D&D 5E How much magic do you have in your game?

[Nitrosaur]

I voted 5th, the upper end of Tier 2. It would be the most powerful of the common magic of the NPCs. The royal mage, the town head priest, those kinds of folks. Level 6 and up I consider high magic because of the limits to arcane recovery and font of magic, warlocks getting mystic arcanum instead of spell slots beyond that point and half-casters capping at 5th, so those who can cast those spells are above the regular folk that work with magic as a profession.

I also envision it that way because I see the NPCs more in terms of CR than level, NPCs CR 9 and up are named individuals and renowned heroes, but people below that threshold are the elites of theur respective towns (specially between CR 3 and CR 5), and up to 5th level spells things work out within that frame. A mage from the MM is just CR 6, and those pack Fireball and Cone of Cold, but are only just barely above say, a troll or a hill giant in terms of power. I don't find a problem with a couple of casters of that level in town when there is a whole family of hill giants up on the mours, the settlements in my setting need people of that level to hang on (and not just casters, strong martial also tend to cap at that point).

 

[steeldragons]

It was a tough call between 3rd and 4th (I went with 4th). In my world, casters aren't necessarily a rare thing in certain places. There are large academies of arcane magic, a continent-wide guild with halls/towers for use (by those willing to pay the dues) in large population centers, temples of the gods with various orders and followers spread across the world - from lone shrine-keepers to cloistered orders (abbeys, monasteries, priories, etc...) to cathedrals and massive basilica.

I will note here that not all members of a religious order or priestly hierarchy are full spell-wielding "clerics." Though many in the upper eschellons are. But all clerics are attached to some deity's religion/order.

There is a continent-wide druid organization keeping watch of the esoteric Balance and the affairs of Men. There are various organizations (some secret, some not-so) of magic-workers of different kinds, master mages tutoring apprentices in the "old style" of teaching/passing on magic study, researchers in a mage-ruled realm -alchemists, magic item makers, new spell creators, etc..., and, of course, player characters and established world NPCs.

So, magic USE isn't necessarily all that uncommon.

There are the typical ages upon ages of empires, realms, and peoples that have risen and fallen, some more interested in magic than others, some very specific in their areas of expertise (I have an old nation of serpent-demon worshipers, who were bio-magically altered and experts with magically imbuing living creatures and plants, fungi for their purposes. Basilisks, medusae, and other creatures remain in the world because of them. Another "lost/fallen/ancient empire" created massive Colossal constructs. Any hope of producing anything beyond a basic golem or simple animated suit of armor, like say a gargoyle, you'd better find some research, writings and materials, from that ancient land. And so on.

So there are many items from the world's past. There is a slate of known items from various points of history: certain weapons, magic swords, staffs of great wizards, and the like, that might be in the possession of some known person and some that aren't or "got lost." Gnomes are known to produce a good deal of potions, some elvish items, and that mage-ruled wizard-nation produce some simple items or minor enchanted weapons in which they trade.

Magical scrolls are pretty common place. Potions can be found in most medium or larger settlements...the odd traveling salesman or lone alchemist conducting their research. But you're not going to find a "wand of your choice" or random "chachka of useful magic" in the general corner store or a flaming sword +3 that speaks five languages that just so happens to be in the farming village you strolled into.

Things are available or you can go out and try to find them. Flat out buying something or paying a wizard to enchant items for you is going to be difficult to come by anywhere other than major metropolitan areas, and isn't going to be cheap.

In the world, you're going to find casters. People will use what utilitarian magic they find access to. But, if you think about it, even someone who can turn invisible or entrap people in conjured webs (both only 2nd level spells) is pretty effin' powerful among the "common folk." Throwing around fireballs and dispelling other mage's magic is the "real power" level that most non-adventuring mage or priest is going to attain.

