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Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-15, 12:39 AM
Now, before I begin, I want to establish that everything that I say (and wish to discuss) in this thread relies on a single premise:



Magic is hard. Though the payoffs you receive once you finally master spellcasting are unimaginably great, the sacrifices, both figurative and literal, are even greater. Good luck having anything resembling a normal family or relationship, a steady job (conjuring gold out of nothing doesn't count!), or even basic tolerance from your society if you choose the Caster's path.

Magic is more difficult, more stressful, and just plain more dangerous than just about any other profession you could choose. And at the end of the day you'll probably be less happy with the end result than if you had become something normal like a baker or a cobbler instead.


Personally, this is my favorite conception of how magic fits into the life of both the individual caster and into society at large. Not all settings, or even all game systems, support this premise. In some settings/systems, everyone does everything with magic because there's really no good reason not to, but those aren't the kind of characters I'm interested in talking about.



So, even with all of those downsides and hardships that magic entails, you've decided to be a spellcaster anyway. Why? Sure there's the standard goal of "I want to be a walking god, conquer the whole world, and be totally invincible!" but this is uninteresting because, honestly, who doesn't want those things? What kinds of motivations do your characters have for getting into magic?


For wizards, my characters tend to fall into two general types:

The Thrill-Seeker - As a child, you were always unsatisfied with the world around you. Everything was always so boring, so dull, so mundane and repetitive. Growing up, you constantly sought out the novel and the interesting, always on the hunt for adventure. And then you discovered magic. Sure, magic's hard, but more importantly, it's fun! Consorting with angels and demons, bending reality to your whim, this is as exciting as it gets. To you, that makes all the sacrifices worth it.

The Successor - You've constantly been immersed in magic from all sides. Perhaps your mother, your father, or both, were esteemed wizards themselves, and you were raised from the beginning with the expectation of following in their footsteps. Rather than rebel or reject this expectation as many young people do, you embraced this heritage and excitedly spent your youth working toward living up to them. The sacrifices inherent in living in the world of magic are an ordinary part of life for you, and whether you have much experience in dealing with the world of mundanes or not, you wouldn't have it any other way.


For non-wizard caster characters I tend to just take their particular form of magic as wizardry by another name. For example, I've never played a Cleric or Priest, on either side of the table, with their relationship to their god being a salient aspect of their character. They're just "The dude/chick who uses divine magic." This is definitely a wasted opportunity, but divine casters just don't attract me the way wizards do, so I'm not as motivated to explore their characters. I'm still perfectly interested in hearing if you've come up with a great motivation for a divine/psychic/whatever character though.

Sampi
2012-06-15, 01:37 AM
I find that Wizards in particular fit the scientist archetype well. The motivation would then be curiousity.

"There are these forces that seem to overlay the basic substance of nature. By learning and harnessing these forces, I may be able to learn the inner workings of the world. Maybe even understand some of the whys and wherefores of this reality. If I gain power in the process, so be it, but knowledge is what I'm after."

Tvtyrant
2012-06-15, 01:38 AM
The Power Hungry: A character who desires power. True, absolute power. Political or economic power aren't enough for this person; they want it all, and magic is their path to it. No sacrifice is too great for power, no amount of it can ever satisfy.

Acanous
2012-06-15, 01:59 AM
The Wangst
You were always picked last for scrumball. Nobody really liked you much, but your parents always told you you were "Special". Even they didn't get you. You spent most of your time alone, planning ways to make the world see how awesome you realy were, and after talking to a couple other reclusive sorts with sympathetic souls, you chanced upon "Majick".
Most of what you learned was crap, but after enough time spent cutting yourself and trying to cast blood magic, you finally managed to get some results. Now you'll show them. You'll show them ALL!

NikitaDarkstar
2012-06-15, 02:05 AM
Curiosity seems to be a big one. I once ran an (arcane) necromancer entirely on the premise that he had stumbled over it and genuinely found it utterly fascinating, as a result his family pretty much disowned him. (Well not his sister, but they were still out of touch for several years... his older brother grudgingly agrees he might not be all bad... after he saved the world.)

Wanting to make life better in general. Sure magic is hard, but it can make life so much easier for everyone if the right spells/knowledge is found, so it will be worth it in the end.

Stubbornness. People kept telling him he'd never amount to anything, he set out on the hardest path he could find just to prove them wrong.

Seemed like a natural choice. He's smart, bookish, physically on the weak side and prefers to avoid people anyway, what does he have to lose? Not that much, but he has a lot to gain.

Vizzerdrix
2012-06-15, 04:05 AM
OP, you're looking at it from a wizardly point of view. Look at it from the sorcerer's perspective. Magic is a part of you, like running or swimming. Sure you could just not do it, but that's like a bird not flying.

Knaight
2012-06-15, 04:27 AM
The Prodigy
Sure, magic is hard. It's hard for lots of other people, just not for you. For you, it was interesting. It's a neat puzzle, but never one that's too difficult, just one that always dances at the edge of engaging and frustrating, and one of your intellect just can't pass an opportunity like that up. Plus, it's not like any of those skills you've been neglecting are actually useful anyways.

Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-15, 04:28 AM
OP, you're looking at it from a wizardly point of view. Look at it from the sorcerer's perspective. Magic is a part of you, like running or swimming. Sure you could just not do it, but that's like a bird not flying.

