Xeviat
Dungeon Mistress, she/her
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D&D 5E wis Warlocks and con Sorcerers
- Thread starter Stormonu
- Start date
Zuranthium
Casting your favorite spell
My casting classes (besides Paladin and Shadowknight. Ranger should not use spells):
Sorcerer: CON + CHA as top two stats. Spells require no verbal component or materials, as they are innate casters who perform magic simply by feeling and gesturing to where they want their magic to take place. A focus item can still help them control their power. Spell school specialization will involve 7 bonus tiers (for every school you choose to not be able to know, you gain a tier in another school) and you can choose to specialize in multiple schools. Wild magic option won't involve specialization or even choosing any spells to know; instead the Sorcerer can try to do anything that could be cast at their level, but the results will vary. Spellcasting limited when wearing armor.
Wizard: INT + WIS as top two stats. Each individual spellslot must be specifically prepared, but any individual slot can be changed with some minutes of spellbook study. Spells require verbal and physical involvement, and focus item (unless prepared/learned to not require it). School specialization will be more complex than Sorcerers; instead of choosing which schools your character will never know at Level 1, you instead choose what to study at every level. Can perform rituals, materials are required for most. Spellcasting limited when wearing armor.
Psionicist: INT + CHA as top two stats. "Spells" only require thought (but physical involvement can help to manifest it) and spell slots are not used, everything is determined by mental power points. Their 3 spell schools are Telekinesis, Telepathy, and Mind Control. At every level you choose 1 school to rank up (only 1 school known at Level 1, each school has 20 ranks). Spellcasting limited when wearing armor.
Cleric: CHA + WIS as top two stats. Casting will differ per spell on what is required (verbal, physical, focus item). Can perform rituals. A very limited amount of spells can be prepared per day, although they can always choose on-the-fly to cast a "generic" spell from their favored school (Healing, Protection, Divinity, Smiting). A handful of spells will be deity-specific, but otherwise all spells will be known.
Druid: WIS + DEX as top two stats. Spellcasting similar to Sorcerers, but sometimes need to have the right components or conditions for full power (having seeds to magically grow into the kind of plants you want to use, having animals nearby to gain power from, having access to the sky for storm magic) and they learn spells through the experience of interacting with a biome, rather than only knowing a limited selection of spells. Their 4 schools are Plant, Animal, Storm, Nature (healing capability found here). Spellcasting limited with more than leather armor.
Shaman: WIS + CON as top two stats. The majority of their spells will require material components to work and the majority of their spells will take longer to cast than what is typical for other casters (I don't mean rituals, but they will be able to do those and also make potions). Their schools are Curses, Cures, Channeling, Communing. In their one favored school they will eventually be able to learn all the spells by communicating with spirits, in the other schools they will just know a handful each. Can cast a large number of spells per day. Spellcasting limited with more than partial chain/scale armor.
Bard: CHA + DEX as top two stats. Instrument required to "cast" some of their "spells", and most will benefit with an instrument. No spellslots, they just choose which songs they want to prepare for the day (can swap a song with 10 minutes of prep) and can "cast" them almost constantly, with short duration effects unless they continue to perform the song. Performing a song for 2 minutes will increase its power and multiple songs can be combined into a full performance, with their effects being delayed until the end of the performance if the Bard wants. Each song will be tied to an instrument type (including voice), with one being specialized in. A handful of songs can only be learned via specialization, but otherwise a Bard can learn all other songs if they dedicate enough time to practicing their music or experiencing various cultures. Spellcasting limited with heavy armor.
Elementalist: DEX + CON as top two stats. No spellslots, everything will just be determined by "cool down" time for their abilities and which elements they choose to focus on (100% in one element, 75% in one + 25% in another, 50% in two elements, 50% in one and 25% in two others, 25% in all four). No verbal component required, but physical involvement is required for anything beyond basic element manipulation, and obviously being surrounded by more of a type of element helps them. Spellcasting limited by armor, depending on the element trying to be used.
These would all be 6 hitpoint classes and Sorc, Wiz, Psion, Cleric would only gain half benefit from CON stat or hitpoint increase feat - yes the Cleric! I see them mainly as priests, they don't train their bodies very much. When they are "battle clerics" it is because their God is empowering them to do so, not because their physical capability on its own is good. I would go back to 3rd edition attack bonus system, but with less total attacks at high levels (too much busywork), and modify the bonuses so that every class has ".25 / .5 / .75 / 1" bonus per level (only a whole number provides bonus). Sorc / Wiz / Psion are .25 attack bonus, Cleric / Druid / Shaman / Bard are .5, Elementalist is .75
Warlock is a stupid class that does not need to exist (it's already covered by Wizard / Sorcerer / Shaman; if you make a "deal with demon" that should be a specific gameplay situation) and has only ever been cheese in D&D. I'm not interested in Artificer existing either, but it shouldn't be a casting class if it does.
Sorcerer: CON + CHA as top two stats. Spells require no verbal component or materials, as they are innate casters who perform magic simply by feeling and gesturing to where they want their magic to take place. A focus item can still help them control their power. Spell school specialization will involve 7 bonus tiers (for every school you choose to not be able to know, you gain a tier in another school) and you can choose to specialize in multiple schools. Wild magic option won't involve specialization or even choosing any spells to know; instead the Sorcerer can try to do anything that could be cast at their level, but the results will vary. Spellcasting limited when wearing armor.
Wizard: INT + WIS as top two stats. Each individual spellslot must be specifically prepared, but any individual slot can be changed with some minutes of spellbook study. Spells require verbal and physical involvement, and focus item (unless prepared/learned to not require it). School specialization will be more complex than Sorcerers; instead of choosing which schools your character will never know at Level 1, you instead choose what to study at every level. Can perform rituals, materials are required for most. Spellcasting limited when wearing armor.
