D&D 3E/3.5 What if everyone's a wizard? [3.5]

[Dannyalcatraz]

In the latest books, most of the more powerful magicians are related to Bink in some fashion

The last I read was either Geis of the Gargoyle (1994) or Roc and a Hard Place (1995), and even then, most of Bink's descendants were top-tier powers.

Like I said, the powerful tend to have powerful offspring...and Bink was arguably thë most powerful of them all.

 

[Shaghayegh]

If you go with feats, you could have a bonus feat for everyone that contributes x-number of uses per day of a level-0 power. Then you could have additional feats that boost the level of the original power. Members of magical professions could develop this talent further and would gain bonus spells based around the talent in the same way Clerics gain bonus spells based on their domain...

 

[Samloyal23]

One simple solution would be to add a spell list to each class, even Commoner, to allow members of each class to gain spells like a Bard. Maybe some have slower progression or only go up to say Level 3, every class gets spells. So yes, you may not want to mess with that 7th level ditchdigger, he might have a Sound Burst spell up his sleave...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Does this thread assume that it is equally as easy for anyone to become a Spellcaster level 20 with access to 9th level spells as it is for anyone else?

I've been designing a Transmutation War Weaver complete with feats and alternate class features up the ying yang with the assumption that this character was trained by a Transmutation Specialist Wizard. He has 3 prohibited schools and some nifty feats and things because from day 1 he was taught that way. His teacher assumed Necromancy, Evocation and Enchantment were useless and so didn't bother to teach him anything from those schools.

If everyone could become a Wizard, than I'd foresee serious specializing happening. If one Wizard spends a lifetime refining Magic, only to teach those refinements to the apprentices of the next generation, Etc, expect Metamagic combos, "broken" PrCs and powerful spell usage to become more common.

Unless some powerful somebody(ies) regulates all this, see my earlier post.


If that powerful magic is Not accessible to all, and it's more a "everyone is a little magical", then Eberron's Dragonmarks and the Dragonmark feats might be a good model for this.

 

[Samloyal23]

Does this thread assume that it is equally as easy for anyone to become a Spellcaster level 20 with access to 9th level spells as it is for anyone else?

I've been designing a Transmutation War Weaver complete with feats and alternate class features up the ying yang with the assumption that this character was trained by a Transmutation Specialist Wizard. He has 3 prohibited schools and some nifty feats and things because from day 1 he was taught that way. His teacher assumed Necromancy, Evocation and Enchantment were useless and so didn't bother to teach him anything from those schools.

If everyone could become a Wizard, than I'd foresee serious specializing happening. If one Wizard spends a lifetime refining Magic, only to teach those refinements to the apprentices of the next generation, Etc, expect Metamagic combos, "broken" PrCs and powerful spell usage to become more common.

Unless some powerful somebody(ies) regulates all this, see my earlier post.


If that powerful magic is Not accessible to all, and it's more a "everyone is a little magical", then Eberron's Dragonmarks and the Dragonmark feats might be a good model for this.

As a matter of practicality it would be very hard to have everyone in a society educated to become a wizard, so most people are assuming a more modest approach. However, I think a small, affluent nation could have a very high percentage of trained casters out of its total population. Was there not a BECM campaign setting that was a nation of wizards? Something with a "G"... Anyway, it could be done if a nation secure and rich enough to allow everyone open access to the magical equivalent of an Ivy League education.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

As a matter of practicality it would be very hard to have everyone in a society educated to become a wizard, so most people are assuming a more modest approach. However, I think a small, affluent nation could have a very high percentage of trained casters out of its total population. Was there not a BECM campaign setting that was a nation of wizards? Something with a "G"... Anyway, it could be done if a nation secure and rich enough to allow everyone open access to the magical equivalent of an Ivy League education.

