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View Full Version : By RAW, what exactly are memories?


HaikenEdge
2013-12-11, 03:59 PM
I ask this because, I've been looking at the description for the spell Mindrape, from BoVD, which includes this sentence (emphasis mine):


The caster can erase or add memories as she sees fit and alter emotions, opinions, and even alignment.

I guess what I'm asking is, are experiences memories? If, by the literal sense that we know (and I understand we don't exist in a D&D world), they are, does it mean by RAW, if a wizard were to say, Mindrape a level 1 commoner, the wizard could turn said commoner into, say, a 20th level cleric, by adding memories?
Toliudar
2013-12-11, 04:16 PM
RAW, memories are not a defined term, so memories are not skills, feats, class levels or anything else. You can't make someone better or worse at any mechanical aspect of the game by changing their memories.

Please, let's not make that spell any worse than it already is.
Twilightwyrm
2013-12-11, 05:08 PM
No, I do not believe this is possible, as experience, in RAW terms, is not strictly memories. You could, however, certainly make a 1st level commoner think they are a 20th level cleric, or indeed vice-versa.
Brookshw
2013-12-11, 05:11 PM
No, I do not believe this is possible, as experience, in RAW terms, is not strictly memories. You could, however, certainly make a 1st level commoner think they are a 20th level cleric, or indeed vice-versa.

Now that sounds hilarious!
AstralFire
2013-12-11, 05:32 PM
I would argue that to the extent experience is memory, a large part of it is based on sub-conscious links between cells that a caster could not meaningfully associate with the precision necessary to cause a level up or class change.

And yeah, XP gets subtracted for things besides memory to begin with.
HaikenEdge
2013-12-11, 08:08 PM
So, basically what I'm hearing is, I can give a 1st level commoner all the experiences of being a 20th level character, without them actually becoming a 20th level character.

There are now so many things I want to do to commoners, including having them make excuses when the reality of their abilities doesn't match what they remember being able to do.