Chronomancer (Wizard Subclass) - Feedback Wanted

[miner3203]

This is my attempt at a chronomancer Wizard subclass for 5e, since a friend and I were talking about the idea. Any feedback on it would be appreciated!

Chronomancer (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/S1-LwlEYo4)

[Fnissalot]

While I really like the idea of a time wizard, I think it sounds like partially too strong and partially too tedious to play with.

Minor Reversal/Undo
Redoing a full turn is probably to much upkeep and time consuming for what I think it would be worth. Redoing multiple turns is insane. No one would remember the state of everything from three turns ago.


Thief of time/chronomatic anchor
Having the possibility to have two of the best concentration spells active at the same time is very strong. Having three with chronomatic anchor might be game breaking.


My take on it without the fluff and lore. I'm trying to keep the feeling of your ideas but make them more feasible in the games that I would run at least.
School of chronomancy

Temporal Savant
Beginning at 2nd level, the time you must spend to copy a spell into your spellbook is halved.

Minor Reversal
Starting at 2nd level, as a reaction when you make an ability check, saving throw, or attack roll, you can re-roll with advantage. You may choose to use this feature after seeing the result of the roll but before the outcome is determined. You must use the result of the second roll.
Alternatively, as a reaction when a hostile creature make an ability check, saving throw, or attack roll, you can force them to re-roll it with disadvantage. You may choose to use this feature after seeing the result of the roll but before the outcome is determined. They must use the result of the second roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Thief of Time
Starting at 6th level, you always have Slow prepared, it don't count against the number of spells you have prepared. When you cast Slow, you may take an additional action and your movement speed is increased by 10ft for turn.

Chronomatic Anchor
Beginning at 10th level, you always have Haste prepared, it don't count against the number of spells you have prepared. When you cast Haste on another willing creature, you may have it target yourself as well. When the spell ends on one of the targets, it ends on the other one as well.

Undo
Starting at 14th level, when you roll initiative, you may either choose to have disadvantage on the roll to regain all of your expended uses of Minor Reversal, or you may choose to expend a use of minor reversal to gain advantage on the initiative roll.

[miner3203]

Thanks for the feedback! I've made some edits to the subclass and will continue trying to balance it / make it less tedious to play.


While I really like the idea of a time wizard, I think it sounds like partially too strong and partially too tedious to play with.

Minor Reversal/Undo
Redoing a full turn is probably to much upkeep and time consuming for what I think it would be worth. Redoing multiple turns is insane. No one would remember the state of everything from three turns ago.

I do agree with this. I've used some of your ideas to rework both features:

Minor Reversal
Starting at 2nd level when you choose this school, you can use your abilities to rewind time for a split second. As a reaction, after a creature within your sight makes a roll, you may cause it to re-attempt that roll and use the result of the second roll. You may use this ability after the effects of the roll are determined.

You may use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.


I like being able to force the reroll after effects are determined flavor-wise, and I think the lack of advantage/disadvantage balances it with your suggested feature.

Undo
By 14th level, your time reversal powers can stretch multiple seconds into the past. As a reaction, you may expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher when a creature finishes its turn. By doing so, you undo all effects of that turn and cause the creature to take it again, rerolling all relevant dice. The creature takes the exact same sequence of actions as before, and all other creature react to its turn in the same way.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you have completed a short or long rest.


This is, admittedly, exactly what Minor Reversal did before. But I think having it as a capstone lowers the overall power level of the subclass, and this ability definitely involves less bookkeeping than the old Undo.


Thief of time/chronomatic anchor
Having the possibility to have two of the best concentration spells active at the same time is very strong. Having three with chronomatic anchor might be game breaking.


Respectfully, I think tying the Haste effect to having a creature trapped in Slow sort of balances it out, at least when the Haste is self-only. (On a single-classed Wizard, Haste is a little underwhelming, and sinking 6 levels into a multiclass for this effect alone sounds like a waste.)

I have, however, altered Chronomatic Anchor, because you're right about multiple Hastes being possibly game-breaking. It now grants 10 feet of extra movement to other creatures instead, like you suggested for Thief of Time.


Again, thanks for the feedback! I will continue tuning the subclass as I work with it more.