Why wouldn't Someone Learn Magic...

[mhacdebhandia]

In a world where magic really does exist, and can do the things it does in D&D, why would someone ever choose not to learn how to cast spells? Even just one level... For everyday purposes some of the 0th level spells seem pretty darn handy.

It almost seems like not learning to cast spells would be the equivalent of not learning to read...

Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to perform emergency first aid? Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to fix their own car? Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to to play the guitar and write their own songs?

Some people just don't have the aptitude for or interest in even the most useful or impressive things.

Why must magic be any different?

 

[Whisper72]

Well, naturally things somewhat depend on how you structure your world's social and economic side as well as the mentality of 'typical' mages in your world, but several explenations come to mind:

Just like real school, learnign magic costs money. Look at the cost of a single first level spell, to get a scroll to 'learn' it. Combine this with (generalizing a bit and making some assumptions) the idea that in most medievel societies the difference between the haves and the have nots was pretty darn big, and those who were poor were really dirt poor, needing to work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day all year long just to get by. Learning magic also costs a lot of time. Unproductive time.

Furthermore, there is the matter of logistics. How many mages are there? How much time are they willing to spend to teach others?

Also, why should they? It infringes on their 'monopoly' through which they can charge those exorbitantly high prices for their services.

Also, depending upon your world's way of handling magic, in most novels, magic is also scary stuff. If you mess up you die or go mad.

Furthermore, intelligence can be a real issue. Ever look around you and realize how DUMB most people out there are? The vast majority of the NPC's prolly do not have the requisite intelligence to understand even the most basic concepts of magic. Compare it to rocket science, philosphy, religion, nuclear physics, medicine, quantum physics and relativity theory thrown all together to understand all aspects needed to understand the principles, cast and cause the right effect for spells adequately.

 

[werk]

Why wouldn't Someone Learn Magic...

Because their casting stat isn't high enough?

Why isn't every human a doctor? I mean, there are doctors in the world, it is a prestigious occupation, they help people, and make a lot of money. Why wouldn't everyone be a doctor?


(as others have said)

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Actually thinking about it, it's a bit different...

Learning how to be a plumber or auto repair is a trade that allows you to do just what it says...

But magic I see more as say, a computer.

You don't have to be a computer programer to use a computer...

You don't need to be a computer programmer to use Windows. It helps to know computers to troubleshoot it.

You certainly needed to know computers to use many of the older, less user-friendly models.

Magic isn't user friendly. I think learning to read a scroll is like learning C. And I'd like to point out that reading a scroll requires Spellcraft, and actually doing anything with it also requires class levels.

Magic items that can be used by any character class are user-friendly; and are expensive like Cray IIs. I don't see how a commoner who earns a gold piece per week can expect to afford even a useful Widget of Cure Disease.

 

[cybertalus]

But magic I see more as say, a computer.

You don't have to be a computer programer to use a computer... And pretty much every area in life is being influenced by computers...

Seems like magic would be the same, with knowledge of at least low level spells being all but essential since they make so many tasks so much quicker/easier and therefore more proffitable...

Spellcasting doesn't come with a WYSIWYG three-button mouse point-and-click interface.

Spellcasting is more like programming. In raw binary. With your only source of knowledge about how to do it being some half-crazy old man who'll show you a few basics and then leave you on your own to figure out the rest.

 

[Stone Dog]

Spellcasting doesn't come with a WYSIWYG three-button mouse point-and-click interface.

Spellcasting is more like programming. In raw binary. With your only source of knowledge about how to do it being some half-crazy old man who'll show you a few basics and then leave you on your own to figure out the rest.

Exactly. Simply using a magical item can be like using a computer. "Oh look! I put these shoes on and I can run like the wind! Amazing!" or "This box lets me do my taxes at home! Whoo hoo!" Actually WIELDING magic is like PROGRAMMING. Hard dedicated work that takes serious intelligence and talent.

 

[Andor]

Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to perform emergency first aid? Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to fix their own car? Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to to play the guitar and write their own songs?

Some people just don't have the aptitude for or interest in even the most useful or impressive things.

