Patreon Early Access: Playtestable Wizard of the Citadel Subclass
Added 2024-09-26 13:00:16 +0000 UTCWizards are known by their secrets, and when they have time, they conquer all.
We are so proud to finally present the Playtest PDF for the Wizard of the Citadel Subclass to our Patreon audience!
Download the Wizard of the Citadel Subclass PDF below!
Similar to our preview of the Witch Class, we want to emphasize that this is an early draft of the class mechanics—it hasn’t been thoroughly playtested, so GMs should be fully aware of that before allowing it to be used in their games.
We’ll be seeking feedback from the Patreon around mid-November, once people have had some time to play the subclass and test it out. We don’t expect feedback, but if you decide to try it out and are willing to share some thoughts, we’d love to hear from you, so keep an eye out!
EDIT (Dec 2, 2024): The survey form for the Citadel Wizard Subclass is now open! Check it out here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1F93iWzCpKKU4ZFEaiNjsLosZObrfiji0nTjc2GvWFLU/viewform?edit_requested=true&pli=1
Playtest feedback is most useful when it identifies specific issues, pain points, and areas of confusion—or things that are working well. If you think something is bad/not fun/unbalanced/not as good as the previous version, please be specific and tell us why! And finally, please don't backseat design—it's most helpful to know what you think of the existing design, not what you think it should be, so we can best identify the core issues to address.
The designers (Hannah, Mazey, Brandes, Dan, and Brennan) are the ones reading the feedback, so please keep things polite and respectful. We know the class isn't perfect yet—that's why we're playtesting!—but we've put a lot of time, blood, sweat, tears, difficult-to-obtain ritual components, hearts, and souls into this design process.
Additionally, our revised Witch Class will be set to release on HALLOWEEN!
Massive thanks to everyone who helped us put this together:
Concept Design: Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Mazey Veselak
Design: Dan Dillon, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Hannah Rose, Brandes Stoddard, Mazey Veselak
Playtester in Chief: Aabria Iyengar
Layout: Ruby Lavin
Illustrators: Corey Brickley, Tucker Donovan, Lorena Lammer
Comments
Very good my friend
Sherali
2025-12-09 22:57:03 +0000 UTCquestion about the secrets, specifically about the secret of the burning word. if one of my players wants to upcast meteor swarm, what happens because it says cast it at 11th level, but the rules in the book dont build it out more. im thinking about letting them do something like an extra 4d6 of fire and bludgeoning, but maybe it should be more because they wont be able to cast it again for awhile,
Probably an NPC
2025-06-25 18:12:06 +0000 UTCMechanics of the ink demons would be fun. They are amazing
APOS
2025-04-09 00:54:29 +0000 UTCI’m trying to read through the secrets on my phone and there is so much text that brain is STRUGGLING to focus and process. I think I need to find a bigger screen 🤣
KvFxLoneWolf
2024-11-28 18:18:15 +0000 UTCI'm super duper late to the party, but I love this! I'm usually a DM but my go-to class is wizard. Here are my thoughts: 1. I'd remove the specification for secrets that they're used when casting a spell as some secrets are used when passing a saving throw or when preparing spells. 2. Some secrets (unless this was intended) you may want to add stipulations around stacking effects. For example, for Crystalline Secret, adding something like, "this effect lasts for 1 minute or until you use this secret again." 3. For Applied Arcana, Forge and Inscription, I feel like it should grant proficiency in an attuned weapon or weapon affected by Magic Weapon, and it should make it easier to create spell scrolls. It's another buff, I think it's needed. 4. The Cryptic Rider ability is very confusing. I'm not fully understanding what it does or what the benefit would be, and moreover, I'm not really understanding the narrative intent. My idea for an edit would be to allow a reaction to cast a lvl 1-4 spell on a creature who passed their save on a 5+ spell; give advantage if it's an attack or disadvantage on a save. I'd also limit its uses. 5. This seems like an incredibly fun mechanic that should come online earlier. Maybe switch this for the level 10 feature and limit it to one effect per spell. And remove the once per short rest limit; this isn't a crazy powerful ability.
Luke Jungermann
2024-11-20 04:56:19 +0000 UTCIt was part of the subclass, but all wizards in the 2024 rules get Expertise in a skill of their choice, so we didn't want to double up!
Hannah Rose @ Wildmage Press
2024-11-02 19:28:08 +0000 UTCFirstly, I absolutely love giving the wizard fun ways to bend spell behavior. The way Secret of Entangled Will is written feels a bit confusing. If I'm against an apprentice and an archmage, who have both cast a spell on their party meatshield, this makes it seem like if I pass a check against the apprentice's DC 12 spell save but fail against the archmage's DC 18, both of their spells would end if I used this. Is that intentional? Since one of the more common ways to be incapacitated is dropping unconscious, losing concentration off of failing a death save makes Secret of Tenacity feel especially restrictive in use case unless you're commonly seeing effects that apply incapacitation on its own. Secret of Torporance offers a way to work around charm spells that prevent you making a creature harm themselves in very niche situations (A Suggestion on a wizard to cast fly and soar 300 feet up, for example). This doesn't need to be addressed, it's just very funny.
David Smith
2024-10-12 15:01:37 +0000 UTCi mean they do have a cost; there are a limited number of secrets you can apply per rest. (and you can't transmute spells into more uses or uses into spells like a sorcerer could) so you're giving up a lot of versatile always-useful options for a specific playbook of niche-use options that are more powerful but only if they come up and are timed perfectly.
