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Message: <blockquote data-quote="NoWayJose" data-source="post: 5476453" data-attributes="member: 84810">On a special webisode of the Dr Phyl Show, I meet with 'Ota Lal', a professional Dungeon Master who often hires living spells like Beguiling Strands. Dr Phyl: When you met Beguiling Strands for the first time, how did he describe himself? OL: He implied that people are hurt and reel away from him, their minds clouded, and they move back. He was very specific that his lights never dazzle, blind, stun, or do anything other than move people back. 'Hurt and push' he kept saying over and over. Dr Phyl: And how do you employ him? OL: I instructed him to entrance people into moving away, with a psychic backlash as a side-effect. Dr Phyl: So you employ him in way that might reinterpret his original job description. OL: I guess so. Dr Phyl: But he's only able to entrance people away, never entrances them to stop in their tracks or move otherwise. OL: Correct. Dr Phyl: Is your interpretation better? Does his original job description make sense to you? OL: That's just his suggested default behavior. The way *I* employ Begui-- Dr Phyl: Yes, I understand. But what do you think was the intention behind the way Beguiling Strands was originally conceived? Was it willy-nilly? Poorly explained? Badly-conceived in the first place? OL: [silence] Dr Phyl: Other Dungeon Masters have been known to criticize people who lack imagination to employ living spells narratively. Yet you felt the need to change or clarify Beguiling Strands' original method. So, do you criticize the original creators for a lack of imagination? Or is there a double standard here? OL: [silence] Dr Phyl: How about that other living spell, Hypnotism? OL: [silence] Dr Phyl: OK, do you think that the creators of Beguiling Strands and Hypnotism and others could and should have conceived these living spells differently? Do you feel that they have unfairly burdened employers like you to fix up any deficiencies or incongruities? OL: Hey, I enjoy the "burden" as you call it. I like to do extra work! Dr Phyl: How about other Dungeon Masters who don't have the time and inclination to take on the burden of rebooting multiple spells. Don't they have the right to criticize the original conception of Beguiling Strands and other living spells? OL: I don't care about other Dungeon Masters! I only talk about MY game. My game! I don't see what the problem is here... or why you bring it up as an example (of what?). [puts hands over ears] La, la, la, la, la... Dr Phyl: Well, folks, it seems that I'm no closer to understanding the reasoning behind the original conception of Beguiling Strands, Hypnotism, and other straight-jacketed spells. Tune in next time, when I waste more time on loyal legions of fans that don't understand the problem. * * * 1. From WoTC article "Wizard Preview: Ampersand Special: The Essential Classes" Originally crafted by eladrin wizards of the Feywild, this spell creates strands of subtle magic that weave through your foes like a spider’s web. Reeling from your attack, your enemies move away from you... A strand of scintillating colors and gleaming lights clouds your enemies’ minds and forces them to move away."</blockquote>

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