Why must magic be any different?

Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to perform emergency first aid?

I have no idea. I consider this to be a basic skill to qualify as a member of society. In particular any parent not familiar with emercency first aid should be charged with criminal child endangerment.

Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to fix their own car?

Money. If you can earn more money working than you can pay to have your car fixed in the same period of time, it's a waste of time and money for you to be able to perform more than the most basic roadside repairs, or to do them yourself. Also most modern car need specialzied equipment to analyze and repair. Few people can afford to pay a few thousand dollars for a diagnostic device they will only use once or twice in the life of a car. If you can't perform home repair work without an untenable upfront cost, why bother to learn how?

Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to to play the guitar and write their own songs?

I don't see how this one belongs with the rest. Playing a guitar requires a massive investment of time and energy for what amounts to a hobby. Furthermore aptitude is a real worry wrt music as some people have no sense of pitch or rhythm. Music is enjoyable but not helpful in day to day work generally.

Magic is incredibly powerful and useful, even 0 level spells like ghostlight or pretidigitation.

OTOH Most magic in D&D is used to kill things. Aside from a few spells like Prestidigitation and unseen servent few arcane spells have any use outside of combat. Perhaps asking why most people do not learn magic, is like asking why most people do not learn to fire RPGs or drive Tanks. Hmm.. I think I'm going to go start a poll.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

Rtfm!

All very interesting ideas but . . . they are in conflict with the RAW!

By the RAW, the barbarian is the only class which has illiteracy as a class feature.

By the RAW, it takes an Intelligence of 10, a Charisma of 10, or a Wisdom of 10 to learn and cast spells and to take a level in a spellcasting class.

By the RAW, adding a level in another class does not take seven years or some such.

By the RAW, there is no special talent, aptitude, or destiny required to learn spells.

I agree on a personal level with most of the ideas posted, however they still confict with the RAW. In answer to the OP, opportunity is the only logical explanation as to why wouldn't anyone learn spells in the D&D 3.5 system.

That being the case, one has to wonder 'why doesn't every class have the ability to cast Cantrips or Orisons?'

FWIW in the real world, it is quite common in traditional societies for everyday people to "cast cantrips or orison." We in the West call this 'superstion.' But if you look closely you'll see that these traditional peoples use verbal, somatic, and material components. And oftentimes will use a focus (holy symbol, talisman), etc. Why wouldn't "superstition" be in fact real magic, albeit level 0 in a fantasy world?

 

[loki44]

In a world where magic really does exist, and can do the things it does in D&D, why would someone ever choose not to learn how to cast spells?

Because they burn witches.

 

[Janx]

Why would someone ever choose not to learn how to to play the guitar and write their own songs?

I don't see how this one belongs with the rest. Playing a guitar requires a massive investment of time and energy for what amounts to a hobby. Furthermore aptitude is a real worry wrt music as some people have no sense of pitch or rhythm. Music is enjoyable but not helpful in day to day work generally.

Uh, I've been teaching myself to play guitar. It's actually quite easy. And I have no sense of rythm or pitch. I can teach you to play Green Day's When I come around in about 10 minutes. My guitar cost $300, my amp cost $100. You can get started for under $200 if you hunt the pawn shops. It may take some time to get really good at it, but it doesn't take a huge investment of time or money.

All in all, its a very good point that if it were easy to do, everybody would have 0th level spells. It'd be dumb not to. But despite the RAW not saying you can't there is one obvious place where it has been prevented. The fact that most of the classes do NOT have any 0th level spells implies that something prevents it. Ultimately, you'll have to make up an explanation as to why, if you do not change the RAW.

It's also a good point that in the real world, folks who do little "superstitious" stuff are effectively trying to cast 0th level spells. It might be pretty cool to have a world where all the characters can do that (or a large subset, like old wives tale stuff).

I don't know why some people don't learn some skills. I know a wide variety of skills, such as programming, driving, fighting, shooting, guitar playing, reading, first aid, woodworking, metalworking, leatherworking, hunting, trapping, fishing, navigating, rope use and many other stuff.