It's often suggested to players when they want to play a specialised wizard that they should ask their DM if they could reflavour some spells. I'm also aware that Lore Wizard was probably a little too much freedom in this direction, rendering resistances and immunities a bit trivial. My attempt at a solution is the Elemental Logician. I'd appreciate thoughts and feedback.
Elemental Logician It is perfectly sensible for a wizard to focus his studies on the traditional schools of magic. After all, the fundamental underpinnings of each of those schools makes it easy to build from one concept to the next. The fundamentals of Necromancy apply all the way through from preserving bodies to raising the dead. The fundamentals of Divination apply whether you're predicting the next few moments or foretelling the doom of a nation. The simple truth however, is that sometimes it is more rewarding to twist and mold the work of those who came before to suit your needs. Elemental Logicians fiddle with the fundamental nature of spells in many schools to create something that suits their needs. A wizard who lives in a baking desert, surrounded by horrible beasts that are immune to fire has no need for the commonly accepted writings on Fireball. However, with a little forethought and arcane tinkering... well those beasts will react a little differently to a glacial detonation.
Elemental Logic At 2nd level, when adopting this tradition, choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage. When you prepare your spells each morning you may choose to prepare any number of your spells that deal damage as altered versions using the chosen damage type. You may also make this alteration to spells that are 'always prepared' and cantrips. You may choose to prepare the same spell twice if you would like access to it with multiple damage types.
Elemental Experience Starting at 2nd level, you gain resistance to the damage type chosen for Elemental Logic.
Potent Cantrips Starting at 6th level, your damage dealing cantrips deal additional damage of your chosen type equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Elemental Rebuttal At 10th level, whenever you cast the dispel magic or counterspell spells you may choose to also unleash a torrent of elemental energy at the target. The caster of countered spell or the target of the dispel magic must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take damage of your Elemental Logic type equal to your wizard level. Once this feature is used it cannot be used again until after a short rest.
Abstract Elemental Theory At 14th level, you may choose an additional damage type for Elemental Logic. You may choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, thunder, necrotic, radiant, force or psychic damage. When preparing spells you may choose either or both damage types to apply to an altered spell. If both is chosen then damage is calculate as normal then split equally between damage types, rounding down, before determining resistances, immunities and vulnerabilities.
This is probably a minor point, but it feels a bit weird to have Elemental Rebuttal require the player to have learned Dispel Magic and Counterspell. Granted, most players are probably going to learn those spells anyway, but maybe the player should automatically learn them at that level, or something.
Although personally I would prefer to have some kind of unique ability. Maybe some kind of reaction that lets the player absorb HP or something if they're hit with an attack of their chosen element? I don't have a particularly good idea but I think something in that direction would be a bit more interesting.
I agree. Part of the point of this tradition is to help people funnel down a theme of their choice. Having a feature require spells that don't fit their theme is counter intuitive. Plus, I like my replacement effect better.
Elemental Snaring At 10th level, your understanding of elemental energies allows you to snatch them from the air itself. When a ranged spell attack hits you, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier, provided that you have a free hand. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch and redirect the spell's energy. Make a ranged spell attack against a target within 60 feet, dealing 1d10 damage of your chosen type. If the triggering attack was of your chosen damage type, you instead deal 2d10 damage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Definitely feels better... not sure on power level, though.
I like it more too :) It seems balanced enough to me... it's not a "get out of damage free" thing, and while it's got some elements of missile snaring I think giving the player limited uses per day mostly balances it out.
Well, I made a moderately functional homebrew entry for it (more functional than my luck cleric domain, at least) and shared it with the community. So if anyone feels like fiddling around with the elementally focused wizard, feel free.
Could be really fun. This may seem weird to some but, I would make Potent Cantrip a higher level Feature, most Cantrips gain a damage die at 5th level so, another bonus right away even for a Cantrip is OP. Its also the same mechanically as Cleric Potent Spell at 8th level. Wizard has their own 6th level version to force half damage on a save success.
I would give a second damage type earlier as almost all other Wizards would have a lot of variety in their damage types. I know this is a specialization subclass but, one damage type until level 14?
Lastly, the level 10 ability is either a Wizard Power Surge or a Monk Deflect Missiles reskin. Which is fine, either seems like a good fit thematically.
Those are good points... do you think the additional damage types are a small enough boost to roll them into the first ability?
