How does magic work in 5e?

[NuGuy]

I used to play the heck out of all the IE games and NWN series.
My only knowledge of D&D is from these games.

But I honestly always hated the system of memorizing and resting to cast spells.
The idea of sleeping for 8 hrs in between battles always bothered me.

Is this any different in 5e?

[Space Dog]

Spellcasting is much more flexible than previous editions even as Wizards.

You can prepare (memorize) Wiz level + Int modifier number of spells (any spell that you can cast), then cast freely from that list using slots.

Any spell can be cast with a higher level slot and it buffs the spell. You can spend all your slots on Magic Missile if that's what you need.

And I truly hope they will port the system exactly as it is. The last thing I want to see in a D&D game are Divinity-like cooldowns. Solasta has already shown with the Kickstarter demo that an exact port of the ruleset works great. So Larian had better not tamper with something that works.

[RocketMan]

Originally posted by Tesla:

nope. the best you will get with this are cantrips which warlock has one they will use for the entire game but in general spells are simply gained on on rest. Spells are supposed to be incredibly powerful and thats why your limited. in general though with d&d you shouldnt be using all your spells in one battle. also wands, scrolls, and all that are crazy useful for certain things like healing. But yeah the resting for spells pretty much just d&d and you wont find it different with BG3 unless they really change some stuff up

I've always hated this about dnd because most dm's don't use it that way.

People like the big fights, not the wars of attrition. So most dms just let you refresh yourself on the regular.

The power difference can be a bit rough though. Nothing like your dm letting another player cast magic missile on you and it one-shotting your character.

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

5th Edition takes a note out of Pathfinder and gives you no limit to how often you cast Level 0 spells. Allowing your spell casters to actually be spell casters at lower levels, without blowing their whole load in the first fight.

On top of that, the low level spells are also way more powerful in 5th edition compared to 3.5e.

In 3rd Edition, Wizards and Sorcerers can cast Acid Splash, and Ray of Frost. A 1st Level Sorcerer can cast these 5 times per day, and they deal a WHOPPING 1d3 acid or cold damage on a successful (Dex based) ranged touch-attack.

And as an fyi, basic Kobolds have 4hp, so you can't even kill an uninjured kobold with the spells you spent a whole spell per day use on!



Meanwhile Wizards/Sorcerers in 5th edition;

Fay of Frost deals 1d8 cold damage, on a successful ranged spell attack (Which uses your actual spell ability, instead of dex) and slows the target's movement speed by 10ft

Acid Splash deals 1d6 acid damage, if the target fails their reflex save, and can hit two adjacent targets as if it was a small AoE

And they get another damage spell called Fire Bolt which deals 1d10 fire damage on a successful ranged spell attack, and can set stuff on fire!

Oh, and all of these are cantrips, so you can cast them an unlimited number of times per day.

[Mestre12]

Originally posted by Smugass Braixen-Chan:

5th Edition takes a note out of Pathfinder and gives you no limit to how often you cast Level 0 spells. Allowing your spell casters to actually be spell casters at lower levels, without blowing their whole load in the first fight.

On top of that, the low level spells are also way more powerful in 5th edition compared to 3.5e.

In 3rd Edition, Wizards and Sorcerers can cast Acid Splash, and Ray of Frost. A 1st Level Sorcerer can cast these 5 times per day, and they deal a WHOPPING 1d3 acid or cold damage on a successful (Dex based) ranged touch-attack.

And as an fyi, basic Kobolds have 4hp, so you can't even kill an uninjured kobold with the spells you spent a whole spell per day use on!



Meanwhile Wizards/Sorcerers in 5th edition;

Fay of Frost deals 1d8 cold damage, on a successful ranged spell attack (Which uses your actual spell ability, instead of dex) and slows the target's movement speed by 10ft

Acid Splash deals 1d6 acid damage, if the target fails their reflex save, and can hit two adjacent targets as if it was a small AoE

And they get another damage spell called Fire Bolt which deals 1d10 fire damage on a successful ranged spell attack, and can set stuff on fire!

Oh, and all of these are cantrips, so you can cast them an unlimited number of times per day.

