So last week we read in Legends and Lore that Fighters are not going to automatically get better with each level. This is great in my opinion. Finally, you can use a basic orc, goblin, kobold, etc at all levels of the game. But the question is: how do you balance that against the Wizard. In my humble opinion, that's easy: don't make the wizard automatically get new spell levels every other level. Give the wizard other options like being able to cast his existing spells better.
Take magic missile for example. The playtest had it doing 1 missile at 1st level, 2 at 3rd, 3 at 6th and so on. That's an automatic power increase that the fighter does not get. Here's an alternate: instead of the wizard getting a new spell level, the wizard can choose to make all his spells better. He takes this option and all his spells go up to Effect 2 (for lack of a better term). Effect 2 in this case would be a 2nd missile. In charm person's case, it would be to charm a second person. In wall of fire's case it would increase the size of the wall or the damage or something.
Now here's the catch: it wouldn't require increasing spell levels. It would just automatically happen. Like Fighter's Surve, its twice per day. You choose when that twice per day is.
The net result is that you can cast spells that are lower in power but they are ultimately more powerful spells.
Perhaps these ideas are more suited for a sorcerer or a warlock. But they are possibilities on how to balance the wizard and the fighter while still making magic feel magical.
What do you think? Share your ideas below.
Dale McCoy