Elemental Logic At 2nd level, when adopting this tradition, choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage. When you prepare your spells each morning you may choose to prepare any number of your spells that deal damage as altered versions using the chosen damage type. You may also make this alteration to spells that are 'always prepared' and cantrips. You may choose to prepare the same spell twice if you would like access to it with multiple damage types. You may choose an additional damage type at 8th and 14th level, at 14th level your choices expand to include radiant, necrotic, force and psychic damage.
We can then push Potent Cantrip to 10th level, giving this sub-class a fairly reasonable climb in cantrip power over time.
With potent cantrip at 10th Elemental Snaring logically bumps to 14th... where it seems a little more anemic. Maybe a nudge further in the direction of Deflect Missiles? And while we're hear I'm not sure I like hurling the energy back...
Elemental Snaring At 14th level, your understanding of elemental energies allows you to snatch them from the air itself. When a ranged spell attack hits you, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Wizard level, provided that you have a free hand. If the damage is of one of your chosen types, use a d12. If you reduce the damage to 0, you absorb the energy and regain a spell slot of the caught spell's level (maximum 5th level). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Thoughts? This set up removes the 'prepare a spell that's both' ability but that was incredibly niche.
Just need something to fill the hole at level 6...
Offensive Applications At 6th level, you add the Elemental Weapon spell to your spellbook, it counts as a Wizard spell for you. When you cast this spell it gains the following benefits:
You may select any of your elemental logic damage types for this spell.
If you choose one of your elemental logic damage types, the dice used in this spell become d6s.
Elemental Snaring At 14th level, your understanding of elemental energies allows you to snatch them from the air itself. When a ranged spell attack hits you, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Wizard level, provided that you have a free hand. If the damage is of one of your chosen types, use a d12. If you reduce the damage to 0, you may use the energy to immediately cast one of your cantrips. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Edit: Link to most up to date homebrew version.
It's often suggested to players when they want to play a specialised wizard that they should ask their DM if they could reflavour some spells. I'm also aware that Lore Wizard was probably a little too much freedom in this direction, rendering resistances and immunities a bit trivial. My attempt at a solution is the Elemental Logician. I'd appreciate thoughts and feedback.
Elemental Logician
It is perfectly sensible for a wizard to focus his studies on the traditional schools of magic. After all, the fundamental underpinnings of each of those schools makes it easy to build from one concept to the next. The fundamentals of Necromancy apply all the way through from preserving bodies to raising the dead. The fundamentals of Divination apply whether you're predicting the next few moments or foretelling the doom of a nation. The simple truth however, is that sometimes it is more rewarding to twist and mold the work of those who came before to suit your needs.
Elemental Logicians fiddle with the fundamental nature of spells in many schools to create something that suits their needs. A wizard who lives in a baking desert, surrounded by horrible beasts that are immune to fire has no need for the commonly accepted writings on Fireball. However, with a little forethought and arcane tinkering... well those beasts will react a little differently to a glacial detonation.
Elemental Logic
At 2nd level, when adopting this tradition, choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage. When you prepare your spells each morning you may choose to prepare any number of your spells that deal damage as altered versions using the chosen damage type. You may also make this alteration to spells that are 'always prepared' and cantrips. You may choose to prepare the same spell twice if you would like access to it with multiple damage types.
Elemental Experience
Starting at 2nd level, you gain resistance to the damage type chosen for Elemental Logic.
Potent Cantrips
Starting at 6th level, your damage dealing cantrips deal additional damage of your chosen type equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Elemental Rebuttal
At 10th level, whenever you cast the dispel magic or counterspell spells you may choose to also unleash a torrent of elemental energy at the target. The caster of countered spell or the target of the dispel magic must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take damage of your Elemental Logic type equal to your wizard level.
Once this feature is used it cannot be used again until after a short rest.
Abstract Elemental Theory
At 14th level, you may choose an additional damage type for Elemental Logic. You may choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, thunder, necrotic, radiant, force or psychic damage. When preparing spells you may choose either or both damage types to apply to an altered spell. If both is chosen then damage is calculate as normal then split equally between damage types, rounding down, before determining resistances, immunities and vulnerabilities.
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.
This is probably a minor point, but it feels a bit weird to have Elemental Rebuttal require the player to have learned Dispel Magic and Counterspell. Granted, most players are probably going to learn those spells anyway, but maybe the player should automatically learn them at that level, or something.
