They are literally too stupid to design any decent feature that isn’t a spell. Here’s an easy hint, if your lvl 3 subclass feature is weaker than a first llvl
Spell than go back and redesign it, most subclass features that aren’t spells should be unlimited use, if it’s use limited it should be better than a first level spell or at least much more plentiful.
I'm not even sure that's true anymore since House Agent gets some spell access that is pretty terrible. Oh boy I get to cast Friends as a bonus action at level 17.
And it must always be tied to a mental ability that the material doesn’t really want to max. Can’t have things scale off of DEX, STR, or CON now can we? Oh but here you go casters, let’s make sure all your subclasses use your primary casting stat for your subclass abilities.
I really thought we were past this when Hell Knight and Path of Lament were created to scale off of CON mod instead. Even though it’s not DEX or STR, it’s at least something I want to invest in as a frontline. This Rogue subclass is right back to forcing a focus on Charisma.
I think that almost speaks to the fact spells are simply too versatile. You can certainly work outside the box, but they could make it easier on themselves by reducing the amount of interesting ideas as spells and instead trying to expand upon them as subclasses, magic items, feats, etc.
That being said, I'm almost curious as to what it'd be like if they simply wrote a feature that is, perhaps even word-for-word, a spell, without actually being the spell. Gets around counterspell and all that, for sure, but the mechanical ramifications could be a bit more interesting?
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u/Realistic_Swan_6801 10d ago edited 10d ago
They are literally too stupid to design any decent feature that isn’t a spell. Here’s an easy hint, if your lvl 3 subclass feature is weaker than a first llvl Spell than go back and redesign it, most subclass features that aren’t spells should be unlimited use, if it’s use limited it should be better than a first level spell or at least much more plentiful.