In my ongoing experiment to create a dwarf wizard, I was mulling over some of the wizard subclasses, and figured that dwarf wizard would probably specialize in a form of magic suited to their people's culture...
Transmutation for forging...Abjuration for armor...stuff like that.
And of course...Evocation for blasting ; ]
As martial & military-minded dwarves are, I figured they'd have a few evokers serving as their artillery force...and the backstory potential is so grand I may need a separate thread to help me sort out all the possibilities / feedback.
But for this thread, my interest lies specifically between the peculiar offensive capabilities between the Evocation Arcane Tradition...and the Order of Scribes Unearthed Arcana.
Both have similiar themes when it comes to offensive capability...they "bend" or manipulate spells to enhance their effects.
"Awakened Spellbook" allows the wizard to substitute the damage type of a spell with another damage type from a different spell in their spellbook..."Fireball" can become lightning, or force, damage, for example...as long as the Wizard has a "Magic Missile" or "Lightning Bolt" in their spellbook as well.
Ignoring the additional benefit of instantly casting ritual spells..."Awakened Spellbook" has a ton of visual flair...turning a "Lightning Bolt" into a laser beam with "Magic Missile"...or shifting "Bigby's Hand" into a radiant fist of the gods (by knowing "Sickening Radiance"), for fighting undead.
As exemplified...it's a godsend for overcoming enemy resistances...and probably more than a little bit overpowered.
Now, Evocation isn't completely knocked out of the competition by these features...their 'ol reliable "Sculpt Spells" does what it always has...keeps your party safe while you're kicking ass.
A force-damage Fireball is impressive, sure...but it won't help if you can't use it.
This surgical-precision the Evocation subclass provides is boosted by their capstone..."Overchannel" dealing MAXIMUM DAMAGE.
That's still quite a powerful combination Evocation provides...unrestrained crowd control like "Sickening Radiance", "Storm Sphere", "Prismatic Spray" or "Maddening Darkness" is also a delight to describe in detail...disturbing to your party members, as well, as they hear the howls and screams of their enemies trapped within the storm clouds & darkness.
Circling back to my own character...I'm curious if Evocation fits the dwarf motif more so than a Scribe Wizard.
But I am also curious about people's opinions between the Evocation subclass & the Order of Scribes.
First, personally I HATE the damage substitution of Awakened Spellbook, I hope they ditch that and replace it with something else. That whole changing damage type doesn't fit wizards. Evocation and Order of Scribes are 2 completely different approaches to being a wizard. Order of Scribes is a scholar, someone who a student of magic in its purest form, someone who's trying to reach the meta-arcane if you will. Evokers are wizards that are geared towards battle. They are literally different ends of the spectrum.
In my ongoing experiment to create a dwarf wizard, I was mulling over some of the wizard subclasses, and figured that dwarf wizard would probably specialize in a form of magic suited to their people's culture...
Transmutation for forging...Abjuration for armor...stuff like that.
And of course...Evocation for blasting ; ]
As martial & military-minded dwarves are, I figured they'd have a few evokers serving as their artillery force...and the backstory potential is so grand I may need a separate thread to help me sort out all the possibilities / feedback.
But for this thread, my interest lies specifically between the peculiar offensive capabilities between the Evocation Arcane Tradition...and the Order of Scribes Unearthed Arcana.
Both have similiar themes when it comes to offensive capability...they "bend" or manipulate spells to enhance their effects.
"Awakened Spellbook" allows the wizard to substitute the damage type of a spell with another damage type from a different spell in their spellbook..."Fireball" can become lightning, or force, damage, for example...as long as the Wizard has a "Magic Missile" or "Lightning Bolt" in their spellbook as well.
Ignoring the additional benefit of instantly casting ritual spells..."Awakened Spellbook" has a ton of visual flair...turning a "Lightning Bolt" into a laser beam with "Magic Missile"...or shifting "Bigby's Hand" into a radiant fist of the gods (by knowing "Sickening Radiance"), for fighting undead.
As exemplified...it's a godsend for overcoming enemy resistances...and probably more than a little bit overpowered.
Now, Evocation isn't completely knocked out of the competition by these features...their 'ol reliable "Sculpt Spells" does what it always has...keeps your party safe while you're kicking ass.
A force-damage Fireball is impressive, sure...but it won't help if you can't use it.
This surgical-precision the Evocation subclass provides is boosted by their capstone..."Overchannel" dealing MAXIMUM DAMAGE.
That's still quite a powerful combination Evocation provides...unrestrained crowd control like "Sickening Radiance", "Storm Sphere", "Prismatic Spray" or "Maddening Darkness" is also a delight to describe in detail...disturbing to your party members, as well, as they hear the howls and screams of their enemies trapped within the storm clouds & darkness.
Circling back to my own character...I'm curious if Evocation fits the dwarf motif more so than a Scribe Wizard.
But I am also curious about people's opinions between the Evocation subclass & the Order of Scribes.
2 levels of tempest cleric and you can max your lightning ball damage at character level 7.
