Invention Wizard! Unearthed Arcana - Dungeons and Dragons

[@TitanGamingTV]

As a math note, and many thanks to MamaSlick123 for mathing it up, we believe the % chance to double-cast is actually 15.39% of all spell-slotted uses of Reckless Casting, and the chance to fail-cast on spell-slotted uses is only 3.61%. For cantrips, there's an 8.1% chance of double casting, and a 1.9% chance of failed casting. The difference between spell-slotted and cantrip uses comes from the fact that you roll twice on your initial table roll for spell-slotted Reckless Casting, and you get to choose which value you actuate on. We're assuming you'd want to select the 10 if it shows up :) Cheers y'all! Again thanks to MamaSlick123 for mathing!

[@MamaSlick123]

For spells, the chance to possibly trigger a double cast is 19% (18% chance one of the d10s is a 10, 1% chance they are both a 10). The chance of successfully double casting is 15.39%, and the chance of a failure is 3.61%. For cantrips, it's 10% chance to trigger a double cast, an 8.1% chance of successful double casting, and a 1.9% chance of a failed casting. Source: I used a dice app, then verified the 19% on my own and figured out how often 19% of 19% would happen relative to all rolls of 2d10 (and also remembered the cantrip table and edited cantrips in).

[@TitanGamingTV]

Thanks MamaSlick! We are agreement! I'll update the math note :)

[@qriusjorj38]

I might be way off base. I haven't read this but going purely by the commentary, the fail chance seems much higher, closer to 20% since only one of the d10s being a 10 (10%+10%) causes it to fail. How wrong is this?

[@qriusjorj38]

Chance of either vs chance of both are direct opposites and it seems the odds given here skew the wrong way

[@neovi6424]

lol I was just about to comment about the math and that I think the successful double cast probability is around 15% and wasted action prob. is like 4%. It seems like such a fun School of Magic, I'm definitely going to be trying it out with my wizard that just turned level 2. Great video!

[@anasexualdragonwithinterne2912]

I've heard a lot of people say that the reckless casting has nothing to do with invention and so here's how it does. the weave is the pure unchanged source of all magic in dnd and when you cast a spell you're using a tested formula of verbal somatic and/or material components to draw on the weave and turn it's raw energy into a spell that effects things. so reckless casting is pretty much drawing on the weave and then coming up with brand new verbal and somatic components on the fly creating a new never before seen magical effect so i agree it's not really inventing it's more like tinkering but i'm sure when they release this subclass in full they'll fix that.

[@lapsedgoth]

The DM of our Hoard of the Dragon Queen has a table for afflictions and i basically rolled a drunk and i think this school will really fit the role play for that character. ♡ Thanks for explaining it!

[@frankdb9262]

The arcanomechanical armor also grants resistance to force damage, just like to point that out!

[@TitanGamingTV]

Its clear WOTC wants to do some cool stuff with the iron-man suit. It'll be fun to see what they land on :)

[@frankdb9262]

See, I like the narrative flavor, but part of me wonders how often force damage is gonna come up. Also, when they called it arcanomechanical armor, I expected it to be like scale mail that was also built with mechanical pieces in it. I struggle to imagine the studded leather as this type of armor. Maybe that's just me. Plus this negates my normal formula of raising my wizard's AC: Mage Armor+Bracers of Defense+Mirror Image. AC around 17 or 18 with that lovely miss chance from mirror image. Plus, I loved the loremaster wizard, and I'm afraid that this is, in some regards, a replacement of that archetype.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I'm with ya Spoil Sport, and I think a good many other critics are too.

[@TheKingsPride]

Spoil Sport well it’s worth mentioning that this is, to my knowledge, literally the ONLY thing in the game that resists force damage. That’s pretty huge

[@frankdb9262]

Paladinman41 well it’s the only class feature that grants resistance to force damage, but there magic items that can grant that, like an armor of force resistance or a brooch of shielding that also gives you immunity to magic missile!

[@CaptainR3boot]

Thank you for this video - listening to this after reading the UA material really helped bring the option to life!

[@TitanGamingTV]

Happy to hear it Captain R3boot!

[@duckdudette]

I like the idea of multiclassing into this from another full caster class like to get loads of low level spell slots and maybe even to get some metamagics so you have this huge variety of ways to mess with spells.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I think theres a lot of fun to be had with messing with spells like this. I think this is what the underlying idea for the archetype is based on, just wants to see some adjusted implementation details.