Mal Radagast
2024-10-10 00:59:07 +0000 UTCSo... Is it cool if I build this in foundry? Has someone? Is there a way to share it for only patrons?
Chris
2024-10-08 01:17:07 +0000 UTCAabria, Alert is right there waiting for you at lvl 8. Get the first move when things go sideways!
Alex
2024-10-07 21:07:19 +0000 UTCJust spitballing here, but what if you cast Scry on the familiar, which they can obviously choose to fail the save for. So, you could have your familiar go on a long distance reconnaissance mission or something and then bring them back? Not sure that is actually useful or just a waste of a spell.
Nomade Moderne
2024-10-07 19:18:10 +0000 UTCI showed this to the wizard in the party I DM for figuring he'd like it. I was right. They had just recently leveled up to 3 so we're going back and he is going to use the subclass. This is going to be fun!
Nomade Moderne
2024-10-07 19:12:32 +0000 UTCSomething I just thought of with the Secret of the Falconer. Immediately my mind came to espionage with a familiar, but there’s a tangle, you must be able to see your familiar in order to summon them back to you. But in the instance you could use their senses, you could hypothetically bring them to a mirror in order to “see them” and use that to bring them back to you. Which is such a wizardy ass concept, not only the loophole, but strange, seemingly arbitrary prerequisites for magic “No, I cannot bring Stuffy back just yet, he must first find a mirror or still water” Anyways, that’s not the most useful exploit on this list I’m just going crazy over it.
Dungeon Master
2024-10-07 14:44:36 +0000 UTCBest friends with the wizard Slay
Daniel A.
2024-10-07 14:42:35 +0000 UTC15ft Radius is a REALLY big area for the diagrams, there aren't many interior spaces that are going to be big enough to fit one.
Jonathan
2024-10-06 18:16:36 +0000 UTCSuch a delightful subclass! There's a part of me that wishes there was a separate version that is just the 2014 rules version just to make it easier, but even as is the variant sidebars help a little there.
K. A. Winter
2024-10-04 23:49:02 +0000 UTCI know they mentioned getting expertise as part of getting this subclass in the show but can someone help me find it on the sheet
zack proudfoot
2024-10-03 15:30:16 +0000 UTCThe wizard slut will be coming to a campaign near you. Buckle your fuckles everyone
The Wizard “Slut”
2024-10-02 14:08:00 +0000 UTCI feel like forge magic applied arcana should absolutely grant permanent heat metal as a permanent spell, thematically that's the spell that lets you bring the ingot in front of you to the perfect temperature for hammering
Joshua Levine
2024-10-02 02:38:18 +0000 UTCI think the latter would feel bad because I can't think of any circumstances where I need healing urgently enough that I'm willing to spend a potion on it (rather than waiting for rests) but I'm lackadaisical enough about whether or not I actually get the healing from it that I'll spend an action maybe doing nothing. I think RAW the intended purpose is that you're in a situation where everyone is low and you're forced to pick one person to spend your health potion on and just hope and pray that it'll be enough to turn the fight, but then you remember you're a wizard and actually potions are sometimes twice as effective for you so you get to have your potion and eat it too.
Adarsh Nednur
2024-10-02 02:10:59 +0000 UTCI think as written the potion sipping mechanic under the Alchemy feature is "I will use my action to drink this potion, with the small chance that it will not be consumed." When it maybe should be the other way around: "I will use my action to sip this potion, with the large chance that doing so will not have any effect." This would eliminate the (admittedly hilarious) use case where a wizard accidentally chugs a potion in front of a grievously wounded ally they were hoping to go halvsies with.
Brian Perkins
2024-10-01 18:17:33 +0000 UTCThere's some sort of balance, I think, in making a really OP class that only sees combat .75 times a level on average.
Brian Perkins
2024-10-01 17:55:23 +0000 UTCFrom memory: secret of contingencies & secret of wept & weft
The Wizard S_
2024-10-01 07:04:17 +0000 UTCDoes anyone remember the names of Susies secrets from the level up episodes
Elijah Peters
2024-10-01 00:59:14 +0000 UTCI do think being incredibly OP and unfair is a core feature of this subclass that makes complete narrative sense. The wizards aren’t designing their features to be on a level playing field with the world around them. Their stated aim is to dominate.
Jordan Charles
2024-09-30 21:54:18 +0000 UTCThis is a bit much and a tad over powered tbh. But hey you guys are operating on trust so there’s that. This is just way more than a subclass usually gets, the secrets themself are like meta magic but with no cost.
LuisKingKing
2024-09-30 13:59:11 +0000 UTClove that Vandal has Pissing Calvin energy
Sev0nd
2024-09-30 10:04:59 +0000 UTCOh, this looks great. I have a wizard NPC coming up in my campaign that is the head of a major archive. I’m thinking this subclass would be fun to play with for that.