Although personally I would prefer to have some kind of unique ability. Maybe some kind of reaction that lets the player absorb HP or something if they're hit with an attack of their chosen element? I don't have a particularly good idea but I think something in that direction would be a bit more interesting.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
I agree. Part of the point of this tradition is to help people funnel down a theme of their choice. Having a feature require spells that don't fit their theme is counter intuitive. Plus, I like my replacement effect better.
Elemental Snaring
At 10th level, your understanding of elemental energies allows you to snatch them from the air itself. When a ranged spell attack hits you, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier, provided that you have a free hand. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch and redirect the spell's energy. Make a ranged spell attack against a target within 60 feet, dealing 1d10 damage of your chosen type. If the triggering attack was of your chosen damage type, you instead deal 2d10 damage.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Definitely feels better... not sure on power level, though.
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.
I like it more too :) It seems balanced enough to me... it's not a "get out of damage free" thing, and while it's got some elements of missile snaring I think giving the player limited uses per day mostly balances it out.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Well, I made a moderately functional homebrew entry for it (more functional than my luck cleric domain, at least) and shared it with the community. So if anyone feels like fiddling around with the elementally focused wizard, feel free.
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.
So what you're saying is:
Could be really fun. This may seem weird to some but, I would make Potent Cantrip a higher level Feature, most Cantrips gain a damage die at 5th level so, another bonus right away even for a Cantrip is OP. Its also the same mechanically as Cleric Potent Spell at 8th level. Wizard has their own 6th level version to force half damage on a save success.
I would give a second damage type earlier as almost all other Wizards would have a lot of variety in their damage types. I know this is a specialization subclass but, one damage type until level 14?
Lastly, the level 10 ability is either a Wizard Power Surge or a Monk Deflect Missiles reskin. Which is fine, either seems like a good fit thematically.
Those are good points... do you think the additional damage types are a small enough boost to roll them into the first ability?
Elemental Logic
At 2nd level, when adopting this tradition, choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage. When you prepare your spells each morning you may choose to prepare any number of your spells that deal damage as altered versions using the chosen damage type. You may also make this alteration to spells that are 'always prepared' and cantrips. You may choose to prepare the same spell twice if you would like access to it with multiple damage types. You may choose an additional damage type at 8th and 14th level, at 14th level your choices expand to include radiant, necrotic, force and psychic damage.
We can then push Potent Cantrip to 10th level, giving this sub-class a fairly reasonable climb in cantrip power over time.
With potent cantrip at 10th Elemental Snaring logically bumps to 14th... where it seems a little more anemic. Maybe a nudge further in the direction of Deflect Missiles? And while we're hear I'm not sure I like hurling the energy back...
Elemental Snaring
At 14th level, your understanding of elemental energies allows you to snatch them from the air itself. When a ranged spell attack hits you, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Wizard level, provided that you have a free hand. If the damage is of one of your chosen types, use a d12. If you reduce the damage to 0, you absorb the energy and regain a spell slot of the caught spell's level (maximum 5th level).
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Thoughts? This set up removes the 'prepare a spell that's both' ability but that was incredibly niche.
Just need something to fill the hole at level 6...
Offensive Applications
At 6th level, you add the Elemental Weapon spell to your spellbook, it counts as a Wizard spell for you. When you cast this spell it gains the following benefits:
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.
Getting spell slots from Elemental Snaring is way more ridiculous than simply redirecting the damage in my opinion.
Elemental Snaring
At 14th level, your understanding of elemental energies allows you to snatch them from the air itself. When a ranged spell attack hits you, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Intelligence modifier + your Wizard level, provided that you have a free hand. If the damage is of one of your chosen types, use a d12. If you reduce the damage to 0, you may use the energy to immediately cast one of your cantrips.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, you regain all expended uses after a long rest.
Same concept, probably fairer?
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.
Interesting... I like the versatility of being able to use it to cast a cantrip instead of just a straight damage roll.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Honestly, I would be tempted to use it to cast something like prestidigitation for the rub ins.
You thought That spell would work on me?
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.
I have a question because I just want to make sure that with elemental logic are you only choosing one element at the 2ed level?
Yes, that's right. One at 2nd, one at 8th, and one at 14th, for a total of three elements.
My DM's Guild Content - Mostly quick rules and guides.