| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Lucius |
Posted - 29 Mar 2005 : 15:37:17
What do you think opf the high magic in the Realms? I'm talking about floating wizard cities, and the magic bridge of Silverymoon's standard of high magic.
Do you see the Realms as high magic? For some reason, I like to tone down the magic somewhat, having the NPC's be remembered for their characters, instead of that enchanted blade they carried. ;)
Although powerful mages do exist in my games, I still like to think of magic as a wonderous thing, rather than an everyday tool.
What do you think? |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Taelohn |
Posted - 30 Mar 2005 : 19:55:57
I think the magic in the world - things like the moon bridge, the mythals, or the floating cities - is a big part of what defines the setting. Day-to-day magic is not as rampant as it would be in the days of Netheril, or when elven high mages were more common, but it does add a sense of wonder.
Powerful magic-wielding characters, too, are important. Faerun is probably better known for its ancient, mighty archmages than for its other inhabitants.
For magic items, though... I agree they can get overused. I'll take a few unique, memorable items over a set that decks a character out like a christmas tree anyday.
Sure, you might be able to add a +6 enhancement bonus to every ability score... but do you need to? That's a lot of gold wasted when someone just decides to disjunction or sunder those items (and an intelligent foe is liable to recognize the myriad doodads his foe as wearing as being a big source of their power).
It's one thing if you know you're going need all the power you can get (the Simbul donning all manner of magical items before traveling to Hell, for instance), but in general, characters can seem more impressive when they don't need to rely on items so much (the Simbul just wearing a tattered robe and little else). You don't see Elminster wearing a circlet to boost his Intelligence score, and Raistlin (of Krynn) considered items like that to be "a crutch for weaker wizards".
It's all about style.  |
| Sigonan |
Posted - 30 Mar 2005 : 10:31:37
Greetings to all!
Lucius, FR is a high magic setting...However, in a world so large with so many inhabitants, it is possible that some people have not heard about magic (except perhaps by rumours...).
You see, you must take into accounta that there are no telephones, no internet and thus any information related to wonders and "magic" of any sort are unreliable at best. You could also treat magic as today's scientific knowledge that has not been officially developed yet. In other words, you could keep magic hidden from the eyes of players, just because they don't happen to see it! I believe it makes a good trick. |
| Mareka |
Posted - 30 Mar 2005 : 02:04:00
In 3E, the power level of PCs is partially measured by their wealth, which is in turn based on how many magic items they have. Some players and DMs find the wealth/magic level to be too high. Once a party reaches mid-level, the magic item allocation becomes a bit ridiculous. I can see toning this down, somewhat.
High magic in the setting itself, the moon bridge for example, makes the world more wondrous. I wouldn't want to portray the Realms as an equivalent to medieval earth. Although the medieval to renaissance time periods make good references, Faerun is a fantasy setting. There probably shouldn't be some awe inspiring magic on every street corner, but sights that make the world unique have a place in my campaign. |
| Weiser_Cain |
Posted - 30 Mar 2005 : 00:16:43
FR is a high magic world. Magic should be an everyday thing to mages and clerics. I don't think that take away from a story since there is a story behind every magical act or artifact. I see magic as an addition to the story. I mean you might as well be reading/playing an action-adventure or a western or something. It's part of the fantasy. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 29 Mar 2005 : 16:21:05
quote:
Originally posted by Lucius
What do you think opf the high magic in the Realms? I'm talking about floating wizard cities, and the magic bridge of Silverymoon's standard of high magic.
Do you see the Realms as high magic? For some reason, I like to tone down the magic somewhat, having the NPC's be remembered for their characters, instead of that enchanted blade they carried. ;)
Although powerful mages do exist in my games, I still like to think of magic as a wonderous thing, rather than an everyday tool.
What do you think?
The complaint that there is too much magic or too powerful magic in the Realms is a complaint I've heard before. If you wish to tone down the magic, by all means do so. What exactly do you feel magic wise is inhibiting your game?
I think what NPCs are remembered for comes down to the DM more than anything else. She/He sets the tone of the game. If you have an NPC with a +5 Decapitating Moonblade of Death that is used to save the PCs in dramatic fashion as they take on an orc army, chances are the magical item will overwhelm anything else to do with the NPC.
Compare that to a mysterious NPC in a game that provides vital information at different times when the PCs need it and somehow knows details about their backgrounds. In that situation, the PCs might start to be much more interested in the NPC's own background, motivations, personality as they attempt to determine what the link is that exists between them and the NPC.
Just my two cents.
SB |
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