Hedge Wizard (Generalist Tradition)

[Wrenn]

This is a home brew for a generalist. Rip it apart, if you don't mind, see if I made it too powerful, not powerful enough, or just right. Thanks.


Hedge Wizard
From traveling Mages to scholarly Sages, Hedge Wizards are generalists among the workers of the Arts.

Ritual Mastery
Working rituals is easier on the caster, though more time consuming. The Hedge wizard has worked to master the ritual casting as no other.
At 2nd level the casting time for rituals is halved for you.

Spell Researcher
At 2nd level, you may choose 3 cantrips from any class to put in your spellbook.

Spell Versatility
The Hedge Wizard is a master of memorization. At 6th level the Hedge Wizard may spend an action to trade one prepared spell of 6th level or lower for another of equal level or lower once per long rest as long as he has his spellbook.

Improved Familiar
At 10th level you gain the Find Familiar spell if you don't already have it. You may also spend your Attack action to allow your familiar to attack. You add your proficiency bonus to your familiar's AC, Attack rolls, and damage rolls. As well as any saves or skills it is proficient in. Your familiar's HP is equal to its maximum listed or four times your Wizard level, whichever is higher.

Improved Spell Versatility
At 14th level you may use Spell Versatility twice per long rest. In addition, when you use spell versatility, you gain a bonus spell slot equal to the level of the prepared spell you traded with the feature.

 

[steeldragons]

Some good stuff here. Some things that I would suggest changes to.

1. First: "Hedge Wizard" depending on the source material you're coming from, usually refers to a) a wizardly/witch type of rural spellcaster [from/in the hedgerows] who has figured their magic out on their own/trial and error or through a more folkloric/passed down traditions rather than academic study; or b) a wizard/witchly type from rural areas that uses magic predominantly involving plants and the natural world, maybe including associations with the fae. Generally, a combination of the two...though I'm partial to a little "green magic" plant wizardry, myself.

So, if one of those is what you're going for, then cool and we can work towards that. If not, then I might suggest altering the tradition to simply "Mage" or "Generalist" Tradition to convey the wizard archetype of the academic wizard who has no speciality [i.e. the non-specialist MUs & Wizards for the entirety of D&D's history].

2. Ritual Mastery: "...is easier...though more time consuming."??? But then the benefit of the feature is it halves the time needed to cast a ritual? All wizards get Ritual Casting. Is it necessary -or even relevant at all- to this archetype, to be able to cast 5 minute rituals instead of 10?

I get why this feature is here, because all Wizard Traditions have 2 2nd level features, then a 6th, 10th and 14th.

The problem there is that one of those things, in the specialist traditions, is their "Savant" ability to halve cost and time transcribing spells from their school. Then the other is their specialty's "magic power." So this, I guess is looking to make a generalist a Ritual Savant [better name, maybe]...which works...

But I might go a different -more direct?- direction and just make this "Arcane Savant" and a) let them halve cost and time for all spell transcriptions...or, if that seems overpowered, the Generalist can select any TWO schools of magic and halve the time/cost for copying those schools.

3. Spell Researcher: not in love with the name, but dig the concept behind this 2nd level "Generalist" ability. I might tweak/limit it to say, "any 3 additional cantrips from the Wizard, Druid [to harken back to a "hedge mage"], or Warlock or Bard spell lists." (which really is only Eldritch Blast and Vicious Mockery, respectively. All others are on the Wizard list)

4. Spell Versatility: point of clarity, the spell you swap out for the prepared slot is not one you have already prepared/memorized, I'm assuming. Otherwise it doesn't quite make sense/seem like a benefit. I might rewrite/rephrase this to make it a little more clear.

5. Not in love with the Improved Familiar. Have to think about this.

6. The Improved Versatility is, basically, getting you a free slot back...along with 2 swaps per long rest. But, with Arcane Recovery, a 14th level wizard can already recover 7 spell levels worth of magic on a short rest [once per day]. Is that free slot really necessary or adding a significant enough benefit to warrant a 14th level feature? I don't know. I don't have that answer. Just something to consider.

Also, WELCOME TO ENWORLD! Have some start up XP and nice work.

 

[Wrenn]

Thanks for the reply.

1. Yeah, I'm not in love with the name. Just calling it Generalist Tradition would convey the meaning better.

2. The Ritual Mastery was meant to be a generalist take on the savant feature. Allowing the generalist to halve the cost and time copying all schools seems a little much. Hmm, I'm going to put some more thought into this one.

3. This was taken straight from the Pact of the Tome Warlock. I don't see a reason to restrict it except for flavor reasons. Even then, I think a wizard with Thaumaturgy would be pretty cool.

4. Yes, you have it right, I'll rewrite that.

5. This was taken from the Beastmaster Ranger. It gave the generalist wizard a bit of a pet feel. It may clash with the theme. I'll consider some alternatives here.

6. Yes, a wizard can recover 7 spell levels per day at 14th level. One level 7, or one level 6 and a level 1, etc. The feature lets you change any prepared spell, up to level 6, for an unprepared spell and gain a free slot at the level of the prepared spell you traded. So you could potentially gain two free level 6 slots with this feature. I was actually worried about this one being a little too powerful.

 

[steeldragons]

That was another thought I had for the Spell Researcher: just make it that they get Thaumaturgy, Druidcraft, & Eldritch Blast. Call it "Steeped in Magic" or something. Like, for the generalist mage using magic for all of these [mostly] minor tricks is trivial because their "focus" is magic in broad strokes, instead of specialized. Seems to work for the flavor better than "any cantrips you want".

But, then again, for me, restricting the lists they can choose from "for flavor reasons" is enough/precisely why it would be limited. I'm one of those who goes for flavor over crunch every time. In the case of creating a new class/sub-class, I think keeping the flavor of the archetype you are trying to portray in mind is crucial to a solid, enjoyable finished product.

Now, as to the Improved Familiar. Basically, all this is is doing is giving you a familiar with 40+ HP. The point/flavor of a familiar creature for a wizard is NOT something that can/will attack for you. In an emergency, to defend their master in a pinch, sure. Create a momentary distraction by flying/jumping into your enemy's face. Ok. But not something your should be giving up your action for to attack, toe-to-toe, with any enemy for you. It just is rattling to the flavor of a familiar or how a wizard would use them. A "pet wizard" would be a PF-style summoner type which, for the life of me I don't understand why, seems very popular. But that is not what this guy is about.

So, yeah. I'd rework that. If you want to make it they can attack for you on a Bonus Action, that might be something, but again, as a 10th level feature, is that really enough/necessary or working with the flavor you want.

For the Improved Versatility, I guess it makes sense. My question, then, becomes, is it a 14th level feature? I don't think it is overpowered at all. My concern is it being redundant. Maybe, boot the familiar, move this to the 10th level trick and come up with something "bigger" for the 14th?