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Black_Zawisza
2011-01-30, 04:45 AM
Do you have more fun casting with arcane or divine spells? Why? I'm looking exclusively at the spells, not the casters themselves.

Alleran
2011-01-30, 05:49 AM
Arcane. With divine spells, I always get the feeling that I'm "begging spells" from somebody else rather than mastering it personally.

Cerlis
2011-01-30, 06:37 AM
the reason why druids and clerics get full casting but other benefits is because arcane has access to anything you can think of other than healing.

Summon buildings and monsters, use tricks, high powered evocation spells.

thats my theory at least, the wizard spell list is a swiss army knife of options.

Most divine spells are either fair damage, healing, buffs or summonings.

so , arcane is funner in and of itself. I only find Divine fun if i have cool character fluff.

umbrapolaris
2011-01-30, 06:42 AM
arcane. blaster/summoner is my definition of wizadry.

faceroll
2011-01-30, 06:50 AM
Arcane certainly has the most fun and useful spells, but divine is awesome because if it's in a book, it's on my spell list.

Toliudar
2011-01-30, 06:58 AM
Arcane certainly has the most fun and useful spells, but divine is awesome because if it's in a book, it's on my spell list.

+1. The ability to completely reinvent my spell list based on the current situation is so much fun. Sure, arcane has almost all of the iconic 'magics', but there's usually a workaround for either druid or cleric.

Runestar
2011-01-30, 07:08 AM
I find the cleric has better self-buffs. Sure, no polymorph or shapechange, but stuff like shield other, mass aid and death ward are just as fun. :smallsmile:

faceroll
2011-01-30, 07:16 AM
I find the cleric has better self-buffs. Sure, no polymorph or shapechange, but stuff like shield other, mass aid and death ward are just as fun. :smallsmile:

Shapechange is total shenanigans. And more fun than virtually any spell, ever.

FMArthur
2011-01-30, 03:36 PM
Arcane magic is usually the one that truly feels limitless to me. In a world where magic is normal, simple magic holds less appeal to me. The wizard/sorceror list holds most of the spells that are still crazy mysterious magic even by D&D world standards.

CycloneJoker
2011-01-30, 06:13 PM
Psionics (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a)

Magic Myrmidon
2011-01-30, 07:10 PM
Arcane. With divine spells, I always get the feeling that I'm "begging spells" from somebody else rather than mastering it personally.

This, almost exactly.

Ernir
2011-01-30, 07:13 PM
Divine, because my spells failing due to me wearing a breastplate sounds like my character doesn't have enough levels in badass.

dsmiles
2011-01-30, 07:15 PM
Psionics (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a)Ditto. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a)
Followed of course by the obligatory text to make 10 characters. Whoops, now I went too far!

Hammerhead
2011-01-30, 07:19 PM
Divine (read: "Cleric, Shaman or Druid").

Because fiddling with spellbooks and spells known is lame.

CycloneJoker
2011-01-30, 08:03 PM
Ditto. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a)
Nice .

Mastikator
2011-01-30, 09:09 PM
Arcane have more random utility spells that look weak to the untrained eye but actually are way game breakingly powerful if you use it smart than divine in my experience.
So arcane. :P

arguskos
2011-01-30, 09:38 PM
Both. I love both equally for different reasons. Arcane, because of FMArthur's reasoning, where it feels limitless and infinite, really full of potential and mystery, and divine because I'm a fairly faith-based guy, and divine magic is something I just love roleplaying.

Zaydos
2011-01-30, 09:43 PM
I'd say Arcane because I love that power, INFINITE POWER!!!!!!


But... when I played a wizard/druid I actually mainly used Divine spells and found out I enjoy Buffing. He was also a DMPC so buffing was a good thing for him to be doing, but since then I've found I prefer playing the character that buffs someone (himself, his familiar, his animal companion, or an ally) and sends them charging into combat.

That and blasting :smallsmile: I'm still a kid at heart (although it was my 2nd session I learned that Sleep was the best spell in the book... this was the Red Box Player's Handbook so that's not an exaggeration).

dsmiles
2011-01-30, 09:47 PM
I'd say Arcane because I love that power, INFINITE POWER!!!!!!Itty-bitty living space?

Maho-Tsukai
2011-01-30, 10:05 PM
Divine. Arcane is fun and all but nothing says evil villain like throwing around negative energy spells, blasphemies and animating undead minions. I mean, yeah, Arcane magic has some very powerful spells but the style points go to divine because everybody knows that the guy with the negative energy touch who summons undead and uses divine magic make him strong and crack people's heads open has a FAR bigger "awesome-factor"(and is far more manly) then the guy who's shooting rainbows and sparkly dust at people while he summons cute fuzzy things to act as his meat shield.

However, as the caster advances Arcane magic starts to get more stylish(and manly) but Divine magic is stylish from level 1 and that's why it has my vote.

Though if you don't care about being stylish at low levels(Or happen to think that rainbows and sparkly dust are cool.) I can certainly see the allure of Arcane magic since once you start to level up you eventually get some very cool and stylish spells.

