Revised Wizard (as a generic MAD spellcaster replacing all others)

[rferries]

https://i.imgur.com/tKJOtil.png

The Wizard
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Wizard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per wizard level after 1st.

Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose three from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, and Religion

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:


(a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
(a) a component pouch or (b) a spellcasting focus
(a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
A spellbook

Table: The Wizard


Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Cantrips

Magic Points
Maximum Spell Level


1st

+2


Spellcasting, Recover Magic
3
4
1st


2nd

+2


Mental Score Improvement
3
6
1st


3rd

+2



3
14
1st


4th

+2


Ability Score Improvement
4
18
2nd


5th

+3



4
28
2nd


6th

+3


Mental Score Improvement
4
32
3rd


7th

+3



4
38
3rd


8th

+3


Ability Score Improvement
4
44
4th


9th

+4



4
58
4th


10th

+4


Mental Score Improvement
5
64
5th


11th

+4



5
74
5th


12th

+4


Ability Score Improvement
5
74
6th


13th

+5



5
84
6th


14th

+5


Mental Score Improvement
5
84
7th


15th

+5



5
94
7th


16th

+5


Ability Score Improvement
5
94
8th


17th

+6



5
108
8th


18th

+6


Magic Mastery
5
114
9th


19th

+6


Ability Score Improvement
5
124
9th


20th

+6


Archwizard
5
134
10th



Class Features
As a wizard, you gain the following class features.

Spellcasting
You call upon the powers of magic to cast spells from the wizard spell list.

The wizard spell list contains all spells from all prior 5e classes (subject to DM approval), with the exception that wish is now a 10th-level spell.

Memorised Spells
You have a number of memorised spells equal to your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier. These spells must be drawn from the spells you have recorded in your spellbook. You may replace any number of these spells with an equal number of other spells recorded in your spellbook once per long rest.

Cantrips
Cantrips are the simplest spells. At 1st level, you may memorise three cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You may memorise additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Wizard table. Memorised cantrips do not count against your memorised spells. You may replace any number of these cantrips with an equal number of other cantrips recorded in your spellbook once per long rest.

Spellbook and Learning Spells
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing all cantrips and six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Spellbooks may be tomes, prayerbooks, sets of tablets, racks of scrolls, inscribed prayer beads, tribal fetishes, tattoos, or any other similar kind of item.

Once you memorise a spell or cantrip you can cast it without access to your spellbook. However, you must study (or otherwise pray over or meditate with) your spellbook to exchange your memorised spells and/or cantrips.

You can record additional spells into your spellbook over the course of your adventures, whether from borrowed or looted spellbooks, scrolls you find or purchase, divine edicts from your deity, your own personal research, or any similar method (subject to DM approval).

You may transcribe any number of spells between spellbooks (or from your memorised spells into a spellbook) during a short rest, provided you have the appropriate materials.

Magic Points and Casting Spells
You expend magic points to cast spells. Table: The Wizard (see above) shows the number of magic points you possess at each wizard level, and the maximum spell level you can cast at that level. The magic point cost of each spell level is shown below. You regain all magic points when you finish a long rest.

Spell Levels & Magic Point Costs


Spell Level
Magic Point Cost


0th (cantrip)
0


1st
2


2nd
4


3rd
6


4th
8


5th
10


6th
12


7th
14


8th
16


9th
18


10th
20



Higher-level spells are taxing, regardless of how many magic points you have. After you have cast a number of 8th-, 9th-, or 10th-level spells equal to one-half your Intelligence modifier (minimum +1), you cannot cast any more spells of that particular level until you finish a long rest. Spells of 7th level or lower that you cast at a higher level do not count towards this limit.

Spellcasting Ability and Concentration
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since it represents your ability to command magic. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier


Wisdom is your ability for maintaining concentration on a spell, since it represents your mental fortitude and presence of mind. You use your Wisdom modifier when making a Concentration saving throw.

Concentration Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier


Ritual Casting
You can cast any wizard spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you either have the spell memorised or in your spellbook (which must be at hand).

At the DM's option, any spell with a casting time of 1 minute or greater gains the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus, druidic focus, or (un)holy symbol (see "Equipment") as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.

Recover Magic
You can regain some of your magic points by consulting your spellbook. Once per short rest you regain a number of magic points equal to your Wisdom modifier + one-half your wizard level.

Mental Score Improvement
When you reach 2nd level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, you can increase one mental ability score (Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom) of your choice by 2, or you can increase two mental ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Magic Mastery
At 18th level, your magical prowess is so great that casting lesser spells is a trivial effort. The magic point cost of your spells is reduced by one-half your Wisdom modifier (to a minimum of 0).

Additionally, you gain Expertise on Concentration saving throws. Your proficiency bonus is doubled whenever you make a Concentration saving throw.

Archwizard
At 20th level, you have become a true archwizard (or archpriest, or archdruid, or whichever title you prefer). Your Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom scores increase by 2. Your maximum for those scores is now 22.

Additionally, you may maintain concentration on two spells at the same time.

Archetypes
In order to record a spell in your spellbook, it must be of a level you can cast and you must have an Intelligence score at least equal to 10 + the spell level.

