OotA spoilers and issue

[Starchild7309]

Ok so tonight we started OotA. If you know how it begins, you know you start with nothing. We did some snooping and found anything of value is kept with the priestess. We have to escape...in that escape everyone finds their gear, well most of, in the nearby guard tower. We are forced to flee due to horrible rolls on our side and incredible ones for the DM. I am now without my spellbook as it was now with anything we found.

I asked the DM where that leaves me and he just chuckled and said I am stuck with the spells I had memorized until I can get a new spell book and the spells I knew that I have memorized are lost to me. Thing is we have nothing after the escape and a new spell book is 50gp, and the 10 gp per spell level to copy them back in. I won't have those funds for awhile. And, having gained 2nd level and probably 3rd level before we reach civilization I feel like I am being screwed.

I spoke to the DM and he said it's no big deal, but everyone else is ok and equipped and I am running around the underdark with a dagger and spells that don't change. Am I being treated unfairly or am I over reacting? What can I do to fix this?

[Regwon]

That sounds like it sucks, but I dont think your dm is being unfair. You tried to do something but failed, and now things are harder for you. Sometimes that happens. There have to be consequences for failure, otherwise challenges are meaningless. If the dm was leading you around by the hand the whole time you probably wouldnt enjoy the game so much.

You do still have the spells you have memorised, so your wizard isnt completely useless, even if its inconvienient for you. Maybe you now have to spend a bit of effort tracking down a replacement spellbok instead of doing something else. Thats fine. It's unlikely you'll be without it for long, but i wouldnt expect a handout. Youll have to put some effort in to adventuring.

[Tetrasodium]

Ok so tonight we started OotA. If you know how it begins, you know you start with nothing. We did some snooping and found anything of value is kept with the priestess. We have to escape...in that escape everyone finds their gear, well most of, in the nearby guard tower. We are forced to flee due to horrible rolls on our side and incredible ones for the DM. I am now without my spellbook as it was now with anything we found.

I asked the DM where that leaves me and he just chuckled and said I am stuck with the spells I had memorized until I can get a new spell book and the spells I knew that I have memorized are lost to me. Thing is we have nothing after the escape and a new spell book is 50gp, and the 10 gp per spell level to copy them back in. I won't have those funds for awhile. And, having gained 2nd level and probably 3rd level before we reach civilization I feel like I am being screwed.

I spoke to the DM and he said it's no big deal, but everyone else is ok and equipped and I am running around the underdark with a dagger and spells that don't change. Am I being treated unfairly or am I over reacting? What can I do to fix this?


I'd say that you should stick it out a bit to see if your spellbook turns up in the next few sessions. Failing that, in an AL game you can do a rebuild at any time levels 1-4 I think it is. It's enturely possible that you will find it with some other nifty stuff.

edit: If it's not an AL game & it doesn't show up after a couple sessions, trying to melee as a wizard should fix the problem soon enough.... wow what a coincidence that you had a character already prepped when that group of goblins you ran up to poked your old wizard dead

[Foxhound438]

the spellbook is a weakness of the wizard, but it's maybe a bit unfair that you lost it when no one else is missing relevant items (if I read your post correctly, that is). If it really rubs you the wrong way and you feel you can't ever catch up because of this, just kill off your character. not even joking, if it is in fact a bad dm, and they're setting you up to fail, intentionally killing your character is a good way to give them the red flag that they've been a bad dm.

[Rynjin]

That sounds like it sucks, but I dont think your dm is being unfair.

I might agree if it weren't for the fact that the GM laughed at him and then tried to lie and downplay that being a spellbook-less Wizard is "no big deal".

That makes it clear he's doing this for his own amusement, not out of any sense of fair play or enforcing consequences.

Sometimes the two align (which might be the case here) but I'd warn OP to be on guard for further adversarial behavior from this GM.

