March Homebrew Workshop Topic Poll!

What about an artificer subclass that uses curses? Creating magical items with powerful benefits and crippling debuffs.

Booglie Jooglie

Oh, and only let them swap for a single other damage type. So don't let them pick acid balls, lightning rays, Freeze Metal, and what have you. Stick to one damage typed themed for their character.

Overall, I don't think there's an issue with doing this, *but* (and this is a Sir Mixalot level of big butts), there are three things you need to keep in mind when doing so: 1. Some damage types are rarer than others not just because of the amount of time it takes to write new spells, but because they are resisted less often (and thus more powerful). As such, don't allow anyone to swap "elemental" damage types (frost, fire, electricity, acid) for more uncommon/esoteric damage types (force, psychic, radiant, necrotic). 2. Create new versions of the spell to reflavour; don't just let them change the damage type of the fly. So they can't choose between fire and frost damage for t heir fireball, they have to choose which one to learn. Otherwise it steps on the toes of the Order of Scribes wizard, and the Sorcerer's Transmuted Spell metamagic option. 3. Don't let them swap out all spells for new damage types. Limit them to a maximum of one per spell level or so. This ties back into the first point, and also helps both the original and the reflavoured spells feel more unique (because if every spell is a frost spell now, it doesn't feel as special anymore).

Thanks, I may use some of the ideas there for developing my own. I’m still interested in making any spell researchable and castable as a ritual. The idea is that ritual casting is how spells start, but other classes have methods of storing the mostly-cast spell for later when a few final components release it. Over time, the preparation rituals can be simplified, relative to the level of the spell, so the spell preparation process still takes about the same amount of time even as more spells are prepared. Artificers aren’t ‘action casters’ in that sense, they can perform the ritual version of any spell they learn, but many are not useful when they take over 10 minutes to cast. However, they can store the magic in an item like a scroll, and use that to ‘action cast’ later. It takes some specific and somewhat costly materials to make the scrolls, but not having much use for gold is a common criticism in the mid and later levels of D&D. Potions can store effects in ways that non-casters can use, and the 3e/3.5 wands that could hold 50 charges but didn’t replenish automatically just allow the artificer to carry a pile of scrolls in a more convenient form. Until we have a real crafting system for 5e or a new version, we’ll have to use 3.5 material for guidance on making permanent items. Anyway, the main issue I have is figuring out how many features should be given up for the ability to ritual cast and create scrolls from any spell. It’s very versatile, but also slow and expensive, and actions are the most valuable resource in the game.

Keovar

I've been playing around with a subclass that is somewhat like what you describe. They are still a half caster but get more wizard flavored changes to make up for it. https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/mSFPzpxnWANf

Sam Herbert

I don't see a problem with it, but it does copy a feature of the Awakened Spellbook ability in the Order of Scribes subclass. Maybe suggest that subclass, create a half feat that mimics the ability as written in the subclass, or require an arcana check (DC 10+spell level) each time, if the check fails the spell fizzles and the spell slot is expended.

Sam Herbert

You could combine magic items with a subclass, if that subclass is for an Artificer. I'd like to see the Archivist from UA revisited. Imagine an Arificer who gains access to spell levels at the speed of a wizard, but has no spell slots. They can research and figure out how to cast any spell in the game as a ritual (arcane, divine, primal, whatever) but because a ritual is too slow for many spells, they use the schematic to create scrolls. Maybe they get one spell a day that only they can use, like the order of scribes wizard or the Drakkenheim Mageborn, but all others take time and gold (or Delerium-infused ink) to craft. You could eventually learn to load the scrolls into a depleatable wand, into potions, or even a permanent magic item, eventually. It may be unprecedented for a subclass to remove features, but giving up spell slots and some other things could be worth it to be able to make and use a scroll of any spell, regardless of class origin. (Mostly I just hate how Artificers were robbed of the ability to make most of the good stuff they had in 3.5.) If you're concerned about using the term Artificer (Level Up A5e doesn't seem to be), then something like Arcanician, 'Magicrafter', or 'Arcanasmith' would be close enough without using 'Artificer'. You might even make it as a new class, with a subclass specializing in a magical resource like Delerium, Dragonshards, Residuum, Warpstone, or whatever similar stuff the campaign world has to offer. Others, like the Arcanifex, might specialize in buthchering monsters for reagents, similar to what an Apothecary might do.

Keovar

I voted with the majority in a poll. This is a rare occasion indeed.

I want magic items. Why don't monks get cool martial weapons?

Evil Author

Eek, I have so many of my own ideas I want to submit, but I have a friend with a wonderful feat that could go a long way to fixing the sling, and might be better for the peoples. Decisions decisions.....

vanilla +x weapons and armor bug the heck out of me, what are some ideas to give them more flavor?

nbsgamer

Artificer subclasses are still problematic, right?

Silenc

Magic items!!!!! We’ve already done the others

Sub classes and or feats make a shield+spear viable build, fix sling. The sling and spear are the most used weapons in history, dnd gave them no love.

Adam

dang...i was hoping to see some sweet monsters, such as bosses and legendaries. fingers crossed, there is still time

Antonio Bivins

What do you think of changing damage types in regards to balance? Example: someone wants to play a frost Mage but they wanna take fireball and they wanna change it to frost ball, or acid splash as frost splash and do frost damage. I personally don't see any problems with it and it really helps include more of the uncommonly used damage types.