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How Important is Magic to Dungeons and Dragons? - Third Edition vs Fourth Edition
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<blockquote data-quote="Ariosto" data-source="post: 4785450" data-attributes="member: 80487"><p>To the small degree it makes a difference, I'll be focusing here on first-edition Advanced D&D prior to <em>Unearthed Arcana</em>.</p><p></p><p>Basically, dead men earn no XP -- and at low levels, are unlikely to get resurrected. Magic-users tend to end up dead enough more often than fighters for the latter to get (and stay) well ahead in levels.</p><p></p><p>Moving from the original edition (plus supplements) to AD&D, everyone got a boost to average hit points except the magic-user (a.k.a. "wizard" for later-edition players) still stuck with 1 to 4. There was no "maximum HP to start" rule, and it took a constitution of at least 15 to get a bonus. High intelligence was critical in terms of how many (and ultimately what levels of) spells one could learn.</p><p></p><p>With no armor, four (or five, if the DM was generous) pretty random spells in his grimoire, and the ability to cast but one of those a day, a 1st-level m-u was very vulnerable. He might also be quite powerful, if he was lucky enough to have (or acquire) such a spell as <em>charm person</em> or <em>sleep</em>, and <em>magic missile</em> was not only a sure shot but able to affect things untouchable without enchantment -- but dishing it out and taking it were different matters.</p><p></p><p>So, unless they were played with a great combination of skill and luck, low-level magic-users tended to have a notably higher mortality rate than fighters.</p><p></p><p>And it kept on being a challenge. Fighters, thieves (a.k.a. rogues) and even clerics (a.k.a. priests, in 2E) just had their capabilities handed to them upon attaining a new level. A magic-user got the power to cast more spells ... if he could acquire more spells to cast.</p><p></p><p>Beyond one "freebie" per level, that meant purchase from other mages (who of course would charge all the market could bear if they were willing to part with their secrets at all), securing scrolls or books, or engaging in costly, uncertain and time consuming independent research. The latter recourse naturally meant fewer XP-garnering adventures.</p><p></p><p>After all that effort, woe betide the conjurer (or thaumaturgist, theurgist, etc.) deprived of his books! Making back-ups and securing them from mishap and thievery consumed more gold, and time even more precious.</p><p></p><p>Well rested and with books on hand, the master of the mystic arts could replenish his spells. That required a quarter hour per level of spell. For instance, a sorcerer (9th-level m-u) could memorize 4 of 1st, 3 each of 2nd and 3rd, 2 of 4th and 1 of 5th = (4+6+9+8+5)/4 hrs. = 8 hours of preparation. A 25th-level wizard would need 56.25 hours (not including necessary rest) to recover his full allotment -- a far cry from having it as a set of "daily" powers!</p><p></p><p>What to take? A tyro with <em>sleep</em> available is easily tempted to forget that there are other spells, but planning is key to the most effective preparation. Knowledge is indeed power, and an assault on a stronghold of any sort is best preceded by research and reconnaissance.</p><p></p><p>Then there were material components, only occasionally of notable cost to acquire or carry -- but without which the careless caster might find himself embarrassed.</p><p></p><p>It was most definitely not an "easy" class to play!</p><p></p><p>At every level, the greatest peril to a magic-user was posed by others of his profession. Of course, he was also the prime target for every monster with a modicum of intelligence and something nasty to send his way -- and the First Rule of Initiative was, or so it might seem, "Screw the magic-users."</p><p></p><p>After (probably) having a few candidates perish, and then taking time off from adventuring for the survivor to research spells, one might at last get a magic-user to the lofty status of (7th level) enchanter. Even without such delays, a player who likewise has suffered no setbacks and has earned a similar number of XP will have a 6th-level fighter with (on average) almost twice as many hit points.</p><p></p><p>The fighter probably has a magic weapon as well, and maybe enchanted armor. At the next level, he gets 3 melee attacks per 2 rounds versus creatures tougher than normal men. He already gets 6 per round versus lesser foes -- such as the bulk of the world's armies.</p><p></p><p>Just surviving to enchanter is quite an accomplishment, though. Given only average skill and luck, the fellow playing a fighter might well be a 9th-level Lord by then ... and commanding a company of men at arms.</p><p></p><p>(Upon becoming an 11th-level wizard, you can also establish a stronghold. However, followers will not come to you as to a fighter, and the revenue from your territory shall be less.)</p><p></p><p>Unless you were lucky enough to roll an 18, you'll eventually need either to raise your intelligence or stop learning higher-level spells -- or possibly any more at all, except via new research. That is possible via <em>wishes</em> and some other magical means, but not by any mundane method (including gaining levels).</p><p></p><p>One could make scrolls and potions upon attaining 7th level, and other magic items at 12th. This was no simple matter! Eye of basilisk or mind-flayer brain might be among the ingredients, for instance. The process could require weeks or months. Potions further required upkeep of an alchemical laboratory; a smudge could spoil a scroll, requiring even a virgin quill (of griffon plumage or whatever) for a fresh start; and the manufacture of other items was so debilitating as to require (e.g.) 30 days of complete rest after making a <em>helm of telepathy</em>.</p><p></p><p>Still ... woo-hoo!</p><p></p><p>Until some upstart thaumaturgist gets the jump on your enchanter with a 5-die lightning bolt, and you fail the save, and your m-u dies.</p><p></p><p>Of course, by then you've made arrangements to get raised from the dead. If you make your survival roll, that's down one point of constitution and one of your 9 (or whatever your initial score was) "lives". If the roll fails, or you've used the last of your chances at resurrection, then it's all over.