[Grod_The_Giant]

So the DM separated your vital gear from everyone else's? That's... not a great sign. If you were driven off by bad rolls before you could finish exploring the intro area, it's not an unreasonable consequence to deal with a session or two sans-spellbook (I don't know OotA, so I dunno how long that'll take), but it is something that a good DM should correct before too long-- it's not fun to play half a character for very long. I'd tell them that you don't mind dealing for a little while, but ask him, point-blank, how long it'll take before you can replace it.

[Starchild7309]

I have played with DM for almost 20 years. I trust him, it just rubs me wrong that everyone else's pertinent equipment or suitable replacements were found and mine was not. The smirk and chuckle didn't help either. I was told the rules for replacing spellbooks are in the handbook. This leads me to believe I will be getting no gifts of a spellbook. Also irks me that I have no spell components or place to put new spells when I level. Basically making me penalized without any new spells.

[furby076]

REading your OP it sounds like your stuff was kept in a separate room. So questions:


Was everyone's equipment dispersed or only yours?
Did anyone else lose their gear?
Did the DM laugh in a way that was like the Simpsons Nelson character "HAHA" or chuckle, like "come on dude, you guys rolled like crap, i rolled awesome - there were tons of antics that night...it was still kind of funny. Don't worry, you will be fine"


Since your gear is lost, see if the group will help you. A good group will pool in some cash to help you get your book...a wizard is a valuable ally.
When you eventually kill a wizard, make sure to search the body for a book. Wizards tend to take that with them.

Keep playing it, maybe the DM will rewards you later. If you can't bear it, commit suicide. Justify it as you lost your family heirloom

[Danielqueue1]

The start of OotA is supposed to be difficult on characters. low resources, constant threats, difficult situations. I cannot say what your DM has planned, so I wouldn't judge him too soon. perhaps he laughed it off because he already has plans to have your spellbook be in the hands of [REDACTED] so that you will recover it in a session or two anyway. perhaps he will let you make your own spellbook out of Zurkhwood. perhaps you will defeat a random encounter and take the enemy wizard's spellbook which "just happens" to have all the spells you would have started with. I would say play along for a bit. let the DM do his thing.
But if he deny's your ability to gain new spells on a level up it is likely time to take action. such action goes beyond fair play.

[mgshamster]

Just wait it out.

The wizard is the most powerful class in the game. Not having a spellbook is their weakness. It happens.

You'll be in a major city within a few sessions and can pick up a new one.

(You should be level three by the time you escape the drow).

Edit: When I ran this campaign, my players made it to the first city by session 6. And it took that long for two reasons: 1) I included a side quest before they arrived, and 2) there was some out of game delays; I wanted them to arrive by session 5. Even with that, I still had them run into some merchants on the way so they could get gear.

[Sans.]

The wizard is the most powerful class in the game.
sry lolwut

[Starchild7309]

Was everyone's equipment dispersed or only yours?
Did anyone else lose their gear?
Did the DM laugh in a way that was like the Simpsons Nelson character "HAHA" or chuckle, like "come on dude, you guys rolled like crap, i rolled awesome - there were tons of antics that night...it was still kind of funny. Don't worry, you will be fine"




1. Everyone's gear was dispersed, but since everyone else is a martial character most of their stuff was found in the first place we entered.

2. Everyone else found either their gear or a suitable replacement, ie. I had a shortsword, but now I found a drow crafted short sword. We also all lost every bit of gold, equipment and such. I also lost my spell components and he is s tickler for those so every time I want to cast mage armor I have to cut a piece off my boot. (need cured leather)

3. It was like a come on dude I told you it was going to be hard stop bitching kind of laugh. He then admitted that apparently there is an easier way to escape from the drow, but he felt it was too easy so he didn't give us that option, which he admitted would have given us all a chance to get all our things back.

