Unless there's an additional set of rules for wild magic somewhere, which I doubt, the answer appears to be no. We've got the entire wild magic subclass here, and none of it allows a wild mage to intentionally trigger a surge. I'd say that's intentional, too. They were quite careful to ensure that wild surges never happen without the DM's active participation.
D&D 5E I can haz WILD MAGE and the first DRAGONBORN art?
- Thread starter Morrus
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Unless there's an additional set of rules for wild magic somewhere, which I doubt, the answer appears to be no. We've got the entire wild magic subclass here, and none of it allows a wild mage to intentionally trigger a surge. I'd say that's intentional, too. They were quite careful to ensure that wild surges never happen without the DM's active participation.
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Because the people who play wild mages expect to experience the defining
ing feature of their class.Part of the defining feature of their class is that it happens when the DM says it does. If it was supposed to happen every time, it would say so. Are the DM's plans so fragile that a wild surge happening ever will derail them?Because the people who play wild mages expect to experience the defining
Personally, I'm really liking the DM-control aspect. I'm already plotting to add Lords of Chaos to my cosmology, who use wild magic as a way to exert influence in the mortal plane. Every wild mage is born under the influence of a Chaos Lord, and your surges go off when it would further the Chaos Lord's aims. When the surges summon creatures, those creatures are manifestations of the Chaos Lord. And when you get sent to the Astral Plane... things can get interesting.
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jbear
First Post
Because the people who play wild mages expect to experience the defining
I know it is hard to tell on the internet sometimes but the four smiley faces before the -ing seem to suggest you are getting agitated. Maybe time to put into perspective that its just one sub class of one class option of a game. You don't like the mechanic for your own reasons, others disagree with your point of view. It's all good.
Keep in mind that even in the absence of a wild surge effect, it remains a defining part of that character, for that player and for the group.
Say we imagine a Wild Mage fumbles an athletics roll climbing a cliff and uses Tides of Chaos to roll again which succeeds:
In play fighter companion makes a comment as the sorceror almost slips and falls to his death but instead hangs on by one hand long enough to find another purchase.
Fighter: Oh no ... Wild Guy is getting lucky again. Keep your distance when he starts chucking his fireballs about.
Halfling nods and makes some other smart comment. They climb to the top and are met by a cave troll. Sorceror whips out a lightning spell and zaps the troll to take it down. Player has no idea if a surge of chaos will ensue. Character has no idea if a surge of chaos will ensue. Fellow Players also have no idea, but the danger, although low, is real. They look momentarily towards the DM who ... smiles evilly, picks up the d10 ... then the d100 and then very very slowly puts them back on the table and narrates the effect of the lighning bolt. Players breath a sigh of relief.
In game:
Lighting bolt goes off toasting the troll. Fighter and halfling leap to the ground behind a rock more worried about the sorceror exploding than the troll anymore. The sorceror takes a deep breath ... and nothing happens. Fighter and halfling peep out from behind the rock and smile. They move to search the stinky troll while the sorceror has a sit down to calm his nerves.
It's not unlike the concept of negative space in art. It is the negative space around an object that helps defines the shape of the object itself. When the DM does invoke chaos it is all the more chaotic as players never know if or when it will manifest. (and mechanically the DM gets to decide when is a good moment to see if the Sorceror burns or goes bald which alleviates any possible issues)
An idea to deal with a fireball going off at level 1: Fireball is deals 8d6 dmg at 3rd. So you could reduce it to 6d6 if set off by a second level spell, 4d6 if set off by a 1st level spell (until players can cast 3rd level spells). Still significant chance of taking out the party depending on the roll and saves but also a decent chance to survive. At higher levels the problem pretty much goes away: at lvl 14 you roll on the table twice, so the chance you would roll the same precentage must be tiny. In all likely hood you are probably going to choose the other effect you rolled if a fireball going off is going to hurt your allies.
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Nellisir
Hero
That would seem to undermine the concept of "wild" magic. However, you could use Tides of Chaos and then poke the DM. That should work.
The rules totally support this (in any game you DM)!!
Sword of Spirit
Legend
Since the PHB will be out early in select stores in a week, hopefully someone lucky enough to get an early copy will be able to let us know if there is anything more in there about DMs and wild surges.
Wormwood
Adventurer
Just posting this for some historical perspective
From Tome of Magic, 1991
From Tome of Magic, 1991
Finally, not even the randomness of wild surges should be allowed to ruin the story of an adventure. As ultimate storyteller and arbiter of the game, the DM can overrule any wild surge he deems too destructive to the adventure. If this happens, reroll the dice to get a new result. In a case such as this, do not treat a wild surge as having no effect.
Clearly, wild mages are a risky proposition. Not every player will want to play a wild mage; not every party will want a wild mage. The DM should not add benefits to the wild mage, hoping to the make the class more "attractive" to his players. Players who like wild mages will play them without bribery. They will find the uncertainty and randomness of wild mages irresistible; these are the players for whom the wild mage was created.
Clearly, wild mages are a risky proposition. Not every player will want to play a wild mage; not every party will want a wild mage. The DM should not add benefits to the wild mage, hoping to the make the class more "attractive" to his players. Players who like wild mages will play them without bribery. They will find the uncertainty and randomness of wild mages irresistible; these are the players for whom the wild mage was created.
Kobold Avenger
Legend
I'm pretty sure there will be some alternate Wild Surge tables in no time. Once Dragon articles come back and other interested parties emerge, a bunch of alternate Wild Surge tables are sure to come out. After all there needs to be something like: "An enraged giraffe bursts out of the ground carried by a mob of purple monkeys..."
Li Shenron
Legend
I see myself as a fairly similar DM, but I do like this case, assuming it really is a "DM can" case.
It makes every group where someone chooses to play a Wild Mage, stop for a couple of minutes and talk it over about what to expect, then agree on the level of randomness that this PC should bring into the game.
If the PHB said a fixed amount, certainly having a default would make it easier in a certain way, but would probably just split the gaming group between those who are in favor vs those who are against the character being in the game. Leaving it totally open for the group means there's a much higher chance that a compromise can be found so that the PC is accepted by everyone.
Most importantly, note that "DM can" actually includes the option of never rolling on the wild magic table!! So if no one wants those random effects, you can play a Wild Mage that never causes any havoc to the game. And the character is still balanced, because those subclass benefits are quite reasonable even without the random effects. Those random effects include both beneficial and negative consequences, so even if the overall unpredictability is for someone a price to pay, the consequences may even out (although extreme consequences may be disruptive both when positive and negative).
There is no solution to this that would fit in a PHB.
It's meant to be just a series of examples. After a few adventures, you're supposed to make up your own, e.g. pick the first book you see, open a random page, point your finger and that's what happens (be it a spell, monster, or whatever).
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