
How big of a problem is being able to halve (almost) any damage to themself with a reaction and a level 1 spell slot as soon as level 2? (At later levels though it's truly any damage) How big of a problem is being able to gain temporary resistance to any 1 damage type for a 3rd level spell slot? How big of a problem is being able to gain temporary immunity to any 1 damage type for a 6th level spell slot?
For other wizards damage type is rarely relevant but in the times where it is relevant they have to plan in advance around it when preparing spells. The Scribe waltzes on through with nary a care and always has the right damage type for any and every situation, automatically.
For that matter how big of a deal is getting a free once per day level 2 spell cast at level 3 5 levels before an artificer gets something similar sans the upcasting unless the object itself meets very specific requirements?
Honestly the way the Scribe manages to both be a better wizard and a better Artificer at the same time really irritates me.
For me, this is the best Wizard flavour-wise for a few reasons:
1.) It can modify spells based on the "research" compiled in the spellbook.
2.) It can more efficiently add wizard spells of any kind to the spellbook, which helps tremendously with amassing a portfolio of arcane knowledge.
3.) It can use the spellbook as a focus, which means you can mechanically evoke the classic image of reciting spells from the book with greater ease.
4.) You have a quill that doesn't need ink and can erase things, so you can be the one person in your party that will write stuff down in-game.
To me, this is the best representation of the arcane scholar that the Wizard class has put forward yet.
This subclass really screams Wizard to me, the damage type swap is bonus and really not needed with all the other bennies this has but I'll take the damage swap anyway lol
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I would personally change it to Proficiency bonus times per long rest, because it's more limiting at lower levels. At higher levels it doesn't make much of a difference if you can change spell damage 6 times a day, even if you are only dipping Wizard 2 to get this ability, because it's limited to spells in your spellbook.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I'm not so much opposed to swapping out damage types in principle but combining it with a reduced cost to adding spells to your spellbook is too much. You get both a greater breadth of spells and increased flexibility of those spells on a class that has the least need for both of those things.
And there's other ways to take advantage of it outside just forceballs.
Here's something that's probably not RAI but might work based on the wording of Awakened Spellbook. You can change a spells "damage type" but there's no specification on whether the spell has to be an offensive one or even inflict damage at all. There's also no specification that either spell be restricted to single damage type spells (though the pronoun use implies one type).
Absorb Elements is triggered on acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage and potentially deals damage of that type. Consider instead if the wizard swaps that damage type with another spell, the wizard can then get 1 round of resistance on just about any source of damage.
At level 2 a Wizard still has access to only level 1 spells however there are level 1 wizard spells that can cover bludgeoning, piercing, poison, and force damage. That's a wide variety of on demand generic damage resistance! Granted it still costs a spell slot and lasts only a single round but there you go.
Protection from Energy can now grant resistance to any damage type and Elemental Bane can remove any damage resistance.
And there are spells that grant immunity to damage as well, consider Investiture of Flame or rather Investiture of whatever the hell you want because your spellbook is alive and that somehow lets you change damage types on the fly.
Then they upcast it 6 times as well, 3 fourth and 3 fifth level spells.
oh that's a good catch, yes the absorb elements eats the spell slot on cast but it's not like you need the bludgeoning/piercing spell prepared as well you just have to have it in the book. same with any of the other ones you listed.
Where is the survey? I tried looking for it...
If you want sugar coating, go buy a dessert....
When will D&D Beyond update the Warlock Genie subclass? I want to build one ASAP
If you want sugar coating, go buy a dessert....
It's not the survey for the current UA, but the Psionic Options UA. Here's the link to that one, but the survey for the current UA is not available, and probably won't be for at least a month:
https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/subclasses-revisited
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
They will update it, but probably not until next Monday.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Excellent. Thank you
If you want sugar coating, go buy a dessert....
Hey everyone.
The Scribe being able to do force damage fireballs is not a big problem, damage type is relevant extremely rarely.
This has been a public service announcement, thank you.
When it is relevant however, it's extremely relevant.
Got troll problems? Damage types extremely relevant.