I truly thought about this and maybe I need a break from playing. We are fresh off a 2 1/2 year campaign where we wiped at the end because again the same DM changed how the encounter is balanced with the BBEG to make it "D&D on Hard Mode." I know its a little thing, but its things like that that make the game not enjoyable. He is big on letting us have a big heroic moment only to assassinate a party member the next session or something similar.

I don't see the party banding together to purchase a spell book for me...first off its a low magic campaign. Last time we had to do hour long searches to find a place that could sell us components for spells in major cities. Secondly, the DM is a stickler for R/ping. Unfortunately for us, he told us to make up a character with flaws, traits, and bonds then told us what he had planned. Other than my one friend who is also a LG High elf, the rest of the party is CN or NE or some variation of being played as a loner forced to work with these other people. (At least half of my fellow players suck at r/p and like to play the angsty loner who only begrudgingly heals you as you are just about to make your third death save.)

I feel as though I have strayed from my original point. hmmmm.

[Starchild7309]

But if he deny's your ability to gain new spells on a level up it is likely time to take action. such action goes beyond fair play.

Well we gained a level in the first session and this is what he did. He said I owe you two spells whenever you get a spell book. He has said he has side quests planned and we will be at least 3rd or 4th before we reach a city.

[furby076]

I say try it out for 1 to 3 more sessions. If it doesnt get good let him, privately, know you are not having fun and are leaving the group. Make sure he knows this isnt a "do what i want or im out", but a "this is not fun, and i dont want to spend my free time being bent". He may try and help out, or say "bye". Either way you have your answer as to how he values your, at least, 2.5 years of friendship.

There are plenty of groups out there, so you can start fresh. Id just be patient

[Sigreid]

Kind of sounds like your DM is bored with DMing and making his own fun.

[Telok]

Well OotA takes some advanced DMing, lots of prep work, and significant flexability to pull off well. It may just be a hard start for you guys. Our group was almost level 5 before we hit even a decent outpost/town to buy non-scavenged (i.e. heavy) armor and weapons. Luckily our class choices were pretty flexable on gearing. It's a campaign where the DM really does need to work with the players to keep the characters functional.

Yes, the early part is exceptionally unpleasant for any class that relies on gear or items that you can't loot off the locals. Of course I don't recall any locals being wizards until you get to the really major cities. You may well just have to convince the rest of the party to wait a week somewhere while you cobble together a spellbook and an arcane focus. Otherwise you really do run a serious chance of still only having first level spells when everyone is 4th or 5th level.

[2D8HP]

I'm currently playing the early stages of OotA, and have the opposite problem. I'm playing a Rogue, we found some gear that suits me fine, I want to get going while the going is good, but since most of the party is Spell-casters, my PC has been "elected" to scout out their mojo fixin's.

For the start of OotA an all Barbarian/Monk party would seem best.

Maybe your DM will let you switch characters?

[Beelzebubba]

The start of OotA is supposed to be difficult on characters. low resources, constant threats, difficult situations. I cannot say what your DM has planned, so I wouldn't judge him too soon. perhaps he laughed it off because he already has plans to have your spellbook be in the hands of [REDACTED] so that you will recover it in a session or two anyway. perhaps he will let you make your own spellbook out of Zurkhwood. perhaps you will defeat a random encounter and take the enemy wizard's spellbook which "just happens" to have all the spells you would have started with. I would say play along for a bit. let the DM do his thing.
But if he deny's your ability to gain new spells on a level up it is likely time to take action. such action goes beyond fair play.

I think this is good advice. From what I know, that is how that adventure rolls, and it's not personal. (I mean, your DM *could* be being personal - hard to say without being there.) But, you say you had horrible rolls and he had great ones, and he's the type of DM to let those be, then that's a legit outcome for how the beginning of OotA is structured.

But, all that combined with the attitude of the other players, is all working together to make this all worse.

Hold off a bit. But yeah, there is a limit. There is a point it stops being fun and he should understand that. Furby has good advice on how to broach the conversation.