</p><p></p><p>Eventually (around 15th level, I think) the fighter starts gaining levels faster in terms of needed XP.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ariosto, post: 4785450, member: 80487"] To the small degree it makes a difference, I'll be focusing here on first-edition Advanced D&D prior to [I]Unearthed Arcana[/I]. Basically, dead men earn no XP -- and at low levels, are unlikely to get resurrected. Magic-users tend to end up dead enough more often than fighters for the latter to get (and stay) well ahead in levels. Moving from the original edition (plus supplements) to AD&D, everyone got a boost to average hit points except the magic-user (a.k.a. "wizard" for later-edition players) still stuck with 1 to 4. There was no "maximum HP to start" rule, and it took a constitution of at least 15 to get a bonus. High intelligence was critical in terms of how many (and ultimately what levels of) spells one could learn. With no armor, four (or five, if the DM was generous) pretty random spells in his grimoire, and the ability to cast but one of those a day, a 1st-level m-u was very vulnerable. He might also be quite powerful, if he was lucky enough to have (or acquire) such a spell as [I]charm person[/I] or [I]sleep[/I], and [I]magic missile[/I] was not only a sure shot but able to affect things untouchable without enchantment -- but dishing it out and taking it were different matters. So, unless they were played with a great combination of skill and luck, low-level magic-users tended to have a notably higher mortality rate than fighters. And it kept on being a challenge. Fighters, thieves (a.k.a. rogues) and even clerics (a.k.a. priests, in 2E) just had their capabilities handed to them upon attaining a new level. A magic-user got the power to cast more spells ... if he could acquire more spells to cast. Beyond one "freebie" per level, that meant purchase from other mages (who of course would charge all the market could bear if they were willing to part with their secrets at all), securing scrolls or books, or engaging in costly, uncertain and time consuming independent research. The latter recourse naturally meant fewer XP-garnering adventures. After all that effort, woe betide the conjurer (or thaumaturgist, theurgist, etc.) deprived of his books! Making back-ups and securing them from mishap and thievery consumed more gold, and time even more precious. Well rested and with books on hand, the master of the mystic arts could replenish his spells. That required a quarter hour per level of spell. For instance, a sorcerer (9th-level m-u) could memorize 4 of 1st, 3 each of 2nd and 3rd, 2 of 4th and 1 of 5th = (4+6+9+8+5)/4 hrs. = 8 hours of preparation. A 25th-level wizard would need 56.25 hours (not including necessary rest) to recover his full allotment -- a far cry from having it as a set of "daily" powers! What to take? A tyro with [I]sleep[/I] available is easily tempted to forget that there are other spells, but planning is key to the most effective preparation. Knowledge is indeed power, and an assault on a stronghold of any sort is best preceded by research and reconnaissance. Then there were material components, only occasionally of notable cost to acquire or carry -- but without which the careless caster might find himself embarrassed. It was most definitely not an "easy" class to play! At every level, the greatest peril to a magic-user was posed by others of his profession. Of course, he was also the prime target for every monster with a modicum of intelligence and something nasty to send his way -- and the First Rule of Initiative was, or so it might seem, "Screw the magic-users." After (probably) having a few candidates perish, and then taking time off from adventuring for the survivor to research spells, one might at last get a magic-user to the lofty status of (7th level) enchanter. Even without such delays, a player who likewise has suffered no setbacks and has earned a similar number of XP will have a 6th-level fighter with (on average) almost twice as many hit points. The fighter probably has a magic weapon as well, and maybe enchanted armor. At the next level, he gets 3 melee attacks per 2 rounds versus creatures tougher than normal men. He already gets 6 per round versus lesser foes -- such as the bulk of the world's armies. Just surviving to enchanter is quite an accomplishment, though. Given only average skill and luck, the fellow playing a fighter might well be a 9th-level Lord by then ... and commanding a company of men at arms. (Upon becoming an 11th-level wizard, you can also establish a stronghold. However, followers will not come to you as to a fighter, and the revenue from your territory shall be less.) Unless you were lucky enough to roll an 18, you'll eventually need either to raise your intelligence or stop learning higher-level spells -- or possibly any more at all, except via new research. That is possible via [i]wishes[/i] and some other magical means, but not by any mundane method (including gaining levels). One could make scrolls and potions upon attaining 7th level, and other magic items at 12th. This was no simple matter! Eye of basilisk or mind-flayer brain might be among the ingredients, for instance. The process could require weeks or months. Potions further required upkeep of an alchemical laboratory; a smudge could spoil a scroll, requiring even a virgin quill (of griffon plumage or whatever) for a fresh start; and the manufacture of other items was so debilitating as to require (e.g.) 30 days of complete rest after making a [I]helm of telepathy[/I]. Still ... woo-hoo! Until some upstart thaumaturgist gets the jump on your enchanter with a 5-die lightning bolt, and you fail the save, and your m-u dies. Of course, by then you've made arrangements to get raised from the dead. If you make your survival roll, that's down one point of constitution and one of your 9 (or whatever your initial score was) "lives". If the roll fails, or you've used the last of your chances at resurrection, then it's all over. Eventually (around 15th level, I think) the fighter starts gaining levels faster in terms of needed XP. [/QUOTE]
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