D&D General What Should Magic Be Able To Do, From a Gameplay Design Standpoint?

GobHag said:

Because the fictional basis in which I imagine my DnD games isn't even LotR it's from the many video games and comic books where and anime where stuff like flash stepping is just part and parcial of combat training. Hell, even something as basic like a whirlwind attack is either stuck to one subclass or made a spell.

And if I had my way, they can have that kind of fighter too--just don't use any of the cool naughty word I like, use basic attacks and never try to be anything better than Just Some Guy(IRL+) while I get to do flash steps.

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Surely even in Anime there’s some kind of supernatural reason people can teleport or explode? Monkey fruit, a daemonic arm, vampire bloodline etc etc. Are the really anime productions where a normal guy can teleport through space because of his skill?

Let’s be clear I have no problem with fighters being able to teleport… Ciri is excellent. I just don’t see how they could do it through skill alone… and not the elder blood etc. without having all the other classe be able to do it as well.

For instance you could have a world where the boundaries between the planes are thinner and you can slip between them, or use them to take leaps in the air. But then why would that be a fighters schtick and how is harnessing the magic of the world different from magic?

cbwjm said:

Nah, for that you need to look outside wotc dnd. There's bound to be homebrew or 3rd party products with a base fighter class you want, but it doesn't really fit as well in the base game as it currently stands.

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Book of Nine Swords sound right up @GobHag ‘s alley. If I recall it sat on top of the 3e chassis. I’m sure it could be adapted to sit a top 5e as well. Depends if their DM agrees with @GobHag though I guess. If it’s all so reasonable and obvious, presumably they will.

TheSword said:

Book of Nine Swords sound right up @GobHag ‘s alley. If I recall it sat on top of the 3e chassis. I’m sure it could be adapted to sit a top 5e as well. Depends if their DM agrees with @GobHag though I guess. If it’s all so reasonable and obvious, presumably they will.

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You're right. I did mean 5e but I guess I did say wotc dnd which would include that.

cbwjm said:

You're right. I did mean 5e but I guess I did say wotc dnd which would include that.

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To be honest I wasn’t correcting you. I did think Gobhag was referring to the current edition and it would need work to match 5e. Iirc the powers would be considered underwhelming compared to what the fighter can do now even though back then it was revolutionary. Now fighters have oodles of self-healing, can attack in a blink, can knock people down, do damage even if they miss,

MGibster said:

Game play around D&D revolves around adventuring, ergo it follows the purpose of magic is primarily to support the main activity players are engaging in. This is the primary reason why most settings haven't put a lot of thought into the long term ramifications of certain spells. It doesn't matter because we're here to adventure not worry about nerd stuff like the economy.

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More like around the three pillars of adventuring- combat, social interaction and exploration. Magic can certainly support all three with the right spell or spells. Magic use outside of that is usually in the background. Sometimes it's noticed, but most times it's just implied. As a native to a given setting, you just nod your head and know it's there.

GobHag said:

And your point is a worthless addition, than you very much. Helps me stoke my hate for this Guy At Gym belief of non-magic

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How was it worthless? Every poster, including you, is contributing something to the OP' topic about what a character can do with magic.

TheSword said:

Book of Nine Swords sound right up @GobHag ‘s alley. If I recall it sat on top of the 3e chassis. I’m sure it could be adapted to sit a top 5e as well. Depends if their DM agrees with @GobHag though I guess. If it’s all so reasonable and obvious, presumably they will.

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He might be better off using the combat traditions from Level Up as they are 1) using 5e's chassis and 2) they're the martial equivalent of spells.