[@TommyHellsing]

I feel like the armor thing could be really cool and thematic. Maybe talk to a DM about like "If I add armor treated with this creatures blood to it, can I get a resistance to heat." or like if I add Rat bones maybe a certain resistance to disease or poison. Not necessarily something big, but like something specific to my character and his armor. Maybe a certain degree of wizards of this type taking pride in their armor the more rare and powerful stuff added to it to enhance it. That could lead into alot of interesting plot hooks, and also give my character an interesting story. Plus it could be kind of cool for party members if like we slay a dragon or something and a few bones get added to my armor and it's commented on. You'd have to work with your D.M. obviously, and the "Starting Changes" or more common changes probably wouldn't be much, but it could still be interesting.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Great idea Tommy. Does feel like there wants to be at least one other way to engage the armor as a player.

[@TommyHellsing]

Thanks for the reply :) I was also thinking it might be interesting to as part of the experimental casting thing, and tools have potential sacrifice or empowerment. For example you mention the ability to sacrifice a lower level spell to choose or change the damage type. Maybe as part of that if your character has say a vial of acid, they could roll a dice, and if they got over a certain number, or below a certain number have the acid or poison's damage added to the spell. It would give a character reasons to experiment and mess around with chemicals and such, which most of the time tend to be forgotten. Big Risk, big reward, and maybe get it on a lower level since it does require you to have a component ((Vials of acid for example)) but as your level rises the risk of failure lowers. DND is all about those moments when something epic happens, either epic fails, or epic wins, and I feel like this class has ALOT of potential for epic moments. "You remember the time your Invention Wizard cleared the entire cave of goblins using an acid enhanced fireball?", "You remember the time your wizard set himself on fire rolling a crit 1, trying to take out a dozen skeletons with a holy water enhanced fireball?" I'd almost say for a crit fail, your character should be punished. Like the example above. Although I know that's always risky.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I really like this as an idea since its so open-ended. However its that very same reason that keeps WOTC from being able to release it officially. Still homebrew homebrew homebrew :)

[@knightghaleon]

This thing had me at studded leather armor wizard. But I like the chaos of the reckless cast without it being EVERY spell you use like the Tides of Chaos does. I don't need to have a random chance to explode with every spell I use. This is better than the war wizard with the surge system. That surge system needs a buff to damage.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Agreed on all counts Levant.

[@knightghaleon]

I'd like to see something like this be added to sorcerers as well. Their extended classes have been rather subpar when compared to the other casters. Plus Wizards seems to be hinting at the chaotic nature of sorcerer magic anyway with how a sorcerer may not know how to control their power and cause property destruction by accident; or the whole "you need training to harness your powers as a sorcerer because now you're insert age and magic puberty is hell". Having a sorcerer that can ramp up magic or spells using their passion, without using a metamagic, would be an interesting build. Not to mention the synergy it would have with warlock and bard at that point. Most sorcerer's I've had in my games multiclass into something with more spells or better use from the limited spells sorcerers can learn. With a build like this, you could have a sorcerer recklessly cast cone of cold and lightning bolt for a really cool visual in the theatre of the mind. Or give your bard or warlock that you multiclassed into be able to reckless cast would actually work pretty well in a fun way too. Or heck, combine it with the metamagic and reckless twin the first spell and cast another to build that hard hitting but fast to blow through resources mage the way people who build Assassin/Paladin smite builds tend to use their crit in combo with all their smite and become glass cannon builds.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Not bad ideas. I think most folks agree that sorc's need some love. I don't mind the new Xanathar's options for sorcs, but I'd be in support of blowing out the wall on the twin casting feature.

[@knightghaleon]

The thing I see missing from the sorcerer options is a generic arcanist. They're all themed but where is the generic sorcerer. You could argue the chaos version is the generic but maybe one where you don't run the risk of teleporting yourself a mile away on a spell attack, or exploding in a boss fight.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Yeah I totally agree here. Hopefully WOTC is listening....

[@mrtyki2046]

Late to this vid but in my personal experince, while the mechanics amd the theme are kinda all over the place, I found it better to tie them together by making it more relient on the armor in terms of rp. Example being for my wizard I had him make the armor a prototype that is meant to allow anyone to use spells, though because it's a prototype it messes up on the spell inputs which I have as a set of symbols on the armor corresponding to magic symbols, each time I got a new mechanic I explained it as upgrading the armor with new features. Also having the spells looks mesh with the armor was fun, like making message deploy a little headset for me to speak through before the spell sends the message. I personally have a lot of fun just finding ways to mesh in the magic with the armor as just fun little descriptors that made it feel more thematically whole to me.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Nice integration of RP and mechanics, MJ!