Nomade Moderne
2024-09-29 19:43:52 +0000 UTC...how often do you expect to encounter someone with multiple other concentration spells on them? and then to succeed in putting a concentration spell on them? and THEN to succeed at *every* check against each of the other casters with effect on them? :/
Mal Radagast
2024-09-29 01:33:15 +0000 UTCyeah it's one of a dozen options you'll have, and only a few chances per rest to use them - i think you're missing the point that the secrets *as a whole* very much are the core feature of the subclass, and it is of course powerful but also has to be juggled and managed and timed to get that power out of it. like if you are aware of and *preparing* for a fight then you don't have to spend the secret at all to have an elemental summoned when it goes down. so how often is a wizard going to need to quicken that? are they just trying to flex or did something go real bad and they needed help in a hurry? and how many times is that secret going to be useful per day? more useful than *every other secret?*
Mal Radagast
2024-09-29 01:23:44 +0000 UTCdo you mean Eursulon's oath? no we haven't seen that yet - but i am also excited for it!
Mal Radagast
2024-09-29 01:12:11 +0000 UTCLove this I cant wait to use them for my Games. I was wondering if I missed the Spirit playtest?
Scott Kirtley
2024-09-29 00:33:41 +0000 UTCNot sure if this has been asked yet: Secret of Clustering-- does the additional 1d6 force damage stack? I don't see that it fades, and the idea of "Clustering" feels like it could ostensibly increase with each shot. Also, does it go away if you miss? Smash cut to a Wizard equipped with Acid Arrow. He finds his quarry and launches it-- target explodes from more force than acid damage XD
Whyse Wytch
2024-09-28 23:56:03 +0000 UTCStone's secret of alacrity Being able to cast magic circle or just about any "Conjure X" spell in a single round is really, really powerful. Maybe not too powerful if it were one of the subclass's core features, but to just be a secret that you get at every level? Come on y'all.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-28 08:08:42 +0000 UTCThis is in line with the design of 5.5, which this subclass is designed for, as seen by the lvl 3 subclass and 2014 counterspell alternate rulings. Revealed monsters are able to knock prone without save, as is the Goliath species, and weapon masteries mean all martials have substantially more ability to topple and shove every single turn, with no resource cost attached.
Jared Nottle
2024-09-28 01:19:08 +0000 UTCHUGE shout-out to the illustrators for the mirror-glass spider & scorpion, and the INK DEMONS!!!!! I love themb🥹
Jamie H.
2024-09-27 23:49:24 +0000 UTCNo please go for it I’d love to see this ported over
Talon Romave
2024-09-27 17:04:29 +0000 UTCIt’s the “heated blanket” combo 😂
Payton Miller
2024-09-27 16:45:41 +0000 UTCAssuming you can get enough corpses. That secret needs a lot of clarification-how many corpses for how large a surface area? Can the corpses be magically animated already? If it requires enough corpses to cover the magical wall/dome, then the only way (I can think of) to reliably set this up in a random location would be to carry an abattoir in a portable hole or animate a lot of dead to follow you around.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-27 14:29:10 +0000 UTCVery minor Alchemy comment: I like the mechanics of the d6 potion reuse rule (as somebody said earlier, use up those potions!!!) but I don't understand what's happening diegetically. Seems like the wizard (1) commits to drinking the full potion if they fail the roll; (2) rolls to see if they stop drinking it because they've gotten the benefits from a sip [which is a strange kind of roll/action sequence, since it departs from player agency]. Also, is the random "barest sip" effect a property of the potion (16.7% of potions are better than others, but you don't know in advance) or the sip (16.7% of sips hit different)? If it's the former, why wouldn't every subsequent sip from a potion that succeeded initially have that effect? If it's the latter, why wouldn't the player keep taking tiny sips until they triggered the benefit?
GC
2024-09-27 10:26:26 +0000 UTCIf anyone has a game that I can use this in please let me know
The Witch of Wandering Dreams
2024-09-27 08:51:43 +0000 UTCMy dad. He is a retired Superior Court judge in Georgia. ;)
William Brandes Stoddard
2024-09-27 05:34:53 +0000 UTCI am curious--my first instinct with one secret per level was that it's wildly overtuned, but looking at them individually, I now feel like they're designed to be individually highly specific and situational compared to, say, the more broadly applicable Eldritch Invocations. Is this an accurate read on the design intent? Because if so I definitely think it works well. Some of the Secrets are definitely too broadly applicable or overwhelmingly effective, but it's a small number of a very large pool, and that's what beta releases are for lmao.
Tera Almond
2024-09-27 03:51:45 +0000 UTCAgain, my read in order: Yes, no, and theoretically/awesome!
Sinker
2024-09-27 02:25:19 +0000 UTCThe text specifies that "you" can cast the same spell, so as written you can't use someone else's. I'd think of it like not only are you creating the diagram, but you're also investing it with some of your "juice", which may be incompatible with that of another's. I like the ideas a lot though. Public ritual circles seem really cool.
Sinker
2024-09-27 02:23:44 +0000 UTCMy read just from looking at it: A)"...The creature that countered it is automatically targeted..." Looks like that goonmage is getting the second spell. Frustratingly, it doesn't say whether we're using the first or second spell's range here, but if I was running then I'd probably do the longer of the two spells' range like it says earlier. B)"...you can choose to give affected creatures Advantage on their saving throw. When you do so, you can simultaneously cast a second spell..." Looks like you decide when you cast the first spell, and use the resources for the second spell at the same time, before saves are rolled. Seems like it would suck if no one became a valid target, but that's the way it's currently written. B.2...?)"Choose one target who succeeded on its save against the first spell." You pick. You can save your buddy and target the big bad with your rider. Unless as mentioned above someone counterspells. Then they're getting it regardless. C)Legendary resistances allow a creature to "choose to succeed a saving throw", so... they're valid targets? They're still only being *targeted* by the second spell though, so you'd still need to hit/have them fail a save/use another resistance. Honestly I think it's better if there's no way for your targets to know what's up (that's kinda the point of the sneaky spell thing), but really, it's not specified. and D)I'd probably rule that the second spell can't be countered (again, sneaky spell is the point), but that's also not in the text.
