Thursday, June 7, 2012

“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side”

Taking a look at cantrips and orisons in the 5e playtest.

While the group had fun with the playtest session it was pointed out that the orisons for clerics, radiant lance in particular (laser cleric), and the at-will cantrips for the wizard, were too powerful as cantrips and at-will spells. All of them were what once would have been 1st level spells.

During play the wizard and laser cleric blasted the crap out of kobolds and rats with what felt more like Star Wars hero accuracy than 1st level adventurer accuracy.

Meanwhile actual cantrips and orisons, things that while very minor from a combat standpoint, yet still useful, are mostly not found.

Sure, you can remove the modular piece that provides the at-will aspect, but what then happens to the spells? Do they go back into the list to choose from for 1st level slots? Does that mean the rules will state that the player creating a character will have the option to choose any first level spell as a cantrip?

From a personal standpoint I do want to see cantrips and orisons as at-will spells, but I'm referring to the stuff like Mage Hand, and other Dragon Magazine of old spells.

This is another reason I am anxious to see the character creation rules.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Don't know how I feel about that. I like the utilitarian aspect of "0 level spells." I'm fine with very specific, or low damage cantrips like acid splash or disrupt undead, as the caster still needs to roll to hit and wizards/sorcerers don't have the best luck in that department.