Arcane Mark?

[Technomancer]

I've always found the D&D magic system tedious, so I've never played magic users and consequently I don't know much about specific spells.

I was looking at the Arcane Mark spell, and I couldn't figure out what the point was. So you can put your personal rune on something, so what? How does that help you? Why would I waste a spell slot on that? Does that do anything for me or give me any benefit?

I saw that it is needed in conjunction with the spell Instant Summons, but that is a 7th level spell, so if I learn Arcane Mark as a low level wizard, what other use do I have for it before I can cast 7th level spells?

Is it supposed to be like one of those stickers that says "Property of..." just to identify something that belongs to me?

 

[sirwmholder]

I seem to recall a long time ago we used Arcane Mark to build reputation... back when wizards were rare and their secrets were kept so closely they most of times took them to the grave. Mainly it is a flavor aspect of roleplaying. Each wizard would create a unique mark that would be almost a warning to other wizards.

For example the party enters a vast chamber with a large stone door at the far end. The dwarven craftsman notices that the stone work is unnaturally smooth. Not wasting anytime the wizard cast detect magic and a strange arcane symbol glows brightly on the stone. Immediately the wizard recognizes the mark as belonging to Ra'Zem an Arch-Mage cast out for performing unnatural and necromantic acts... but that was well over 100 years ago...

/sigh but yes, you could look at it as being a "property of" sticker but if used as a roleplaying device it can build tension and an excellent back story.

Thank you for your time,
Wm. Holder

 

[Sejs]

It serves to tag things or people.

Assassin going around using disguises to get close to their target? Invisible arcane mark lets you know who's who.

Need to find something in a jumble of similar things? If you marked it, it's easy.

Guy about to run away into a crowd? Slap a visible mark on his face. Makes his very identifiable.

Want to mark your progress in a maze? A secret door? Where the traps are? Arcane mark.

You just need to get a little creative.

 

[Li Shenron]

Yep, it's for marking stuff

You can make it visible, such as for navigating a maze with your comrades.

If you make it invisible you probably need to cast Detect Magic to find it.

It might not have too many uses in adventuring, but it's quite creative.