New Design: Wizards...

[Magus Coeruleus]

I can actually see a lot of potential for these implements to have powers connected to their histories, which famous wizards used them, etc. For example, if you locate the Tome of Thanik, who was a noted demonologist, you gain special powers over demons, as well as the benefit of the rest of the lore in the book (i.e. +2 tome, +4 against demons). Perhaps it even allows you to 1/day summon Thanik's personal demon servant.

I don't know about those particular kinds of powers, but I do like the idea that implements wielded by powerful casters for a long time become legendary or could become valuable objects, certainly more interesting from a flavor standpoint than a generic "Staff of Power" for instance.

 

[Kunimatyu]

The problem however is 1) First glances mean little and 2) We just don't have enough information here.

No no, you're missing my point -- it sounds like an organization to someone viewing it for the first time, thus confusing new players from the get-go, and also making it harder for DMs to introduce alternate traditions.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

In that respect (and I think someone else may have suggested this), the Iron Sigil then becomes the wizardly equivalent of a god, such as Asmodeus. Worshipers of Asmodeus (using 3E as a baseline) tend toward LE alignment, and have access to domains X, Y, and Z. Similarly, wizards of the Iron Sigil tend toward blah personality, and have access to orb spells of effects A, B, and C.

And just like clerics need not choose from the default list of gods, unless the DM decides to use them in his campaign, wizards need not choose from the listed traditions, unless the DM decides to use them in his campaign.

I really hope you're right. If they insist on using the cheesy names in the article, I hope they're as easy to remove from the game as the default gods in the 3e PHB. If they're more like Bo9S school names, thoroughly integrated into the entire system, then I'm going to be miffed. They're too intrusive for the core rulebook, and they sound like something created by an "random cheesy fantasy name generator."

If they are optional and easily removable, like the default gods, then it could actually be really cool, and a great aid to DMs in making their worlds come alive.

 

[Olthynn]

For that matter, given how little we actually know, isn't it possible that these sample names/traditions/organizations/whatevers are just that--samples? For all we know, the wizard picks from a variety of "talent trees," schools of magic, or some other means of dividing powers, and these names simply refer to some organizations that combine them?

I don't think we'll be so lucky. After all, Tome of Battle didn't have sample disciplines, they had nine clearly seperate disciplines.

What saved Tome of Battle was that while each discipline had favored weapons, those particular weapons were of very, very little benefit to the maneuvers in that discipline. Sure, the longsword was a favored weapon of the Iron Heart discipline, but unless you had a particular feat that gave you a +1 bonus to damage rolls when using Iron Heart strikes, it didn't matter if you used a long sword or a flail. Because the weapon choices were effectively meaningless, you could pick a weapon and then pick and choose maneuvers from various disciplines and just willfully ignore the different disciplines and you were pretty much fine.

I'm not sure the same will hold true for this new magic system. For example, if you want to focus on acid spells and illusions (no more of a curious pairing than acid and frost, in my opinion), it seems like it won't be viable to use a staff and just pick the acid spells from the Emerald Frost tradition and the illusions from the Serpent Eye tradition, because thpse traditions seem to be tied pretty tightly to using wands and orbs. Maybe we'll get lucky like we did with ToB and the implement choices will be effectively meaningless, allowing you to choose the implement and the spells from the various traditions that fit your vision for your wizard. I just don't think that being reduced to hoping that the implements are effectively meaningless is a good sign for this new system.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I'm not sure the same will hold true for this new magic system. For example, if you want to focus on acid spells and illusions (no more of a curious pairing than acid and frost, in my opinion), it seems like it won't be viable to use a staff and just pick the acid spells from the Emerald Frost tradition and the illusions from the Serpent Eye tradition, because thpse traditions seem to be tied pretty tightly to using wands and orbs.

Oh, I wasn't saying that the implements won't be tied to specific types or "schools" of spell; I'm sure they will be. (And I, for one, am okay with that. I like the notion that different types of magic require different foci/components.) For instance, if staves are connected to force magic, then that's just the way it is. I have no objection to that.

What I'm saying is that it's possible that the precise combinations of effects that make up, say, the Serpent's Eye Tradition may well be simple examples, just like the combination of the Evil, Death, and Strength domains are granted by the great god Boojie.

 

[Exen Trik]

Some thoughts:

-I expect metamagic in the form of feats or natural abilities could well go the way of the dodo. Metamagic effects could be solely in the realm of the staff/wand/orb/whatever. I figure the metamagic rods were the forbearer of this, and they might just work the same way (probably "per encounter" though).

-I doubt tomes are gone or reduced to nothing but spellbooks, but they aren't considered equal to the staff wand or orb. The "tied to powers that reduce or neutralize an enemy’s capability in combat" aspect may have been moved to the other tools, while "teleportation, summoning, shapechanging, and a few physical enhancement effects." are either passive or better suited for out of combat use.

EDIT: Hey, that could be a handy way to control spell options such as with summoning and shapechange: only with the Tome of the Shining Pact can you assume the form of even a baby gold dragon, or with the Book of Fiery Depths you summon up special kinds of fire elementals.