[Prakriti]

The DM ran the adventure as written. Weapons and armor are in the guard-room, while magic items (including spell books and focuses) are in the priestess's quarters. The DM is not out to get you. In your place, I'd roll with it and accept (even enjoy) the added challenge.

[Potato_Priest]

I say try it out for 1 to 3 more sessions. If it doesnt get good let him, privately, know you are not having fun and are leaving the group. Make sure he knows this isnt a "do what i want or im out", but a "this is not fun, and i dont want to spend my free time being bent". He may try and help out, or say "bye". Either way you have your answer as to how he values your, at least, 2.5 years of friendship.

There are plenty of groups out there, so you can start fresh. Id just be patient

I don't think I'd leave for a little thing like this. Make his life hell by torturing (either literally or emotionally) some NPCs or cheesing my way through supposedly hard encounters, yes. Give up on years of friendship and a trustworthy DM, no.

A similar (but worse) thing has happened to me before. I was a paladin who was stripped of his oath for a ridiculous reason, and so the next session, I picked a fistfight with some demons. I managed to take one of the with me, and died an honorable death so that I wouldn't have to play a stupidly gimped paladin anymore. If you go this route, come back as a monk, barbarian, or druid. You'll never have to care about losing your equipment again.

[ad_hoc]

This is the entire point of this part of the adventure.

You are trying to survive a harsh, alien environment.

Also, don't count on getting to 'civilization' by 3rd level. Just roll with it, do the best you can. It wouldn't be an adventure if there wasn't any risk.

[Theodoxus]

Meh, suck it up. If you didn't do your research and know that OotA is no place for wizards, deal with the consequences. Or take 3 levels of Warlock, grab a Tome and laugh at your DM.

Our wizard whined too... and yup, played with his 6 spells for probably a month in game. Eventually got a book...

I'm playing a wizard in a different game, but similar problem. I have a book, but we're locked in a demiplane endless dungeon thing... only new spells I get are when I level, or we stumble across an enemy wizard (happened once so far, and his spells were pretty suboptimal). Firebolt is my go to spell... Sure it sucks to be basically relegated to a cantrip thrower - but it was my choice - and I had no chance of foreknowledge, unlike you.

[Mhl7]

Ok so tonight we started OotA. If you know how it begins, you know you start with nothing. We did some snooping and found anything of value is kept with the priestess. We have to escape...in that escape everyone finds their gear, well most of, in the nearby guard tower. We are forced to flee due to horrible rolls on our side and incredible ones for the DM. I am now without my spellbook as it was now with anything we found.

I asked the DM where that leaves me and he just chuckled and said I am stuck with the spells I had memorized until I can get a new spell book and the spells I knew that I have memorized are lost to me. Thing is we have nothing after the escape and a new spell book is 50gp, and the 10 gp per spell level to copy them back in. I won't have those funds for awhile. And, having gained 2nd level and probably 3rd level before we reach civilization I feel like I am being screwed.

I spoke to the DM and he said it's no big deal, but everyone else is ok and equipped and I am running around the underdark with a dagger and spells that don't change. Am I being treated unfairly or am I over reacting? What can I do to fix this?

I'm DMing that campaing, and we also have a Wizard. In Velkynvelve there are two possible locations in which the stolen items would be kept: the temple and the armory. It makes no sense for the spellbook to be kept in the armory, sadly.

You probably have 16 INT, which means that you have 4 spells prepared out of the 6 that are written on your spellbook: this means that you are missing out only on 2 spells. How often do you really change your spell list, anyway?

I did it like this: in the third section I let my player find some scrap paper on which he would be allowed to write the spells he had prepared and also the ones gained from the new levels. In this way he was only really missing on 2 first level spells for a few sections. When they reached a city he was allowed to buy the new book and also spell scrolls to copy from.

This is to say that there are plenty of ways your DM could come up with ways to help you. I don't think he really wants to screw you up. More so if you are playing together since 20 years and he has always been fair.

