Not when we're discussing whether or not they're mathematicians! I mean, bees build their hives by doing maths without knowing it, but bees aren't mathematicians.
D&D General D&D, magic, and the mundane medieval
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Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
A few cantrips does not make you a spellcaster. You need caster levels.
From the Epic Heroism playstyle.
"Spellcasters using this system can afford to burn through spell slots quickly, especially at higher levels. Consider allowing spellcasters to restore expended spell slots equal to only half their maximum spell slots (rounded down) at the end of a long rest, and to limit spell slots restored to 5th level or lower. Only a full 8-hour rest will allow a spellcaster to restore all spell slots and to regain spell slots of 6th level or higher."
From Varian: Spell Points - DMG page 288
"The number of spell points you have to spend is based on your level as a spellcaster, as shown in the Spell Points by Level table. Your level also determines the maximum-level spell slot you can create. Even though you might have enough points to create a slot above this maximum, you can't do so."
From Levels 5-10: Heroes of the Realm - DMG -page 37
"Dedicated spellcasters learn 3rd-level spells at the start of this tier. Suddenly characters can fly, damage large numbers of foes with fireball and lightning bolt spells, and even breathe underwater."
Further mentions of spellcasters and levels in the Masters of the Realm and Masters of the World sections.
Challenge Rating - DMG page 82
"For example, a rakshasa has a challenge rating of 13 and is immune to spells of 6th level and lower. Spellcasters of 12th level or lower have no spells higher than 6th level, meaning that they won't be able to affect the rakshasa with their magic, putting the adventurers at a serious disadvantage."
Almost every instance I found in the PHB and DMG are refer to spellcasters and levels of casting ability in some form.
Even if you do count cantrips, that leaves only PCs as the default people that can take the magic initiate feat and get cantrips. Some rare NPCs at the DMs discretion if he engages that DMG option. The general populace has no access to feats.
1st level is a fresh PhD. You haven't been published much or at all. No discoveries, great or small. No Nobel prizes.
There are a lot of options. From wizards are limited to PCs so one in millions, to there are mages that do magic that is far more limited than what a 1st level wizard can do, to there's a wizard on every corner.
I disagree that even wizards being relatively common (if lower level) would change all that much in ways that it ways that would fundamentally change society.
Let's say there are mage farmers. Cool. Their farms are more productive, but there's still a lot of things that are labor intensive or require more specific skills that need something more than a mindless servant.
I've never played a campaign that had enough fidelity that I could have told you how close it was to emulating medieval society. Largely because I admit I have little or no idea what it would look like. Would we really want, need or even recognize an accurate depiction?
I disagree that even wizards being relatively common (if lower level) would change all that much in ways that it ways that would fundamentally change society.
Let's say there are mage farmers. Cool. Their farms are more productive, but there's still a lot of things that are labor intensive or require more specific skills that need something more than a mindless servant.
I've never played a campaign that had enough fidelity that I could have told you how close it was to emulating medieval society. Largely because I admit I have little or no idea what it would look like. Would we really want, need or even recognize an accurate depiction?
Zubatcarteira
Now you're infected by the Musical Doodle
In the attunement section of the DMG, it mentions that items that require you to be a spellcaster work as long as you can cast any spells at all, not just with having the spellcasting trait:
So spellcaster can reasonably be just anyone who can cast a spell with a feat or racial trait.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
This, but also who cares!?
This nitpicking over precise wording that these threads always devolve into is utterly without value.
Someone uses physics as an analogy for spellcraft, and several pages later we are embroiled in a debate about what exactly a given level of math translates to in spellcraft. To what end?
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
@Maxperson I’m not engaging further on this with you. Please don’t reply to me on this topic anymore.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
You don't have to care or use it, but some people want something to base their decisions on, so the answer to the question "to what end?" is so that people can formulate a baseline.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
Sure, baselines help, but that is better reached by not pedantically arguing about specific language of an analogy, and instead asking each other for clarification of what is meant to be conveyed.
Like, the question is “how common is the use of spells by people”. I don’t care where the line between one definition of spellcaster and another is.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
Yes, you don't care about the commonality of spell use, but others do. Forming a baseline helps them with their world building. If you don't find it useful, just skip past the post, I do that all the time when a thread is generally interesting but some specifics are not.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
That is directly contradictory to what I just said, and have been saying. I don’t care about which term someone else uses to refer to a given group of “people who can cast one or more spells”.
You have entirely misunderstood the entire discussion you are lecturing me about, and my part in it.
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