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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DireHammer" data-source="post: 7292262" data-attributes="member: 6704558">In my 2e Nordic campaigns wizards actually owed their power to the more "primitive" Northmen.  Southmen (based on Greek, Egyptian, and other ancient civilizations) practiced a more free-form, but ultimately limited (in some ways) form of magic.In 1e and 2e magic worked much differently, it was more difficult to master and in my opinion more satisfying.  A wizard in 2e required 10 minutes per spell level (15 minutes in 1e) to memorize a single spell, meaning memorizing JUST fireball required a 30 minute time investment.This mechanic meshed very well with runes.  I ruled that instead of memorizing spells and then forgetting them when cast a magic-user instead would spend time empowering a rune and when cast that power is simply spent.  Thus, the barbaric magic-users followed the RAW much more closely (though different thematically) than did civilized magic-users.Civilized magic users were much further afield than were barbarians.  While they "could" learn runes (and many adventurers did because they're very handy in an adventuring environment) they also could learn a spell as a potion (requiring a much longer time to create than a rune, but being able to be used by anyone), an incantation (requiring 1 round per spell level to cast but not requiring preparation), scrolls (working very similar to runes, but less convenient and easily destroyed), or astronomical (only can be cast when the stars are right, but with far more power.)Clerical magic was available to both, but the spell lists were different due to the sphere system 2e used.  Barbarian gods tended to be far more elemental and were more likely to smite your foes with lightning from the sky than heal you and your allies after a battle.  I also would assign some of a cleric's spells rather than letting him choose.  I wouldn't do this every time, but maybe when the cleric prayed for spells he received a slow poison spell unexpectedly in place of another spell he had requested.  This served a purpose of giving an omen or premonition for what lays ahead.  If I give you slow poison you can bet there's a venomous creature in your future, act accordingly.Druidic magic was elf-only.  Elves were magical and all elves were druids or multi-classed druids, and ONLY elves could be druids.  Essentially the druid became the elf class.  The ability to shapechange (not available until 7th level in 2e) was a sign that the elf had ascended to a higher state of being and was now counted among the nobility.I just recently bought 5e books due to it becoming harder and harder to find old school gamers.  5e doesn't fit my game world or style very well and I'm not quite sure on how I'm going to make it fit but I'm working on it.  Wild shape is especially troublesome, 2nd level is just WAY too early for such a powerful ability.  Every edition of D&D magic becomes more and more pronounced and "mundane," adapting my world to 5e may not be possible.</blockquote>

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