Do caster out of combat options matter?

[stoutstien]

I agree with this.

And I again take issue with the framing that this is some sort of failure on the part of the player. There is no "game" without the DM and players, so there is no default assumption that you're going to have a utility spellcaster in the party.

It's so easy for people to say "you don't need a healer in 5E" and "you don't need a tank in 5E".

But the utility caster... all of a sudden you're changing world lore, you're being a burden on the DM, you have no agency!!!!

Im taking a different approach for my WIP and I categorized spells and other effects by their potential impact when they become available. Prevents a GM from reading everything 10x and cross referencing it everything else. (What level can a party start bypassing water based challenges with little/no cost? What level does distance become a inconvenience rather than a barrier?)

This allows having prepacked lists that you can match to theme as quick as just flipping a page.

That and the *big* stuff like potential plane hopping is just not on any class as a feature. Some can do it with less resources or with more accuracy but it's just something you can do if you follow the ritual.