The way I always interpreted Sorcerers (that may or may not be consistent with WotC's fluff on the matter, I don't really know or care) is that while their spells come from within instead of study, they still need to devote time and practice into developing these powers to their full potential. That's why Sorcerers need to level up to improve their abilities instead of being able to spam Time Stop the moment they come out of the womb.

So long as this time and work that they devote toward developing their powers is significant enough to interfere with their life and cause conflict, I see no important functional differences between Sorcerers and Wizards. At least, for the character-building purposes this thread was intended to explore.



Though I guess "I got these spells, might as well use 'em" is a potential motivation for a Sorcerer, if not a very good one.


EDIT: If you want an example of a sorcerer who has to give up something to pursue their magical talent, here's one I just thought up:

Edward the Unbroken is a young man living a cushy, pampered life as the son of the lord of a laid-back, well-defended part of the Kingdom. He has few responsibilities and even fewer worries, until he discovers his ability to cast Sorcerer spells.

Fearing spellcasters might attempt to use their magic to seize power (not unfounded!), the kingdom has a centuries-old custom that spellcasters are not allowed to hold offices or titles.

So now Edward has a choice: Will he hide his talents and continue living his carefree aristocratic life, or will he leave all of that behind to further develop his powers?

weenie
2012-06-15, 05:21 AM
Though I guess "I got these spells, might as well use 'em" is a potential motivation for a Sorcerer, if not a very good one.

Why? Spellcasting is huge and could give you a much better life if you are poor or even if you aren't. If sorcerers don't get burned at the stake in your setting I would want to be one even if I have to work for it.


So now Edward has a choice: Will he hide his talents and continue living his carefree aristocratic life, or will he leave all of that behind to further develop his powers?

He could also work on his powers in secret. Not all magic is flashy, he could specialise in illusion and enchantment and use his spells to become wealtier and advance in social rank. That could actually be a fun premise for a campaign :smallsmile:

Southern Cross
2012-06-15, 05:32 AM
There's another reason why someone might become a caster- if your worst enemy is a powerful arcane caster (or worse, yet a group of casters), you will probably need to learn to become a caster yourself. That was Elminster's motivation, after all....

Morph Bark
2012-06-15, 05:39 AM
OP, you're looking at it from a wizardly point of view. Look at it from the sorcerer's perspective. Magic is a part of you, like running or swimming. Sure you could just not do it, but that's like a bird not flying.

Kiwis. Ostriches. Penguins.

Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-15, 05:46 AM
Why? Spellcasting is huge and could give you a much better life if you are poor or even if you aren't. If sorcerers don't get burned at the stake in your setting I would want to be one even if I have to work for it.

Lemme clarify: By "good motivation" I mean one from a narrative perspective, not necessarily a world perspective. If your options are "dirt-eating beggar" and "sorcerer" then hell yes, you should pick sorcerer, but that's not how interesting characters are made.

Choices define characters, and choice is only meaningful when something important is given up in the process. That's why I put up that Magic Is Hard premise: A character's choice to be a spellcaster isn't interesting unless they had to give up something else important to them in order to become one.


He could also work on his powers in secret. Not all magic is flashy, he could specialise in illusion and enchantment and use his spells to become wealtier and advance in social rank. That could actually be a fun premise for a campaign :smallsmile:

A perfectly viable third option, though there is the risk of getting discovered. If he comes out and is honest about his magic, they'll take his land and titles away but otherwise leave him be. If they find out he was secretly using magic to manipulate and basically steal from others, they'll want him hanged.

Totally Guy
2012-06-15, 06:14 AM
Choices define characters, and choice is only meaningful when something important is given up in the process.

Well said! I'm a big believer in using actual play to explore such themes.

Elemental
2012-06-15, 06:42 AM
Well... The last wizard I played was from a wealthy noble family from a city where magic is highly respected in a land where magic is highly respected, but not given precedence.

So, taking into account the following points:
-He didn't want to part of his family's mercantile business.
-He couldn't stand the sight of blood.
-The law bored him.
-He wasn't very devout.
-Politics would have tied him down.
-He couldn't swing a sword to save his life.
-And his family wouldn't have stood for him following a craft that didn't already tie into their business, which he didn't want to be part of anyway.

So, not wanting to or being able to go into any of the careers available to an individual of his rank, he decided he had to attend the Academy if he wanted to do anything with his life.

Dr. Yes
2012-06-15, 09:31 AM
Why would someone choose to be a caster?

They want a known path to money and power. They want instant respect wherever they go. Their families won't love them otherwise. They have an obsessive interest in the subject that drives them. They want to be attractive to the opposite sex. They want to improve the world.

There are lots of reasons that people go into difficult but prestigious fields, and rarely just one for a given person.

prufock
2012-06-15, 09:59 AM
Tradition
Your daddy was a wizard, his daddy was a wizard, and he'll be the son of a cursed dog if you aren't going to be a wizard too! He's pulled strings to get you in even though your test scores were less than stellar, and he's paying a lot of money to get you all the best supplies, so you darn well better use them!