EDIT: I recall now that to make it fair for everyone (well, for most of them anyway), I had the Drow sell every weapon or armor of the character which was of no use for the Drows themselves. For instance every Heavy Two Handed Weapon, Heavy armor or even bows. The Barbarian had to use a shortsword for a while, but he didn't complain too much. ;)

[Solunaris]

Because of the way you gain spells upon level up, as long as you have access to some sort of writing instrument and paper you should still get those spells. The rub comes from the fact that even though you gain the spells in your sorta-spell book you can't prepare them without losing your previously prepared spells unless you re-transcribe them before you prepare a new list.

[Spellbreaker26]

Yeah, my advice would be to try and get some resources together for another spellbook as quickly as possible. You only need the paper and enough ink. You will be down a few spells, but Wizards get tons of opportunities for spells, so you should be at least OK.

[Yuki Akuma]

2. Everyone else found either their gear or a suitable replacement, ie. I had a shortsword, but now I found a drow crafted short sword. We also all lost every bit of gold, equipment and such. I also lost my spell components and he is s tickler for those so every time I want to cast mage armor I have to cut a piece off my boot. (need cured leather)

Spells in 5th edition only consume material components when they say they do, and Mage Armor doesn't, so I have no idea why you're cutting off a piece of your boot every time you cast it. Once was enough.

[KorvinStarmast]

So the DM separated your vital gear from everyone else's? That's... not a great sign. But it's realistic as all get out, if you presume that NPC 's are intelligent. (Also, OoTA puts you into the prisoner thing, it's part of the adventure).
So a pile of armor and weapons stayed in a pile. Fine. A book full of magical stuff? Boss man wants it. If there are ANY Wizards (or for that matter warlocks) in the NPC side this spell book is incredibly valuable loot (note that this is a Low Magic campaign) that they want and will keep. Just as PC's recognize how Valuable found spell books are.

1. Everyone's gear was dispersed, but since everyone else is a martial character most of their stuff was found in the first place we entered.

2. Everyone else found either their gear or a suitable replacement, ie. I had a shortsword, but now I found a drow crafted short sword. See my comment above. That the DM laughed about this was bad form, I agree.

I don't see the party banding together to purchase a spell book for me...first off its a low magic campaign.
Last time we had to do hour long searches to find a place that could sell us components for spells in major cities.
Secondly, the DM is a stickler for R/ping.
Unfortunately for us, he told us to make up a character with flaws, traits, and bonds then told us what he had planned.
Other than my one friend who is also a LG High elf, the rest of the party is CN or NE or some variation of being played as a loner forced to work with these other people.
(At least half of my fellow players suck at r/p and like to play the angsty loner who only begrudgingly heals you as you are just about to make your third death save.) Let this be a challenge for you, and part of that challenge is getting your party to play as a team. Playing as a team is Part of the D&D design model. If your compadres are rectums to you, that's not the DM's fault. That's a party full of "my guy syndrome"

[Sir cryosin]

Get creative with it not all spells there's a good portion of spells that don't consume the material that you use. You can also always multi-class well if he allows a rule. What are your spells that you know? Try and be creative see if you can't grab slabs the rocks and write down spells on them or take clothing from enemies and inscribe on this clothing or take the skin from you from creatures and carve spills into the skin and just roll the skin up and stuff.

[Mrglee]

sry lolwut

While I personally consider Bard, Druid, and Cleric all potential contenders for strongest class, it is hard to argue with Wizard being near the top of that list. Like, the most broken spell combos come from the Wizard list, people love Portent, and they can learn their entire spell list with enough time/effort.

[joaber]

Try to craft your own spellbook with you get in the way.

[2D8HP]

sry lolwut


Please translate into the English language.

[Starchild7309]

Meh, suck it up. If you didn't do your research and know that OotA is no place for wizards, deal with the consequences. Or take 3 levels of Warlock, grab a Tome and laugh at your DM.


