Roleplaying A spellcaster, me? No idea what you're talking about. [Archive]

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Quoxis

2017-02-17, 05:17 PM

Drackolus

2017-02-17, 05:38 PM

Fighter. All you need use armor and a weapon. The players will know you're a sorcerer, of course.
You could just claim that you're "really lucky." If you're a halfling, they'll probably buy it. Rogue would work well too. It could also net you deception expertise.
Trying to get adventurers to take on a "civilian" AND give them a share of the loot sounds difficult.
Don't forget that material components will give you away, so none of those. Unless you just hold on to a crystal in your pocket.

retaliation08

2017-02-17, 05:45 PM

Warcaster, Subtle Spell, Deception (Expertise?).

Or you could go warlock for mask of many faces. Your character is a coward that always runs when the fighting starts, but then a "mysterious stranger" shows up and blasts the enemy to Oblivion. Kinda like Clark Kent and Superman.

gfishfunk

2017-02-17, 05:45 PM

Time for a little brain exercise: How do you hide being a spellcaster, ideally from everyone including your teammates?

I think you can manage to hide it from the PCs but not the players.

A paladin would work using verbal spells, especially 'command', and just assert that you are really convincing.

Quoxis

2017-02-17, 05:55 PM

Trying to get adventurers to take on a "civilian" AND give them a share of the loot sounds difficult.

For clarification, i wouldn't play a random farmer amongst a group of adventurers, just an underleveled martial type.

Drackolus

2017-02-17, 05:57 PM

For clarification, i wouldn't play a random farmer amongst a group of adventurers, just an underleveled martial type.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say, but kind of forgot to use words.
I'm extremely tired today for some reason.

Garfunion

2017-02-17, 06:05 PM

Citan

2017-02-17, 07:04 PM

Time for a little brain exercise: How do you hide being a spellcaster, ideally from everyone including your teammates?

The obvious choice would be taking at least 3 levels of sorcerer, take up the subtle spell metamagic and go to town.

Furthermore, one could pretend to belong to another class (for the metagame-y players).
Suggestions which ones of the martial classes are suited best for this?
Well, considering that Cleric and Paladin focus are generally obvious, I suppose the best bet is taking Warcaster, having proficiency in heavy armor (or at least medium) and martial weapons, and usually parading while wielding its.

Sorcerer for Subtle is obviously the best bet because Warcaster does not deprives from verbal component.
Although you could also choose only spells without verbal (not sure there are that many though), or fluff your spells as injuries (Bard), prayers (Cleric) or just unintelligible self-mumbling (arcanic).

For example as a Valor Bard, make a point of shouting (as in, actually saying in real life) a bunch of insults EVERY TIME you do something. That way, people will expect you to be noisy and provocative, and since you do it all the time, will have difficulties noticing you are casting (unless the "difference in results" is fairly obvious, like casting Heat Metal).

Or as a Cleric, stress (especially when you first group together) how your "Fighter" has come into divine faith, because that is how he explains having survived all those years, especially in "that" war, and always explain things in relation to this faith. Then, when you use Bless and hit when before you didn't, explain that your prayer has been answered...

I agree though that while you can reasonably well hide from the characters, I don't see how you can sustain such a secret from the players. It would require a heavy work between the DM and you, and frankly, it may annoy him. Also, I think players are bound to find out one moment or another, and they may or not take it well, some people tend to actually take this on a personal level, or some kind of "cheating" or I don't know what...
So it may be better to be upfront about it, although it does require experienced players (so they will know how to not metagame on it).

retaliation08

2017-02-17, 07:08 PM

A few of you have given the impression that warcaster and subtle spell are somehow mutually exclusive. Why wouldn't you use both?

NecroDancer

2017-02-17, 07:10 PM

Go bladelock and say that you have a magic sword (really only works at high levels)

Citan

2017-02-17, 07:17 PM

A few of you have given the impression that warcaster and subtle spell are somehow mutually exclusive. Why wouldn't you use both?
Yeah, you can use both, it's just a matter of opportunity/cost.

If you are a Sorcerer, who already has Subtle, it may be more interesting to spend your ASI on other things.

And if you are not a Sorcerer, Warcaster is usually your only option unless you can hide your focus in any way. ;)

retaliation08

2017-02-17, 07:27 PM

Yeah, you can use both, it's just a matter of opportunity/cost.

If you are a Sorcerer, who already has Subtle, it may be more interesting to spend your ASI on other things.

And if you are not a Sorcerer, Warcaster is usually your only option unless you can hide your focus in any way. ;)

Oh I see. My current character is actually a Sorlock with Warcaster, but I don't try to hide his casterness, although it would be relatively easy to do.

Sigreid

2017-02-17, 10:53 PM

14th level enchanter. Scrub the memory of anyone who sees you use magic.

Select spells with subtler/no obvious effects. Make a big production of chanting, waving things around, and beseeching spirits to do magical things for you other than the effect of the spell you are casting to cover your invocations and make everyone think you're just bat crap crazy.

Asmotherion

2017-02-17, 11:10 PM

As you said, the most essential would be the 3 Sorcerer levels. Then, start taking spells with less components and use situationally.

Spells with only Somatic components, or Somatic+Material can be done discretly, perhaps with a sleight of hand.

Spells with only Verbal components, or Verbal+Material can be performed by either speaking in a low voice, or by masquing the components into an other sentance. The hand holding the components or spell focus is hidden. Bonus if you maque in in a language they don't know, and pretend to speak with the enemy wile you are casting.

JumboWheat01

2017-02-17, 11:13 PM

By having proficiency and (if possible) expertise in Deception. A high enough bluff skill can convince anyone that the sky is pink and the ground is made out of chocolate.

Quoxis

2017-02-18, 12:59 AM

Thanks for everything, guys, this was really interesting.
I see it's difficult, just wanted to hear The perspectives and thoughts of other, perhaps more experienced players.

It's a one shot for about 4-5 hours. I can't tell details, the other players might read this board too for all i know.
I'll make sure to tell all of you how it worked out though!

Coretex

2017-02-18, 02:15 AM

I have been wanting to try this exact thing for a while now (not yet had the chance).

In my thinking I wondered about the same questions that were raised above about getting characters to bring a commoner along who apparently has no benefit and I settled on a warlock-esq explanation despite playing a full sorcerer.

When you cast spells (especially the ones that come FROM you) it will be really hard to pretend not to be the source of them.

Claiming that you are the favoured of some God or power of a sort means you could explain all of the magical phenomenon that happen around you as your extremely active Benefactor acting in your best interest.

Crowd of enemies: Ball of fire erupts (Fireball)
Obnoxious townsperson: Suddenly friendly (charmed)
etc, etc.

I figured I would throw in some occasional chatting to the air or loud prayers for good measure.

Alternately, you could ACTUALLY be the favoured of some God or power and they would get a ton of credit for everything that you do by you pretending that everything happening is them instead of you. Start a cult! Overthrow a kingdom! Fun times :)