So, that's why I went with 4th. You're going to need to find a really ambitious or very accomplished, like someone who would be administrating a guild tower or teaching at an arcane academy, or a remarkable hero (or villain) to be reaching into that level. Once you get into 5th level spells, you're on the "world altering" level - teleporting, raising dead (not just "animating corpses"), it's BIG stuff. So, I'm saying "4th" is where "real impressive power" is going to start in the campaign world.

 

[Charlaquin]

Powerful is relative. What’s powerful to your average commoner might be trivial to one learned in the magical arts.

 

[tetrasodium]

Also a good number of spells I have replicated through means other than just casting them. Wall of stone might be a 5th level spell, but a construction company could absolutely replicate it over hours or days depending on size through ritual, inconvenient components (like several hundred pounds of stone!), & likely magewrights specialized in that.

 

[aco175]

I picked 7th level thinking the poll was to the PCs not to the common man. 7th level spellcasting is about the highest the PCs get before retiring, so that still leaves some room for another party to put them in their place is needed.

 

[Lanefan]

Other.

The answer is entirely context-dependent and thus changes from situation to situation.

In some situations even a 1st-level spell might be seen as powerful. Put half a village of Kobolds to sleep with one spell? Now that's power!

In others, a 7th-level spell might be seen as so-what. "Huh - is that the best you got? That's not a spell - this is a spell!" (unleashes a Wish or three...)

Wish is powerful. After that, there's no clear answer.

 

[guachi]

I chose 3rd. Fifth level characters are quite powerful no matter the class - third level spells and two attacks per round.

My first long 5e campaign had slow advancement and as the PCs hit 5th level their power level ramped up considerably.

 

[Maxperson]

I voted 6th level. Low level is 1-3, mid level is 4-6, high level is 7-9. However, at 6th level is when spells start feeling powerful to me. 5th level are strong, but not generally at the powerful mark. Generally 6th level spells feel powerful.

 

[jgsugden]

Low level magic is not terribly uncommon, but 3rd level and above magic is special.

In my homebrew, I have a concept called 'God-touched'. They're the being that get to roll death saves and learn class levels at the rate of a PC. A human that was not God-touched might spend their entire life studying magic to become a 5th level wizard. An elf that spent 1000 years might reach 9th level. It often takes a decade or more to earn your first class level if you're not God touched, and each subsequent level is increasingly more difficult.

As such, high level magic is rare, as are magic items of rare, very rare or legendary rarity. However, common and uncommon magical items are not all that uncommon.

I have hundreds of non-combat common magic items that the wealthy would want to acquire, from Earrings of Message (yes, inspired by Critical Role) to Vibrating Wands, to Rings of Unseen Servant. They have more value to a nobleman than to an adventurer, but they are often found in treasures and can be ordered from any spellcasting guild. In terms of uncommon items, they appear here and there, and the ones in the DMG are well known enough that you can find a way to track one down in major cities. Even a medium sized city (5K beings) will likely have merchant that connects people to magical items for a price.

It is not uncommon for a farming family to send their child to work for a nearby wizard in exchange for training the child to do some rudimentary magic that would allow them to serve the farm (Prestidigitation, Mold Earth, Mending, Unseen Servant, Sleep, Comprehend Languages, Illusory Script, Alarm, and Find Familiar turn the scrawny kid into the farm MVP). However, they likely sent that child off at age 8 and the child did not return for 2 to 3 decades.

 

[Ath-kethin]

In my games, common people are terrified of magic. Like Conan the Cimmerian, most people understand swords and daggers and spears, and can appreciate the artistry and training of a person more skilled than other. But magic of any kind is just beyond their ken and is therefore not to be trusted.

A great illustration of this approach is the Magic Initiate feat. A company of soldiers able to cast Magic Missile or, worse, Eldritch Blast, would be a true terror on the battlefield. Never mind a company of warriors able to heal or conjure illusions.

So in my campaigns, the ability to cast cantrips is a terrifying level of magic power. In the real world, many people fear and distrust those who can do math problem in their head; could you imagine the fear of those who can work actual miracles?