Proper way to play a Caster?

[hong]

I went from being able to empty my entire spell rack on an average day to having at least three spells left even after a really difficult day's work.

IYKWIMhiherpeshowyoudoin?

 

[kigmatzomat]

I went from being able to empty my entire spell rack on an average day to having at least three spells left even after a really difficult day's work.

Huh, I must a real pita DM then, because I can't count the number of "boss" fights where the cleric, mage, bard and paladin were out of everything but cantrips, CLWs, and shield.

 

[Felix]

And Felix...with that attitude, why do your adventuring companions keep you around? Any of my characters would dump you for a wizard that took his place right alongside the rest of us, rather than trying to lord it over us.

Well, you see, that's just what he's thinking the whole time... he would never ever actually say that to his chattel, I mean companions. Really, why let those people know something that they don't really need to know? Heh heh.

 

[Sejs]

Proper way to play a Caster?

I'm gonna have to go with the "by casting the appropriate spell for a given situation" answer here. A spell caster that doesn't... you know... cast spells, is sort of like a fighter with Vow of Peace. If you don't use the abilities, what's the point of having them in the first place?


And yeah, I'm with Lord Pendragon on the attitude thing - someone would be just itchin' for a "We-versus-Me" discussion.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Well, you see, that's just what he's thinking the whole time... he would never ever actually say that to his chattel, I mean companions. Really, why let those people know something that they don't really need to know? Heh heh.

LOL. I may have to yoink that for my next character.

 

[Thanee]

A member of my gaming group maintains that a caster should avoid actually casting unless a spell is obviously needed. This is the same member who always complained when other party members insisted on resting because they were out of spells.

I agree with the general idea, that it is better to save magic, than to waste magic.

However, I do not agree, that this should be taken to such extremes.

A clever caster should hold his or her most important spells back, so they are available when actually needed, but it's usually no problem to use a few spells to speed up things, or something like that.

If a problem can be solved, without much risk, casting not a single spell, unless I had an excessive amount of spells available, I would also hold back my magical firepower for more dire situations.

I'm a bit more extreme (that is more like the above), when it comes to expendable magic items. I never, ever use any such item (potion, scroll, wand, staff, etc), unless it is absolutely needed (or in the case of healing, it is too risky to not use it) and there is no other way to solve the problem reasonably. I pretty much always use up spells or permanent magic items before magic items, which are gone after the use.

Bye
Thanee

 

[xazil]

This reading this thread it occurs to me why I enjoy playing my current psychic warrior. It is a class that relys on its spells but only gets a small allotment per day compared to full casters from this edition.

Having the right spell for the right opportunity was one of the things I enjoyed much more in earilier editions when casters were more limited. Now casters have it much easier with the broad range of spells available to them each day.

Your player is just playing in the older style, which does still apply at lower levels, but they will probably adjust as you play more.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

There's nothing wrong with playing a magic-user who believes for philosophical or theological reasons that magic is not to be used lightly. If the party routinely faces challenges that can be overcome without using the wizard's magic, then there's really no reason to resort to it. (And it's a sign the DM is not challenging them to the fullest.)

Next time I play a wizard, this is the route I'm going. Get as much mileage out of skill checks, problem-solving, and mundane weapons as possible. Maybe even establish a taboo against using magic against mundane humans and demi-humans. Could be fun.

My current character (a druid) was very conservative with his magic for the first few levels because the very first adventure was a siege with a series of assaults in the night. Now, he's more free with the summoning as he's seen how it saves healing spells in tough fights. Summoned dire badger absorbs 40 HP of attacks and dishes out damage too, which means a whole lot less healing needed for the party.