Elemental planar breaches everywhere? Damage types extremely relevant.
Dragons? Damage types, once again, relevant.
The damage switch should take resources. Even if the wizard can do it infinitely, there's no reason it shouldn't cost a bonus action at the very least. Wizards may not get a ton of use out of their bonus actions, but still. This subclass is bonkers overpowered. There's some thematics worth exploring in it, but as it stands there's very little reason, if this was live in its current state, to ever play any other type of wizard again. Even with the mostly bum 14th-level ability.
Please do not contact or message me.
Fun fact, the Spirit Shroud UA spell is a wizard spell, so if you have it in your book with this subclass, you can do radiant damage with all your blast spells too.
When it is relevant it is extremely relevant.
It is not relevant often.
And REALLY? You wouldn't take the Divination Wizard's portent, the evocation wizard's spell sculpt, because there is a chance that once every 5 sessions you might have an ability that is relevant?
2 levels of tempest cleric to maximize lightning balls 1/short rest could be pretty strong.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
It depends on the campaign and the character build. For example, if you're a character that uses fire a lot, and you're playing in a campaign with a lot of fiends, being able to change the damage type is a godsend.
In today’s game I learned that:
Expanded spell list was irrelevant (But nice)
Bottled Respite/Sanctuary Vessel was very handy when the party was is in tough spot after an encounter and needed a short rest in hostile territory. Hid my Lamp, popped us in for 10 minutes and popped back out ready to go. The fact that it was short was not super important nor was the extra +4 HP healing that we received with our Hit Dice. The fact that we could take a rest in relative safety was the game changer.
The Genie’s Wrath was ok. +4 Damage on one eldritch blast was nice especially in battles when I used Hex, I felt a bit more powerful, but not so much so that it altered the game in any significant manner.
Elemental Gift was the bigger game changer. The ability to Fly during 4 of the battles and stay out of reach of the heavy hitting melee enemies was great. I did draw most of the ranged fire though, so I was not completely untouchable. All in all, a fun ability but I don’t think it broke the game at all.
My character was not high enough level to use Limited Wish, but it is a fairly basic ability. 1 free spell of 6th level or lower every few days.
Overall, it was fun but I don't think I would say it was broken. The ability to keep things in the bottle would have been more useful in an on going campaign, but only being able to access it once per day is pretty limiting.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
If Order of the Scribe hits print, I would most likely pick it over any other subclass of Wizard, not because it it broken, but because most of the others are lame.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
You're acting like the only use of switching damage types is getting a better fireball. But it applies to every spell with a damage type, even the ones that don't actually cause damage.
How big of a problem is being able to halve (almost) any damage to themself with a reaction and a level 1 spell slot as soon as level 2? (At later levels though it's truly any damage)
How big of a problem is being able to gain temporary resistance to any 1 damage type for a 3rd level spell slot?
How big of a problem is being able to gain temporary immunity to any 1 damage type for a 6th level spell slot?
For other wizards damage type is rarely relevant but in the times where it is relevant they have to plan in advance around it when preparing spells. The Scribe waltzes on through with nary a care and always has the right damage type for any and every situation, automatically.
For that matter how big of a deal is getting a free once per day level 2 spell cast at level 3 5 levels before an artificer gets something similar sans the upcasting unless the object itself meets very specific requirements?
Honestly the way the Scribe manages to both be a better wizard and a better Artificer at the same time really irritates me.
For me, this is the best Wizard flavour-wise for a few reasons:
1.) It can modify spells based on the "research" compiled in the spellbook.
2.) It can more efficiently add wizard spells of any kind to the spellbook, which helps tremendously with amassing a portfolio of arcane knowledge.
3.) It can use the spellbook as a focus, which means you can mechanically evoke the classic image of reciting spells from the book with greater ease.
4.) You have a quill that doesn't need ink and can erase things, so you can be the one person in your party that will write stuff down in-game.
To me, this is the best representation of the arcane scholar that the Wizard class has put forward yet.
This subclass really screams Wizard to me, the damage type swap is bonus and really not needed with all the other bennies this has but I'll take the damage swap anyway lol