what does Vancian mean?

[Grimmjow]

in the class section for DDN on this websites DDN info they use the word vancian twice once with cleric and once with wizard. what does it mean?

 

[Morrus]

"Vancian" is named after an author called Jack Vance, upon whose work the original D&D magic system was loosely based (or influenced by).

In D&D terms it means to memorize spells, and to forget them when you cast them, requiring you to rememorize them. The default magic system of D&D right up until 4E.

 

[Grimmjow]

and they wanna go back to that, ugh

 

[Morrus]

and they wanna go back to that, ugh

I want them to, too. I like it. It adds an extra resource management dimension to playing a wizard which I find enjoyable.

 

[ahayford]

Vancian Magic

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

"Vancian" is named after an author called Jack Vance, upon whose work the original D&D magic system was loosely based (or influenced by).

In D&D terms it means to memorize spells, and to forget them when you cast them, requiring you to rememorize them. The default magic system of D&D right up until 4E.

Nitpick: it isn't actually "memorizing" and "forgetting" so much as it is pre-casting spells so you can release them quickly in combat; think of it less like "I suddenly don't know how to cast fireball anymore..." and more like carrying around a pistol with 3 bullets, a grenade launcher with 2 grenades, and a rocket launcher with 1 rocket--you know how to fire all of them, but you can't fire the rocket launcher twice until you get some more ammo.

This is made more clear (and more flavorful) in the original Dying Earth series, where the setting is post-apocalyptic, spells are complicated almost-intelligent constructs that want to be cast, anyone with the willpower to control them can prepare spells, and someone who can hold 6 spells in their head at one time is a very impressive spellcaster.

 

[Mattachine]

Fourth edition has Vancian magic, too, of course. I wish people would stop saying it doesn't.

Fourth edition also has less-limited magic, too.

 

[Morrus]

Nitpick: it isn't actually "memorizing" and "forgetting" so much as it is pre-casting spells so you can release them quickly in combat; think of it less like "I suddenly don't know how to cast fireball anymore..." and more like carrying around a pistol with 3 bullets, a grenade launcher with 2 grenades, and a rocket launcher with 1 rocket--you know how to fire all of them, but you can't fire the rocket launcher twice until you get some more ammo.

This is made more clear (and more flavorful) in the original Dying Earth series, where the setting is post-apocalyptic, spells are complicated almost-intelligent constructs that want to be cast, anyone with the willpower to control them can prepare spells, and someone who can hold 6 spells in their head at one time is a very impressive spellcaster.

In the D&D game it has always been specifically and repeatedly and clearly described as memorisation over the course of multiple editions.

It isn't a clone of the Vance novels. It's influenced by them. But "Vancian" in the context being asked about (the 5E info page) means the D&D spell system colloquially referred to as "Vancian".

 

[Klaus]

Up until 2e, spell were "memorized". The spellcaster would commit the complex formulae to memory, and when desired, would "solve" the spell in their minds, releasing the magical energy which would wipe the details of the spell from memory.

In 3e, spells were "prepared". Basically, casting a spell took 15 minutes of concentration, plus the actual casting time. The most efficient way to use this was to do the "heavy lifting" of casting your spells in a single stretch (which took 1 hour), so you'd only have to provide the final components (words, gestures, etc) to complete the spell quickly. 3e presented the option of leaving spell slots "open", with the caster having the option of meditating for another 15 minutes to "fill" them later.

In 4e, wizards had to choose which utility and daily spells to "prepare" in the morning, so they still had some Vancian elements to them.

 

[Living Legend]

I'm sorry but I had to speak up because it seems everyone here has been terribly misinformed. The real origins of this style of magic comes from the movie Ghostbusters. Gygax was a huge Bill Murray fan, and loved his "Peter Venkman" character in the movie. He especially found the beams from their proton packs inspiring, basing the "prismatic spray" spell on their look. "Vancian" is actually pronounced like "Venkman", but when he tried to coin the term "Venkian magic" Columbia Pictures threatened to file a lawsuit against him so he changed the spelling just enough to get by... and thus was born vancian magic.




Sorry, had a few drinks, saw a headline about Ghostbusters 3 not happenin, had this idea.