DiBastet
2012-06-15, 11:50 AM
This will be strange, but don't ask a psychologist for his opinion

The Need to Be Something
This reason is different from being last at soccer or never having a girlfriend. Some people, specially when they are young, just need, just want to be good at something, to be good at something that makes them special. They don't need to belong, they just need something to call theirs. All other social factors aside, this magician entered into the world of spellcasting because he craved being good at something, that people would remember him for it. And by chance or fate, he choose the hardest art to master.

The Genius Peasant
The genius look at the unwashed masses around him, at his work, at his friends and family and sees much more, and people see much more on him. He knows he is special about it, that his mind is sharp. He may be full of angst about it, he may be a jerk or he may be nice about it, but he knows there's much to him. By work or luck he finds his way into the upper ladder of study, and finally sees what he doesn't fully understand, if he ever understand a little, and see that many other like him struggle to understand that, instead of accepting life as it is, and he does everything in his power to master this ability.

Griffith!
2012-06-15, 12:45 PM
The Proud
I'm not better than you. That would be like comparing fleas to wolves. We're in different classes, you and I. The world quakes at my fingertips - I am a man who can move in straight lines in a world full of curves. The words of the ancients, the power of the dragons, the broken threads of causality itself; these are my tools, my weapons. I have worked hard to be what I am, and what I am is simple - I am a god among insects.

EDIT: ...on further review, call it The Arrogant.

Jay R
2012-06-15, 12:51 PM
My current spellcaster learned by accident that he could make weird things happen. He wants to understand it and explore it. He spends as much time as he can on research and experimentation, because he wants to understand it.

He could no more choose not to become a spellcaster than he could choose not to use his hands, or his nose, or any other inherent part of who he is.

Geddoe
2012-06-15, 01:42 PM
The Crush

Your childhood friend, who you are secretly in love with, is going away to Magic University. You can't stand to never see them again, so you attempt to get in as well. The work will be hard, but if you can excel, it might help them notice you and it gives you more time to tell them how you feel.

Or you see a person that is attractive walking into the University, so you apply for whatever they are doing.

I just assume that is how my University gets male psychology majors.

Urpriest
2012-06-15, 01:43 PM
The Grad Student

Wait, you're saying instead of doing all this work, I could have just settled down and raised a family? Why did no one tell me this?!

Griffith!
2012-06-15, 02:47 PM
Or, and this is really the only answer anyone should ever need - Because It's Cool.

Jack of Spades
2012-06-15, 03:02 PM
The Accident
Just read the book, they said. It's just a book, what can it do? So you did. Maybe out loud, or maybe all the space the words needed was the reverberation chamber that is the human brain. Either way, you couldn't stop there. Something-- maybe it was ambition or curiosity, maybe it was something more-- wouldn't let you. The eldritch arts would one day be yours to command. Whether you wanted them or not.

Sorcerers, Lovecraftian magic users, and other mages often have a decent chance of having stumbled upon their occupation. This often just feeds into the curiosity motivation, but if one's brand of magic has any sort of binding or curse associated with it then one's acuity may be completely unintended.

In Deadlands, Huckster magic is learned from a not-really-that-rare book called "Hoyle's Book of Games." My Huckster bought it and a pack of cards as a kid for a quarter, then found its potential and grew a minor obsession. Later in his life, Hexslingin' became less of a hobby and more of a tool to live by when he killed a man in anger using black lightning called from the netherworld. Which is something the Texas Rangers tend to investigate-- with guns.

TechnoScrabble
2012-06-15, 03:28 PM
My usual excuses for my magic users are:

Power
Curiosity
Fun
To help people
To separate themselves from the savages around them
They can!

NeoSeraphi
2012-06-15, 03:37 PM
EDIT: If you want an example of a sorcerer who has to give up something to pursue their magical talent, here's one I just thought up:


At first I read this line incorrectly. At first I thought it said "A sorcerer who gave up magical talent", and this sounds amazing to me. We need a prestige class based on a sorcerer who turns his back on his magical power and gets something in return. This has to be a thing. Someone make this.

Anyway, all of you seem to be focusing on only one side of the magical coin. With that in mind, here are the reasons that you all seem to be ignoring:

The Priest:
As a child, you always felt a strong connection to a particular deity. You read about that deity and his/her beliefs and actions, and felt inspired. You joined the church to worship that deity, and the high cleric saw in you a devotion to the cause that most could only fake. You became a cleric to strengthen your connection to your deity and transform it into a tangible, living power within you.

The Paladin:
What in the Nine Hells is wrong with society today? You walk around and see good men being executed with evil men delivering the blow themselves. And the undead! Liches and wizards are just plain screwed up, man! In order to attempt to restore a sense of honor and decency to the entire world, you took up a holy sword, and pledged an oath to the powers of Law and Good, and now you're going to walk around and smack evil in the face with a newspaper and say, "No! Bad cleric! Leave that dead body alone!" And your newspaper is totally going to deal lethal damage because you Smite with it and then later you cast holy sword on it so you have a +5 holy newspaper. Evil better watch the frick out!

Griffith!
2012-06-15, 04:03 PM
We need a prestige class based on a sorcerer who turns his back on his magical power and gets something in return. This has to be a thing. Someone make this.


