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<blockquote data-quote="Silveras" data-source="post: 1605931" data-attributes="member: 6271">All fine. However, the point of discussion is that magic as presented in the Core rules is a technology, for all intents and purposes. The implications of that are what make *me* crazy as a world-builder. If magic demonstrates the fundamental properties of technology, it will have the same effects as technology on society. In the real world, advancing technology led to more efficient food production. More efficient food production led to more non-food-production time. More free time led to more learning (generally). More learning led to more advances in technology. More advances in technololgy led to more efficiencies in other types of work. More efficiencies in non-food-production labor led to more free time. More free time led to more learning. More learning led to more advances in technology. This is a feedback system that is easily replicable with D&amp;D magic. The Plant Growth spell can, in one action, increase the yield of a 1-mile-diameter circular region by 33%. That is, by definition, more efficient food production. A group of clerics or druids could cast this on several fields per day for a few days, greatly increasing the yield across the whole area. With greater crop yields, farmers can make more profit. Gradually, they can save up and buy that everburning torch. In the real world, the availability of cheap lighting led to night life after sundown, both in terms of entertainment and working &quot;3 shifts&quot;. With the availability of the everburning torch (which does not need its bulb replaced, and is not subject to power failures), ambitious merchants/guildsmen could have &quot;3 shift&quot; operations. The key is, we are not talking *just* about spells. &quot;Industrial magic&quot; is often cast on things that don't get saving throws, and so is more reliable than combat magic.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Silveras, post: 1605931, member: 6271"] All fine. However, the point of discussion is that magic as presented in the Core rules is a technology, for all intents and purposes. The implications of that are what make *me* crazy as a world-builder. If magic demonstrates the fundamental properties of technology, it will have the same effects as technology on society. In the real world, advancing technology led to more efficient food production. More efficient food production led to more non-food-production time. More free time led to more learning (generally). More learning led to more advances in technology. More advances in technololgy led to more efficiencies in other types of work. More efficiencies in non-food-production labor led to more free time. More free time led to more learning. More learning led to more advances in technology. This is a feedback system that is easily replicable with D&D magic. The Plant Growth spell can, in one action, increase the yield of a 1-mile-diameter circular region by 33%. That is, by definition, more efficient food production. A group of clerics or druids could cast this on several fields per day for a few days, greatly increasing the yield across the whole area. With greater crop yields, farmers can make more profit. Gradually, they can save up and buy that everburning torch. In the real world, the availability of cheap lighting led to night life after sundown, both in terms of entertainment and working "3 shifts". With the availability of the everburning torch (which does not need its bulb replaced, and is not subject to power failures), ambitious merchants/guildsmen could have "3 shift" operations. The key is, we are not talking *just* about spells. "Industrial magic" is often cast on things that don't get saving throws, and so is more reliable than combat magic. [/QUOTE]

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