Psionicist: INT + CHA as top two stats. "Spells" only require thought (but physical involvement can help to manifest it) and spell slots are not used, everything is determined by mental power points. Their 3 spell schools are Telekinesis, Telepathy, and Mind Control. At every level you choose 1 school to rank up (only 1 school known at Level 1, each school has 20 ranks). Spellcasting limited when wearing armor.
Cleric: CHA + WIS as top two stats. Casting will differ per spell on what is required (verbal, physical, focus item). Can perform rituals. A very limited amount of spells can be prepared per day, although they can always choose on-the-fly to cast a "generic" spell from their favored school (Healing, Protection, Divinity, Smiting). A handful of spells will be deity-specific, but otherwise all spells will be known.
Druid: WIS + DEX as top two stats. Spellcasting similar to Sorcerers, but sometimes need to have the right components or conditions for full power (having seeds to magically grow into the kind of plants you want to use, having animals nearby to gain power from, having access to the sky for storm magic) and they learn spells through the experience of interacting with a biome, rather than only knowing a limited selection of spells. Their 4 schools are Plant, Animal, Storm, Nature (healing capability found here). Spellcasting limited with more than leather armor.
Shaman: WIS + CON as top two stats. The majority of their spells will require material components to work and the majority of their spells will take longer to cast than what is typical for other casters (I don't mean rituals, but they will be able to do those and also make potions). Their schools are Curses, Cures, Channeling, Communing. In their one favored school they will eventually be able to learn all the spells by communicating with spirits, in the other schools they will just know a handful each. Can cast a large number of spells per day. Spellcasting limited with more than partial chain/scale armor.
Bard: CHA + DEX as top two stats. Instrument required to "cast" some of their "spells", and most will benefit with an instrument. No spellslots, they just choose which songs they want to prepare for the day (can swap a song with 10 minutes of prep) and can "cast" them almost constantly, with short duration effects unless they continue to perform the song. Performing a song for 2 minutes will increase its power and multiple songs can be combined into a full performance, with their effects being delayed until the end of the performance if the Bard wants. Each song will be tied to an instrument type (including voice), with one being specialized in. A handful of songs can only be learned via specialization, but otherwise a Bard can learn all other songs if they dedicate enough time to practicing their music or experiencing various cultures. Spellcasting limited with heavy armor.
Elementalist: DEX + CON as top two stats. No spellslots, everything will just be determined by "cool down" time for their abilities and which elements they choose to focus on (100% in one element, 75% in one + 25% in another, 50% in two elements, 50% in one and 25% in two others, 25% in all four). No verbal component required, but physical involvement is required for anything beyond basic element manipulation, and obviously being surrounded by more of a type of element helps them. Spellcasting limited by armor, depending on the element trying to be used.
These would all be 6 hitpoint classes and Sorc, Wiz, Psion, Cleric would only gain half benefit from CON stat or hitpoint increase feat - yes the Cleric! I see them mainly as priests, they don't train their bodies very much. When they are "battle clerics" it is because their God is empowering them to do so, not because their physical capability on its own is good. I would go back to 3rd edition attack bonus system, but with less total attacks at high levels (too much busywork), and modify the bonuses so that every class has ".25 / .5 / .75 / 1" bonus per level (only a whole number provides bonus). Sorc / Wiz / Psion are .25 attack bonus, Cleric / Druid / Shaman / Bard are .5, Elementalist is .75
Warlock is a stupid class that does not need to exist (it's already covered by Wizard / Sorcerer / Shaman; if you make a "deal with demon" that should be a specific gameplay situation) and has only ever been cheese in D&D. I'm not interested in Artificer existing either, but it shouldn't be a casting class if it does.
MGibster
Legend
I've only particpated in one D&D campaign where there was any kind of interaction between the Warlock and their patron. It was the very first 5th edition campaign I ran, and the patron ended up being a really smart octopus from the Seattle Aquarium. It was kind of a bizarre campaign.
I don't own every 5th edition product, but I don't feel as though the patron really matters in most campaigns beyond what abilities the warlock has access to. There's not a lot of guideline for how to interact with a patron nor is there any obligation for the Warlock to do anything on their patron's behalf.
Stormonu
NeoGrognard
The current campaign I am assisting with, the Patron is very important (It's a Arcanoloth, working for Orcus ... and another entity). There's been an ongoing story with the warlock & friends getting pulled into the Feywild to battle Shadowfell incursions in a three way battle between an Archfey, Great Old One and the Fiendish patron. There's been several direct interactions with Fiend patron.
In my Saltmarsh campaign, there were several indirect interactions between the Warlock and his patron, Tharizdun. Tharizdun was using the warlock to break his 13 chains so he could be freed. The last scene of the campaign was the Warlock turning his back on the patron, leaving Tharizdun trapped (over the campaign, the warlock had inadvertently broken two chains, and discovered another five had been broken by prior events) and without a current servant.
My brother and I are a bit old school at times, and we love manifesting/playing up the interactions for Clerics, Paladins, Druids and Warlocks where and when we can.
In my Saltmarsh campaign, there were several indirect interactions between the Warlock and his patron, Tharizdun. Tharizdun was using the warlock to break his 13 chains so he could be freed. The last scene of the campaign was the Warlock turning his back on the patron, leaving Tharizdun trapped (over the campaign, the warlock had inadvertently broken two chains, and discovered another five had been broken by prior events) and without a current servant.
My brother and I are a bit old school at times, and we love manifesting/playing up the interactions for Clerics, Paladins, Druids and Warlocks where and when we can.
