Everyman
2007-01-24, 01:55 AM
OP NOTE: I am writing this with only a few hours sleep and on the verge of a coffee crash. I apologize if anything sounds too far-fetched or vague. I should be more awake tomorrow. Besides, I'm just trying to stir up some discussion anyways.
There is already a ridiculous amount of threads devoted to the superiority of spellcasters to “mundane” individuals (like the fighter). As the game progresses and PCs achieve higher ranks of power, it becomes more and more necessary for one to have some sort of magic on hand. In fact, the more magic that one surrounds himself with, the better chance he has to survive attacks and counter with his own brand of magical justice. I can understand the view quite well, as late game D&D is designed to favor the magical over the mundane. Damage reduction and magical properties alone render a barbarian or fighter at a disadvantage unless outfitted with the proper magical gear or enhancements. However, a wizard, sorcerer, or cleric can manifest the same qualities that magical gear could grant and more. With preparation time, reality can be reshaped to one’s whim. For this reason, I would like to suggest that perhaps a fundamental quality of magic should be reevaluated: how magic interacts among itself.
Many of the fundamental advantages spellcasters have over non-spellcasters seem to revolve around the sheer depth of magical effects they can use to protect themselves. I am not saying that magic alone is why the wizard survives a battle. After all, a warrior is needed to protect one who can be so frail. What I am suggesting is that any spellcaster can weave a protective field of spells if given time. Even a surprised wizard might have a contingent teleport set to save himself should his life be endangered. Stoneskin, shield, mage armor, entropic field, protection from [insert word here]…all these spells can quickly render traditional attack forms useless, leaving only magic to battle magic. In contrast, magic suffers no such bane and can likely strike both spellcaster and non-spellcaster alike.
With this in mind, I would like to pose a question: what would happen if layers of magic could not be woven together? What if too many cooks spoils the broth (or in this case, spell)? I would like to suggest that perhaps mixing too many spell effects at a time might well limit how many spells a character can be affected by at one time. Perhaps there is even an element of danger for a spellcaster, as magic combines into a hazardous backlash. While it would not completely level the playing field, it might provide enough of an innate threat that spellcasters may need to weigh their options more carefully.
For example, suppose that a young sorcerer walks into a cave with mage armor protecting him. Suddenly, another mage steps out and fires a magic missile. Not wanting that to happen again, the sorcerer casts shield and prepares to fight back. Right now, the sorcerer has two spell effects on him. Both provide significant protection (and the shield spell may well be suppressing a viable attack for the aggressive mage), so the sorcerer currently has a bit of an upper hand. However, let’s back up the encounter to right before the sorcerer casts shield. His mage armor is protecting him, but not saving him from the hassle of the other mage’s spells. In his effort to save himself, he casts shield. However, something goes wrong and he is trapped in a bubble…or the missiles are drawn with greater velocity…or some other effect occurs.
If this sort of system were to be carefully constructed, a system that decided how and when such magical backlashes were to occur, do you believe it would help balance the game a bit more? I do not see this system being too much for low level casters to worry about, as they likely lack the number of spells per day or depth of spells to have more than one on-going effect at a time. However, it's impact could help the power creep that occurs mid-game and elevates afterwards.
There is already a ridiculous amount of threads devoted to the superiority of spellcasters to “mundane” individuals (like the fighter). As the game progresses and PCs achieve higher ranks of power, it becomes more and more necessary for one to have some sort of magic on hand. In fact, the more magic that one surrounds himself with, the better chance he has to survive attacks and counter with his own brand of magical justice. I can understand the view quite well, as late game D&D is designed to favor the magical over the mundane. Damage reduction and magical properties alone render a barbarian or fighter at a disadvantage unless outfitted with the proper magical gear or enhancements. However, a wizard, sorcerer, or cleric can manifest the same qualities that magical gear could grant and more. With preparation time, reality can be reshaped to one’s whim. For this reason, I would like to suggest that perhaps a fundamental quality of magic should be reevaluated: how magic interacts among itself.
Many of the fundamental advantages spellcasters have over non-spellcasters seem to revolve around the sheer depth of magical effects they can use to protect themselves. I am not saying that magic alone is why the wizard survives a battle. After all, a warrior is needed to protect one who can be so frail. What I am suggesting is that any spellcaster can weave a protective field of spells if given time. Even a surprised wizard might have a contingent teleport set to save himself should his life be endangered. Stoneskin, shield, mage armor, entropic field, protection from [insert word here]…all these spells can quickly render traditional attack forms useless, leaving only magic to battle magic. In contrast, magic suffers no such bane and can likely strike both spellcaster and non-spellcaster alike.
With this in mind, I would like to pose a question: what would happen if layers of magic could not be woven together? What if too many cooks spoils the broth (or in this case, spell)? I would like to suggest that perhaps mixing too many spell effects at a time might well limit how many spells a character can be affected by at one time. Perhaps there is even an element of danger for a spellcaster, as magic combines into a hazardous backlash. While it would not completely level the playing field, it might provide enough of an innate threat that spellcasters may need to weigh their options more carefully.
For example, suppose that a young sorcerer walks into a cave with mage armor protecting him. Suddenly, another mage steps out and fires a magic missile. Not wanting that to happen again, the sorcerer casts shield and prepares to fight back. Right now, the sorcerer has two spell effects on him. Both provide significant protection (and the shield spell may well be suppressing a viable attack for the aggressive mage), so the sorcerer currently has a bit of an upper hand. However, let’s back up the encounter to right before the sorcerer casts shield. His mage armor is protecting him, but not saving him from the hassle of the other mage’s spells. In his effort to save himself, he casts shield. However, something goes wrong and he is trapped in a bubble…or the missiles are drawn with greater velocity…or some other effect occurs.
If this sort of system were to be carefully constructed, a system that decided how and when such magical backlashes were to occur, do you believe it would help balance the game a bit more? I do not see this system being too much for low level casters to worry about, as they likely lack the number of spells per day or depth of spells to have more than one on-going effect at a time. However, it's impact could help the power creep that occurs mid-game and elevates afterwards.