How do you *play* your Vancian wizard?

[Sword of Spirit]

With, all the talk in the D&D Next forum about how to deal with imbalances in Vancian wizards, I started thinking about ideas to fix it. Then, I started thinking about how I play wizards, compared to how other people play wizards. Then I realized that might be a fun topic in and of itself.

So this thread isn't about how to fix Vancian casters (if you feel they need it), but rather a thread for people to discuss their personal play experiences with wizards (or other Vancian casters), with emphasis on how the Vancian casting affects the overall experience.

I'll start. I almost always play a Vancian caster of some sort. I almost always conserve resources like I'm going to have a dozen encounters in the day. I actually enjoy conserving my resources in that manner. I'm an endurance player in general--both out of character and in character. I love marathon all night play sessions, and I love marathon all day in-character adventure sessions.

For me, I kind of get a kick out of being able to retain resources even if others don't. If I'm a cleric, you had better really need healing or you'll have to wait until later--I prepared the spells I did for a reason. If I'm a wizard, I'm not going to waste my best spells on encounters that we are doing well in. It's only when the expenditure of the spells will prevent a net greater loss of resources elsewhere (such as hit points), or when it's necessary to prevent other calamity, or solve other problems, that I will use the big guns. Perhaps there is a connection with my out of character game-endurance? If I had less patience, I may be prone to use up the real encounter enders on fights that don't need them, simply to get them over with.

I don't think I'm a complete miser here. But I like to have an ace or two up my sleeve at all times, other than perhaps in the boss fights, or when I have to use that ace.

Part of my style is based on my personal enjoyment of endurance "sports" whether physical or role-playing, and part of it is based on my initial introduction to D&D through the AD&D "Gold Box" computer games--where you often had to plow through multiple challenging encounters (often with dozens of opponents) before you had a safe place to rest.

How would other people analyze their own styles? What factors contribute to it? Initial play experience, initial version, fellow player encouragement or cricism?

 

[Sekhmet]

In low level play, I conserve.
At higher levels, I've been known to throw out five or six spells to make a difficult encounter trivial, and allowing others to shine when they can do things for us that magic could otherwise accomplish.
Hell, on more than one occasion my party has remarked that I didn't cast a single spell in combat for an entire day, instead choosing to sling rocks at the enemies.

Why alter the universe when a strong, dumb guy can take care of it?
Why spend money on technology when a strong, dumb guy can dig that hole?

 

[Greenfield]

It depends on the Wizard I'm playing. Each character has his own personality.

One that I played tried to show off whenever the 22 Charisma Sorceress in the party was around. He usually failed miserably, but that was part of who he was.

Some were support wizards, preparing more utility and support magic than direct kaboom spells, content to let the other characters be the big guns. This played particularly well when we had a second Wiz who wanted to be artillery.

I've played one who must have spent a quarter of his Exp on scrolls. He had everything possible available all the time, if he could just find it. Every free day was spent preparing them, and he was keenly aware that while you can only craft one magic item a day, you can write more than one spell on a single scroll, so the real limit was the 1,000 gp cap. (Later, he started making wands, as they were more bang for the buck, though they capped out at 4th level. He was more the librarian than the artificer though.

Tactically, the show-off was an endurance type, unless the Sorceress was watching. He had a Charisma of 9 though, so this guy really put the "hopeless" in "hopeless romantic".

The Librarian tended to burn his spells pretty freely, knowing that he had a satchel full of backup.

The utility/support wizard used his magic as needed, because as far as he was concerned, that's what it was there for.

The group dynamic has a lot to do with how the character gets played, just as they influence character development in general.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'll start. I almost always play a Vancian caster of some sort. I almost always conserve resources like I'm going to have a dozen encounters in the day. I actually enjoy conserving my resources in that manner. I'm an endurance player in general--both out of character and in character. I love marathon all night play sessions, and I love marathon all day in-character adventure sessions.