But IF "Secure and Rich" is the requirement for such a society where everyone is free and affluent enough to have universal magical education, than the easy access to magic would increase the likelihood of such a society forming. The spell Fabricate alone used effectively could cover manufacturing, we've had numerous discussions on these threads about how magic could be used to cover food production, etc. One generation of a handful of intentional spellcasters applying magic to thier society would pave the way for the next generation to have the comfort and free time to devote to education.

...granted, there are a number of simple assumptions made here, such as a community-wide dedication to the process, no one goes power crazy & ruins such a system, ignoring modern economics, and other elements that could chaotically throw a wrench into the system don't happen.

 

[Lady Chaomii]

What do you think a campaign world would look like if everyone had some form of supernatural ability?

---

In a wold of magic, nobody bats an eyelid when a unicorn teleports, or a pegasus manipulates the atmosphere or a dragon vomits up your daily newspaper. Magic would become a normal part of daily life, and they would view it no differently to the way we view technology. It may even no longer become a tool, and be used as a form of creativity or even sport. Fledgling casters would test their might against one another in competitions of magical might.

There would still be conflict between different types of magic users; Sorcerers would be at odds with Wizards, and Wizards may be skeptical of psychics, accusing them of being cheats and frauds. There may even be segregation between different types of magic users. Wizards and Sorcerers may form rival tribes or even rival societies while those blessed by the divine may try to maintain the peace, or even use the anarchy to make themselves rulers. Claiming that because their power comes from a deity, then going against the divine is going against the gods themselves. Those with no magic at all could become servants of the magic class, treated no better than work-horses.

Anything heavier than light armor would become somewhat rare, and would only really be used by muggles and other magicless creatures. The image of a man in full plate armor would have a completely reverse meaning; instead of a knight in shining armor, it would be revered as armor for human bull-dogs and ruffians. As such, any heavy armor warn by diviners, such as paladins, would be somehow different, possibly streamlined and graceful. Perhaps Masterwork Heavy Armor is armor designed for such individuals.

 

[kingius]

Constructs would be everywhere, being far stronger and more durable than people are. Invisible servants would rush around opening and closing doors for people. Luggage would be carried on floating discs as wizards idly chat on relaxing walks around the park. Trees might join in the conversation.

Dispel magic would be banned, restricted for use only by the Archmage's Men, who frequently intervene in disputes to keep the peace. High level magic would similarly be tightly controlled, perhaps to protect the fabric of the world from unraveling.

Summoned creatures from other planes would be common sights. Doorways to other worlds would exist. Long distance travel would likely be done by hopping into dimensional doors, one after another.

 

[Samloyal23]

But IF "Secure and Rich" is the requirement for such a society where everyone is free and affluent enough to have universal magical education, than the easy access to magic would increase the likelihood of such a society forming. The spell Fabricate alone used effectively could cover manufacturing, we've had numerous discussions on these threads about how magic could be used to cover food production, etc. One generation of a handful of intentional spellcasters applying magic to thier society would pave the way for the next generation to have the comfort and free time to devote to education.

...granted, there are a number of simple assumptions made here, such as a community-wide dedication to the process, no one goes power crazy & ruins such a system, ignoring modern economics, and other elements that could chaotically throw a wrench into the system don't happen.

Sufficiently advanced magic is a form of technology, so eventually, as a society progressed, it could of course develop a better education system for the spread of magical knowledge and also use magic synergistically to improve the wealth and security of the nation. Spells could easily be created to enhance the education system directly, allowing pupils to learn magic and other skills in less time and help select students with talent in specific areas...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Sufficiently advanced magic is a form of technology, so eventually, as a society progressed, it could of course develop a better education system for the spread of magical knowledge and also use magic synergistically to improve the wealth and security of the nation. Spells could easily be created to enhance the education system directly, allowing pupils to learn magic and other skills in less time and help select students with talent in specific areas...

Spells like Amanuensis and Scholar's Touch alone would speed up education. I would use Scholar's Touch every day if I had that spell.