Anytime you take a PrC that doesn't increase your magical power, you're taking a PrC that doesn't increase your magical power. So it's already a thing. It's called 'everything frickin' else'. :biggrin:

Morty
2012-06-15, 04:25 PM
The Meddler

The kind of person who just isn't satisfied with what's rational and obvious. He or she has to try and find an alternative, an unorthodox way of doing things. And when s/he sees a loose board in the structure of reality - i.e. magic - s/he simply needs to pull it just to see what happens. The goals achieved through this are quite secondary - what counts is the very process of shaking reality around and watching what happens.

NeoSeraphi
2012-06-15, 04:25 PM
Anytime you take a PrC that doesn't increase your magical power, you're taking a PrC that doesn't increase your magical power. So it's already a thing. It's called 'everything frickin' else'. :biggrin:

But I mean something that actually takes it away. You lose your ability to cast spells and it turns into something else...like extreme melee or extreme supernatural (not spell-like) blasting or extreme shapechanging.

Jerthanis
2012-06-15, 04:39 PM
The Rebel: Magic is misunderstood and feared by society, and you want to be outside of society in some way. The allure of being a feared outsider appeals to you.

The farmboy/girl: Living in the isolation of a rural homestead, the stories of wizards commanding the elements were fanciful distractions you never thought possible, until a wizard came to town on unrelated business. Detecting the potential in you, he offered to take you under his wing. With the failing crops and times getting harder all the... time... you feel this could be your only chance to escape your station of birth.

Jay R
2012-06-15, 05:04 PM
"I want to unravel the fundamental secrets of the universe. I yearn to control arcane forces beyond the ken of all others. I want to command the elements themselves, move mountains, drain the oceans, change the sky itself, all with the power of my mind alone.

Boy, then I bet I could meet girls!"

Eldonauran
2012-06-15, 05:22 PM
Honestly?

Screw magic. I'd go for a nice quiet life if at all possible. However, the DM might have other ideas and you should be strong enough to protect your family. That means being able to crush anything with your MIND!

Its merely preventative measures. :smallamused:

Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-15, 05:38 PM
But I mean something that actually takes it away. You lose your ability to cast spells and it turns into something else...like extreme melee or extreme supernatural (not spell-like) blasting or extreme shapechanging.

Or how about this: Giving up your Arcane spellcasting to get Divine spellcasting, with the PrC fluffed around offering service to an arcane-magic-hating god. Like the Blackguard, it gives more bonuses depending on more Sorcerer(/Wizard?) levels you had before joining the PrC.

jaybird
2012-06-15, 06:27 PM
The Pyro

Wait, you mean I could learn to shoot fire from my hands? Fire that burns people to cinders? Hang on...if I study hard enough, I can learn ways to make my fire burn hot enough to burn FIRE ELEMENTALS? Dude...where do I sign up?

Because a love of the unforgiving laws of thermodynamics is why many of my friends are chemists or chemical engineers :smallbiggrin:

Nyes the Dark
2012-06-15, 07:29 PM
The Desperate:

You need power. You don't want it, or desire it, you need it. It's literally a matter of life and death. Because without this power, without magic, you can't succeed. And you can't bring them back.

I once had a Warlock whose backstory involved a lover dying and them turning to dark arts to revive them. Kind of cliche, but what're you gonna do?

Incom
2012-06-15, 07:42 PM
The Life of the Party:

So I could use this arcane power to throw fire at people and earn their fear... or I could use it for gags at dinner parties and earn their friendship. Sounds like a good time! Plus: drunken spells! What could possibly go wrong?

Arcanist
2012-06-15, 08:45 PM
The Archwizard

From an early age you were capable of performing arcane magic. You've loved magic all your life and it has treated you well in return, the power of the Arcane is intriguing you and what intrigues you even more is the application of magic in your everyday life, However these thoughts sometimes bore you and you dream for something more... You dream to become a God and deep down you know this can only be accomplished through a mastery of the only thing that you've ever loved... Magic...

I once had an Ultimate Magus (The DM even let me advance the progression so that the level goes for 15 levels) I like the Ultimate Magus prestige class regardless of how crappy it is still trying to find a way to cast Dual 9's for it :smallfrown: ...Fruitless effort I suppose...

I should mention that the character was allowed to take the Non-Epic destiny (Demigod) feat... that might help

Endarire
2012-06-15, 08:49 PM
Life and Death
Life is dangerous. Magic is powerful. You know these things, like you know that you must eat and sleep to survive. To survive, you may be willing to turn wicked in the name of practicality. Why would anyone do any differently?

druid91
2012-06-15, 09:10 PM
The Pyro

Wait, you mean I could learn to shoot fire from my hands? Fire that burns people to cinders? Hang on...if I study hard enough, I can learn ways to make my fire burn hot enough to burn FIRE ELEMENTALS? Dude...where do I sign up?

Because a love of the unforgiving laws of thermodynamics is why many of my friends are chemists or chemical engineers :smallbiggrin:

This, more than anything, is why characters of mine choose wizardry.

jaybird
2012-06-16, 10:41 AM
This, more than anything, is why characters of mine choose wizardry.

"I don't suffer from my pyromania...my enemies do."
- every blaster I've played, ever.

king.com
2012-06-17, 12:23 AM
The Unluckiest Bastard in the Universe

I have at my fingertips access to unimaginable destructive power. If I take advantage of it I could conquer the world. However if I ever make it mistake, it will kill me and take my soul. If I ever lose concentration even for a second, a terror from beyond reality is going to rip through my mind, kill me and take my soul. If anyone find outs I have this power, they are going to kill me and take my soul.

