D&D General What do do when a setting doesn't have magic?
The Mirrorball Man
Aventurier
That’s nine whole classes you can’t play out of twelve.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Well, without magic you are limited to what classes?
Bard (Maybe. Without spells their Inspiration could really be a non-magical ability. They have expertise in skills and some of the subclasses get Extra Attack IIRC so they can fight reasonably well...)
Barbarian (Sure, just stay away from the magical-effect subclasses.)
Cleric (Nope.)
Druid (Nope.)
Fighter (No problem.)
Monk (Keep some of the subclasses out of the picture, but some are fine even in a no-magic setting.)
Paladin (No smites would be harsh, probably not going to work as is, so Nope).
Ranger (Sure, losing spells would suck, but they have some other features depending on the subclass that could make them work fine.)
Rogue (No problem.)
Sorcerer (Nope.)
Warlock (Nope.)
Wizard (Nope.)
So, the only no-go classes IMO would be most of the pure casters (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) and the Paladin.
I think the okay to of course classes would be Bard, Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, and Rogue. Some subclasses won't work, but there are plenty that will IMO.
Otherwise, monsters would be different as well. I mean, a strict "no magic" can mean no dragons, etc. or just "no magic spells or items"--it depends on what you really mean by "no magic."
Bard (Maybe. Without spells their Inspiration could really be a non-magical ability. They have expertise in skills and some of the subclasses get Extra Attack IIRC so they can fight reasonably well...)
Barbarian (Sure, just stay away from the magical-effect subclasses.)
Cleric (Nope.)
Druid (Nope.)
Fighter (No problem.)
Monk (Keep some of the subclasses out of the picture, but some are fine even in a no-magic setting.)
Paladin (No smites would be harsh, probably not going to work as is, so Nope).
Ranger (Sure, losing spells would suck, but they have some other features depending on the subclass that could make them work fine.)
Rogue (No problem.)
Sorcerer (Nope.)
Warlock (Nope.)
Wizard (Nope.)
So, the only no-go classes IMO would be most of the pure casters (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) and the Paladin.
I think the okay to of course classes would be Bard, Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, and Rogue. Some subclasses won't work, but there are plenty that will IMO.
Otherwise, monsters would be different as well. I mean, a strict "no magic" can mean no dragons, etc. or just "no magic spells or items"--it depends on what you really mean by "no magic."
Do Fighter, Barbarian, or Rogue work for Fafhrd and (most of) the Gray Mouser, everyone in Hobbit and the Fellowship nine except Gandalf, Conan, and everyone in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? Granted the world at large is a bit more limited in some of those.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Well, with all the "wire-fu" monks flying about... maybe not.
But yeah I agree with all the other examples. Having non-magic PCs isn't really an issue IMO. But again, it depends on what the OP means by "no magic".
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
I'd run the setting as is. I think it would be fairly interesting running around with just barbarians, fighters, and rogues. I would probably even look for some unofficial classes like Stirling Vermin's scholar class which I think is pretty cool though I will admit that I still need to play it. You could probably even include the ranger class and just drop the spells, it probably wouldn't need much more to make it suitable for a non-magic game, just an ability at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. If I needed an ability in a hurry, I'd probably just take brutal critical from the barbarian or indomitable from the fighter for those levels.
Edit: Actually, without magic there might be far less need to call for saving throws. I might end up replacing the fighter's indomitable with brutal critical as well.
Edit: Actually, without magic there might be far less need to call for saving throws. I might end up replacing the fighter's indomitable with brutal critical as well.
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Laurefindel
Legend
5e D&D functions really well with all spellcasting classes and subclasses removed. It can appear less satisfying because it leaves more than half the classes and a whole section of the book out of the game, but the game would be sound and the characters would perform as intended (I'd expect that in a no-magic world, the threat of demons, golems, and enemy spellcasters wouldn't be as present as in a regular game).
So while 2/3 of the pages would be removed, the system itself wouldn't be amputated of essential components. One could take the SRD, remove everything magical, and be left with a perfectly playable RPG. It's just that D&D fans would be missing a lot of things.
You can go a long way in refluffing many magical spells and abilities as mundane, and you can go even further if you are willing to tweak things a bit, but @Morrus said, some other games have already done that, or are specifically tailored at handling a no-magic/low-magic setting, resulting in a better "gaming experience" than a very, very lean D&D.
So while 2/3 of the pages would be removed, the system itself wouldn't be amputated of essential components. One could take the SRD, remove everything magical, and be left with a perfectly playable RPG. It's just that D&D fans would be missing a lot of things.
You can go a long way in refluffing many magical spells and abilities as mundane, and you can go even further if you are willing to tweak things a bit, but @Morrus said, some other games have already done that, or are specifically tailored at handling a no-magic/low-magic setting, resulting in a better "gaming experience" than a very, very lean D&D.
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UngeheuerLich
Legend
It is really tge question what you count as magic.
The Paladin could just have spell slots to fuel their smites.
The bard could be locked intoncertain spells that you call songs. (healing song/song of charming).
Other than that you can easily make a group of pure fighter/battlemasters and have 5 very different characters (high dex/melee, high dex/ranged high str/gwf, high str/shield, charismatic/warlordy maneuvers).
The Paladin could just have spell slots to fuel their smites.
The bard could be locked intoncertain spells that you call songs. (healing song/song of charming).
Other than that you can easily make a group of pure fighter/battlemasters and have 5 very different characters (high dex/melee, high dex/ranged high str/gwf, high str/shield, charismatic/warlordy maneuvers).
dave2008
Legend
From the PHB, I would only allow the fighter and rogue, but others might allow the barbarian and monk. So I could see up to 4. Regardless there are several subclass that increase the variety and choice. My own group is all fighters and rogues with one exception.
So just with the Fighters and Rogues, your choices are (if you include UA):
Fighter
| Banneret | Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide |
| Brute | Unearthed Arcana |
| Battle Master | Player's Handbook |
| Cavalier | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Champion | Player's Handbook |
| Samurai | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Scout | Unearthed Arcana |
| Sharpshooter | Unearthed Arcana |
Rogue
| Inquisitive | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Mastermind | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Scout | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Swashbuckler | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Thief | Player's Handbook |
That is a lot of options and of course you can further customize with backgrounds.
Also there a more 3PP full class options. Heck, EnWorld's own Masterclass Codex has at least three more: Noble, Tinkerer, and Savant; and then you have all of the AiME classes too.
D&D and 5e functions with no magic. Very well.
However due to how much you must cut, the modus operandi of the party members will be so narrow it would border on that of a TV killer. Your characters will be severly limited on what they can do to affect an obstacle unless the DM is very very permissive.
You will be hammering a lot of nails because all you have is hammers.
However due to how much you must cut, the modus operandi of the party members will be so narrow it would border on that of a TV killer. Your characters will be severly limited on what they can do to affect an obstacle unless the DM is very very permissive.
You will be hammering a lot of nails because all you have is hammers.
