Receiving Spells

[Sandy Steiner]

Hi,
My ranger just reached 4th level. Any one have any good ideas how he would receive his spells? e.g. in a dream, his mentor tells him.
Too bad the PHB doesn't give ideas on how this is done. Most people don't wake up and suddenly say I can cast a spell now.
I'd love to hear from you on this.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Well, the dream idea is a good and workable one.

Something involving the fey or an animal totem / spirit guide might be appropriate, depending on setting etc.

Is the character religious at all, or do they have faith in any (external) force in particular?

I'll see what else comes to me, and leave it to others for now. . . but also add that this is the kind of question I wish more people asked, even if only of themselves from time to time.

 

[WayneLigon]

The dream sounds like a good one. Since every ranger can cast spells, though, I generally assume there is some sort of actual organization going on here. A Ranger is not just 'random guy who is good in the woods', he's at least in many game worlds part of some ongoing organization or tradition. So, the people or person who has been training him all this time would have already prepared him for such a thing.

 

[Mark Hope]

For a ranger in my last Dark Sun campaign, I foreshadowed him getting spells by s few sessions. He kept getting dreams and visions of the Green (a representation of Athas' planetary lifeforce) and hearing the voices of the Spirits of the Land. Eventually, when he reached spellcasting levels, he started communing with the Green and the Spirits and receiving spells in return.

 

[Alzrius]

If your ranger worships a deity, some sort of action on the deity's part would be appropriate, such as the aforementioned dream idea. If he worships nature itself as a force, it should be something he just sort of stumbles upon, like when meditating (if he does that) or perhaps a mentor walks him through it - he could even suddenly find himself casting a spell in a stressful situation, though that's the story glossing over the mechanics somewhat (since rangers must prepare spells deliberately).

 

[Someone]

Another idea: restrict yourself for some sessions to spells that aren´t easily distinguishable from great skill or coincidences, like Alarm (as long as only you hear the bell), Calm animals, Delay Poison (you just did treat the wound very well), Detect snares and pits (you just spotted them), etc, and give your character tim to slowly realize he´s a special connection with nature and he´s actually casting spells.

 

[Sandy Steiner]

My ranger worships Obad-Hai, but does not do any daily meditation so far.
Thanks for the replies. I'll keep them handy and see what my DM can come up with.

 

[Glyfair]

Most people don't wake up and suddenly say I can cast a spell now.

I think the default assumption is the ranger has been training to cast spells this entire time. At 4th level he just can do it.

D&D doesn't really cover gradually gaining an ability very well. Based on the rules, for example, wizards suddenly can cast 0 level and 1st level spells (assuming that have at least an 11 INT). Within the world, there are presumbably apprentices that can only cast 0-level spells, and maybe have the ability to cast spells but only with a chance of it working.

Still, for gameplay purposes this is probably more trouble to stat out than it's worth. As a DM, I'd just handwave the apprentice NPCs that I want to have that ability.

For the ranger, I'd probably have him attempting to cast spells and failing up to that point. Maybe occasionally getting a partial success (but never in a "combat moment"). Still, it is divinely bestowed, so the dream idea is reasonably compelling. Just make sure it doesn't run counter to the DMs beliefs.

 

[Len]

He could learn the art of spellcasting from a druid.