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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dr. Strangemonkey" data-source="post: 929038" data-attributes="member: 6533">I don't really understand why xp is percieved to be such a massively limiting factor.It's a fairly easy to replace resource and as long you manage your magic item production carefully, the benefits of magic items in gaining xp far outwiegh the disadvantages.I really don't know that the argument that elitism slows scientific progress holds all that much water.  The vast vast majority of people alive during the scientific revolution had nothing to do with it.  Aspects of the scientific revolution were devoted to exploiting them more effeciently, but they were all built to serve the elite.  Firearms prevent the elite from having to train in armor and risk their lives.Effecient farming methods mean you have to protect and employ fewer peasants.Factories mean you get to use wage slavery to control the abundant capitalless poor, created by the above situation, for your own wealth and gain in situations that generally discourage revolution.The revolution itself was fueled by the increasing numbers of the elite who went into or invested in scientific research.  Newton and Maxwell were both educated by the inherently aristocratic English university system and then supported by royal societies.  Edison was a 'commoner' but he was also an investment for a wide variety of America's wealthy post-robber baron capitalists.One could equally make the argument that magic would increase the liklihood of a scientific revolution because of the limited but useful nature of magical items.  Look, a wizard or sorceror, it is generally agreed upon, is probably going to either be or have a relationship with the elite of his or her society.  This means the wizard or sorceror is going to look for means to multiply the force of his advantages.  This mage knows about magic items but finds that their production process is limiting.  Wouldn't this encourage the mage to devote a portion of his or her vast intellectual or social resources to developing easily created non-magical equivalents of magical items?I mean sure, you might be able to come up with enough lightning wands for your officers, but wouldn't it be great if you could give the men rifles or cannons so they can be useful too?</blockquote>

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