Sinker
2024-09-27 02:19:22 +0000 UTCthis subclass is so god damn cool.
Cornelius Ukena
2024-09-27 01:18:27 +0000 UTCSecret of Tempering + Fireball = Significantly more effective sleep spell. ^_^
Sinker
2024-09-27 00:04:29 +0000 UTCSecret of Thaumatic recoil is nuts, and it's super nuts unless targets at least get a saving throw against being moved and knocked prone. I mean, it completely overshadows and invalidates another character who is a grappler. What's the point when your wizard can do AOE toppling and shoving with no save?
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 23:41:45 +0000 UTCInterested in the restriction on the Secrets of Physical and Mental Variance, in that they're wasted if you don't cast the modified spell before you take a Short Rest. I think I like the extra level of calculus this adds - you might not wanna use those secrets on your highest level spells, because often you're saving those for the biggest fight of the day - which tends to be last, and tends to be after a short rest has already happened. EDIT: Also, the wording on Rule Against Perpetuities is somehow so badass? "Marked for finality", "Fails and is #Wasted" eugh 😩
KamasiFitzgerald
2024-09-26 23:38:38 +0000 UTC[Sorry for posting all these questions now — I don't anticipate having time and access in November!] Secret of Entangled Will I know this may not come up too often, but as written it will let you dispell all concentration spells on a character with a single cantrip (e.g. friends). That's kind of nuts.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 23:33:23 +0000 UTCI love this so much, although secret of immurement is esentially an insta kill with wall of force on anything without a teleport or disintergrate
Pumpkin Duke
2024-09-26 23:20:08 +0000 UTCEn passant secret says "regardless of its current location". So, does that mean touch spells can be cast on something not adjacent if it was previously next to the caster? Does that move you to them in the proces? Can this send a spell to another plane?
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 23:16:41 +0000 UTCCrystalline secrets— What happens if a creature saves for half damage againat an evocation spell? That counts as being damaged, no? Overall, this secret, while cool, is broken. It's concentration-free shield of faith (or immobilize a target without a save) for the cost of only 1 proficiency/short rest resource. ( I know shield of faith has a 10 min duration, but most of the time you only need it or use it for a few rounds.)
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 22:56:16 +0000 UTCCan one wizard of the citadel use another's ritual circle? If not, why not? If so, do you need permission? A "key" of some kind? Seems like it would be handy to have public, comprehend-language circles set up in libraries, water-breathing circles in front of the portals to the elemental plane of water or even public pools (if the citadel has them) etc.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 22:40:44 +0000 UTCi was thinking about that too, but also how gross kitchen floors get, and then thinking....it's stretching the rules a little but maybe carving the diagram in and then filling it with shortening or something to activate? something that would hold for the duration of a dinner rush, and then get dismissed when you wash the floors. :/
Mal Radagast
2024-09-26 22:37:17 +0000 UTCFor celestial navigation, does the double distance enhancement on dimension door and misty step apply to casting those spells through items or through non-wizard or species feats and features (e.g. fey-touched)?
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 22:32:15 +0000 UTC(if i'm not mistaken, the ink demons *are* Suvi's version of the find familiar spell)
Mal Radagast
2024-09-26 22:19:59 +0000 UTCJust out of curiosity, before I give it a go: has anyone even *attempted* to make this beautiful thing using D&D Beyond's homebrew subclass maker?
KamasiFitzgerald
2024-09-26 22:14:50 +0000 UTCIt's very cool, but it's not really power-balanced with other wizard subclasses, imho. The only other subclass that comes close is the chronurgist, and only if it abuses the arcane abeyance feature. I don't know if that was the designers' intent or not.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 22:14:00 +0000 UTCthe point isn't that it saves the ten minutes the first time you make it, but that it's re-usable! (in fact you *have* to take the ten minutes the first time.) my read on this is that they're mostly practical for taking up the space of a whole room - so you can have a room of the library with Comprehend Languages, or two big circles in the kitchens with Detect and Purify ready to go. if you're in a cave or dungeon, options are limited but not useless - chalking a tiny hut diagram to have a fallback position if you get in trouble isn't bad. or throwing down an alarm you can quickly reset. they do get more situational, but i think that's the point - this feature is designed for homebase advantages.