Well seeing as how I didn't know I was for sure playing OotA and without reading the module, which I would consider a form of cheating, I am not sure how I was supposed to know this?

[mgshamster]

OotA is fine for wizards. It's only the first few levels where there's a risk of not getting the spell book, which isn't that much of a hindrance. Levels 1&2 fly by, and it isn't long before you reach a main city. Maybe 4-5 sessions.

It just means you have to be creative with the spells you've prepared (since you never lose those). If you also lost prepared spells like you did in older editions, it would be far worse.

For now, start gathering some trillimac bark and start creating a new spell book. You may even be able to have your new level spells before you ever reach a city!

[Silfazaris]

That's how the adventure goes. He's following the book and nothing is wrong with what happened.
I won't spoil the game because you are a player, but if he said you are ok, then you are ok, trust him.

Some groups from OotA leave Velkynvelve with nothing and it's completely normal.
I'm Dming an OotA game and my group left with 1 studded leather, 2 short swords and 20 bolts ONLY, they lost all their equipment.

Like the others said, try to craft your own spellbook and save any scroll that comes. That's what I would do.

[Finback]

Back up plan: get tattoos of your spellbook's contents. ;)

[LordVonDerp]

1. Everyone's gear was dispersed, but since everyone else is a martial character most of their stuff was found in the first place we entered.
that's a bit weird.




2. Everyone else found either their gear or a suitable replacement, ie. I had a shortsword, but now I found a drow crafted short sword. We also all lost every bit of gold, equipment and such. I also lost my spell components and he is s tickler for those so every time I want to cast mage armor I have to cut a piece off my boot. (need cured leather)
Mage Armor doesn't consume the leather, and the same is true for most spell components. Also, maybe you should get a wand or staff (ie: a stick).



3. It was like a come on dude I told you it was going to be hard stop bitching kind of laugh. He then admitted that apparently there is an easier way to escape from the drow, but he felt it was too easy so he didn't give us that option, which he admitted would have given us all a chance to get all our things back.
That's bad.




I don't see the party banding together to purchase a spell book for me...first off its a low magic campaign. Last time we had to do hour long searches to find a place that could sell us components for spells in major cities.
Yeah, you should definitely use a focus.



Secondly, the DM is a stickler for R/ping. Unfortunately for us, he told us to make up a character with flaws, traits, and bonds then told us what he had planned.




Other than my one friend who is also a LG High elf, the rest of the party is CN or NE or some variation of being played as a loner forced to work with these other people. (At least half of my fellow players suck at r/p and like to play the angsty loner who only begrudgingly heals you as you are just about to make your third death save.)
Simply allowing such characters is a bad sign.



I feel as though I have strayed from my original point. hmmmm.

[Silfazaris]

I don't see the party banding together to purchase a spell book for me...first off its a low magic campaign.



Since when Forgotten Realms is a low magic setting?

[Sjappo]

You gain 2 spells and one prepared spell each level. Ask if you could gain one of those 2 spells as prepared since the PHB seems to imply that these two spells just pop into your head. And play like a Sorcerer for a bit.

[Coidzor]

Maybe 4-5 sessions.

That's over a month of play, dude.

[mgshamster]

That's over a month of play, dude.

Yeah. That's another great way to look at it. It's only a month of play. It'll fly by.

This game will last you a year or longer of gameplay. Things a little more challenging than expected for the first month? Don't quit. Push through. And gain a better experience for it in the end.

Because afterwards you can brag about having your wizard survive the underdark without a spellbook. And that's a pretty cool thing to have under your belt.

Or you can say, "I like to quit when things are a little harder than what I think they should be." That's not as cool of a thing to have.

[Matticusrex]

Remake your character in protest. Most DMs bend to a player not having fun because DM ****ed up.

[Spellbreaker26]

Yeah. That's another great way to look at it. It's only a month of play. It'll fly by.

