Loss of what 4 spells would change the game dramatically?

[Emirikol]

Got to talking with the players about D&D and the core of the system. What 4 spells make up the core of a "D&D" game and would dramatically change game worlds (not just PC's) without them?

For example:
Teleport
Raise dead
Cure disease
???

jh

 

[greywulf]

Good question!

I'd say:
- Sleep and Magic Missile (because then 1st level arcane spell-casters would have to think!)
- Raise Dead
- All the Cure spells

 

[mythusmage]

Got to talking with the players about D&D and the core of the system. What 4 spells make up the core of a "D&D" game and would dramatically change game worlds without them?

For example:
Teleport
Raise dead
Cure disease
???

jh

Only Four? I'd say the loss of most any spell would have wide ranging repercussions.

But let's take a group of spells and remove them. No more Cure (X) Wounds. How would that change the dynamics of the game?

 

[Emirikol]

Only Four? I'd say the loss of most any spell would have wide ranging repercussions. But let's take a group of spells and remove them. No more Cure (X) Wounds. How would that change the dynamics of the game?

I dont' think CLW's qualify as "crucial" to a D&D world. D&D worlds wouldn't break down without them. Adventurer's certainly wouldn't be able to adventure as long without rest (and they would have to think), but I wouldn't consider the general populace of any given world affected one iota by the loss of cure spells.

Wound's don't continue to bleed and stabilization can be accomplished without magic.

Other spells?

jh

 

[barrowwight]

loss of detect magic would probably have some big repercussions.

 

[greywulf]

loss of detect magic would probably have some big repercussions.

I thought about that one too, but I don't think it would have much repercussions if it disappeared, really. Folks would just asume that if it glowed, or banged, or was shiny, it was magic After all, Detect Magic is only useful to spell-casters. Cure spells help everyone.

 

[Starglim]

Teleport
Magic missile
Fly

For the fourth spell, I'm torn between cure disease, create water, continual flame and darkvision.

 

[Victim]

I'd think the removal of cure spells would change the game dramaticly, but not the setting much. Cure Insigficant Wounds is still pretty good on commoners after all.

Plant Growth and some of the Weather Control ones probably have alot of setting impact. Teleport and Raise Dead are handy spells for the adventuring/magic-using elite but normal people probably aren't much affected by them - especially teleport, since Raise might have some interesting religious implications beyond that of other hardcore divine spells. But plant and weather stuff will change how much food gets produced which will have a massive effect.

 

[Roger]

What 4 spells make up the core of a "D&D" game and would dramatically change game worlds (not just PC's) without them?

Hmmm. Interesting topic.

* Read Magic. The default world would be quite a bit different without this one, I think.

* Charm Person. I base my entire legal defense on it.

* Plant Growth. This spell props up entire kingdoms.

* Zone of Truth. Another justice-system spell.


Cheers,
Roger

 

[Liquidsabre]

My picks: Dispel Magic, Identify, Raise Dead/Resurrect, Teleport.