Mal Radagast
2024-09-26 22:11:30 +0000 UTCThis is very cool, but I just need to say…I screamed with overwhelming glee when I started the podcast The Adventure Zone: Abnimals Bunny Heist…do my ears betray me, is that Erika Ishii I hear?! at a stoplight. I take a quick look at the entire cast of this first episode and I am in heaven. October 15 birthday wish has arrived. ❤️❤️
The Wizard Sparrow
2024-09-26 21:54:54 +0000 UTCI have several mechanics questions about cryptic rider: Let's say I cast the first, multi-target/aoe spell at the goons and give the big boss advantage to save, hoping to hit it with the hidden 2nd spell. One of the goons is a mage and casts counterspell. Can I opt for the 2nd spell to still target the big boss, or does it have to hit the goonmage? What happens if the goonmage was in counterspell range for spell #1, but not in range of spell #2? When do you have to decide/declare you are using this feature? Are you committed as soon as you give one affected creature advantage on its save? The feature says "Choose one target who succeeded on its save against the first spell." Suppose everyone fails the save despite the advantage—is spell #2 wasted? Also, if two+ targets save against spell #1, does spell #2 have to hit the target that was granted advantage? For example, could I cast spell #1 so as to target an ally and the big bad, confident the big bad will save or use a legendary resistance, and I give advantage to my ally? Both save. Could I choose spell #2 to hit the big bad? Also, how does this interact with legendary saves? If the big boss knows there is a hidden 2nd spell, they might not burn a legendary save even if they fail their save against the first spell with advantage. So is there a mechanic for affected creatures to detect the hidden 2nd spell, like an arcana check? I'm guessing (?) the 2nd spel cannot be counter-spelled, but is that the case? Could it be countered if someone spotted your hidden casting of the 2nd spell?
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 21:28:54 +0000 UTCNeeds more errata and marginalia from Enzo.
Just a Fox
2024-09-26 21:27:49 +0000 UTCWe were of two minds about it, but basically the call was that as designers we should be working on the current "server" with the latest "patch," so to speak!
Hannah Rose @ Wildmage Press
2024-09-26 21:10:18 +0000 UTCSecret of Immurement = Wall of Fire Zombies
Mike Chapman
2024-09-26 21:07:09 +0000 UTCOkay: 1) Amazing 2) Splendid margin art! 3) Whoooooooo went to law school? I nearly choked on my coffee when the RAP appeared
GC
2024-09-26 21:00:53 +0000 UTCmy husband and i recently started playing Ghost of Tsushima (absolutely stunning game) and when i found out Erika was voicing the protag for Yōtei… 🫨🥰🥳 ERIKA I AM SO EXCITED YOU’RE SO AMAZING AND TALENTED ‼️
bails 🌀 witch of the what the fuck
2024-09-26 20:57:46 +0000 UTCGood thought, but you'd still need to be able to carry around and lay flat one 30' wide carpet for each ritual, though.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 20:47:53 +0000 UTCAbout Ritual Diagrams: they are way, way too big. Have you thought about how large, elaborate, and time-consuming drawing a 15' radius (!) circle would be (especially with something like blood or salt)? It could very well take you more than the 10 minutes it is supposed to save. In most fantasy depictions that I see, a 5' radius is about as large they get for magic rituals that aren't epic, armageddon-summoning things. Also, how many rooms or corridors in a cave or dungeon are 30' wide? People are going to have to be very careful not to mess this up by walking through it. Letting wizards skip the added, 10-minutes time for (certain) ritual spells is a good, useful feature. This is practically useless, though. Some people are pointing out having them permanently in a wizard tower. Yeah, that could be nice, I suppose, but my guess is also that real estate ain't cheap in the citadel, and we are talking about more than 700 sq. ft of floor space for each ritual diagram.
Jason G. Rheins
2024-09-26 20:35:24 +0000 UTCIm about to play a goblin with the plane shift: zendikar stats, which includes resistance to fire and psychic damage and I was so excited to see that you take a d6 of both of them and it ignore resistances!!!! 😈😈😈
Toe
2024-09-26 20:34:12 +0000 UTCOooo, I love you supporting 2014 and 2024 rules, thank you so much! I'm curious if the podcast is planning to stick with 2014 through the run of the story or if y'all are planning to make the jump at some point for this campaign?
Bennett
2024-09-26 19:22:26 +0000 UTCAlso Cyrill has exactly the vibe I pictured for him those ink jowls are great haha
Jack Jones
2024-09-26 19:02:26 +0000 UTCA couple balance thoughts: - doubled healing from potions with no additional resources expenditure feels like a lot (I'm a big fan of the d6 thing though from alchemy as I feel it encourages use of potions more often even if the 13 ish percent chance isn't actually that high) - I REALLY like cryptic rider. I considered the lack of limited uses being a problem but it doesn't feel so powerful that the limitation of "how many 5th+ level slots you have" isn't already enough imo - I do think Statistical Substitution in Master of the Citadel feels a little finicky since you obviously pick it after rolling damage but you may very well have already picked two others when you cast it. Personally with it being a once per rest feature unless you spend a 4th level slot to do it again, I'd say you should be able to do all parts of Master of the Citadel on a single spell. I also have thoughts on some of the Secrets options but I'm gonna give those later!
Tera Almond
2024-09-26 18:59:57 +0000 UTCI absolutely LOVE how many choices this gets; limited non-spell choices in character creation is one of my biggest gripes with Wizards as a class, so getting another thing to pick each level is SO good.
Tera Almond
2024-09-26 18:52:42 +0000 UTCI know this ain’t the place for it, but just wanted to shout out support for Erika due to all the hate they have been getting from the “anti-woke” crowd. Can’t wait to see you in Ghosts of Yōtei and maybe even borrow your voice in Dragon Age for a Rook idea I have!
Jeffrey Hayes
2024-09-26 18:46:21 +0000 UTCSo, I do wonder, is it just for compatibility, or - if WBN/Brennan decides to switch to 2024 - are you going to keep the 2014 version of Counterspell? I always thought that Brennan would dislike the change to Counterspell, but maybe I'm wrong?
