Shining Wrath
2014-08-30, 01:22 PM
Greetings,
This is an attempt to quantify the spell casting abilities of the casting classes in the PHB based on two criteria:
Spell slots (power), and
Versatility (cantrips + spells known).
To compute the power of spell slots I present two methods of weighting a spell's power
2**(Level - 1), and Level**2, where the ** notation means "exponent".
Comparing these weighting methods looks like this
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2**(L-1)
1
2
4
8
16
32
64
128
256
L**2
1
4
9
16
25
36
49
64
81
As may be seen 2**(L-1) puts heavier weight comparatively at higher levels. Use what you prefer, just be consistent.
Here's the non-numerical stuff about the classes - the key ability score for casting, the source from which they prepare each days spells, and some comments.
Class
Ability
Source
Comments
Bard
Cha
Chosen at level up
College of Lore adds 2 L3 spells to known list
Cleric
Wis
Whole list
Domain spells and rituals
Druid
Wis
Whole List
Rituals; Circle of Lore adds 1 cantrip and circle spells
Eldritch Knight
Int
Chosen at level-up
Paladin
Cha
Whole list
Oath spells
Ranger
Wis
Chosen at level-up
Sorcerer
Cha
Chosen at level-up
Sorcery points
Warlock
Cha
Chosen at level-up
Invocations, Patron spell list
Wizard
Int
Spell book
Spell Mastery, Signature Spells
This table compares the power of spell slots as explained above, the versatility as measured by cantrips and by the number of spells of the class's highest level if the character always uses the "swap a spell" feature to gain more spells of higher levels. In some cases (hello, warlocks!) there is more ability to learn spells than there are slots to learn.
L4
L4
L4
L4
L10
L10
L10
L10
L16
L16
L16
L16
L20
L20
L20
L20
Class
2**n
n**2
C
N
2**n
n**2
C
N
2**n
n**2
C
N
2**n
n**2
C
N
Bard
10
13
3
4
78
138
4
5
302
287
4
3
655
478
4
7 (4)
Cleric
10
13
3
*
78
138
5
*
302
287
5
*
655
478
5
*
Druid
10
13
3
*
78
138
4
*
302
287
4
*
655
478
4
*
Eldritch Knight
3
3
0
4
10
13
0
5
22
43
0
7
30
59
0
4
Paladin
3
3
0
*
18
34
0
*
38
75
0
*
78
141
0
*
Ranger
3
3
0
3
18
34
0
3
38
75
0
6
78
141
0
6(4)
Sorcerer
10
13
5
4
78
138
6
4
302
287
6
3
655
478
6
5
Warlock
4
8
2
4
32
50
4
3
48
75
4
12 (6)
64
100
4
15 (6)
Wizard
10
13
4
?
78
138
5
?
302
287
5
?
655
478
5 (7)
?
As may be seen, all the full casting classes get exactly the same amount of spell slots. The exceptions are the Sorcerer, who can buy additional spell slots with Sorcery points; and the Wizard, who can recover (L/2) spell slots with Arcane Recovery, none being higher than 6th level. The combination of Arcane Recovery plus (DM willing) the most spells known plus the largest spell list makes the Wizard, as one would expect, the most powerful of the full casters. Throw in Spell Mastery which is essentially 2 more cantrips, but L1 spells, and the wizard is most flexible and has nearly the same spell points as the Sorcerer. At 20th level the Sorcerer's Sorcery points buy the equivalent of 40 (2**(N-1)) or 64 (N**2) spell slot points - about 10% more power.
In terms of versatility Sorcerers get fewer spells than Bards (!), but have the most cantrips, allowing them more flexibility in the spamming department, which is what you'd expect. Metamagic is very powerful and flexible.
Aside from the Eldritch Knight, the Ranger is the weakest spell caster. Less power than the Warlock, no cantrips, and the weaker "prepare from a small list you learn as you level-up" source add up to weak.
Warlocks are interesting because of the combination of invocations (all day buffs) and slightly better casting than a Paladin.