[@sajanpatel9313]

This one seems really fun to me and I want to try this at my next table.

[@TitanGamingTV]

There's definitely some value to be had here.

[@danielkneeshaw6564]

I'd be tempted to pull this apart and make it a subclass of the Artificer.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I think thats half of the trouble for this UA -- WOTC isnt quite sure how to subdivide the Artificer/Alchemist/Inventor/Wizard spectrum.

[@ravenmagic5]

I just dual class

[@Mentiac]

I think if I were to allow this on my table I might allow the arcano-mechanical armor to grant bonus AC based on intelligence rather than dex. How well did your character make the armor using arcane means? Alternatively maybe granting the ability to cast shield through the armor once per short rest would make more flavorful and letting you keep those slots for reckless casting.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I think all these kinds of things are perfect thematically.

[@RotaFury]

Honestly not what i was expecting when i heard "Invention wizard" still the abilitys are kinda nifty.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Say it with me: “arcanomechanical”!

[@RotaFury]

@@TitanGamingTV "Arcanomechanical".....O.O Hurry check was there some magical effect O.O. joking aside thanks for the replay.

[@dbw9363]

Does the Reckless Casting mean that I can't have, using the cantrip example, any of the cantrip spells (Acid Splash thru Thornwhip) prepared? I ask since the starting text says '...you can attempt to cast a spell you DON'T have prepared.' ? Or, is that just flavor to describe what's happening?

[@TitanGamingTV]

I would say its flavor text. The point is you're attempting to cast a spell, but you aren't wholly sure which one. I think it was easier for WOTC to call that "a spell you dont have prepared".

[@TitanGamingTV]

In fact, Mr Jeremy Crawford just said explicitly in a D&D Beyond interview that you may or may not have it prepared. So looks like youre in the clear.

[@dbw9363]

Okay. IMO, still think the class needs some work. All that text about arcanomechanical (new word! Arcanical!) armor... and then it doesn't do much? However, I do like the Reckless Casting mechanic. I actually think it's better (gasp!) than the Wild Magic Sorcerer in some respects. OTOH, Invention is probably not the best name for the School... School of ... Magical Foundations? Innovation? Creativity? Origins? Dunno... Maybe School of Spellcraft.

[@bancallum8807]

Cantrips are constantly prepared So using that, it would be casting a cantrips you don't know

[@the_rose_garden01]

Bladesingers get Light Armor proficiency, too. It's not just School of Invention Wizards

[@TitanGamingTV]

Quite right, DracoFlyer.

[@RoyMBar]

I personally don't like the idea of the Arcanomechanical Armor either. It feels like it was meant for another class, maybe like a class that created physical objects or constructs or something, not a class that creates Magic/Magical effects. It seems like a weird add on to an otherwise functional class. Maybe instead of the Arcanomechanical Armor something like a permanent Mage Armor that comes with Resistance to the elemental type that you most recently cast.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Thats a fine suggestion, RoyMBar. I agree the arcanomechanical armor feels like it should go somewhere else. Like a full inventor class, or something.

[@vaspeter2600]

They could've used a less broken version of the Lore Master's Spell Secrets feature in its place - the one that allowed you to change a spell's damage type or save attribute on the fly. Maybe make it randomized as well?

[@RoyMBar]

I do like the idea of it being an alternate way to use a 2nd level spell slot. When you cast a spell you can expend a 2nd level spell slot then roll 1d6 to determine the new save attribute for the spell. The class already has a way to change the damage type, but changing the spell save would be a nice way to expand upon it.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I feel a little like WOTC has painted themselves into a corner on making Wiz archetypes. The base spell offerings are just so good they scale the power for the class without any class features being necessary. But players are accustomed to class features, so not having them feels wonky.

[@TitanGamingTV]

It is an interesting way to consume spell slot resources, to modify spells. Unfortunately to feels like it might've been better off in the Sorceror font of magic-metamagic camp. Unsure. The 5e line between Sorc and Wiz vexes me.

