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sims796
2011-05-14, 10:12 PM
Ok, quick question, this doesn't need like, 3 pages or anything, but it has been rattling around for some time.

I know that when casting spells in this comic, they have colored energy surrounding the caster's hand. What I wanted to know is if this color is color-coded for the caster, or the spell? Like, is Flesh to Stone always green, or is it only green because Zz'tri casts it?

NerfTW
2011-05-14, 10:14 PM
It's by caster. And they aren't exclusive to one caster, there's a few who share colors.

MoonCat
2011-05-14, 10:16 PM
Spells that have 'beams' like disintegrate will always have the same color 'beam' coming out of the magical aura, which is always the color the belongs to the caster. If the spell doesn't have a 'beam', then all you see is the aura, which will be the caster's color.

sims796
2011-05-14, 10:19 PM
Spells that have 'beams' like disintegrate will always have the same color 'beam' coming out of the magical aura, which is always the color the belongs to the caster. If the spell doesn't have a 'beam', then all you see is the aura, which will be the caster's color.

That's what I figured. Thinking back, V's 'Fireball' was the same color as 'Lightning', not that I can remember who else used Lightning. Thanks. And thanks to NerfTW too.

LightsOnNo1Home
2011-05-14, 10:29 PM
Spells that have 'beams' like disintegrate will always have the same color 'beam' coming out of the magical aura, which is always the color the belongs to the caster. If the spell doesn't have a 'beam', then all you see is the aura, which will be the caster's color.

Also, the "beam" will be the colour that it is described as having in the D&D rulebook (e.g. see here for disintegrate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disintegrate.htm))

QuadraticWizard
2011-05-15, 09:20 AM
Casting: color-coded for your convenience!

harmsc12
2011-05-15, 10:52 PM
I'd like to see Thunt's take on Disintegrate or those giant magical hands. That would kick some serious tail.

Absol197
2011-05-16, 04:43 AM
It's by caster. And they aren't exclusive to one caster, there's a few who share colors.

I find it funny that Durkon and Belkar share the same dweomer color. Usually those who do are similar in personality or where their magic comes from.

Asta Kask
2011-05-16, 05:13 AM
Belkar is a ranger so he gets his power from trees. Durkon hates trees. And Belkar's knowledge of spellcasting is homeopathically diluted. So that probably made sense. Somewhere.

Herald Alberich
2011-05-16, 10:00 AM
I find it funny that Durkon and Belkar share the same dweomer color. Usually those who do are similar in personality or where their magic comes from.

I always figured that was because Belkar doesn't have his own color, so the Giant just used Durkon's because they were Durkon's scrolls.

MoonCat
2011-05-16, 10:33 AM
I always figured that was because Belkar doesn't have his own color, so the Giant just used Durkon's because they were Durkon's scrolls.

In the same way that potions, when they cast their aura-thingie sometimes, appears to be the color of the brewer's aura.

Absol197
2011-05-16, 01:22 PM
I always figured that was because Belkar doesn't have his own color, so the Giant just used Durkon's because they were Durkon's scrolls.

I was about to argue that V uses his own aura when casting scrolls from other casters, but I just realized we never see him actually purchase scrolls, so we have no idea whther he made any of them himself...

Herald Alberich
2011-05-16, 01:38 PM
I was about to argue that V uses his own aura when casting scrolls from other casters, but I just realized we never see him actually purchase scrolls, so we have no idea whther he made any of them himself...

He purchased the scrolls of Dismissal (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0424.html). I'd say that if Belkar ever cast his own magic he'd have his own color, but he doesn't, and the Giant didn't want to come up with one just for that strip. Alternately, the white color indicates the "pure" high-Wisdom Belkar, in the same way his clothes changed color to be brighter. Or, since it was an early strip, it indicates Healing magic in general, before other clerics showed up and messed with the concept by healing using other colors.

HappyBlanket
2011-05-16, 04:08 PM
I'm rather fond of the idea that color is determined by the source of the magic; arcane casters, who draw the magic from themselves (for lack of better phrasing), have personal colors, whereas divine casters use the color of their gods (Azurite Paladins and Clerics).

...I almost said that Durkon and Belkar having white aura indicated that their divine magic (rangers use divine magic, right?), came from the same god. But then I started thinking, so I won't be supporting that idea.

Also: Though only Durkon and Belkar healed during the early strips, the divine caster Hilgya displayed orange casting aura.

MoonCat
2011-05-16, 05:04 PM
Orange for Loki obviously.

HappyBlanket
2011-05-16, 05:34 PM
Well, yeah. I as just saying that Hilgya's non-white divine magic aura appeared before Belkar's magic aura did, so by that point it was at least established that divine auras differed according to the deity (well, technically you could argue that the deity has nothing to do with it, but that just makes the entire thing boring).

...Still not suggesting that Belkar (would) get his ranger spells from Thor. I may not have a very thorough grasp on the rules, but there really must be something preventing Belkar and Durkon, of all people, from having similar philosophical beliefs.

Gift Jeraff
2011-05-16, 05:52 PM
The official word on magic colours:
Every spellcaster has their own color; it is not based on their alignment or type of magic or anything. It is mostly a matter of choice or personality, though most clerics tend to clump into the same general color if they worship the same gods because they tend to choose the same colors and/or have similar personalities.

Elan has a similar color to the Azurite priests because it's not as if everyone in the North sits around going, "Gosh, we can't pick blue, because those people on another continent all picked blue!" Tsukiko uses the same color for her divine magic as the Azurite priests because they both worship the Twelve Gods, who are worshipped as a pantheon by all alignments in Azure City.

Herald Alberich
2011-05-16, 06:32 PM
Oh, well, there you go then. I didn't consider the possibility that a character could actually choose his color. Interesting.

So, Belkar. I guess having white does have something to do with his Owl's Wisdom-inspired temporary outlook on life, then.

BlackestOfMages
2011-05-17, 11:08 AM
Well, yeah. I as just saying that Hilgya's non-white divine magic aura appeared before Belkar's magic aura did, so by that point it was at least established that divine auras differed according to the deity (well, technically you could argue that the deity has nothing to do with it, but that just makes the entire thing boring).

...Still not suggesting that Belkar (would) get his ranger spells from Thor. I may not have a very thorough grasp on the rules, but there really must be something preventing Belkar and Durkon, of all people, from having similar philosophical beliefs.

well, Thor seems to be chaotic good (The randomly setting off sotrms, getting distracted from fighting sutur, his entire life resolving around being drunk, missing the firtility goddess, not reading any of his own rules...), so they could technically have the same god (Belkar for the Chaotic, Durkon for the Good), while Loki, the god of chaos seems to be almost lawful in the way he acts, though it is unlikely.

though I do like the pantheon theory, as it's explain all the paladin blue (well, save for the hair), and it'd be funny to see Belkar somehow launch a thors lightning at an enemy:smallamused: