Source
r/DnD•
TenacityXL

Homebrew Rule Idea: At 1st Level, spellcasters of any kind can trade up to 1 less than their starting number of cantrips for that number of spells known added to their total.

DMing

So I was just sitting around on the bus not really doing anything when I started thinking about this idea.

As stated above, at 1st level, any kind of spellcaster can trade up to 1 less than their starting number of Cantrips known for that number of spells known added to their starting total.

I thought it would be fun to a) be able to pick up a wider variety of spells at the cost of having to be more conservative and careful with your casting as well as not having as much on command utility as you usually would due to the lower number of cantrips. And b) I like having my players have to consider what they really want their character to play like, be it heavy utility, heavy attack, etc.

Obviously this isn’t a finished idea but I’d like to hear some thoughts on it :) Thanks!

Edit: thanks for the input! I’m a newish DM so any sort of criticism helps

Posted Jan 11, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC · edited

010
SteelKline•

I don't know chief, seems unnecessary since in the long run they could come across a spellbook to learn those spells. Just a veteran wizard player but I would just throw in side quests/ "treasures" that involve a spellbook or scrolls instead.

3
Bubblies_and_YummiesDM•

In my opinion, the worst mistake a DM can make regarding wizard PCs is to never give them an opportunity to learn the spells of their enemies. Don't say "the enemy wizard's spellbook has been ruined by fire/blood/cuts/etc". It makes it unfun to play wizards and takes away the #1 advantage of wizards over other spellcasters: a big spell list.

3
Contest5•

I don’t believe this would be all that useful honestly, feel free to include it if you’d like but as a member of warlock gang I wouldn’t take that trade

2
JimmickySorcerer•

I can’t imagine anyone taking that trade at all but I’d have to assume anyone taking it would hugely regret it.

2
Bubblies_and_YummiesDM•

For low level play or one shots it seems great. If your players get any downtime then there ain't much of a point. The wizards can just research their own spells. Sorcerers and warlocks are limited by their already small pools of spells or spell slots in the warlock's case.

1
TenacityXLOP•

What about things like Druid or Ranger(dunno if Ranger gets cantrips)? How would that addition affect them do you think?

And yeah, I can see this being fantastic for oneshots due to it being a short story, but I was thinking if a caster wanted to have a wider variety of arguably more powerful spells, they could swap their numbers a bit.

1
Bubblies_and_YummiesDM•

Ranger doesn't get cantrips. I don't see trading druid cantrips for for spells known as something people would do. Druids don't get many cantrips compared to other full casting classes and their spell list is already narrow.

1
EttinaDM•

I thought druids knew all spells already, like clerics.

1
Bubblies_and_YummiesDM•

Well yes. I would assume this adds to spells prepared. Otherwise it would only have possibility to benefit sorcs, wizards, and warlocks.

1