For me, I kind of get a kick out of being able to retain resources even if others don't. If I'm a cleric, you had better really need healing or you'll have to wait until later--I prepared the spells I did for a reason. If I'm a wizard, I'm not going to waste my best spells on encounters that we are doing well in. It's only when the expenditure of the spells will prevent a net greater loss of resources elsewhere (such as hit points), or when it's necessary to prevent other calamity, or solve other problems, that I will use the big guns. Perhaps there is a connection with my out of character game-endurance? If I had less patience, I may be prone to use up the real encounter enders on fights that don't need them, simply to get them over with.

I don't think I'm a complete miser here. But I like to have an ace or two up my sleeve at all times, other than perhaps in the boss fights, or when I have to use that ace.

You are NOT alone.

Not only did you describe MY D&D spellcaster playstyle, but also the predominant playstyle of most of the guys & gals with whom I've played. About the only time I see casters "go nova" is when they are not full casters. IOW, the bards, paladins & rangers may blow through their spells quickly (not mine, though), but not the wizards, clerics and so forth.

 

[Dandu]

I spam magic missile and fireball.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I'll be honest, I Had To Look Up What Vancian Meant.

I've designed My Most Recent Wizard (That I've yet to put into play, so perhaps I'll have a more rounded description later) with the intention of carrying a false modest superiority, accomplished by focusing most of the spells he casts on improving the prowess and ability (Buffing) of the party members, to the point where they end up doing much of the work and realize they cannot function as well as they are accustomed to without him. He'd possess a few "aces up his sleeve" for what he absolutely needs to "go nova", but I expect the last few rounds of combat to be spent with him literally basket weaving and using his free actions to say things like "Good job lads, keep it up."

The last Wizard I played quite a few years ago was a crotchety old Gnome that wasn't willing to stick his neck out for anyone, so he'd do the bare minimum to save everyone's necks (Which he did very effectively) so they'd keep him around, but he was Role-played as a pain in the butt. You know, in a "lovable, grows on you" sort of way.

 

[Jacob Marley]

I'll start. I almost always play a Vancian caster of some sort. I almost always conserve resources like I'm going to have a dozen encounters in the day. I actually enjoy conserving my resources in that manner. I'm an endurance player in general--both out of character and in character. I love marathon all night play sessions, and I love marathon all day in-character adventure sessions.

For me, I kind of get a kick out of being able to retain resources even if others don't. If I'm a cleric, you had better really need healing or you'll have to wait until later--I prepared the spells I did for a reason. If I'm a wizard, I'm not going to waste my best spells on encounters that we are doing well in. It's only when the expenditure of the spells will prevent a net greater loss of resources elsewhere (such as hit points), or when it's necessary to prevent other calamity, or solve other problems, that I will use the big guns. Perhaps there is a connection with my out of character game-endurance? If I had less patience, I may be prone to use up the real encounter enders on fights that don't need them, simply to get them over with.

I don't think I'm a complete miser here. But I like to have an ace or two up my sleeve at all times, other than perhaps in the boss fights, or when I have to use that ace.

You are NOT alone.

Not only did you describe MY D&D spellcaster playstyle, but also the predominant playstyle of most of the guys & gals with whom I've played. About the only time I see casters "go nova" is when they are not full casters. IOW, the bards, paladins & rangers may blow through their spells quickly (not mine, though), but not the wizards, clerics and so forth.

There is a reason I use Jacob Marley as my moniker. This is the same approach I take to playing clerics, wizards, (p)et(er) cetera.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

There is a reason I use Jacob Marley as my moniker. This is the same approach I take to playing clerics, wizards, (p)et(er) cetera.

Baby, what a big surprise!

 

[Dandu]

There is a reason I use Jacob Marley as my moniker. This is the same approach I take to playing clerics, wizards, (p)et(er) cetera.

That just means you must learn the true meaning of Christmas.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Which is "ganja."