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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fusangite" data-source="post: 3040488" data-attributes="member: 7240">It seems as thought Storyteller started off making a very good point and has ended up migrating to the outer reaches of the solar system while I was away from my computer. A few thoughts on recent posts, mainly a reiteration of Andor's points:1. Demographics: As Storyteller correctly pointed out, the RAW, while silent on what social and institutional barriers might exist to becoming a spell caster, speaks clearly on the demography that arises from whatever these unstated barriers are. The overwhelming majority of society is made up of non-casters. 2. Social Hierarchy: It seems absurd to suggest that a society with a significant majority of non-casters would, on the basis of demography alone, cast out spell-casters. For one thing, casters are the only people who can intermediate in communications with divine beings; those with an otherworldly focus are naturally dependent on spell casters for knowing the wishes of the gods and complying with them. Similarly, spellcasters are over-represented in PC classes. Thus, classes that are twice as powerful per class level (as per the demography sections of the DMG) are naturally going to hold a disproportionate portion of the power in society based on their own ability to exert coercive force.Another important factor that would contribute to casters being accorded disproportionate power is their monopoly on accelerated healing. Fast healing can only be accomplished by the direct intervention of a caster or through a magic item created by a caster.Finally, there is the targets per round factor. Whereas a high-level bowman with all possible archery feats might be able to hit four targets per round or a high level melee fighter, eight, high level casters can slay or incapacitate dozens per round through area effect spells. While high-level non-casters are competitive with or better than high-level casters at killing people of commensurable levels, casters are clearly superior at killing people at lower levels.All this, taken together, means that casters are likely to be over-represented amongst social elites and very difficult to dislodge from their social position.3. Battle Tactics: This is a no-brainer. Given the properties enumerated above, let's do the comparison Andor suggested of a non-magic using army versus a magic-using army except in this one, the casters for the magic-using army stay back at camp making potions and enchanting weapons. Who is going to do better on the field? An army of 1000 using mundane weapons with no capacity to heal themselves or an army of 500 equipped with magic weapons and the ability to heal themselves. Now, imagine the army of 500 getting to go back to camp at night and have all their wounds healed while the other army goes back and, with the careful application of the Heal skill, regains 2hp/level/night. According to the RAW, a 16th level fighter is only equal to a 16th level wizard if arrayed in magical weapons and armour. The gear is part of the balance equation. According to our system's theory of balance, a non-magical society will lose.</blockquote>

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