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Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 1251586" data-attributes="member: 812">Ah, but what about hands that are intent on dropping fireballs as the MEANS to ruling?Just because somebody gains immense magic power doesn't mean they have no interest in "social" power. Indeed, if you're a paranoid freak, what you want to do is, after you've eliminated all threats, create a stable society where it's impossible for anyone to even begin to challenge you. Then turn yourself into a lich and rule the world forever and ever and ever.And again, maybe most paranoid freaks won't be able to pull this off -- but it only takes ONE to change the world forever. And given enough time and enough generations, you'll get that one.We think there's all these checks and balances built in to power struggles, and there are -- in OUR systems. But D&D magic is a form of power with NO correlation to our world.I think the whole question of a "stable form of society" is uncertain in this kind of power context -- what is a stable form of society in a world like this? What about the immortal lich who rules forever? He doesn't need NPC class levels. He doesn't need wise advisors or a racalcitrant population -- he can literally rule through fear and might. His will makes the world run. He doesn't need good Diplomacy checks.Indeed, given that no NPC class offers any advantages over a PC class, why would ANYONE take them? If the surest route to power is PC class levels, anyone who wants power (read: paranoid freaks) will always take those classes and not NPC classes. Rulers with NPC class levels won't be able to do anything about PC class characters who decide to take over -- they won't have enough personal power to survive.</blockquote>

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