Define "low-magic"

[Jolly Giant]

Every campaign I've ever run has been set in the same homebrew campaign world, which is definitely high-magic. However, my current campaign is nearing its end and I'm thinking it might be refreshing to try something different for my next campaign.

I know there is a lot of love for low-magic campaigns going around. What I don't know is exactly what "low-magic" means. What exactly makes a campaign low-magic in your opinion?

 

[DragonSword]

I love Low Magic campaigns. Magic is used sparsely, and so is kept special. Instead of spells flying all over the place all the time, when someone does cast a spell, its something special, you know, and people take notice.

Magic items can't be bought easily. A player can't just remove 5,000 gp from his character sheet and get a really cool magic weapon.

Spellcasters are marvelled at because they possess the skill to do magic. Not just any idiot can start throwing spells around.

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

a time of HIGH ADVENTURE!

Try this. Remove evocation.

Remove magic items. Except ones you want the players not to want.

Vast landscapes.

Serve.

 

[DragonSword]

a time of HIGH ADVENTURE!

Try this. Remove evocation.

Remove magic items. Except ones you want the players not to want.

Vast landscapes.

Serve.

Testify, my Brother!

 

[S'mon]

Anything less than 'standard' 3e magic can be considered 'low magic' - by this definition 1e & 2e AD&D were 'low magic' games. I think having a sense of wonder attached to relatively minor displays of magical power is a hallmark of 'low magic' - eg when running a Conan game, an NPC sorcerer tried to hypnotise a PC, this was described dramatically and was a source of terror to the PCs, far more than any physical threat.

Low magic can be swords & sorcery pulp 'low fantasy' like Conan or Lankhmar, or it can be high fantasy - Middle Earth or Midnight are 'low magic' compared to the likes of 3e Greyhawk or OD&D Mystara. High fantasy low-magic tends to be characterised by lengthy treks across vast landscapes a la LOTR, where low-fantasy low-magic is typically a single-session short-story format with perhaps a single supernatural element within a 'pulp' tale of adventure.

 

[Steverooo]

"Low Magic" means that there isn't much magic, and very few can use it. The PCs are generally limited to ordinary, mundane means of solving problems, and have less use for wealth, outside of buying land.

PC skills and abilities become much more important. Magic items are rare, and often not useful to the PCs.

 

[pdkoning]

In a low-magic campaign, players have to use more 'real life' solutions than magic.

An example: my character once crafted (with the help of Dwarves) hanggliders (from the Arms & Equipment guide). To escape from a partially collapsed mountainside. A wizard could have used levitate or similar.

When playing a low-magic campaing you have to provide an interesting story to keep the players interested. With: political intrigue, assassins, secret organisations, shady cults and so on.

 

[hong]

"Low magic" == whatever level of wahoo the DM can get his head around.

 

[Thanee]

To me low-magic means, that magic is not a common sight.

It's more of a medieval feel than one of high-fantasy.
Spellcasters are rare and not capable of fancy stuff like in standard D&D.

That said. D&D is a rather poor game for a low-magic campaign. There are much better rulesets (some d20, some not) out there for that kind of game.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hand of Evil]

one to three domains