Why does magic work the way it works?

[diaglo]

There's an interesting and funny concept. The elves sit back a few generations, "Let the humans die at their experiments a couple times, then when they finally get something right, we can take their information and work with it." Humans are the guinie pigs for the elves.

Quasqueton

and thus why becoming a lich may be so appealing to evil wizards/clerics/sorc/etc...

 

[FireLance]

Is creating a new spell an act as simple as just "researching" it? If so, why aren't there spells for every little imaginable situation? If not, what does it take to create a new spell?

Fundamentally, every truly new spell changes the laws of the universe. The creator imposes his will on the fabric of reality, changing it so that magic can flow in new ways. However, once this initial effort is complete, the spell becomes a new natural law that others may discover. This is the reason why two spellcasters who have had no previous contact with each other may "create" identical spells. In truth, either one has truly created a new spell, and the other discovered it after its creation, or both have discovered a spell already created by a third spellcaster.

Why is there no iceball, lightningball, sonicball, or acidball spell? (Like fireball.)?

Why is the list of summonable monsters not mirror images (celestial X and fiendish X)?

There could be, if some spellcaster takes the trouble to create them. But it is much easier to find and use what is already there, than to go through the effort of making something new.

Why isn't there a 1st-level "no-save, just die" spell?

Even a low-level spell is usually sufficient to kill an ordinary man. However, inescapable death requires more power.

Why are some spells only divine, or only arcane, while some are both?

Why are some spells different levels depending on being divine or arcane?

The gods also change the natural laws of the world in ways that are pleasing to them, and their disciples may learn to use these laws in ways similar to arcanists. In addition, the powers wielded by priests and arcanists have different strengths, which can sometimes make it easier or more difficult to cause various effects.

Why does magic in your D&D game world work the way it is described in the rule books?

Do you speak of the Books of Law? Since they dictate all actions and consequences in the world, they would naturally also dictate the way that magic functions.

 

[eris404]

As for level one: it would be too powerful. Magic missile is the only 'save or die' equivalent first level spell (as has already been pointed out). In fact, if you limit all of its damage to one target and rename it 'Evil Eye' or something similar it would work just as well as a save or die spell (rather like a super weak version of Power Word, Kill: if you have less hp than dmg rolled, you die).

I like this idea, actually. One could think of magic missile as a "baby step" towards more powerful spells that can kill someone with a mere gesture or word. I think that learning to cast spells is like learning to do anything else: you have to start with what is easy and work towards the more difficult stuff.

 

[Abstraction]

How does magic work? I think I can explain. First of all, each player has his own deck of cards. Each player starts with seven cards. Now, you can only play one card a turn...

 

[Buttercup]

In the D&D game world...

Is creating a new spell an act as simple as just "researching" it? If so, why aren't there spells for every little imaginable situation? If not, what does it take to create a new spell?

IMC, no player has ever wanted to do this, so I haven't had to think it through.

Why is there no iceball, lightningball, sonicball, or acidball spell? (Like fireball.)

Again, no player has asked for there to be, but I'd allow these spells.

Why isn't there a 1st-level "no-save, just die" spell?

As others have said, magic missile is the baby step down this road. I really like the idea of renaming it though.

Why are some spells only divine, or only arcane, while some are both?

This has always bothered me, and I've never gotten around to coming up with an in-game fix for it. I think though, that in my next campaign I'll have only one spellcasting class, a modified sorcerer, and let them choose spells from all possible spell lists, perhaps using a domain or theme concept. I really like the idea that the world itself secretes magical energy, and certain people can feel/see/taste/manipulate it. Sort of like if most people were color blind, but some small number were not. In that case, perhaps each individual sorcerer would have a talent for using the magic in particular ways. Heck, maybe it would run in families. Clan A would have a facility with healing, buffing and creation spells while Clan B would have facility with illusions and sound related spells, and so forth. Another possibility here would be to have different spell lists for different races. It makes sense, for instance, that dwarves would be able to manipulate the earth's magical energy in ways that humans could never imagine.

Why are some spells different levels depending on being divine or arcane?

If I tweak things as above, I've eliminated this issue. Presently I don't have a good explanation for it, so I just say that the gods work in mysterious ways.

Why is the list of summonable monsters not mirror images (celestial X and fiendish X)?

IMC they are.

Why does magic in your D&D game world work the way it is described in the rule books?

Believe it or not, I have *never* had a player in 3.X play a wizard. Clerics, druids, sorcerers and bards, yes. So I haven't had to come up with an in-game explanation for Vancian magic. The rest issue I just explain away as recovering from the strain caused by channeling all those energies through one's body. The pre-set lists of prepared spells for clerics and druids I just wave away as those they have prayed/meditated on. Truthfully, if the cleric IMC were to die, I'd change this and give the class a spell progression like the sorcerer's for all future clerics. I'd probably give them 3 or 4 domains, and that would be all the spells they could access, period. No one is playing a druid at present, but if someone wants to, I'll tweak it the same way.

 

[A2Z]

because it's magic. Suck up and deal or write your own system.

Hmm, that's almost as usefull an answer as saying "that's just the way the fairy elves want it."

 

[Dinkeldog]

Please don't confuse threads, A2Z.

Thanks.

 

[Dinkeldog]

because it's magic. Suck up and deal or write your own system.

See now, this is a flip answer and doesn't serve to further the discussion.

My answer is, "Because it's magic. It's going to vary from campaign to campaign, and if you don't like it, write your own system (i.e. change things to suit your campaign)."

I could go further and say how I explain things in my campaign, like Psion did (kudos, btw, for a good, quality post). However, I'm not under any obligation to really further the discussion.

Granted, my personal response in such a case is to hit the "back" button rather than "submit reply". This is almost a threadcrap answer--which really turns me off from people--but not quite. Hopefully this will point out why you got such negative response toward your comment.