Im just going to sit in the corner with my drink and try not to murder everyone :smallfrown:

Jack of Spades
2012-06-17, 04:19 AM
The Life of the Party:

So I could use this arcane power to throw fire at people and earn their fear... or I could use it for gags at dinner parties and earn their friendship. Sounds like a good time! Plus: drunken spells! What could possibly go wrong?

Heh, that's the magic aspect of the guy I've been planning playing next time a DnD game wandered my way. :smallbiggrin:

Slipperychicken
2012-06-20, 12:20 AM
Pressured

Mike, despite being a smart boy, never really enjoyed magic. Sure it gave power, cash, and respect, but that's not what it was all about for him. His real dream was making his name on the guitar, but once mom & pop, hard up for cash, discovered his real talents, they began pushing him toward book-magic. As he resisted, they quickly sold his "twanger" and barred him from musical studies altogether. He tried desperately to compromise the two as a Bard, but he simply didn't have the personality for it, and besides, why be an underpaid dime-a-dozen Bard when you can be a respected and financially-stable Wizard? So on to Wizard-school he went, graduated class of 1018. Ever since he became independent, every scrap of free time goes toward music, and Wizarding exists in his mind as little more than a detested day-job, slowly draining his soul with its dull routines and tedious minutia. But it does have its perks; the flexible hours ensure he can spend ample time on his guitar and doing gigs, and the good pay means he can afford a cutting-edge instrument and lessons, plus the easy question; who's going to mess with a literal magic man?

Arcanist
2012-06-20, 01:13 AM
Pressured

Mike, despite being a smart boy, never really enjoyed magic. Sure it gave power, cash, and respect, but that's not what it was all about for him. His real dream was making his name on the guitar, but once mom & pop, hard up for cash, discovered his real talents, they began pushing him toward book-magic. As he resisted, they quickly sold his "twanger" and barred him from musical studies altogether. He tried desperately to compromise the two as a Bard, but he simply didn't have the personality for it, and besides, why be an underpaid dime-a-dozen Bard when you can be a respected and financially-stable Wizard? So on to Wizard-school he went, graduated class of 1018. Ever since he became independent, every scrap of free time goes toward music, and Wizarding exists in his mind as little more than a detested day-job, slowly draining his soul with its dull routines and tedious minutia. But it does have its perks; the flexible hours ensure he can spend ample time on his guitar and doing gigs, and the good pay means he can afford a cutting-edge instrument and lessons, plus the easy question; who's going to mess with a literal magic man?

That is a Bard/2 Wizard/8 Sublime Cord/1 Ultimate Magus/9 has my respect automatically because he is rockin out all day errday :smallamused:

Kane0
2012-06-20, 04:49 AM
The Gifted
Breaking tradition with the entire notion that 'magic is hard', you have been handed this ability to understand magic on a silver platter. Sure there are speed humps, but you know what is going on. You can feel magic, not just perceive it. Magic is not some unreachable aspiration for you, it is at your fingertips and all you need to do now is master it. That is the challenge you face.

D@rK-SePHiRoTH-
2012-06-20, 04:58 AM
The pragmatist:
Magic makes your life easier. You are finally free from mundane activity. Magic gives you 100% free time.
If you don't want people to know you are a wizard, that's easy to do. Everything is easy. Spend enough time studying and you will be rewarded 10x the effort.

Man on Fire
2012-06-20, 08:42 PM
Because casters represents the "nerd" - they are smart and known-all and not good at sports and sad little nerds like to see themselves as all-mighty mages who can blast their tormentors with fireballs.

Nah, I'm just kidding. Here's the real reason:


This
http://cdn.ifanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Doctor_Strange_003.jpg
is cool.

Hiro Protagonest
2012-06-20, 09:13 PM
"I want to unravel the fundamental secrets of the universe. I yearn to control arcane forces beyond the ken of all others. I want to command the elements themselves, move mountains, drain the oceans, change the sky itself, all with the power of my mind alone.

Boy, then I bet I could meet girls!"

The fact that you want good con and dex, and could probably drop a couple points in cha 12, doesn't hurt. :smallwink:

Arcanist
2012-06-21, 09:31 PM
Theurgist: You are devoted to a God(dess) of magic and often find yourself examining and studying the Divine, in addition to the Arcane arts. Your dedicated study has stunted your ability to cast in both of these however you can be FAR from considered weak compared to your focused brethren due to your breakthroughs in your Theurgy.

Love magic for itself. Do not treat it just as a weapon to reshape the world to your will. True wisdom is knowing when not to use magic. Strive to use magic less as your powers develop, for often the threat or promise of its use outstrips its actual performance. Magic is Art, the Gift of the Lady, and those who wield it are privileged in the extreme. Conduct yourself humbly, not proudly, while being mindfull of this. Use the Art deftly and efficiently, not carelessly and recklessly. Seek always to learn and create new magic.
—The Dogma of Mystra, Goddess of Magic, Lady of Mystery, The Mother of All Magic

Dimers
2012-06-22, 07:21 AM
Accidental

You didn't mean to make those bandits die in hell-rime, just ... something in you snapped, and it just happened! And now people won't stop demanding that you save their child/village/kingdom/continent/world/gods/universe!

