Pondering the 5.5 Wizard

[Rafaelfras]

Make it consistent first off. What makes Divine smite different from smite<spell>?

One is a proper spell, a specific effect called upon using components (V, S) the other is conversion of their energy, their mana (spell slots) into damaging energy conducted through their weapon. And paladins are very uncreative people.

What makes a dragon magical but it's breath weapon not?

The extraordinary, supernatural and similar to spell where useful and should have stayed.
I had this exact same argument in my last session fighting against our BBEG dragon, when a player wanted to use antimagic shell, so yeah I agree.

What makes the wizard's magic different from a sorcerer or warlock besides the governing abilities?

Nothing, it's the same magic, its arcane magic. The way they got to it is different but they must operate by the same principles.
Wizard learn how to do it studying the methods formulas and spells over the years. Sorcerers are born with the ability to do it, they have an natural ability to do magic and the spells they learn is how they control it to get the desired effect. Warlocks get the knowledge through a bargain. A pact that grant then the ability and knowledge to cast arcane magic.
Wizard was first introduced as the magic user on 1st Ed, so until sorcerers came around all arcane magic was governed by Intelligence. It's themes lore and fantasy where very well established. Any inconsistency latter was because the lack of care given to the sorcerer and later the warlock. That's why through this thread me and others have argued that the wizard is not the one that need to be fixed thematically or worse removed if removing a class was something that would happen ( it will not. All the PHB classe will be in OD&D).