Is it time for a low-magic setting?

[big dummy]

I voted yes but…

However, having read these posts I should have probably voted No.

It appears that your definition of Low Magic equates with my definition of High Magic.

To me, Low Magic is where there may be as many as one spellcaster per 10 000, but probably less. A place where most citizens have never seen magic, and many don’t believe it exists.

Continual Light streetlamps! Eek!

Like I said, anything BELOW FR in terms of magic density would be ok with me, I'm interested in how many people would like a LOWER magic setting as a starting place. From there we could work out exactly how low (or perhaps how to encompass a range of magic density across a whole world or planet, like possibly having some areas with virtually no magic at all and some areas a bit higher density)

DB

FWIW I personally find the continuous light light posts pretty horrific too, though I have to admit given how low-level the spell is, it is fairly logical to have it.... (one of many reasons I'd like to see spells reorganized..)

 

[big dummy]

They came out with Eberron because FR wasn't selling as well as it used to. Now they have a hot seller and steady (if not often to release) setting that they can use. So far why break with something that works?

Yeah Midnight is pretty good and it has a lot to offer for people that enjoy both low magic AND a true challenge.

Ok so whenever Eberron runs out of steam then. I personally don't think it will have the legs that FR did...

DB

 

[Nightfall]

Well never know...but yeah probably. If not then, probably when 4th edition comes around.

(Yes I'm against it too but there you are.)

 

[big dummy]

The real question is, if this came out (a lower magic campaign setting) would you buy it? Would you buy suppliments based in it?

BD

 

[Nightfall]

It would honestly depend on the fluff of the setting. If it's like a magic lite Eberron, probably not. If it's more like Dark Sun (high psionic low magic) then probably more inclinded.

 

[2WS-Steve]

Have to say, between Midnight, Thieve's World, Black Company, Game of Thrones, Conan, and Iron Heroes, I think I'm pretty well supplied on low magic d20 settings.

That said, I'm always cool with seeing new things.

 

[3d6]

The D&D ruleset is heavily dependant on magical items to keep the classes in balance. A low-magic campaign using stock D&D rules would have severe balance and gameplay problems. Hence, a low-magic setting would have to signifigantly alter the core rules. Because of that, I don't think its reasonable for WotC to release a D&D setting that is lower magic than the rules implicitly require.

Its probably better for people who want a low-magic campaign to play some other game system. If people still want to play d20, d20 Modern works perfectly well for a low-magic fantasy game with only a few minor tweaks. I've done it, and it works well, and it retains a signifigant amount of D&D feel, as it uses the same monsters, magic items, and spells, for the most part.

Would I buy a low-magic setting if it came out? No. I don't buy campaign setting books. I prefer to just make stuff up.

 

[wmasters]

I must admit, for low magic I'm set with Midnight, for high-magic with FR. As for a slightly lower than FR level of magic, I run Greyhawk that way (albeit only a little less magic than FR).

The magic levels that are beign discussed here, in my mind, are still relatively high magic, for me a lower level campaign doesn't have a wizard in every town or a cleric in every church. Would I buy the setting books? Not based on that. It would take something else to catch my interest in the setting to consider it.

 

[happyelf]

I think a low magic and low power setting is a good idea. I use that kind of homebrew campaign, and I notice a lot of other people do, too.

The (potential) magic doens't even have to be that low as long as the status quo NPC level of the setting is relativly low. I notice a lot of people like Ebberon's low-level npc demographics, that kind of logic applied more comprehensivly would be a great idea.

Of course, there's nothing stopping the PC's from becoming high level in such a setting, and there can still be powerful threats- but they would be rare and world-shaking, rather than run-of-the-mill as is too often the case in the FR. High power and even mid-level PC's should be the movers and shakers of the setting, but relativly low-level NPC's could also operate as nobility and the like.

As noted, making magic and power more rare would only make it more impressive- and I don't think D&D3.x is as reliant on magical items as many would claim(especially since such a campaign could have varant rules to help redress such a minor imbalance).

 

[Li Shenron]

Low-magic can mean too many things. It could be at least:

- very few people in the world know how to cast spells

- very few people in the world know how to cast powerful spells

- spells do not go beyond a certain power (lower than standard D&D)

- very few magic items exist in the world

- only minor magic items exist

- spells/items are dangerous or very expensive to use, hence they can be used much less often

You can combine these in many ways, a low-magic setting would need to make a specific choice, and inevitably end up with more people unsatisfied than satisfied by such a choice, whatever it was.