This game will last you a year or longer of gameplay. Things a little more challenging than expected for the first month? Don't quit. Push through. And gain a better experience for it in the end.

Because afterwards you can brag about having your wizard survive the underdark without a spellbook. And that's a pretty cool thing to have under your belt.

Or you can say, "I like to quit when things are a little harder than what I think they should be." That's not as cool of a thing to have.

It depends on the person playing. If you're just trying to have fun then getting gimped for a month isn't accomplishing that goal. Putting up with non-fun things in DnD isn't some sort of character building experience it's just sitting down, throwing little rocks around and not having fun.

[Sans.]

Wizard being the strongest class is highly questionable. Firstly, let's look at the actual combat power progression. Wizard is fairly weak at low levels, unlike literally any martial class, gets a big power bump at level 5 like every other class, gets another one at level 10-11 and maybe 13-14, which is where martial classes start to stop getting awsum abilities and start getting more fluffy features, and blows all the other classes apart from Bard or Sorcerer out of the water with Wish, Spell Mastery, Signature Spells, etc..

Compare this to a Fighter. For levels 1 and 2, they're fairly reliable. After levels 3, 4, 5 and 6, they get much stronger with an archetype, two feat (which Fighters has more use for than Wizards) and a whole Extra Attack. Level 7-10 are fairly dull, like the Wizard for the most part except with an extra feat, but at around the same time Wizards get a school ability and level 6 spells, which are really quite potent, Fighters get a unique third attack and another feat. Now it's time to get out of Fighter, now that you've gotten all the best abilities, and start into something like Barbarian or Rogue. A Wizard can't do this 1. for fear of losing spell levels 2. because it's much harder to go effectively from spellcaster to melee or to spellcaster than from melee to spellcaster or other melee (due to frontloaded class features). The result is that from levels 13-16, the multiclassed Fighter gets stronger with class features that are weaker than they would have been at low levels, but still much stronger than anything a Fighter gets in them, and even more so for Wizard. Then, at levels 17-20, Wizard suddenly comes back and zooms past anything the Fighter can do.

Overall, the Fighter starts strong and gets much stronger, Wizard is just a lot weaker until mid-levels and comes back a bit, Fighter multiclasses and gets even better, Wizard comes back for good. We can see that Wizard ends up the strongest, but (multiclassed) Fighter's power progression is spread more evenly and, for most of the campaign, dominates.

A side point is that Wizard isn't very compatible at multiclassing due to the Int requirement, which is how the majority of the most potent builds obtain their power.

Out of combat, Wizard has an definite edge with its spell versatility and various abilities for solving problems. I wouldn't call this power, but others might.

So generally, Fighter is usually more powerful, whereas Wizard is more versatile. Comment translated.

[Spellbreaker26]

Fighters are pretty deadly but once Wizards get going (about level 5) they have a really strong answer for any situation bar healing. Fireball and Lightning Bolt are two of the deadliest AoE spells in the game, for example. Wizards have:

1. Probably the best spell list in the game
2. Arcane Recovery, which gives them a lot of staying power

and that's really all they need. Without any subclass, the wizard is still better than any of the original PHB rangers. They don't need to multiclass because they have everything in their class already. The Sorlock is just a way for sorcerers and warlocks to keep up with wizards.

Wizards are, IMO, tied with Bards for best class.

[Sans.]

Fighters are pretty deadly but once Wizards get going (about level 5) they have a really strong answer for any situation bar healing. Fireball and Lightning Bolt are two of the deadliest AoE spells in the game, for example. Wizards have:

1. Probably the best spell list in the game
2. Arcane Recovery, which gives them a lot of staying power

and that's really all they need. Without any subclass, the wizard is still better than any of the original PHB rangers. They don't need to multiclass because they have everything in their class already. The Sorlock is just a way for sorcerers and warlocks to keep up with wizards.

Wizards are, IMO, tied with Bards for best class.