Waker
2011-01-30, 10:10 PM
I'd say Arcane because I love that power, INFINITE POWER!!!!!!

Itty-bitty living space?
Close, that was more PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS!

In any event, I favor Arcane over Divine. I'm no ones pawn. I draw my power from my overwhelming intellect or my irresistible charms.

Jarian
2011-01-31, 02:12 PM
Option C, Psionics.

Failing that, Divine. If I want to fly around shooting lightning bolts from my eyes, you'd better damn well believe I'm going to do it while wearing full plate at the same time, not a dress.

holywhippet
2011-01-31, 02:26 PM
the reason why druids and clerics get full casting but other benefits is because arcane has access to anything you can think of other than healing.



Why does so many people seem to forget that bards are arcane casters and that they get an assortment of healing spells?

TheGeckoKing
2011-01-31, 02:28 PM
My absolute ideal would be Divine, worshipping the ideal of one-self. If i'm going to cast spells, it's gonna be in Mechanus Gear, brandishing a Tower Shield and a Fullblade, Somatic Components be damned.

Psyren
2011-01-31, 03:06 PM
Psionics (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a)

This of course - but within the constraints of the thread, divine suits me more than arcane.


Arcane. With divine spells, I always get the feeling that I'm "begging spells" from somebody else rather than mastering it personally.

Well, this guy disagrees (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=3)

Keinnicht
2011-01-31, 03:16 PM
I find arcane more satisfying, just because only a few divine spells give you the satisfaction of blowing away four or five enemies with one roll.

Psyren
2011-01-31, 03:19 PM
I find arcane more satisfying, just because only a few divine spells give you the satisfaction of blowing away four or five enemies with one roll.

I prefer no roll (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holyword.htm)

CycloneJoker
2011-01-31, 09:42 PM
This of course - but within the constraints of the thread, divine suits me more than arcane.



Well, this guy disagrees (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=3)

Mantled Erudite, same link. You get Magic Mantle, you get two bonus feats, so all's good, and you proceed to abuse the bujeebus outa things.

Also, Ur-Priest is cooler, and has more shenanigans.

Bibliomancer
2011-01-31, 09:45 PM
I prefer arcane both due to the flavor (quoting from the Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett "A wizard is a man with his thumb on the scales of the universe.") as well as the fact that invisibility and all sorts of other fun utility spells are available to all arcanists worthy of the name at rather low levels.

Although I must admit some bias here because I haven't yet gotten a chance to play a divine character. I'm more interested in arcane spells and our group has a dedicated cleric.

Orbin Dules
2011-01-31, 10:06 PM
I prefer Divine for one reason alone: Miracle. The ability to recreate any spell of 7th level or lower, or any divine spell of 8th level or lower at no experience cost is very helpful indeed.

Jolee
2011-01-31, 10:41 PM
I mean, yeah, Arcane magic has some very powerful spells but the style points go to divine dread necromancers because everybody knows that the guy with the negative energy touch who summons undead and uses divine magic make him strong arcane magic to sap enemies' strength and crack people's heads open has a FAR bigger "awesome-factor"(and is far more manly) then the guy who's shooting rainbows and sparkly dust at people while he summons cute fuzzy things to act as his meat shield.

FIFY :smallwink:

Lither
2011-02-01, 03:27 AM
I prefer Divine. There's something really awesome about getting spells from a divine being rather than a book. Failing that, Holy Smite/ Holy Word. I really like those spells. Plus, you don't need to keep a spellbook around, unlike some arcane casters.

GoodbyeSoberDay
2011-02-01, 03:31 AM
I prefer arcanists. They have a better menu of no-save offensive spells from 1-20. Of course, you could just pick "both" with Archivist or Artificer.

Combat Reflexes
2011-02-01, 04:49 AM
Methinks wizardry is the most believable and consistent form of magic. They don't possess any of that innate magic stuff and are not dependent on some form of unintelligible God Powers. They go to school and learn magic just like we learn Physics, or Maths.

dsmiles
2011-02-01, 05:27 AM
Why does so many people seem to forget that bards are arcane casters and that they get an assortment of healing spells?I'll still never understand why they changed the bard to an arcane caster in 2e. I loved the rules for becoming a bard in 1e. :smallsigh: Good times.

Gullintanni
2011-02-01, 08:25 AM
Divine. Something about channeling the wrath of god(s) is just awesome. Plus versatility. Slap Spontaneous Domain Casting on your Cleric and throw a Domain that has Miracle as its level 9 spell...and you can see where this goes.

Anything you can do a Cleric can do just as well. Plus their own abilities. Although I suppose this is more an argument for Cleric vs. Arcane casters. Non-Cleric Divine vs. Non-Wiz/Sorc Arcane, I'd probably pick Arcane...

...but I do love me some Cleric.

Greenish
2011-02-01, 09:23 AM
I'll still never understand why they changed the bard to an arcane caster in 2e.Because "arcane" has added alliterative appeal (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AddedAlliterativeAppeal) with "awesome" that also describes them.