AmandaBarbarian
Explorer
With a thanks to @squibbles
So I asked for general DM advise, because hello I am new to Dming. However I would like to start a series of specific posts asking about different parts of world building. This isn't a plus thread per say, but if you think I should not world build that is not very helpful.
Also Warning, I ramble when I am excited even in text.
(if you want to see part 1 https://www.enworld.org/threads/world-building-commerce-and-gold.698360/ if your want to see part 2 https://www.enworld.org/threads/world-building-army-building.698375/ and there is a part 2b someone else spun off https://www.enworld.org/threads/wor...-in-military-application.698390/#post-9051859 )
Part 3 https://www.enworld.org/threads/world-building-tech-magic-and-society.698394/ (and 3b spin off again where I get told that a cantrip can't do what a cantrip says https://www.enworld.org/threads/worldbuilding-destruction-and-siege-via-mold-earth.698457/
And another spin off about the mechanics of spells https://www.enworld.org/threads/wor...ics-of-spellcasting-tell-us-of-flavor.698470/
Okay, so wind up to question 3: Did (in your world) magic evolve or has it always been like it is now?
Okay so @squibbles had a great post inone of the above links about how magic effects the world if you get a 5th level druid or bard to feed people you don't need farms ect ect ect…
But when I was responding I started to think, we don't assume tech today was the tech of 2,000 years ago. Sometimes it seems to me like some DMs just assume every spell today was there in the "time before time" and that doesn't have to be the answer (although it can be).
So I am not a forgotten realms lore master, I have read about half of 1 novel and didn't like it, and I have only played in the realms in Adventure League, and I have 0 interest in running it… BUT I know that magic changed a bunch of times, not only to keep up with editions but just as back story cause there used to be 13th level spells that let you steal god hood.
So I started to imagine that wizards make spells. Like fireball didn't exsist at some point and then someone made it. Someone most likely made a cold 3rd level spell and an acid and a force 3rd level AoE too, but they didn't 'catch on' like fireball did. Imagine the first caster that got hit with a counter spell saying "What just happened?"
But sorcerers are born with the same spells wizards make, and warlocks make deals with devils and demons to learn fireball… so at some point the 'science' of fireball became generic enough that people could just do it.
What about clerics/druids? Did someone 'invent' cure wounds then ask the gods for it? Did someone just get given cure wounds and others asked to duplicate it? Or did the gods all sit down at a table and decide what powers they could or should give followers?
Again like warlock, there are wizard spells that clerics can cast too. So did a god grant it to clerics and a wizard back engineer it, or did a wizard invent it and a god took it and said "Good idea now every one of my followers can take this too"
So I asked for general DM advise, because hello I am new to Dming. However I would like to start a series of specific posts asking about different parts of world building. This isn't a plus thread per say, but if you think I should not world build that is not very helpful.
Also Warning, I ramble when I am excited even in text.
(if you want to see part 1 https://www.enworld.org/threads/world-building-commerce-and-gold.698360/ if your want to see part 2 https://www.enworld.org/threads/world-building-army-building.698375/ and there is a part 2b someone else spun off https://www.enworld.org/threads/wor...-in-military-application.698390/#post-9051859 )
Part 3 https://www.enworld.org/threads/world-building-tech-magic-and-society.698394/ (and 3b spin off again where I get told that a cantrip can't do what a cantrip says https://www.enworld.org/threads/worldbuilding-destruction-and-siege-via-mold-earth.698457/
And another spin off about the mechanics of spells https://www.enworld.org/threads/wor...ics-of-spellcasting-tell-us-of-flavor.698470/
Okay, so wind up to question 3: Did (in your world) magic evolve or has it always been like it is now?
Okay so @squibbles had a great post inone of the above links about how magic effects the world if you get a 5th level druid or bard to feed people you don't need farms ect ect ect…
But when I was responding I started to think, we don't assume tech today was the tech of 2,000 years ago. Sometimes it seems to me like some DMs just assume every spell today was there in the "time before time" and that doesn't have to be the answer (although it can be).
So I am not a forgotten realms lore master, I have read about half of 1 novel and didn't like it, and I have only played in the realms in Adventure League, and I have 0 interest in running it… BUT I know that magic changed a bunch of times, not only to keep up with editions but just as back story cause there used to be 13th level spells that let you steal god hood.
So I started to imagine that wizards make spells. Like fireball didn't exsist at some point and then someone made it. Someone most likely made a cold 3rd level spell and an acid and a force 3rd level AoE too, but they didn't 'catch on' like fireball did. Imagine the first caster that got hit with a counter spell saying "What just happened?"
But sorcerers are born with the same spells wizards make, and warlocks make deals with devils and demons to learn fireball… so at some point the 'science' of fireball became generic enough that people could just do it.
What about clerics/druids? Did someone 'invent' cure wounds then ask the gods for it? Did someone just get given cure wounds and others asked to duplicate it? Or did the gods all sit down at a table and decide what powers they could or should give followers?
Again like warlock, there are wizard spells that clerics can cast too. So did a god grant it to clerics and a wizard back engineer it, or did a wizard invent it and a god took it and said "Good idea now every one of my followers can take this too"