Tell me about your low magic game

[Graf]

In a few months I'll be starting a low magic game. I'm pretty sure there are pitfalls I haven't thought of and I'm wondering what people's experiences have been like.

The group will be made up mostly of rogues, fighters and samurai. Ther will be a single, weakened, divine caster (shaman) in the party and few monsters or foes will possess magic (especially no area of effect attacks, DR/+x, etc.)

I'm hoping this will give people a chance to focus more on their characters, and for me to think a bit less about tactics & enemy spell lists and a bit more about roleplaying challenges.
Has that been your experience?

 

[Kurichan]

feels great...until

Well I've been running my own homebrew world for a few months now and I specificaly made it so that magic was cool and interesting instead of just a replacement for technology (like the standard books have it). And I gotta tell ya, its great. At least for me. Gives you so much room to create and take pride in what you make. I had no idea how much it brings out character, not just in pcs but npcs! You can actualy have kingdoms and knighthoods and it matters! Realistically in the standard high magic worlds having a bunch of fighters is a total waste, wizards and clerics are what you want. And you know that just reduces everything to spell crunching. There is a down side if you've got players who really like their magic, they complain. Oh the endless whining! All I hear every session is "what do you mean the illithid wizard only has a wand and a ring! He's gotta be 10th level!" That just spoils everything. So good luck, hope your players aren't like this.

 

[Desdichado]

Only if that's the problem you're having getting to good roleplaying in your group. I like low magic, because IMO, most low magic is more reminiscent of what I see when I read fantasy fiction.

But I don't think it necessarily effects my roleplaying one way or another. It does allow for different types of games. I'm still amazed at Monte Cook's attitude in the DMG (and elsewhere) for instance that DMs shouldn't run standard mystery type plots, because there are a number of spells that essentially make using this plot impossible.