"I know the spell to solve the problem!"

[Walking Dad]

Some of the popular systems have magic or a similar subsystem (like psionics) that can do anything.

It starts with paladin's detecting evil, ruining careful disguises, to much stronger divination magics. Clerics asking the dead body who get the name of the murderer.
"Knock" spells that open any door faster than the thief can draw his lockpicks.
Charms that makes lies and bluff unnecessary (both as skill and roleplay). Creation spells that ruin any commerce system.

Are these features or bugs in your opinion?

How can they used to enhance a game instead of disrupting it?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Except for a handful of spells I would wall off as sacred cows -- Knock is iconic, as evinced by it being used in the name of an OSR magazine -- I'd say this sort of encroachment is a bad idea for the game designers to promote, by default.

If individual groups want to come up with these spells, that's another matter. Just leave them out of the core books.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Feature - if the GM takes measures to limit the 15 MAD

Put in a schedule, and if the party waits eight hours while the wizard rests and prepares his new spells hey may be wondering what happened to that village they were trying to protect, and why are there columns of smoke rising from where it's supposed to be?

The Auld Grump, I have never had a big problem with it, and the one time they party assumed that they could just rest as they wanted... well, they learned otherwise.

 

[Stormonu]

Spells that can replicate or complement abilities are fine. They have their place when, for some reason, your group doesn't have a particular skill. No rogue who can pick a lock? Knock is a fine alternative. There's a big honking gem on the other side of a 30' chasm? Jump is a great boost to get you across.

What needs to be ditched is automatic success or the ability to replace someone with the skill. Knock shouldn't automatically open the locked trunk, but give the spellcaster a chance at opening the lock.

 

[FireLance]

The problem with how it used to be done was that magic was fast, cheap and effective.

If the system only allows one or two of the three, it wouldn't be too bad.

In 4E, for example, rituals are effective, but they usually are not fast or cheap.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I think there needs to be a balance. Spells should be useful, and become more useful as the characters gain power. However it should not overshadow all the other members of the party. An expert thief should be just as good at picking the lock as a knock spell.

The power of utility spells should also scale with level. A mundane door should not be a barrier to a 20th level wizard.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Generally I think it is a bug; enough that I voted that way, even though my fuller answer has an element of it depends.

A 1st level wizard should not be able to reproduce through magic what a 1st level rogue can do. The wizard option if there is one should be last resort and significantly of less power or utility. A 5th level wizard covering a 1st level rogue abillity is OK. But the rogue doing it should always be more efficient, more effective and use significantly less resources than if the wizard did it.

You want the wizard asking the rogue to do it 100% of the time and only covering the skill through magic if the rogue is down or missing.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Depends on how you do it. Personally I'd like to see utility spells based on caster level. It's not like it'd be hard to do.

 

[jonesy]

Bug? Feature? Sounds like a video game you're playing. I don't know what edition you're talking about, but we've never had a problem with utility mages or spells. The party needs to strike a balance in what they pick and what they can do. Utility magic is a good way to patch areas where they would otherwise not do so well. And many spells which aren't considered utility spells can be used as such in the right situations. And the complaints about detect evil makes it seem like very few people ever actually read how the spell works, or very few DMs consider how using it makes the world react to that character.

 

[korjik]

Some of the popular systems have magic or a similar subsystem (like psionics) that can do anything.

It starts with paladin's detecting evil,

'You! Paladin! You insult my honor by detecting evil in my home!?! We will meet on the field of honor in the morning!' Says the much higher level lord of the manor....

ruining careful disguises,

'Paladin Jones, you have been brought before this tribunal for the unwarranted attack of magister Lorn. What say you?
'I detected evil on him and brought him in for questioning'
'4 other paladins have also detected evil on the magister and have found none. This included the grandmaster of your order....'

to much stronger divination magics.

-cleric screaming-
'Did his eyes just explode?'
'I think they did'
'I told you this divination was a bad idea. Vecna likes his secrets'

Clerics asking the dead body who get the name of the murderer.

'I was stabbed in the back, so I dont know who killed me. You might start with the Black Arrow gang tho...'

"Knock" spells that open any door faster than the thief can draw his lockpicks.

'Do you think that I, Morpheous the Magnificent!, am here to act as a common burglar! I do not command the very forces of nature to act as a bent piece of wire! Have the backalley scum take care of that. It is what he is for.

Charms that makes lies and bluff unnecessary (both as skill and roleplay).

Gee new buddy, you are my bestest friend, but I cant show you the bosses lair!
GM:roll bluff to get him to tell you where the lair is

Creation spells that ruin any commerce system.

Player: I use magic to make 20000gp!
DM: The god of commerce, offended by this act, curses you so that you will give all valuables you own away until you atone for your insult

Are these features or bugs in your opinion?

How can they used to enhance a game instead of disrupting it?

Turn it into a roleplaying hook. Feature or bug is irrelevant.