Good motivation for an adventuring wizard who has given something up for magic power. People refuse to accept you as just another human being once they learn you can work magic, and it would kinda suck to have your world destroyed. So like it or not, you'd better learn to do it well.

Slipperychicken
2012-06-22, 01:16 PM
Accidental

You didn't mean to make those bandits die in hell-rime, just ... something in you snapped, and it just happened! And now people won't stop demanding that you save their child/village/kingdom/continent/world/gods/universe!


Most heroes aren't even that lucky. Example: People keep trying to get Link, the Hero of Time, who has saved kingdom and royalty on countless occasions and against insane odds, who has fought down whole armies single-handedly... to catch their chickens, deliver their mail, get kittens down from trees, retrieve stuffed animals, clearing out vermin, and other such nonsense. It would be like seeing Patton walk by your house, then asking him to do your dishes for a dollar.

Soliloquy
2012-06-22, 09:11 PM
I like the idea that you had few or no other options, and went with that sort of feel for mine:

The Weak:
You are weak. Plain and simple, your physical prowess leaves much to be
desired. You are to weak for being a farmer of a warrior, and you aren't a
noble, you might as well try and work at casting. You have nothing better to
do, because you can't do much else.

The Cripple:
You are a cripple, and similarly to the previous one, you don't have much else that you can do.

The Crippled:
You were an adventurer or soldier with a melee class, and enjoyed the thrill of the fight. When and arrow in the knee cripples you for life and a sword in the chest makes it hard for you to breath, you can no longer fight. Seeking away back onto the field of battle you recall those few elites in every major squadron and adventuring party, the mages.

Pie Guy
2012-06-22, 10:54 PM
Why not?
You can shoot lasers from any orifice you choose. Why would you not want to learn that?

lotusblossom13
2012-06-22, 11:16 PM
The Don Quixote

You possess a vast library of books which all feature stories featuring wizards who use their magical skills to go on quests, fight against evil, and even save the world.

After studying diligently and gaining powers of your own, you don your pointy hat and go out into the world to use your powers for good, just like the heroes of your stories!

(whether or not reality matches these stories is up to your DM)

Menteith
2012-06-23, 12:02 AM
The Visionary

Existence is a dark place. Mankind is prey to the multitude of creatures that stalk the world, and even those that survive are forced to spend their entire lives shackled to the banality of mundane work. Magic offers a way to change all of that, forever. War, hunger, disease, suffering, pain itself, all of it can be eliminated. And I finally have the means to do this, and nothing will stand in my way.

Soliloquy
2012-06-23, 07:17 AM
The Fashionista:
You like to wear dresses and ridiculous hats. So you learn a few cantrips and call yourself a mage. One thing lead to another, and now some crazy people are dragging you off to a dungeon to fight trolls with them. Ah well, at least you've got your hat.

Incom
2012-06-23, 11:35 AM
Got another one:

The Life-lover
Hey, life is short when you aren't an elf. Life has a lot to offer to one who looks in the right places. I want to see and do everything I possibly can--magic included. And if I get powerful enough, maybe I could make myself more time to do everything.

Kyberwulf
2012-06-23, 04:58 PM
Why does this thread only limit itself to casters? The main idea of this Thread could apply to any adventurer.

Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-23, 06:14 PM
Why does this thread only limit itself to casters? The main idea of this Thread could apply to any adventurer.

Because I wanted to explore aspects of characters unique to magic-users. It's pretty much failed at that, though.

Jack of Spades
2012-06-24, 12:32 PM
Because I wanted to explore aspects of characters unique to magic-users. It's pretty much failed at that, though.

That's the problem with trying to discuss a single aspect of character building: it's nearly impossible to pry apart what makes a character arrive at each conclusion it did, especially given that people usually start making characters at the end point, as opposed to the "natural" way that people make their personalities.

Dr.Epic
2012-06-24, 12:34 PM
Because you can make stuff blow up!:smallwink::smalltongue:

Soliloquy
2012-06-24, 03:46 PM
Well, I had actually kind of assumed that someone had brought this up, and know that they have to some degree, but we don't seem to have thought much about how...
Magic can do things nothing else can
You study magic not just to do what others can't, but for a single purpose, with only one way to achieve it. From the man who joins a religious convent, leaving his life from the past aside, so as to one day resurrect a loved one, to the woman who takes up the staff so as to find her enemy and utterly destroy his soul, removing it from the Turnings of the Wheel forever, to the dromite who wants to have a gender seeks to renounce his physical form in favor of incoporeality, there are people who want things that one cannot gain any other way. Not just things like "Power" or "Fire" but concrete goals which they would sacrifice their previous life to get.

Ok, the dromite one was weak

QuidEst
2012-06-24, 04:24 PM
I was just looking through my old posts, and I came across something relevant.

Fear
You can choose not to learn magic. You can live an honest, hard-working life. You'll never worry about something you summon breaking loose. You'll never have to deal with the responsibility that comes with standing outside natural laws.

But other people won't.

Somebody out there is trying to summon up more than they can bind. Somebody out there is raising the dead to do their bidding. And just because you don't choose to doesn't mean they can't freeze you in place with a sharp word and a practiced flick of the wrist, then pull out your innermost secrets and fears, wrench your very mind from you, and make you their puppet in some personal vendetta. Maybe something like that already happened, and you want to make sure it never happens again.