Florian Meinke
2024-09-26 18:46:01 +0000 UTCInteresting, I'm not super interested in the 2024 rules, but out of curiosity why was the subclass made with the 2024 rules in mind and the 2014 as a variant when the subclass was made for a 2014 rules wizard?
Ryley Taylor
2024-09-26 18:24:31 +0000 UTCsorry my job but studying wizard of the citadel subclass is my job today
Toe
2024-09-26 18:21:06 +0000 UTCCyril's little poem!!!
Toe
2024-09-26 18:20:02 +0000 UTCThe ink demons 🖤❤️💙
Jennifer Riem
2024-09-26 18:01:55 +0000 UTCThaumatic Recoil interacting with something like scorching ray seems very fun, am i right in thinking it also includes AOE spells like Lightning Bolt or Fireball?
Jack Jones
2024-09-26 17:42:44 +0000 UTCThis is my spellcaster dream made reality the spell versatility included in the kit is honestly overwhelming but in a good way. I’d love to know what secrets Galani has taken as an abjuring wizard
Jordan Sims
2024-09-26 17:34:14 +0000 UTCYeah, I'd say so! Only reason that changed is because of the new level 2 Scholar feature that gives Wizards Expertise in a skill.
Hannah Rose @ Wildmage Press
2024-09-26 17:14:38 +0000 UTCWe know from the end of arc 2 that she has Threadcutting Secret!
Hannah Rose @ Wildmage Press
2024-09-26 17:11:04 +0000 UTCFor the people still doing 2014 rules, do we still get the arcana expertise when the subclass hits?
Zeno is a Paradox
2024-09-26 17:08:21 +0000 UTCIs that possible?
Hannah Paffumi
2024-09-26 16:56:10 +0000 UTCWoot! Talk about your Birthday gifts!
Michael Munene
2024-09-26 16:48:59 +0000 UTCWhoop whoop! So excited!
Benedict Geddes
2024-09-26 16:44:00 +0000 UTCI'm wondering if the ritual diagrams ability could be used to put a ritual into a carpet or mat or something else that rolls/folds up for ritual casting on the go with significantly faster setup
Alex Kaufman
2024-09-26 16:25:16 +0000 UTC"You can modify a Wizard spell with a secret a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long Rest."
Ben Pike
2024-09-26 16:21:13 +0000 UTCI Loooove the flavour of secret of the burning word.
Ben Pike
2024-09-26 16:20:30 +0000 UTCWow this is some hard-core stuff gang
Xanian Jamfalcon
2024-09-26 16:18:56 +0000 UTCI thought that too, initially, just because Aabria is so dead-set on getting Dimension Door -- but she also loves a loophole, and there are a lot of tasty potential shenanigans in some of the other choices
Ted Meredith
2024-09-26 16:14:44 +0000 UTCwild that this is how I learned they changed counterspell to a con save in the new handbook
Ted Meredith
2024-09-26 16:11:00 +0000 UTCIt would be so cool to get a stat block of the mirror spider and the ink demons! At one point Abriya talked about taking the find familiar spell and it'd be cool for one of those creatures to become Suvi's familiar. I'm betting it would be the spider but I'm praying for MVP Vandal.
Tyler Chapman
2024-09-26 16:07:16 +0000 UTCSo glad Suvi didn’t get eaten so we can see these Aabria put these secrets to work! Also, speaking as a fervent naddpole, if Emily Axford could guest as a wizard sometime, that would be fricking amazing. Much love and thanks for the awesomesauce.
sabertruth19
2024-09-26 16:03:08 +0000 UTCWizard batman fr
Clark Johnson
2024-09-26 15:59:44 +0000 UTCYou missed the last sentence, it also knocks the target flying without a save. Unsaveable prone (especially against flying enemies that aren't immune to it) could be pretty powerful.
Ben Pike
2024-09-26 15:48:49 +0000 UTCim sorta low key hoping wizard sky takes over the current roll of the Witch of the Wind and Stars. That lady needs to be taken down
l. Nishikawa
2024-09-26 15:47:26 +0000 UTCMore feedback from my gaming group of rules gremlins: "I like the idea of Cryptic Rider, but I think it needs to be better worded." "I'm not sure I'd allow the secret of Bound Arcana either. Mainly because there's no limitation on spell lists. My reading of it is that if I have a Wand of Cure Wounds with one charge left, I now have Cure Wounds prepared as long as I have the wand." "Iffy on Secret of the Second Chance too. I like the effect, but I feel like it should take your action."
Chris Caran
2024-09-26 15:36:28 +0000 UTCBut the download link at the very bottom of the page works fine
Perverseness
2024-09-26 15:34:18 +0000 UTCSo for the secrets-- is secrets known equal to the number of times you can apply a secret per day?
Kolbjorn
2024-09-26 15:33:55 +0000 UTCGetting a permission error when I try and open the link
Perverseness
2024-09-26 15:32:28 +0000 UTCI know it’s a long way away, but The Wizard Sky just HAS to take Celestial Navigation, right?
Mike Chapman
2024-09-26 15:31:00 +0000 UTCWow! The way the 3rd level ritual ability so relentless tilts towards the logic of mechanization and industrialization of magic is incredible. It's a great ability for a wizard in a tower, AND it mechanically reveals why the citadel is the way it is and why it's so vital to the machinery of Empire.