[@noscope342]

Just hearing this makes me want to abandon my current character and make this! As a side note, the Wild Magic Surge feature in the Sorcerer subclass only says that "...the DM can have you roll...", meaning that you don't roll every time that the prerequisites are met. As a player, I see the Surge as more of a roleplay/humor addition than a function.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Ah okay, thats a good observation Charles. I feel like it was supposed to be RP/humor, but often gets replaced as uncontrolled insanity.

[@nomadicchaos406]

Personally this subclass of the Wizard feels like its all over the place as it goes with the invention theme at first and then it just goes to being a rip off WIld Magic Sorcerer and then it decided to borrow elements from the Lore Mastery Wizard overall they should retool this class a lot to have it be more Invention focused since this feels like the ADHD of Wizard school

[@TitanGamingTV]

I think WOTC isnt sure what to do about the invention-ist style character. They seem unsure whether to make a full artificer, or a subschool of wizard, or what. I actually have a pretty harsh edge on the lack of Int-based characters in 5e, but I understand the trouble that WOTC is in for actually implementing something that isnt a wizard for Int in 5e, given the rest of the class definitions.

[@quintoncraig9299]

You know, I would like it if people just called the company "Wizards". It would make talking about them more fun around people whom have no idea what you're talking about.

[@TitanGamingTV]

It was pretty comical for this video, referring to two separate forms of wizards. Also I vote for referring to them as "The Wizards", so it sounds like some enclave or communal or something. Haha.

[@quintoncraig9299]

1: Thanks for the heart. 2: can't read your new comment yet so I'm gonna guess what it say, Something about calling the company "The Wizards" makes it sound akin to an enclave and that you like that idea.

[@quintoncraig9299]

Holy sh... Okay I was right, that's awesome, anyway I do agree an calling them "The Wizards", it has a nice ring to it.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Ahhhh hahah. Well done Quinton.

[@quintoncraig9299]

And another one, Meme time!

[@misterright4528]

Really hate the randomness on this subclass and I am surprised at all the positive reviews. As a DM I cringe at the thought of a player playing this and sucking all the wind out of combat each time he/she decides to reckless cast. The player will have to decide to reckless cast, make the roll, be able to quickly understand what the rolled spell does, decide what to do with the spell and repeat these decisions if two spells are rolled. I get that the idea of some bumbling gnome wizard who might blow himself up sounds fun but I don't feel this is how to do that. In fact, I think the wild magic sorcerer does it better. Although a wild surge might happen more often and do crazier things the effects are all in the hands of the DM, are sometimes easily adjudicated minor effects, and truly can be a determent to the character.

[@TitanGamingTV]

Built-in Randomness is a hard pill for me to swallow, too. This is aboooout the cusp of what I'd be willing to accept from a player agency perspective. That's good feedback to WOTC, the concern about the player managing the tables being too much to track at the table. It does beg having an explicit table printout or card accessory to support this. Slowdown can be a real problem, you certainly dont want to accidentally encourage it in the ruleset.

[@brotheralec8998]

The arcanomechanical armor sounds like the glass armor from Morrowind...

[@TitanGamingTV]

Did the glass armor have a reactive component?

[@brotheralec8998]

In Elder Scrolls: Morrowind I think it was magically reinforced...I guess if the crafter of the glass armor could imbue the armor with a spell that would be reactive...possibly 3-5 charges of lightning bolt on a successful hit...I am sure it could be worked into someones campaign...

[@shookds]

Lol the math

[@douglasphillips5870]

Reckless casting goes against the point of wizards to me. To me they cast a spell because that spell is useful in that situation. It's not just power, it's applicability. Wizards don't play dice with the universe.

[@TitanGamingTV]

I vibe there too. I think it speaks more to the setting / theme of the game, which just may not quite mesh with what folks picture mentally.

[@kawikacortes347]

it sounds more like a sorc sub than a wizard one. its hard to see a wizard, who has to actually go through all the motions to learn magic, using something like reckless casting. i get why wotc is trying diff things but.....theres a reason wizards intelligent than the quick drawing sorcs

[@BrowneePointz]

Incorrect. Sounds completely like a wizard. Read the subclass fluff. These are the kind of wizards that INVENT NEW SPELLS.

[@joegeigerjr]

This is such a wonky and nerfed version of the Lore Mastery tradition they put out last year.

[@TitanGamingTV]

If you haven't yet, be sure to watch the DnD Beyond video with Jeremy Crawford on this Unearthed Arcana release. He describes the evolution from the Lore Mastery tradition attempt last year.