Is "A Wizard Did It" Acceptable Worldbuiling?

[FrozenNorth]

Why not?

Because everyone knows a large number of archmages is called a fluster, not a council. Duh!

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I imagine the numbers of serious games/worlds is vanishingly small then...

It's been on a steady decline for decades.

 

[Tallifer]

In my game, there is a chance a wizard did it, but it is more likely that the gods, demons, primordials, dragons, conjunction of a million spheres, strange rays from outer space, dreams, cracks in reality, living magical energy, technology from before the universe began, magic from before the universe began, mutations, celestial toymaker, Q or Atlanteans did it.

 

[Mallus]

It's been on a steady decline for decades.

When do you think it peaked?

Recall that we started with the likes of Blackmoor, Glorantha, Tékumel, and, for that matter, the Forgotten Realms.

 

[Bacon Bits]

I think a dungeon has to pass the refrigerator test.

It only has to be believable in the moment. If the PCs get home and say, "Hang on. How did a dragon get in there?" then it's too late. It already worked.

 

[Hoffmand]

If a wizard did it, I'd want to be able to say which wizard, and what their motivation was. Even 'madness' has motivation: paranoia, rage, homicidal pleasure, etc. (Of course none of these have much relation to real mental health problems.)
"Oh, that's an owl-bear. You'll find a lot of chimeric creatures around here, from when old Archmage Halitosus Flemfromage used to live up in the castle. He was experimenting with combining unrelated biologies. The fish-squids in the lake are edible, but watch out for spiderbats."

It was the wizard in the dark tower with a cauldron

 

[prabe]

It was the wizard in the dark tower with a cauldron

No, it was the other wizard, in the other dark tower, with a big pot.

 

[Maxperson]

No, it was the other wizard, in the other dark tower, with a big pot.

A bit off topic, but I loved the old Dark Tower game.

 

[Fenris-77]

No, it was the other wizard, in the other dark tower, with a big pot.

Obviously, it was Elminster in the library with a wrench. Sheesh.

 

[Maxperson]

Obviously, it was Elminster in the library with a wrench. Sheesh.

I don't think there's an R in wench.