D&D 5E Examples of Wide Magic

[Ancalagon]

I have enough trouble eating ginger bread men. Kinda creepy to be eating food that moves too

I have the perfect link for you

http://explosm.net/comics/4154/

 

[gyor]

Halruaa is a great example of wide magic, like a third of the population had some minor spell casting ability, wizards of 11th level ran and protected simple villages, and even ordinary people had some kind of magic object that made their lives easier.

Mulhorand's God Thoth tried to take his nation in a magical steampunkish direction by doing things like using magical ever hot stones to power a steam powered irriagation system, till Horus-Ra put a stop to it fearing change.

Netherese flying cities had all sorts of easy magic conviences thanks to their mythallars, which could cheaply and easily make items magically, but only within the area covered by the mythallar.

In Elvish Cities Mythals could be set to do all kinds of things, from defensive magics or like Myth Nantar grant air breathing creatures like humans or surface elves the ability to breath water.

Thay used necromantic magic to boost its work force. It also used magic to control weather to massively boost its agricukture sector.

That these sorts of magics aren't more common and utilized by more peoples in the FR is likely because FR goes through so many catalysms and dark ages as well as selfish mages that are corrupt and arrogant and uninterested in sharing the benifits of their magic with the wider public. Not all rulers are forward seeing as well.

Lantan is more traditionally steam punk.

 

[aco175]

I make some minor things, like a sleeping blanket that keeps you warm, dry, and floats a few inches off the ground for a goods night rest. Some even allow you to sleep in your armor.

Wide magic should be something that affects a large area. An apple orchid that is kept pest free and produces a blessed crop that is not only abundant, but can make a special cider that grants something cool like advantage on diplomacy checks or bluff checks.

 

[Blue]

Goblets that float if you let go and you can't tip over.
Clothes that repel soil and stains, or clean themselves when you rub a certain button, or change colors (daywear into evening wear, accessorize, etc.)
Rings that repel disease (less/no chance of catching, not helpful if you already caught something).
Mirrors that show you from any angle. Or wearing any outfit also reflected.
Self-working kitchen tools. (Knives that chop, whisks that whisk.)
Pavilions with animated staves that set themselves up and fold themselves away.
Corsets that are comfortable and let you breathe.
Coin purses that let out an alarm if moved too far from the matching belt.
Grooming tools that can faithfully reproduce a look once they've been used to do it once.

Steven Brust's Vlad series had them living in world where everyone had easy access to magic via the Imperial Orb and might be an interesting place to mine for ideas.

 

[cbwjm]

I think that one of the most obvious uses of wide magic would be street lights using continual light, I guess now it would be continual flame but I like the idea of continual light better. No need for lantern lighters to roam the streets lighting lanterns at dusk just a wizard or two with the spell who can maintain the lights from errant dispel magic effects.

 

[Satyrn]

Goblets that float if you let go and you can't tip over.
Clothes that repel soil and stains, or clean themselves when you rub a certain button, or change colors (daywear into evening wear, accessorize, etc.)
Rings that repel disease (less/no chance of catching, not helpful if you already caught something).
Mirrors that show you from any angle. Or wearing any outfit also reflected.
Self-working kitchen tools. (Knives that chop, whisks that whisk.)
Pavilions with animated staves that set themselves up and fold themselves away.
Corsets that are comfortable and let you breathe.
Coin purses that let out an alarm if moved too far from the matching belt.
Grooming tools that can faithfully reproduce a look once they've been used to do it once.

Steven Brust's Vlad series had them living in world where everyone had easy access to magic via the Imperial Orb and might be an interesting place to mine for ideas.

You got me thinking that illusion magic should replace cosmetics.

 

[Ancalagon]

I humbly suggest that Zone of truth in 5e is possibly society-changing:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?571206-Zone-of-truth-5e-Justice-system-revolution!

 

[Gradine]

I find the dirtier, grungier side of sci-fi to be great inspiration for wide magic settings, personally. Less cyberpunk and more post-apocalyptic. Settings where the technology is hobbled together with duct tape and chewing gum. These settings are often rife weird and interesting tech to perform many mundane tasks; it's a small matter to turn those into low-magic luxury items for a setting like Eberron. Unfortunately I'm drawing a blank on an example at the moment (my mind keeps going to Titan A.E. which doesn't quite fit the bill). But come to think of it, it's basically what The Flintstones was doing with rocks and small dinosaurs. Bind a tiny air elemental to a stick with a burlap sack and you've got yourself a vacuum cleaner.

 

[clutchbone]

I humbly suggest that Zone of truth in 5e is possibly society-changing:

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?571206-Zone-of-truth-5e-Justice-system-revolution!

Eh, not really, not anymore than a dominate person or what have you. Sure, you know if a creature fails or makes its save, and that's certainly useful. But just because a creature makes its save, that doesn't mean they're lying, and also they can just stay silent as there's no compulsion to say anything at all. All you know is if they are able to lie, right now.