Okay, who here LIKES the magic items and magic system in D&D?

[Crothian]

I think the system works great, we have never had any troublkew with it expect for those few times it got over thought.

 

[Quasqueton]

A spell point, or mana system makes so much more sense to me.

I've seen this or similar statements made on this board many times. How can *any* magic system make sense or be logical? How do spell points make more sense than spell preparation? How does a mana system make more sense than the vancian system?

I know quoting oneself is a sign of vanity, but I really think there is a point here:

It's like, sure, it would be better and make more sense if I could throw a ball as far, fast, and accurate with my left arm as with my right arm. It would make more sense and logic if it took just only as long to dry clothes as it did to wet them. Why do falling objects speed up as they fall, and why is there a terminal velocity? Things in the Real World work the way they do because they work the way they do.

How can you say that a *magic* system (that is balanced and playable within its game system) is not logical or sensible, when we have mundane/common things in the Real World that don't work in a logical and sensible way?

How would a spell point or mana magic system be "better" than a vancian system? The vancian system is functional, is easy to adjudicate, and is just the way magic *works* (has always worked) in the D&D universe. How would another method of modeling a completely imaginary aspect be better?

Quasqueton

 

[Desdichado]

I think the system works great, we have never had any troublkew with it expect for those few times it got over thought.

Yes, but "does it work" and "have you ever had trouble with it" isn't really the question, is it?

 

[jmucchiello]

Why can't the mechanic for magic work more like combat? Why can't the wizorcerer have an unlimited amount of "magic rays" that he can use to attack people. Is giving a 1st level wizorcerer an unlimited number of 1d4 dmg rays (ranged touch attack) unbalancing?

Have you tried the Warlock in CAr?

 

[Janx]

Die_kluge is on the right track.

It's those darn holy cows. Somebody needs to make some BBQ.

D&D magic works. It gets the job done. I make my +1 swords special by describing them a bit more. One player has a Rapier +1 that is made of stone and has a continually wet surface. He's still trying to figure that one out, as the sword is obviously "special"

I'll make up something to explain it. Otherwise, it was just a Rapier +1 that showed up in the random treasure roll.

My experience is, things are special because you draw attention to them. If you just doll out gear and summarize spell effects, then yeah, that's pretty mundane.

 

[Mr. Lobo]

Why is it that I am annoyed so much by people who play D&D and yet have a hate-on for the Vancian system or for "Magic not being special."
[snip]
But I LIKE having magic that is predictable and safe to use. I LIKE having magic items that are bought and sold and yes, not treated as if they are unique and special because you can't get another one. I LIKE having magic that can be understood by humans and magic items that can be created by PCs.

Anyone agree with me?

Answer to question 1: I don't know. Maybe you're jumping the gun and presume that the magic system will be "officially" changed with 4th edition and you don't want that to happen?

Answer to question 2: No. I like being in a world where magic is rare and any found is coveted. If I play a magic user I want my character to be unique and be able to fill the peasants, monsters, and my companions with AWE at my powers. If I play a Cleric I want that character to be singled out by a deity as being special and thus being WORTHY of being granted special powers.

Well, that's my ideal but D&D doesn't cater to that. But I really like playing D&D.

 

[Crothian]

Yes, but "does it work" and "have you ever had trouble with it" isn't really the question, is it?

As long as it works and I've had no troubles with it, then I like it. Most things first need to work with no troubles before I like them.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Anyone agree with me?

Yes.

 

[Desdichado]

As long as it works and I've had no troubles with it, then I like it. Most things first need to work with no troubles before I like them.

You sound pretty easy to please!

 

[Crothian]

You sound pretty easy to please!

Its a game, what I want from agame is simple and easy and a few friends that also like it. I'll save being picky and critcal for something that actually matters.