This is an attempt to quantify the spell casting abilities of the casting classes in the PHB based on two criteria:
Spell slots (power), and
Versatility (cantrips + spells known).
To compute the power of spell slots I present two methods of weighting a spell's power
2**(Level - 1), and Level**2, where the ** notation means "exponent".
Comparing these weighting methods looks like this
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2**(L-1)
1
2
4
8
16
32
64
128
256
L**2
1
4
9
16
25
36
49
64
81
As may be seen 2**(L-1) puts heavier weight comparatively at higher levels. Use what you prefer, just be consistent.
Here's the non-numerical stuff about the classes - the key ability score for casting, the source from which they prepare each days spells, and some comments.
Class
Ability
Source
Comments
Bard
Cha
Chosen at level up
College of Lore adds 2 L3 spells to known list
Cleric
Wis
Whole list
Domain spells and rituals
Druid
Wis
Whole List
Rituals; Circle of Lore adds 1 cantrip and circle spells
Eldritch Knight
Int
Chosen at level-up
Paladin
Cha
Whole list
Oath spells
Ranger
Wis
Chosen at level-up
Sorcerer
Cha
Chosen at level-up
Sorcery points
Warlock
Cha
Chosen at level-up
Invocations, Patron spell list
Wizard
Int
Spell book
Spell Mastery, Signature Spells
This table compares the power of spell slots as explained above, the versatility as measured by cantrips and by the number of spells of the class's highest level if the character always uses the "swap a spell" feature to gain more spells of higher levels. In some cases (hello, warlocks!) there is more ability to learn spells than there are slots to learn.
L4
L4
L4
L4
L10
L10
L10
L10
L16
L16
L16
L16
L20
L20
L20
L20
Class
2**n
n**2
C
N
2**n
n**2
C
N
2**n
n**2
C
N
2**n
n**2
C
N
Bard
10
13
3
4
78
138
4
5
302
287
4
3
655
478
4
7 (4)
Cleric
10
13
3
*
78
138
5
*
302
287
5
*
655
478
5
*
Druid
10
13
3
*
78
138
4
*
302
287
4
*
655
478
4
*
Eldritch Knight
3
3
0
4
10
13
0
5
22
43
0
7
30
59
0
4
Paladin
3
3
0
*
18
34
0
*
38
75
0
*
78
141
0
*
Ranger
3
3
0
3
18
34
0
3
38
75
0
6
78
141
0
6(4)
Sorcerer
10
13
5
4
78
138
6
4
302
287
6
3
655
478
6
5
Warlock
4
8
2
4
32
50
4
3
48
75
4
12 (6)
64
100
4
15 (6)
Wizard
10
13
4
?
78
138
5
?
302
287
5
?
655
478
5 (7)
?
As may be seen, all the full casting classes get exactly the same amount of spell slots. The exceptions are the Sorcerer, who can buy additional spell slots with Sorcery points; and the Wizard, who can recover (L/2) spell slots with Arcane Recovery, none being higher than 6th level. The combination of Arcane Recovery plus (DM willing) the most spells known plus the largest spell list makes the Wizard, as one would expect, the most powerful of the full casters. Throw in Spell Mastery which is essentially 2 more cantrips, but L1 spells, and the wizard is most flexible and has nearly the same spell points as the Sorcerer. At 20th level the Sorcerer's Sorcery points buy the equivalent of 40 (2**(N-1)) or 64 (N**2) spell slot points - about 10% more power.
In terms of versatility Sorcerers get fewer spells than Bards (!), but have the most cantrips, allowing them more flexibility in the spamming department, which is what you'd expect. Metamagic is very powerful and flexible.
Aside from the Eldritch Knight, the Ranger is the weakest spell caster. Less power than the Warlock, no cantrips, and the weaker "prepare from a small list you learn as you level-up" source add up to weak.
Warlocks are interesting because of the combination of invocations (all day buffs) and slightly better casting than a Paladin.