Destiny
You blend both magic and might for good or ill. Wizards of this archetype might be righteous exorcists or brutal witch-sovereigns.
At 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light armour and your wizard Hit Dice increase to d8. This increase is retroactive.

At 6th level, you may maintain concentration on two spells at the same time. One of those spells must have been cast on yourself or a friendly creature. Additionally, you gain proficiency in your choice of Acrobatics or Athletics.

At 10th level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons, medium armour, and with shields.

At 14th level, you gain proficiency with heavy armour and your choice of Constitution, Dexterity, or Strength saving throws.

Philosophy
Magic is but one of your intellectual pursuits. Wizards of this archetype might be introspective hermits or enlightened advisors.
At 2nd level, you learn any two exotic languages and gain proficiency with any two of Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, or Religion.

At 6th level, you learn any two exotic languages and gain proficiency with any two of Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, or Religion.

At 10th level, you learn any two exotic languages and gain proficiency with any two of Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, or Religion.

At 14th level, you gain Expertise with certain skills. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, or Religion.

Wonder
As a practitioner of The Art, you are adept at enthralling others. Wizards of this archetype might serve as court magicians or manipulative enchanters.
At 2nd level, you learn three standard languages and gain proficiency with any two of Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, or Sleight of Hand.

At 6th level, you may maintain concentration on two spells at the same time. One of those spells must be an enchantment or illusion spell.

At 10th level, your enchantment and illusion spells can affect creatures that would normally be immune (whether due to condition immunities, truesight, or some other effect). Such creatures make saving throws with advantage. For spells without listed saves (such as invisibility), the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw at your spell save DC or be susceptible.

At 14th level, you gain Expertise with any two of Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, or Sleight of Hand, provided you are proficient with the chosen skills. You also gain proficiency with Charisma saving throws.

[Amechra]

Forgive me if I'm not reading things properly, but Destiny looks like it is head-and-shoulders above the other two archetypes, since it improves your survival chances, and because focusing on buffs lets you more-or-less ignore your Charisma score.

I also think this might be too MAD for 5th edition. By 20th level, you're effectively asked to have Int 19, Wis 14, and Cha 20. If your Intelligence was lower, you'd be leaving the strongest spell levels off the table. If your Wisdom was any lower, you wouldn't get any benefit from Magic Mastery. And wanting a Charisma of 20 should be fairly obvious. Your Concentration save is also going to be kinda pants (a +8 by later levels is a bit low), but what can you do?

Assuming that (for simplicity) you were a Standard Human who used the Standard Array like this: Str 9/Dex 11/Con 13/Int 15/Wis 14/Cha 16, you'd end up using four of your five ASIs on just the stats your class demands from you. What's worse, one of those stats that you're pumping (Intelligence) does very little for you other than allowing you to cast spells gated behind an arbitrary constraint that no other class in 5e has to deal with. At the same time, you have no ASIs left over to meaningfully improve your survival chances.

I'd have the Archetypes come online at first level and determine what two mental stats everything is focused around — Destiny is Wis/Cha, Philosophy is Int/Wis, and Wonder is Cha/Int. The first stat determines your casting stat, while the second one determines the benefits of Recover Magic and Magic Mastery, your Concentration modifier, and your spells prepared. Then you could at least theoretically improve your Dex and Con.

---

I just want to single out the whole "Int just gives you the ability to cast higher level spells" - 5e has generally stayed away from needing ability score prerequisites for things. And when there are ability score prerequisites, they cap out at requiring a 15, which is already tantamount to essentially asking you to focus on that ability score given how stingy 5e is with ability score increases. Importantly, though, there aren't any ability score prerequisites for class features.

If I'm playing a Wizard, you're punishing me if I don't improve my Intelligence. If I do increase my Intelligence, however, I get access to class features I should have gotten access to by virtue of leveling up like every other class in the game, and... a +1 to a set of rolls that come up maybe once a session?

The last time I saw an ability score prerequisite for spellcasting, it was back in 3.5. And the important thing to realize is that, back then, the 19 Int/Wis/Cha required to cast 9th level spells was roughly equivalent to a 15 in the same stat in 5e in terms of how hard it was to raise it to that level, since magic items that increased your ability scores were all-but-expected.

[Loek]

I don't have the time to go through this in fine detail, but a few thing I spotted:


You always (up to level 18) spend Magic Points in even amounts. But you sometimes have uneven amounts. What do you do with the spares? (alternatively, why not use the 0,1,3,5,7 progression that 3.5 psionics used?)
Cantrips: According to the table you start with 3 of them. According to the feature, you start with 4. Please advise.
Returning to Magic points: Any reasoning behind the jumps and bumps in their amount? They seem rather... arbitrary?
Max spell levels: Any reason to delay this classes access to spell levels by 1?
Max spell levels - Wish: Why not remove the spell altogether (especially since you still get the divine version at the normal level) and not break the cantrip 1-9 that the rest of the game adheres to (For the forgotten realms setting, since Karsus's Folly)
Finally, archetypes. As the posted above mentioned: Destiny is by far the most powerful. Beyond that, Wonder gets going at higher levels. And philosophy is the red headed stepchild.