Oh, and dont forget about the best cantrip of them all, Eldrich Blast

[RocketMan]

Originally posted by Mestre12:

Originally posted by Smugass Braixen-Chan:

5th Edition takes a note out of Pathfinder and gives you no limit to how often you cast Level 0 spells. Allowing your spell casters to actually be spell casters at lower levels, without blowing their whole load in the first fight.

On top of that, the low level spells are also way more powerful in 5th edition compared to 3.5e.

In 3rd Edition, Wizards and Sorcerers can cast Acid Splash, and Ray of Frost. A 1st Level Sorcerer can cast these 5 times per day, and they deal a WHOPPING 1d3 acid or cold damage on a successful (Dex based) ranged touch-attack.

And as an fyi, basic Kobolds have 4hp, so you can't even kill an uninjured kobold with the spells you spent a whole spell per day use on!



Meanwhile Wizards/Sorcerers in 5th edition;

Fay of Frost deals 1d8 cold damage, on a successful ranged spell attack (Which uses your actual spell ability, instead of dex) and slows the target's movement speed by 10ft

Acid Splash deals 1d6 acid damage, if the target fails their reflex save, and can hit two adjacent targets as if it was a small AoE

And they get another damage spell called Fire Bolt which deals 1d10 fire damage on a successful ranged spell attack, and can set stuff on fire!

Oh, and all of these are cantrips, so you can cast them an unlimited number of times per day.

Oh, and dont forget about the best cantrip of them all, Eldrich Blast

I prefer toll the dead on a death cleric.

For that dual target 1d12 necrotic damage Ayyyy

[Smugass Braixen-Chan]

I just looked that spell up. It seems pretty powerful. Or at least, certainly better than Sacred Flame (1d8 Radiant Damage on a failed Dex save) which our cleric found wanting. And considering it's a strait flat upgrade to Sacred Flame, the writer of Xanathar's Guide probably thought so too.

[RocketMan]

Originally posted by Smugass Braixen-Chan:

I just looked that spell up. It seems pretty powerful. Or at least, certainly better than Sacred Flame (1d8 Radiant Damage on a failed Dex save) which our cleric found wanting. And considering it's a strait flat upgrade to Sacred Flame, the writer of Xanathar's Guide probably thought so too.

And the best part is that it has a range of 60 feet.

[Mestre12]

i just said that Eldrich Blast is heavly prefed by the community, to the point it is called the best cantrip, is because of Warlock invocations.

From to be able to hit a target from 300 feets, to pull or push the target 10 feets, slow the target, to ad you charisma mod to your Eldrich Blast and many other stuff i cant remember

[Caelus]

cantrips are garbage, youd be better off writing mean letters to the enemy before bothering to use cantrips lol

[Tecno Cumbiero Vegano]

Originally posted by Caelus:

cantrips are garbage, youd be better off writing mean letters to the enemy before bothering to use cantrips lol

HUUUUUUGHHH DUUUUUURR

[Mestre12]

Originally posted by DEEP ♂ DARK ♂ FANTASY:

Originally posted by Caelus:

cantrips are garbage, youd be better off writing mean letters to the enemy before bothering to use cantrips lol

HUUUUUUGHHH DUUUUUURR

He clearly never heard about Eldricht Blast

[Nairb]

Originally posted by Mestre12:

Originally posted by DEEP ♂ DARK ♂ FANTASY:

HUUUUUUGHHH DUUUUUURR

He clearly never heard about Eldricht Blast

Cantrips get pretty nuts later levels 4d10 for Fire Bolt. Not bad for a free spell

[Mestre12]

Originally posted by Nairb:

Originally posted by Mestre12:

He clearly never heard about Eldricht Blast

Cantrips get pretty nuts later levels 4d10 for Fire Bolt. Not bad for a free spell

and, if you are a red, brass or golden dragon sorceress, you can add you charisma modifier

[balls]

Originally posted by Sogreth:

what did your Mage do if they ran out of spells?

Reckless Dweomer, Spray'n'Pray mode.

[Woofy]

Do you have to play in 5e? I thought Baldur's Gates was always 2e....Kind of like 2e. Hmmmm