-They probably also tossed the dual wielding aspect of the wizards tools as well, so its takes one hand to wield the item and one free hand to actually cast spells. I doubt you could make use of more than one at a time anyways, even if you had extra limbs. Watch out for those mutant four-armed ettin wizards, though!

-Either the "at will" abilities will be dependent of the kind of equipped tool, or the tools will just enhance them certain ways. I'm leaning toward the latter (which would imply that you don't actually need them to use it), but it could go either way.

-I don't mind the fluff added to the rewritten article, as long as that when the 4e phb comes out that those things aren't heavily tied into the sections for the wizard class, magic spells or items. At least as separate as clerics and their religions in the 3e phb.

-Speaking of which, I expect the wizardly disciplines will be presented in much the same way as the religions were, and just as easily modular, with some bonuses with orbs or fire spells, a special spell or ability it comes with, and so on. Options for generic disciplines are also likely.

 

[Andor]

(no more of a curious pairing than acid and frost, in my opinion)

Huh. I keep seeing that in various posts and it kinda strikes me as odd, since both acid and frost immediately put me in mind of a water mage they seem like a pretty coherant linking to me.

 

[helium3]

I am the servant of the Serpent Eye, wielder of the Orb of Shadows!
I am the servant of the Hidden Flame, wielder of the Staff of Hellfire!
I am the servant of the Iron Sigil, wielder of the Eye of Moradin!
I am the servant of the Emerald Frost, wielder of the Frozen Finger!
I am the servant of the Stormwalker, wielder of the Wand of Thunder!

They don't look so cheesy or too fluffy. Try shouting them in front of a big demon, it looks like kinda cool! Roleplaying aficionados can't say they aren't adding RP tools in the PHB .

Just don't forget to append each of those statements with "I am the Sorcerer Supreme!!"

 

[Gentlegamer]

The only one that stands out as a little strange to me is the Tome, because I find it more difficult to see that being used in the midst of battle.

1. I pray that combat (midst of battle) is not the cardinal upon which all character classes's abilities are measured, especially the wizard.

2. The magical effects tomes are said to influence are generally not those used in the midst of a battle. Teleportation, summoning, and the like all seem more at home as spell-casting to be done in the wizard's laboratory, tower, or other safe location. I especially hope that combat summoning is greatly reduced because I feel it is at least one ability that does feel videogamey/anime (forgive the terms) to me. I'd rather summoning be done "at home," with the wizard needing to draw pentagrams or other arcane symbols on the floor to contain the devil/demon/monster while he performs the rites to bind it to his will.

 

[Khaalis]

My hypothesis is that the information in the article is very telling of the Wizard's "per encounter" power source aspects.

The article sounds very much like wizards will have disciplines very much like those from Bo9S:ToB as well as the paths of the Shadowcaster in ToM. The wizard will likely choose these "lesser spells" similar to how ToB classes chose their maneuvers, either going deep into a single tree or diverging and dabbling in many lower level maneuvers from a wider range of disciplines. The focus items mentioned (orb, wand, staff) seem also very similar to how each maneuver discipline had favored weapons, only allowing you to use certain maneuvers with a weapon from that discipline in some cases. I do like however, that they appear to be tying the focus item into the success and potency of using such powers.

I also believe that the wizard will then likely retain their classic Spellbook with their "greater spells" as their "per day" power source aspects, since they said that Vancian casting is mostly, but not completely going away. In this way you can still memorize your classic Named (e.g. "Polymorph" or "Summon Monster") type spells, but additionally have a selection of lesser magical powers that you can use repeatedly in multiple encounters throughout the day.

As an example you might have the "discipline power" to blink (i.e. teleport short distances) around the battle field once per encounter, but can also cast "Greater Teleport" once per day (or however many times you memorize it?).

Additionally we know that the wizard is getting Power Words (similar to a cleric's Holy Words). I believe these are the basic "at will" powers the wizard can learn, which will likely be similar to what a reserve feat can currently do.

Overall, if I am even close to accurate, I am not too disturbed by this as it makes a nice dynamic change to the wizard. It makes resource management different, makes the wizard feel more empowered, and gives them some staying power and hopefully a little more flavor as well as giving them a bit more thematic element.

On a side note, I think this will be differentiated from the Sorcerer in that I think the sorcerer will be built around a more specialist framework. Taking a page from the trend of new sorcerers - the Beguiler, Warmage, Dread Necromancer, etc., I see the new sorcerer following the same path. I am hypothesizing that the sorcerer will choose a focus similar to a specialization (such as the beguiler's enchantment/illusion). They will then gain talents and "maneuvers/lesser spells" similar to how all the classes will, but related to their specialty. I am also betting that the sorcerer does NOT learn and gain spell slots in the same way a wizard does (as they do in 3X). I am suspecting that the sorcerer will be more a specialist in the use of their "lesser spells" (i.e. maneuvers). If you compare it to ToB the wizard would be more like the Crusader and the Sorcerer more like the Warblade in that the wizard will likely use their "lesser" powers once per encounter and also toss around some greater spells as well, but the sorcerer would have some sort of refresh mechanic like the Warblade does, allowing them to keep cycling their "lesser powers" multiple times per encounter, but not relying on "greater spells" as much.

Just a thought. JMHO. YMMV.