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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Dec 2011 : 00:55:24
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quote:
Markustay
Also, we have dead magic zones, and wild magic zones. These are obviously fluctuations in the Weave (tears and 'snags' of power). This means the field of arcane energy (The Weave) is also necessary for the magic to work. Even in another Crystal Sphere, one must assume some version of this exists.
Although generally true, this is not a universal constant. There are examples of some things - certain spells, many artifacts, some mythals and mythallars - continuing to function when exposed to Weave-failure or immersed within dead-magic zones. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2011 : 06:43:52
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| Marcus, the "cut off from magic" thing you're thinking of is Laeral's Crowning Touch, a bonus 9th level spell that Chosen (and only Chosen) can cast. It lasts a year and a day, and each time the person casts a spell, it drains as many levels as the spell has, permanently. So a 14th level wizard casting a 3rd level spell suddenly becomes an 11th level wizard. There's no saving throw, but it's only used against those who had transgressed greatly against Mystra. See page 11 of The Seven Sisters for more details. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 25 Dec 2011 : 05:16:52
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| Now that we have access to the 3e sorcerer, there is one place I've added them. I think it makes a lot more sense for someone who gained the "become a wizard" power from The Great Elixir (from Volo's Guide to All Things Magical) to actually become a sorcerer. That sort of casting-innately-but-has-no-clue-how-he's-doing-it is exactly what I'd expect someone who got that lucky from the potion to be, and that's exactly what the sorcerer provides. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 25 Dec 2011 : 06:35:07
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There are mechanisms other than the risky great elixir which can effectively turn any character into a wizard/sorceror. The most straightforward might be a properly worded wish.
The "Innate Talents" described in the same Volo's Guide would probably be better treated as sorcerors than wizards. Phaerimm could also be sorcerors. Elementals and Djinns and genasi (and the erudite peoples of exotic Zakhara) could practice sorcery. For that matter, even the strange magics practiced in faraway fantastic Halruaa (or Kara-Tur, or Maztica, or wherever) could be sorcery. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2011 : 02:52:20
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Sha'ir ARE sorcerers. 
My own variant (the Mage) was base a lot upon Sha'ir (spells were received from the bound familiar). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2011 : 03:19:20
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No, sha'ir are incompetents, completely unplayable past the first few levels (during which they're darn close to broken).
Ugh. I love al'Qadim, but I absolutely loathe the sha'irs. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2011 : 16:21:52
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I never ran Al-Qadim, nor played in it, but it has a lot to offer. The Sha'ir aren't perfect, but with a little tweaking they can be an interesting (and playable) class.
Like I said, I had invented my own 'Sorcerer' class years before 3e, and simply called it 'Mage' (it actually had different regional names, and had regional abilities to go with it, so it was what I refer to as a 'dynamic class').
I was going to use some of that in my Kara-Tur netbook - which never saw the light of day - for a 'natural caster' class, which would lump things like Shaman, Witchdoctors, Hedge Mages & 'Wise Women', Witches & warlocks (NOT 3e warlocks), and even things like Fey and Elves (certain races, I feel, should have a little bit of 'natural talent'), into one class, with regional and racial variants. A large part of that were familiars, which could be very different from what we normally think of as familiars in D&D - spirit guides, animal companions, extra-planer minions (taking animal form), etc... even sentient artifacts.
See this HB class - I only found it yesterday, and it is very similar to what I was planning with the 'Natural Talent Mage'. Basically, the person has 'innate ability', but has no access to a spellbook, so must get spells from familiars, which could take on various forms. My hope was to eventually build the class into an umbrella class that would include things like Druids and rangers.
As another reference, the magic performed by Elric in the Stormbringer (Michael Moorcock) novels works in a similar fashion - you must make pacts with planer beings in order to use the more powerful spells and rituals.
My philosophy is/was that wizards receive some sort of formal training, weather it be a 'College of magic', a grumpy old Wizard they are apprenticed to, or just some tome they discovered in a lost crypt. Mages, on the other hand, can do simple things automatically (like cantrips), and must deal with other creatures to learn more.
In most fantasy stories, where you have the 'bright young hope' versus the 'evil old master', I feel you have this 'learned vs inborn' dichotomy going on - something I think Ed made great use of in his games (IMO). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 28 Dec 2011 16:24:11 |
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Sorcery in YOUR Realms.
