What kind of magic do you like?

[Eryx]

I like the D&D magic system, Vancian did you say it's called?
The only thing about Wizards/Sorcerors I would change would bt to give them more spells per day. Yes, spells are powerful , but the classes are underarmed for the number of spells they can use each day.

But aside that, I'm happy with it.

 

[LostSoul]

(regarding lower-level planar binding for "menial tasks")

Eh? That's exactly what unseen servant is for. The spell gives you the mechanics; you can handwave the descriptive text any way you like.

When I wrote "menial tasks", I meant it in a greater sense than what Unseen Servant can do. Maybe you want a butler who can greet guests (has to have Intelligence). Maybe you want something to guard a your back door that won't disappear in a couple minutes and isn't really worth casting a 5th level spell for. Maybe you want to summon some kind of "interpreter" demon to translate for you.

 

[Rahkan]

I prefer a high magic world

First of all, in response to the directly above. Why not simply research such a spell. What you are advocating is a decrease in the power of an existing spell along with a commensurate decrease in level. I'm pretty sure, but not totally, that wizards in 3e can still do their own spell research.

Secondly, I find that I actually prefer a high magic world. If I'm in a fantasy world I want to know I'm in a fantasy world. I want flying ships, djinn servants in every noble's household, and a good decanter of endless water at the bottom of every king's palace. To me high magic means that every person has just a little bit of wonder at his command. It means that a smith can snap his fingers and have his forge alight. It means that a housewife and divine the location of her lost pots, it means that an herbalist merely has to speak a word and the mixture in her beaker will swirl and stir itself evenly.

It also means even less technology than is normal in a fantasy world. A high-magic world doesn't have printing presses, it has printers who can magically replicate the same paper over and over. A high magic world doesn't have surgical tools, it has doctors who can make incisions merely by passing their hand over their subject. A high magic world doesn't have flying buttresses, it has a roof supported by magic. See where I'm going with this?

In the end it doesn't really affect game balance since A. DnD is designed for high magic in the first place and B. Many of the tasks handled by technology are now handled by magic, or are so minor that they simply replace small exertions.

However it is true that a high-magic world changes things significantly. many a murder can be solved simply by speaking with the dead corpse and asking it. Rich men will live far longer than is their normal lot, simply because of raise dead (though it would be a funny wrinkle if most people didn't want to come back, simply because the afterlife is so great). I find re-imagining a world around this stuff to be fun.

 

[LostSoul]

Re: I prefer a high magic world

First of all, in response to the directly above. Why not simply research such a spell. What you are advocating is a decrease in the power of an existing spell along with a commensurate decrease in level. I'm pretty sure, but not totally, that wizards in 3e can still do their own spell research.

I was just wondering why they didn't include spells like that. I think Planar Binding is really cool, so I'd like to see more of them spread across more levels.

Of course I could "research" my own spells, but I still would have liked to have see them in the PHB.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Why low magic has more appeal to me.

Low magic worlds offer the possibility of the heroes’ journey. A young man or woman born with a special heritage, destined to alter the world for good or ill. The LM setting lets you tell the story of Luke & Anakin. When the world is bursting with fantastical powers, setting the character apart as someone who has a special destiny becomes much more difficult. IMO most fantasy literature (sci-fi, occult, & fantasy) uses an archetype formula of low magic – high power. When I game, the goal is to emulate the literature I love to read or watch.

Lots of good fantasy can be had without the fabled journey (Star Trek, James Bond, Druss), but the stories that have the most resonance with me nearly always involve the journey. Djinn, Liches by the dozen, & thousands of dragons may appeal to me as a one off-er, but their needs to be something sustainable in the story. Where is the glory of fighting a dragon, when it is the 4th one of the campaign? Fantasy should be kept as mundane as possible to keep the fantasy, fantasy.

Some scoff (another thread) at playing characters with job “whew, barely made my farming rolls.” Me, I scoff at those who don’t understand the wonderful joy that comes from being in a campaign that could just as easily have been literature. Players in my games have jobs, and families. I ground them in reality, so that the game can unleash the fantasy. Different styles are appropriate for different genres; one can find a setting for nearly all styles of magic. I think WotC made a wise marketing decision – appealing to the majority of players. D&D magic, especially 3E magic has become a sub-genre itself, but for me D&D magic has lost its magic.

 

[Sulimo]

Generally I much prefer spell-point type magic systems rather than vancian magic.

But one I've I've always wanted was a magic system that was much more freeform. The SAGA Dragonlance spell system is an example of this, but I would prefer one with less book-keeping (which is quite ironic given that our group has mainly been playign Rolemaster since the mid-80's).

Earthdawn is another system I quite liked - especially with regard to magic items. That was the coolest system for magic items I've seen.

 

[Olive]

personally, i like DnD magic, always have.

I think that people get very upset about flavour, when really, thats the DMs job. I once read someone say that they didn't like the DMG instant kill roule because it had no flavour...well, the DM is there to describe what happens, giving it flavour.

it is easy to get hung up on mechanincs....

anyway: lost soul, moongoose's Demonology book gives you the ability to get low level demon servants etc... check it out.

 

[mmadsen]

As a player I like D&D magic because it is stable, I am familiar with it and it allows me to do many things. As a DM I like it because the mechanics are usually simple and quick to implement (particularly important in running combats).

I think you make important points, Voadam. The mechanics of D&D magic are (generally) simple and quick -- and they're even simpler and quicker for most players, since that's what they already know.

I dislike spells that give away too much info without making players interact. For instance, speak with dead is cool but I dislike omniscient divination question abilities.

Along similar lines, I really dislike spells like Remove Curse and Remove Disease. They provide such umbrella solutions. There's no clever way to use them; they just always work. And they destroy many good adventure seeds. Thus, the DM is stuck saying, "Sorry, this is a very special disease, and Remove Disease doesn't work!" Sigh.

I dislike that magic missile is auto hit/no save and that it uses d4s instead of d6s.

Does anyone use a variant Magic Missile that does d6 damage and requires a to-hit roll?

 

[hong]

Re: Why low magic has more appeal to me.

Low magic worlds offer the possibility of the heroes’ journey.

The presence or absence of magic, zap guns, bread-making machines or turnips has nothing to do with the heroes' journey.

 

[hong]

Along similar lines, I really dislike spells like Remove Curse and Remove Disease. They provide such umbrella solutions. There's no clever way to use them; they just always work. And they destroy many good adventure seeds. Thus, the DM is stuck saying, "Sorry, this is a very special disease, and Remove Disease doesn't work!" Sigh.

Read the remove curse spell description again.