D&D (2024) What would you actually want from an arcane half-caster in 1D&D PHB?

[Ruin Explorer]

What would you actually want from an arcane half-caster in 1D&D PHB?

Tell me if there are missing choices I need to add, I'll be around for 20-30 minutes.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

A poll nakedly written from the dismissive perspective of someone with no desire to understand what people actually do want.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

A poll nakedly written from the dismissive perspective of someone with no desire to understand what people actually do want.

So tell me what to change? I'll change it. I literally asked you to tell me. You're the one refusing to be helpful here lol.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

So for the PHB itself I just want the artificer. It's established in 5e. It has a solid theme and class story. And it has unique mechanics. It works well as a half caster due to that leaving space in the power budget to have impactful subclasses, which all completely change how the class plays. Putting it in the PHB would ensure that it's supported throughout ODnD rather than being forgotten as an afterthought like the 5e artificer.

For a gish/duskblade/magus/swordmage/witcher class, that doesn't need to be a half caster in my mind (though it could be a half caster), and shouldn't be in the PHB. It has no history in 5e, and so would probably need more time to bake via playtests. It lacks any class story at all currently which is probably one of the reasons it's never stuck throughout editions. Giving it a class story such as witcher would actually give it a concept to build around. Maybe with subclasses based on different creature types which it hunts.

Mechanically its signature ability should be inflicting magical effects and elemental damage via weapon strikes. But how it does this could differ wildly depending on the implementation. It could function like the old spellstrike mechanic, but with how spells work in 5e/ODnD that would probably be messy. It could get a nice selection of blade cantrips, but cantrips don't make a class ability. It could get a good selection of spells like searing smite and ensnaring strike. It has the same problem as the bladetrips, but at least the spell level varies.

It could even be not a caster at all, and use strikes like the arcane archer uses shots. Picking them up like a warlock picks up invocations.

 

[Neonchameleon]

So tell me what to change? I'll change it. I literally asked you to tell me. You're the one refusing to be helpful here lol.

Being awkward can you change the poll type so multiple selections are possible?

And the other option I'd like to see added is the bard.

 

[mellored]

Hexblade-like scaling spell slots.
With some kind of cast+attack feature.

Also more spells that work well with attacking. Similar to smites, ensnaring strike, arcane archer stuff.

I.e.
Surprise strike.
As a bonus action you teleport 30', and have Advantage on your next attack this turn, as the enemy doesn't know what direction it came from.

Relocation slash
When you hit an enemy, you can teleport them 30'.

Which may or may not be the magus, never played pf2.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

So tell me what to change? I'll change it. I literally asked you to tell me. You're the one refusing to be helpful here lol.

Yes. I’m tired of the thing that you are doing here.

 

[Scribe]

Yeah, the Magus. An elegant class, for a more civilized age.

Magus – d20PFSRD

www.d20pfsrd.com

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I don't think an exact copy of the Magus spellstrike mechanic would work anymore. The spells in 5e are just set up differently.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Ugh. Fine.

We can do this ridiculous dance again. At least it beats talking about the OGL.

The swordmage is an esoteric/mystical swordmaster. Like…I truly cannot fathom how anyone could see that as insufficient by itself.

The game has a dozen different object lessons in why this basic archetype should be a class, because every single “gish” subclass frankly sucks at being a gish. Even the ones that are mechanically strong. Because the base class is still there doing something completely different from the desired archetype.

Which is an esoteric/mystical (ie, in D&D terms, magical) weapon master. Someone who uses knowledge and magic (which in D&D generally means arcane magic) as part of their martial tradition, not as two totally separate things they’re kinda good at.