Minor edit: Also, between the same 6 skills being class skills and part of the 6 you get from philosophy, we are going to run out of skills to get proficient in, at least before the 10th level of philosophy. (With insight dangling along as 7th class skill, but still)

[rferries]

Thanks both for your feedback.


Forgive me if I'm not reading things properly, but Destiny looks like it is head-and-shoulders above the other two archetypes, since it improves your survival chances, and because focusing on buffs lets you more-or-less ignore your Charisma score.

I also think this might be too MAD for 5th edition. By 20th level, you're effectively asked to have Int 19, Wis 14, and Cha 20. If your Intelligence was lower, you'd be leaving the strongest spell levels off the table. If your Wisdom was any lower, you wouldn't get any benefit from Magic Mastery. And wanting a Charisma of 20 should be fairly obvious. Your Concentration save is also going to be kinda pants (a +8 by later levels is a bit low), but what can you do?

Assuming that (for simplicity) you were a Standard Human who used the Standard Array like this: Str 9/Dex 11/Con 13/Int 15/Wis 14/Cha 16, you'd end up using four of your five ASIs on just the stats your class demands from you. What's worse, one of those stats that you're pumping (Intelligence) does very little for you other than allowing you to cast spells gated behind an arbitrary constraint that no other class in 5e has to deal with. At the same time, you have no ASIs left over to meaningfully improve your survival chances.

I'd have the Archetypes come online at first level and determine what two mental stats everything is focused around — Destiny is Wis/Cha, Philosophy is Int/Wis, and Wonder is Cha/Int. The first stat determines your casting stat, while the second one determines the benefits of Recover Magic and Magic Mastery, your Concentration modifier, and your spells prepared. Then you could at least theoretically improve your Dex and Con.

---

I just want to single out the whole "Int just gives you the ability to cast higher level spells" - 5e has generally stayed away from needing ability score prerequisites for things. And when there are ability score prerequisites, they cap out at requiring a 15, which is already tantamount to essentially asking you to focus on that ability score given how stingy 5e is with ability score increases. Importantly, though, there aren't any ability score prerequisites for class features.

If I'm playing a Wizard, you're punishing me if I don't improve my Intelligence. If I do increase my Intelligence, however, I get access to class features I should have gotten access to by virtue of leveling up like every other class in the game, and... a +1 to a set of rolls that come up maybe once a session?

The last time I saw an ability score prerequisite for spellcasting, it was back in 3.5. And the important thing to realize is that, back then, the 19 Int/Wis/Cha required to cast 9th level spells was roughly equivalent to a 15 in the same stat in 5e in terms of how hard it was to raise it to that level, since magic items that increased your ability scores were all-but-expected.

I'm very new to 5e so apologies for my rather archaic instincts haha. I've stripped out the archetypes entirely in favour of mental ability boosts to ease the MADness a bit. This is actually truer to my generalist goal anyways, if somebody wants to play a witch-queen they can use their general ASIs to take armour/weapon proficiency feats, if they want to be a loremaster they can take Linguist/Skilled, etc.


I don't have the time to go through this in fine detail, but a few thing I spotted:


You always (up to level 18) spend Magic Points in even amounts. But you sometimes have uneven amounts. What do you do with the spares? (alternatively, why not use the 0,1,3,5,7 progression that 3.5 psionics used?)
Cantrips: According to the table you start with 3 of them. According to the feature, you start with 4. Please advise.
Returning to Magic points: Any reasoning behind the jumps and bumps in their amount? They seem rather... arbitrary?
Max spell levels: Any reason to delay this classes access to spell levels by 1?
Max spell levels - Wish: Why not remove the spell altogether (especially since you still get the divine version at the normal level) and not break the cantrip 1-9 that the rest of the game adheres to (For the forgotten realms setting, since Karsus's Folly)
Finally, archetypes. As the posted above mentioned: Destiny is by far the most powerful. Beyond that, Wonder gets going at higher levels. And philosophy is the red headed stepchild.


Minor edit: Also, between the same 6 skills being class skills and part of the 6 you get from philosophy, we are going to run out of skills to get proficient in, at least before the 10th level of philosophy. (With insight dangling along as 7th class skill, but still)

-I would like to say the uneven magic points reward you for using Recover Magic efficiently, but the truth is I was copy-pasting and editing a bit haphazardly haha. Evened them out now.
-Re: cantrips: this seems to be an error I copied from the SRD, fixed now and well-spotted!
-Re: magic point amounts... good question! They were copied from the 5e variant so I assume the designers balanced them somehow. I've retained the amounts (with the aforementioned evening-out) to err on the side of constraining the power of the class. The spell progression was delayed for the same reason - from what I understand spellcasters still reign over the tiers in 5e.
-I'm not quite sure what you mean about a divine wish? As for the new progression, I would intend for this class and casting progression to replace all others in the game - e.g. a paladin would be a multiclass fighter/wizard that focuses on "holy" spells. I admit this project may be better suited for 3.5e, given how 5e casting is already fairly streamlined.
-Archetypes have now been excised in favour of mental ability score improvements.