Heydon Hensley
2024-09-26 15:25:09 +0000 UTCThis one was standing out to me too. Also, how exactly does it interact with Mirror Image? It says on trigger it ends the illusion (lowercase I) not the spell. So is that 2d6 damage per duplicate generated when someone hits them and not you? Am I reading this right?
Ian Sisson
2024-09-26 15:21:55 +0000 UTCWhat purpose does Secret of Thaumatic Recoil serve? Why would anyone take it? The only benefit is a really terrible way to fly some variable amount of distance and then have 0 speed and you are prone. That's not a benefit! It doesn't improve the spell or damage. Sure in some extreme situations that may be a benefit but there are better ways to escape an area then this. Is it half written or just the worst secret to take? Fun sub class though.
Sean McClain
2024-09-26 15:09:04 +0000 UTCIn reading the subclass, something I really love about it is that, individually, most of the features and secrets are applicable in pretty specific circumstances and therefore could feel a little niche or ticky-tacky... but as you read through the subclass in whole, it becomes really clear how strong the cumulative effect of the pure number of options you have is. It feels like the design team really took the idea that "When a wizard has time, they conquer all" to its logical conclusion in a beautiful way. It's not just about hoping a situation arises where one of these skills applies and is useful, although that's always great; it's also about preparation, orchestration, and strategy—about being a step ahead of everyone so that, by the time they realize you have a trick up your sleeve, it's already too late. LOVE that!
Adarsh Nednur
2024-09-26 15:00:30 +0000 UTCSo cool! Has anyone put these up on dnd beyond?
Logan Smith
2024-09-26 14:57:19 +0000 UTCYAAAS. This is exactly what my fiddly Wizardy ass brain craves. I wonder what Spellcraft Secrets Steel has!
Tyler Chapman
2024-09-26 14:42:11 +0000 UTCIncredible works of art
Blaize Gordon
2024-09-26 14:29:31 +0000 UTCI am so delighted with all the art on this - the joy of seeing ink demons in color - 🌈😎
wigglygirl
2024-09-26 14:26:34 +0000 UTCLove getting this right after the first episode of Misfits and Magic s2. Wizards left and right
lil guy
2024-09-26 14:26:25 +0000 UTCSecret of Shattered Light + Hallucinatory Terrain is a 150ft cube fireball with range of 300ft. BEFORE combining it with any other secret. Aabria is going to rip a hole in reality...
Duncan Haldane
2024-09-26 14:20:00 +0000 UTCmy LONGEST yea boi EVER
Starry_Bright
2024-09-26 14:19:16 +0000 UTCIf I had the bandwidth, I'd seriously consider adapting this to a PF2e somehow. Building it into a class archetype might provide the right feel.
Robertson Whitney
2024-09-26 14:18:15 +0000 UTCAll the Secrets are rich!! (And the little demon illustrations at the end are a treat.)
Ailbhe Pascal
2024-09-26 14:17:47 +0000 UTCI'm currently playing a Wizard in a campaign and I desperately want to change my subclass now!
Twisting Deceit
2024-09-26 14:17:28 +0000 UTCYep! That'll be just fine. You can choose to adjust the starting number of secrets *or* just keep it at three.
Hannah Rose @ Wildmage Press
2024-09-26 14:15:48 +0000 UTCNew WBN logo? 👀
catalooo
2024-09-26 14:15:35 +0000 UTCOh this is rad
Quentin
2024-09-26 14:14:44 +0000 UTCThis is so fun. Would it be okay to make a BG3 Class Mod based on this? Obvi it might not all translate but it sounds like a fun project.
Lothiriel
2024-09-26 14:10:06 +0000 UTCYou truly bring it to life in such a cool way. I’m so stoked to get into the crunch and see where you go with your always excellent choices.
Michael Johnson
2024-09-26 14:08:08 +0000 UTCThank you content daddies for this gift. ❤️
Michael Johnson
2024-09-26 14:06:33 +0000 UTCLooking through the ritual spells list to think of fun uses for the ritual diagrams. A Wizard chef having a detect poison & disease spell diagram carved into their kitchen floor or something. Awesome :D
Jack Clayton
2024-09-26 14:05:03 +0000 UTCThis goes so ridiculously hard. My crunch brain is all tingly :)) My initial gut reaction, beyond awe and excitement, is that Celestial Navigation seems like by far the most powerful option at level 6. Then at level 14, the feature is *extremely* cool and powerful, but once per short rest unless you spend a 4th level slot feels maybee a little restrictive? Unsure. 2 uses per rest feels weird (not many abilities in 5e that you can use just twice), but then 3 is definitely too many... again, unsure. Will hopefully get a chance to playtest this soon, mad props to everyone involved!
KamasiFitzgerald
2024-09-26 14:02:08 +0000 UTCBehold! The sins of Wizards/Secrets! I absolutely adore my subclass, and I'm so thankful for everyone's hard work on it! She's a REAL BEAUT!
Aabria Iyengar
2024-09-26 13:51:04 +0000 UTCNot a bad design team for a lil podcast project, team. You all are amazing!
Doan Roessler
2024-09-26 13:47:33 +0000 UTCYus! Yus!! Yus!!! can't wait to look at teh sub and tiuch funny style!!!