(It's more fun if you write it dramatically. The original idea was for an apprentice from another world on another plane. The heroes didn't get there in time, so the BBEG got to complete his world-dissolving ritual, and the character's master only had time to send him to another plane.)

Hazzardevil
2012-06-24, 04:28 PM
Life's a trap
This reality cannot possibly be real, everything around me is wrong, but I can only see it when I'm not trying to. This magic isn't right, it shouldn't be here, and I'm going to use it to get out of here.

Menteith
2012-06-24, 05:20 PM
One of the biggest reasons to run an Caster specifically, is because of the building capability of magic. While other classes are more than capable of dealing absurdly high damage, becoming unkillable, or other such combat feats, Magic generally has a much larger potential for creation, rather than destruction. That's what I would call the biggest fundamental difference.

Soliloquy
2012-06-24, 05:46 PM
One of the biggest reasons to run an Caster specifically, is because of the building capability of magic. While other classes are more than capable of dealing absurdly high damage, becoming unkillable, or other such combat feats, Magic generally has a much larger potential for creation, rather than destruction. That's what I would call the biggest fundamental difference.

...
:smalleek:
and Menteith wins, giving the best, most logical reason: the thing that casters do best, is create.

Not just in magic of couse, in psionics you can make your own little plane.

Philistine
2012-06-26, 12:56 AM
A couple of divines here. I played an RKV who was a full-on
Zealot
I am the adamant fist of the church. I will crush the enemies of the faith using whatever weapons my Goddess sees fit to grant me - and my magic is a powerful weapon indeed, bolstering my allies and myself to turn the tide of battle after battle. My life shall be devoted to scouring the Planes, rooting out heretics and blasphemers until all acknowledge Wee Jas's supremacy in her chosen domains.

And then OTOH there was the Cleric of Pelor, who was an out-and-out
Idealist
I have walked among the people and seen their suffering, and done my best to share their burdens. In the end, this is - and always will be - my true calling. As I continue to grow in faith, my God rewards me with the power to fulfill that calling in more and more ways, and on a larger and larger scale. I believe this world can be a better place, and I believe that my magic can be a part of creating that change.

Elana
2012-06-27, 08:12 AM
Assuming a non adventurer in a world based on D&D 3.5

Having a INT, WIS or CH at a value of 10 or higher.

Even the ability to cast 0 level spells will ensure that you can earn more money than the level 20 expert. And so is the fricking easiest job available


The question of why become a caster is comparable with why go to college in our world (So more often than not the answer is to get a job with decent pay, no special motivation needed)

Jay R
2012-06-27, 12:12 PM
I like the Harry Potter answer.

If you are capable of being a caster, weird things are going to happen around you whether you are trained as a wizard or not. You get trained to be able to control it.

Synovia
2012-06-27, 12:25 PM
The Proud
I'm not better than you. That would be like comparing fleas to wolves. We're in different classes, you and I. The world quakes at my fingertips - I am a man who can move in straight lines in a world full of curves. The words of the ancients, the power of the dragons, the broken threads of causality itself; these are my tools, my weapons. I have worked hard to be what I am, and what I am is simple - I am a god among insects.

EDIT: ...on further review, call it The Arrogant.

That sounds to me like the "killed by his peers at 12" or the "killed by the first guardsman/thief/shady character he encounters in his life"

Randel
2012-06-27, 02:47 PM
The Blood of Royalty

You are a sorcerer and magic flows in your veins. Your father had The Blood and could create an inferno with a single word, his father before him had The Blood and could see things no other mortal could see. You have The Blood, what will you do?

Sorcerery is hereditary and many sorcerer families take great care to keep track of their liniage, tracing them all the way back to some origional affair with a dragon or demon. Those born into such a family have a gift that others either cannot attain or must study diligently to get.

Noble familes made up of sorcerers tend to take great pride in their magic since it marks them as members of the nobility. They are above the common folk and can use their powers to accomplish things that others cannot. It is a great honor, but also a responsibility to not squander such a gift and instead practice it to better increase the power of your family and their magic (like discovering new spells).

As a sorcerer, your power is linked to your charisma, the same skill used in speech and diplomacy. It is your place to wield the magic of your family to protect those you love, it is your place to provide leadership and unite the warriors, artisans, and scholars beneith you. It is your place to lead your people to glory and victory!

You were born with this gift and this burden.

onionbreath
2012-06-27, 07:37 PM
The Barney Stinson
It was an evening like any other. You were at the local tavern with your friends, sharing stories and enjoying many tankards of mead.

Suddenly, it happened...one of your friends made a joke at your expense, and everybody laughed :smallfrown: :smallmad: :smallfurious: Five seconds later, the rest of your group had moved on to another topic, oblivious to the rage burning within you. "Lighten up," one said, but it was too late...

You vowed at that moment to learn magic, and to keep this quest a secret from everyone else. There will be a day when you will have the perfect opportune moment to blast your unsuspecting friend in the face with a Magic Missile, and it will be the funniest practical joke in the history of the world. You don't know if this day will be weeks from now, or months, or years, but when it arrives you vow to be ready. It will be legendary.

