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  1. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    You realize that having superhuman abilities doesn't actually qualify one to be a better ruler, don't you? If it turns out that the court jester is actually a max level bard, does he automagically get to usurp the throne in the setting you've imagined?
  2. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    This sounds more like an evil magical overlord, than a normal magocracy to me.
  3. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    High level characters have more money than they know what to do with. My high level character can spend all of their "useless" gold to buy unlimited skills and feats in your campaign? I don't know any DM who would allow that, but if you do that's your choice.
  4. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    That's specifically called out as a special reward, not unlike a magic item. It's not something where any character (not even a PC) can just go out and find the right trainer to train them. There might be an exceptional teacher out in the world who could easily teach quantum mechanics to...
  5. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    It's about checks and balances. A battlefield nurse having cure wounds is almost unquestionably a boon. But she doesn't wield great authority. On the other hand, giving a leader magic is quite questionable. Sure, if they are pure and benevolent, they will likely never misuse such power. Ever...
  6. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    No, you can't train feats. If I'm wrong (pretty sure I'm not) feel free to cite the page number so I can see that rule for myself.
  7. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    I already debunked that actually. You cannot learn new skills from training, only tool proficiencies and languages. Please don't perpetuate misinformation. If I am the one who is mistaken, please let me know where I can find the relevant rules so that I can be corrected. However, if it's from...
  8. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Yeah, even looking to our own world, simply imagine how much worse things might have been if someone like Hitler, Stalin, or Nero could cast 9th level spells. I can imagine the people in a world where something like that happened making darn sure it could never happen again. It would be quite...
  9. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    I agree that magocracies aren't any more (or less) likely to fail vs other types of kingdoms. However, I think magocracies do seem to have something of a tendency to fall in spectacular fashion. For example, the Priest King of Istar brought the Cataclysm down upon Krynn. The Dragon Kings of...
  10. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Precisely. It's equally valid to decide that magic is difficult to learn for even talented individuals and requires many years of dedicated study, as it is to choose for it to be something that anyone can pick up after a few weeks of training. You can find some evidence to support either...
  11. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    You are mistaken. The Xanathar's training rules are for tool proficiencies and languages, not skill proficiency. You can't learn a new skill using downtime. Also, just because a PC can use those rules to learn a new tool or skill in that time, doesn't mean anyone can. Saying that magic is...
  12. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    By medical doctor, I mean an MD. A fully trained medical doctor. What you're describing sounds closer to a trained EMT. Which, sure, I believe you can volunteer at a first aid squad at 18. But it's a far cry from being a fully trained MD. I would say that in game terms of becoming a wizard...
  13. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Exactly. It's like reasoning that because Balamurali Ambati became a medical doctor at the age of 17, that therefore practicing medicine is effortless. At 17, most kids haven't even graduated high school yet, so clearly it's something that anyone can do, without so much as a high school diploma.
  14. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    If that's the direction that you want to explore in your world building then go for it! That said, there are any number of reasons why someone with strong faith might not be granted clerical magic. Maybe the gods want to limit how their power is used. Tim the farmer might be very faithful to...
  15. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    There's nothing wrong with a high magic world like the one you describe. That said, IMCs the potential to become a "classed" character is more along the lines of having the potential to become a professional athlete in the real world. Not everyone has that potential to begin with and, moreover...
  16. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Actually, come to think of it, even if you rule the other way (that Nondetection hides magical auras) there are still easy ways to protect a ruler from magical subversion. Just for starters, the target of Nondetection needs to be willing if it's a creature. So the mage wouldn't necessarily be...
  17. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    I would personally rule that it doesn't prevent someone from detecting magical auras on your person. The traditional use of Nondetection has been to avoid being easily scryed upon or located using spells like Locate Person, rather than to hide something like Disguise Person. If it could be...
  18. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Can't blame you (I had to double-check it myself) but Magic Aura cannot hide spells on a creature. PHB pg 263: The False Aura (the effect that hides magical auras) paragraph explicitly references an object (multiple times). Therefore it's clear that this use is only intended for objects (like...
  19. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Sensible precautions. Cast detect magic on the ruler regularly to identify enchantments. This can also identify other potential issues, such as illusion or transmutation magic to mimic the ruler. This doesn't even require a caster. Literally anyone with a wand of magic detection can do it...
  20. Fanaelialae

    D&D 5E Discussing Worldbuilding: Why Don't The Mages Take Over The World?

    Paranoid tyrants might be paranoid that the mages will take over. I think most rulers would take some sensible precautions, but that would be the extent of it. Again, the target of a suggestion knows it has been the target of a suggestion. So the mage can try to shift policy once - and then go...
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