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.
Personally, while I love the idea of a scribe subclass, I'm not a fan of the Order of Scribes mechanically. Its abilities are pretty craptastic and not very wizardly in flavor.
Couple that with the Order of Scribes being less about booms, shields and transmutations, and more about research, I can't see it as something you'd want to focus the dwarves on in the first place. I mean, why not just go Transmuter and War Wizard if that's what you want?
Personally, while I love the idea of a scribe subclass, I'm not a fan of the Order of Scribes mechanically. Its abilities are pretty craptastic and not very wizardly in flavor.
Couple that with the Order of Scribes being less about booms, shields and transmutations, and more about research, I can't see it as something you'd want to focus the dwarves on in the first place. I mean, why not just go Transmuter and War Wizard if that's what you want?
Solid point...the Scribe is the most bookish subclass of the lot, and not very dwarvish...I suppose that might give then reason enough to become an adventurer, but Evocation does fit quite thematically.
Personally, while I love the idea of a scribe subclass, I'm not a fan of the Order of Scribes mechanically. Its abilities are pretty craptastic and not very wizardly in flavor.
Couple that with the Order of Scribes being less about booms, shields and transmutations, and more about research, I can't see it as something you'd want to focus the dwarves on in the first place. I mean, why not just go Transmuter and War Wizard if that's what you want?
I have to agree with this. Scribe looks powerful to the point of potentially OP, yet boring and not very interesting at the same time.
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.
Tasha
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
In my ongoing experiment to create a dwarf wizard, I was mulling over some of the wizard subclasses, and figured that dwarf wizard would probably specialize in a form of magic suited to their people's culture...
Transmutation for forging...Abjuration for armor...stuff like that.
And of course...Evocation for blasting ; ]
As martial & military-minded dwarves are, I figured they'd have a few evokers serving as their artillery force...and the backstory potential is so grand I may need a separate thread to help me sort out all the possibilities / feedback.
But for this thread, my interest lies specifically between the peculiar offensive capabilities between the Evocation Arcane Tradition...and the Order of Scribes Unearthed Arcana.
Chiefly, it's Evocation's "Sculpt Spells" & "Overchannel"...vs. Scribe's "Awakened Spellbook".
Both have similiar themes when it comes to offensive capability...they "bend" or manipulate spells to enhance their effects.
"Awakened Spellbook" allows the wizard to substitute the damage type of a spell with another damage type from a different spell in their spellbook..."Fireball" can become lightning, or force, damage, for example...as long as the Wizard has a "Magic Missile" or "Lightning Bolt" in their spellbook as well.
Ignoring the additional benefit of instantly casting ritual spells..."Awakened Spellbook" has a ton of visual flair...turning a "Lightning Bolt" into a laser beam with "Magic Missile"...or shifting "Bigby's Hand" into a radiant fist of the gods (by knowing "Sickening Radiance"), for fighting undead.
As exemplified...it's a godsend for overcoming enemy resistances...and probably more than a little bit overpowered.
Now, Evocation isn't completely knocked out of the competition by these features...their 'ol reliable "Sculpt Spells" does what it always has...keeps your party safe while you're kicking ass.
A force-damage Fireball is impressive, sure...but it won't help if you can't use it.
This surgical-precision the Evocation subclass provides is boosted by their capstone..."Overchannel" dealing MAXIMUM DAMAGE.
That's still quite a powerful combination Evocation provides...unrestrained crowd control like "Sickening Radiance", "Storm Sphere", "Prismatic Spray" or "Maddening Darkness" is also a delight to describe in detail...disturbing to your party members, as well, as they hear the howls and screams of their enemies trapped within the storm clouds & darkness.
Circling back to my own character...I'm curious if Evocation fits the dwarf motif more so than a Scribe Wizard.
But I am also curious about people's opinions between the Evocation subclass & the Order of Scribes.
First, personally I HATE the damage substitution of Awakened Spellbook, I hope they ditch that and replace it with something else. That whole changing damage type doesn't fit wizards. Evocation and Order of Scribes are 2 completely different approaches to being a wizard. Order of Scribes is a scholar, someone who a student of magic in its purest form, someone who's trying to reach the meta-arcane if you will. Evokers are wizards that are geared towards battle. They are literally different ends of the spectrum.
2 levels of tempest cleric and you can max your lightning ball damage at character level 7.
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
Personally, while I love the idea of a scribe subclass, I'm not a fan of the Order of Scribes mechanically. Its abilities are pretty craptastic and not very wizardly in flavor.
Couple that with the Order of Scribes being less about booms, shields and transmutations, and more about research, I can't see it as something you'd want to focus the dwarves on in the first place. I mean, why not just go Transmuter and War Wizard if that's what you want?
Solid point...the Scribe is the most bookish subclass of the lot, and not very dwarvish...I suppose that might give then reason enough to become an adventurer, but Evocation does fit quite thematically.
I have to agree with this. Scribe looks powerful to the point of potentially OP, yet boring and not very interesting at the same time.
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