Lore Bards and Land Druids are my personal favourites: Magical Secrets are the main thing for Lore Bards, as they are obviously overpowered. Land Druids are subtler: they do have healing, everyone forgets about Natural Recovery, and just because CR 1 creatures are too squishy for combat doesn't mean they don't provide massive versatility out of it. Druids overall are excellent Controllers, and, a hidden bonus, are awesome at Minionmancy too.

[Coidzor]

Yeah. That's another great way to look at it. It's only a month of play. It'll fly by.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it seems like you should be made aware that most people don't enjoy having an entire month of what is supposed to be a fun leisure activity with friend-like entities actually be unfun and something where the other people belittle and insult you.

[Starchild7309]

Slight update: I spoke to the the DM for like the 50th time with ideas on how to make a spellbook and he wouldn't budge, saying that there wasn't time or the right supplies...I asked about tattooing and that got shot down. So I might have gotten a bit hostile, explaining that I have one day a week to play and enjoy myself and this situation didn't sound fun or like something I wanted to do, not because the character was gimped, but because I was continually stonewalled on any creative ideas, the DM relented...kind of. Now, at every level I gain I gain a new memorization slot. It's not perfect, and I think it could have been handled in game better with letting me be creative, but it is what it is. Still in a hole with gold as I have to replace the spellbook, and I am permanently out two known spells, but its at least manageable. As I told him, its not that I wanted it to be given to me, but that I thought, "Hey, ok, you want me to work through this fine, lets try XYZ and he jut shook his head no." That was frustrating and not what a interesting and fun game should be.

I found it hard to believe that 15+ different and unique ideas for writing down and replacing spells were all not possible. Still do, but he is at least bending a little.

[mgshamster]

Now that is complete BS.

I've been doing training at work for continuous improvement, and just went through a section on how to keep employees motivated:

1) A team that works well together
2) Allowance for creativity and management taking their ideas seriously
3) Rewards (annual raise, bonus, etc..)
4) Opportunity to learn and grow.

Looks like your DM would be a bad manager, as he's not allowing you to be creative. And from your previous replies, you don't have the best of teammates.

The entire point of D&D is to use your imagination and be creative. If he's not going to let you do that with a spellbook, he may also not let you do that with spells, skills, or anything with the character in general.

This is a really bad warning sign.

[furby076]

15 ideas? Shoot 1 or 2 would be good for me. Its a game of the mind, there is no reason why he cant say "ok". Or heck, give you guys a wizard to kill. I dont know oota....can you guys go back to start?

Maybe go evil and start killing and robbing people for gold. Heck, kill the owner of the magic shop

[D.U.P.A.]

Better get a spellbook before level 3, otherwise you cannot get level 2 spells, which would be a huge blowout

[Ruebin Rybnik]

Anything you can write on can act as an impromptu spell book. Once you have that it only takes 10 gold to write one of you memorized spells on it, and 10 gold should be easy to come by even in OotA. Plus there is nothing related to cost of spell you get at new levels, so just get added to your list.

If you DM is saying that nothing you could use in this manner, then i feel like he is restricting your character as i can think of many places you could've found things like this. Also if he is not also restricting the martial characters in some way that would be unfair. So they found usable item similar to what they need. If these were attain from a fight then why are they not damaged and therefore less effective or even close to breaking.

Without a way to repair said items they could be come useless and then the martial characters would have the same problem as you. Now lets say you happen to know Mending this could be a way for you to extort persuade your party to help you with your problem in exchange for helping them. :wink:

[the_brazenburn]

Yeah, I have to agree with some of the above comments. Trillimac is not especially difficult to find in the Underdark, and you can easily make that into a spellbook. The 50 gp cost is meant to represent cost of materials and inks and such. Trillimac makes good cover/pages, and you can use blood/slime/mushroom dye for ink. OotA is really difficult for novice PCs and DMs, so cut your DM some slack.