Arcanist
2012-06-27, 09:08 PM
The Barney Stinson
It was an evening like any other. You were at the local tavern with your friends, sharing stories and enjoying many tankards of mead.

Suddenly, it happened...one of your friends made a joke at your expense, and everybody laughed :smallfrown: :smallmad: :smallfurious: Five seconds later, the rest of your group had moved on to another topic, oblivious to the rage burning within you. "Lighten up," one said, but it was too late...

You vowed at that moment to learn magic, and to keep this quest a secret from everyone else. There will be a day when you will have the perfect opportune moment to blast your unsuspecting friend in the face with a Magic Missile, and it will be the funniest practical joke in the history of the world. You don't know if this day will be weeks from now, or months, or years, but when it arrives you vow to be ready. It will be legendary.

LEGEND- (wait for it...) -ARY!

Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-27, 10:50 PM
There are much funnier jokes you can play with magic than that. Be creative with illusions!

Pyromancer999
2012-06-28, 10:35 AM
The Barney Stinson
It was an evening like any other. You were at the local tavern with your friends, sharing stories and enjoying many tankards of mead.

Suddenly, it happened...one of your friends made a joke at your expense, and everybody laughed :smallfrown: :smallmad: :smallfurious: Five seconds later, the rest of your group had moved on to another topic, oblivious to the rage burning within you. "Lighten up," one said, but it was too late...

You vowed at that moment to learn magic, and to keep this quest a secret from everyone else. There will be a day when you will have the perfect opportune moment to blast your unsuspecting friend in the face with a Magic Missile, and it will be the funniest practical joke in the history of the world. You don't know if this day will be weeks from now, or months, or years, but when it arrives you vow to be ready. It will be legendary.

Wow. This is Legen-(Lactose-intolerant-people-leave-this-thread-now-because-it's-about-to-be-full-of)-DARY!

Barney Stinson references aside, this does sound a lot like a character I'd play.


There are much funnier jokes you can play with magic than that. Be creative with illusions!

But no one ever expects the Magic Missile! Plus, this is magic for practical jokes, not I'm-going-to-trick-you-into-going-home-with-a-male-dwarf-hooker-and-broadcast-it-to-the-whole-city sort of joke.

ZeroGear
2012-06-29, 10:19 AM
The Performer
Life is a stage, and you are a perfectionist actor. While costumes, skills, and special effects can get you pretty far in the business, magic truly brings the play to life. When you perform a play about a necromancer, why not use real skeletons? Why not animate the wooden horse so it moves on its own? And those illusion spells surly will make the monster every audience will remember!
Life is grand, and it deserves only the best performance you can give!

The Friendless
YOu have been lone all your life. Your family hates you, people ignore you, no one wants to deal with you. One day, you find a book that tells you how to summon a creature, a friend. You start learning Magic to keep you company, to talk to, to hold, and to play with. Truly, all you ever wanted was a friend.

The Lost Love
The person you loved more than the world has passed away. Maybe it was old age, maybe it was a simple accident, but they are gone. But, you find that magic might be the key to bringing them back, even if it is only as a soul in a vessel or their cold, animated body. Death has something of yours, and you want it back!

The Guardian
Your town has constantly been attacked by wild creatures and you are fed up with it! You study magic because it can provide the ultimate defense, and with it you will never have to see your friends getting mauled by wolves ever again!

The Liar
Lies are part of you. You use them as tools to gain whatever you want. Magic just apes to make your lies more believable. It is far easier talking a charmed person into brining you that pile of gold than it is the regular guard. Tools are tools, and you are the master of using them.

The Vengeful
Revenge, that is all you think about. Those lowlives have taken everything from you and are too strong to take down by normal means. A singe fireball, however, placed right in the middle of their group, is sure to make them think twice about exploiting people ever again.

The Thief
Magic makes stealing things easier. Why bother with a lock if you can just knock it? And that stone wall? Turn it to mud and pass right through. And the security is going to have a hard time finding someone invisible. The treasures are yours, and magic has given them to you.

The Seeker
Something of yours has been lost, and you want it back. YOu have heard that magic can find anything, so you have devoted your studies so you can find anything that belongs to you, no matter where it is. After all, few can ever hope to hide from your Scry spells.

Soliloquy
2012-06-29, 01:47 PM
The Thief
Magic makes stealing things easier. Why bother with a lock if you can just knock it? And that stone wall? Turn it to mud and pass right through. And the security is going to have a hard time finding someone invisible. The treasures are yours, and magic has given them to you.

You know, turning the wall to mud is not really thievery any more than killing someone and taking his gold teeth is pickpocketing.

Okay, Maybe it is a little more, but you see my point.

ZeroGear
2012-06-29, 11:26 PM
You know, turning the wall to mud is not really thievery any more than killing someone and taking his gold teeth is pickpocketing.

Okay, Maybe it is a little more, but you see my point.

It's still easier and quieter than knocking the wall down, particularly if the wall is standing between you and the priceless art you want to steal. Or if the wall is part of your cell and you want to check out early.

Southern Cross
2012-07-02, 06:11 PM
Wouldn't it be better to use the passwall spell instead? It's the same level, but can also be used on wooden buildings.

ZeroGear
2012-07-02, 10:18 PM
Point is, magic makes stealing a lot easier, even if it is as simple as using mage hand to take the keys off the hook on the wall.