The Pompous Peasant
2024-09-26 13:44:43 +0000 UTCI will be making my Citadal OC now just you wait
Oophshnart the Probability Demolition Expert
2024-09-26 13:44:08 +0000 UTCsweet!! happy birthday to me!!! and all the other sept 26 ppl hahaha
courtney bodeen
2024-09-26 13:43:56 +0000 UTCI love it so much ! So excited to playtest it !
Olive_NQaKa
2024-09-26 13:43:51 +0000 UTCI would be super careful with the Secret of Peaceful Summons. That's the first one where I think someone could abuse it if they found the right creature.
Chris Caran
2024-09-26 13:39:04 +0000 UTCThis is absolutely obscene and I am beyond thrilled. Huge props to everyone involved, I cannot wait to play this
Jack Wilkinson
2024-09-26 13:38:13 +0000 UTCIs Stone’s Secret of Alacrity supposed to read 1 minute or greater? (Because of the inclusion of the part about rituals)
Jessie Harris
2024-09-26 13:37:16 +0000 UTCSweeeeeeet! If we're using OG5e rules is the best suggestion just shifting the Level 3 abilities to Level 2?
Tommy Deibel
2024-09-26 13:37:04 +0000 UTCI believe it does, they mentioned that in the campaign
Jack Wilkinson
2024-09-26 13:36:49 +0000 UTCLike the great Lou Wilson once said: Get NASTY.
Al
2024-09-26 13:36:28 +0000 UTCI need to play a wizard RIGHT NOW i have to play this
Jacastus Horton
2024-09-26 13:35:30 +0000 UTCThe poem 🥺
Abigail M
2024-09-26 13:35:21 +0000 UTCSqueeeee! How exciting
Nandi Kayyy
2024-09-26 13:33:29 +0000 UTCCyril's little limerick at the end! 😍 I love this so much!
Charlotte
2024-09-26 13:33:24 +0000 UTCHi, does the Secret of Contingency still use up the spell slot if it fizzles? It doesn't specify in the pdf but was in the campaign. Thanks
ProsperousPotato
2024-09-26 13:32:15 +0000 UTCSuper excited for this!
Judah Merrill
2024-09-26 13:31:39 +0000 UTCWow! I love the creativity behind these features, and I think it’s really important for players to have options to choose from for character creation. The one critique I might have is that the secrets have varying power levels, some of them so weak as to be functionally obsolete where some others would be must-haves on any wizard build. Perhaps gating the most powerful secrets behind a level prerequisite might alleviate this problem? Or since it’s a playtest, maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about, lol. Either way, I can’t wait to see what shenanigans Aabria gets up to with some of these secrets…
Sam B. Spivey
2024-09-26 13:31:09 +0000 UTCIs this intended to be balanced on par with the rest of the wizard subclasses or is it supposed to be stronger like wizards of the Citadel in Umora seem to be?
Marcos
2024-09-26 13:30:20 +0000 UTCThe secrets are amazing. I love the flavor and utility of them.
Chris Caran
2024-09-26 13:26:37 +0000 UTCOkay, before we even get to the secrets, this subclass basically has subclasses. This is VERY Citadel
Tom Flynn
2024-09-26 13:23:00 +0000 UTCOh some of these secrets are naaaaasty in the BEST of ways, no wonder Aabria is so excited! I can't wait to playtest this!!
Benny Bee
2024-09-26 13:22:59 +0000 UTCAmazing!!
Kevin O'Connor
2024-09-26 13:22:35 +0000 UTCThis is so dope! Can’t wait to take a closer look :) Thank you, WBN!
Jenna
2024-09-26 13:19:30 +0000 UTCA wizard is known by an encyclopedia of secrets lol
Sister Motoko
2024-09-26 13:19:08 +0000 UTCIT'S HERE and yes I will immediately be giving my GM a powerpoint on why they need a Citadel wizard in our next new campaign.
Lay
2024-09-26 13:18:33 +0000 UTCThis and the witch subclass are going to make it end up so I have a party full of them I have a feeling. 😂 I don’t think I can take 3-4 the chaos!
Thelastharris
2024-09-26 13:17:36 +0000 UTCI REALLY appreciate the 2014 variants! There is no way im convincing my table to switch yet, so this is much appreciated!
Bingus2277
2024-09-26 13:17:03 +0000 UTCGimme those secrets!
SvenTS
2024-09-26 13:15:39 +0000 UTCYOOO THEY DROPPED IT
Kira O'Dell
2024-09-26 13:15:11 +0000 UTCIt's Vandal 🥰😈
Fxd Gear Queer
2024-09-26 13:15:10 +0000 UTCThe ink demons 🥺
Katrina
2024-09-26 13:15:02 +0000 UTCRubbing my hands together like a Fly on a Fruitcake. This is about to be a good time.
Tom Flynn
2024-09-26 13:14:55 +0000 UTCLet's go citadel!!!!
Katrina
2024-09-26 13:14:50 +0000 UTCWe, uh, cut it down from over 60. They're just so fun to dream up.
Hannah Rose @ Wildmage Press
2024-09-26 13:14:34 +0000 UTCSo excited to see it!
Faith Price
2024-09-26 13:14:33 +0000 UTCFinally 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Samuel Frenk
2024-09-26 13:12:40 +0000 UTCThat’s a lot of secrets! I was expecting, like, 10!
Jessie Harris
2024-09-26 13:12:12 +0000 UTC
