DnD 3.5e / PF Wizard in our World

[Xar Zarath]

So I've been thinking of something. Imagine a scenario that is similar to Man from Earth but with some slight variations below, link below for those who do not know it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_Earth

Imagine a Wizard from either 3.5e or PF, your choice, has revealed himself to the whole world, not just a select group of people.

Instead of the usual kill and conquer scenarios, what would be the repercussions of such an action. A person, who by all accounts is able to perform miracles and powers only imagined, in our world. (and yes, by other aspects do exist and the wizard is able to call upon them such as metaphysics, afterlives and the planes etc)

What would be our first response after inevitable conclusion? Kill him/her? Make the wizard join "our" side, depending on whose side it is?

I know religion is off topic but can there be some personal comment you would like to make if an actual angel appeared because some dude just whispered a few words.

Other considerations? Culture, societal, technological, economic?

Remember the wizard isn't out to kill or enslave us. The wizard reasons for coming to this particular world is a secret. Everything else is fair game. Maybe he would teach magic to others if the price was right, assuming you can meet such a price.

Keep in mind: Spellcaster must be human, at least 17-20th level range, not exactly optimised and only base vanilla T1 caster class

[Manyasone]

And here we go yet again... *sigh* going for some popcorn

[khadgar567]

Ask him to cast wish for me if its my lucky day then we see who has the unlimited power realy has then its time to screw the world for fun and profit

[radthemad4]

Try to convince him to cooperate with scientists to eliminate scarcity of um... everything on Earth. Also see if we can industrialize magic somehow.

[Florian]

Oh man, the old BS....

Ok, if "magic" works on our plane, the Wizard is just the catalyst and Silicon Valley takes over. Done.

[16bearswutIdo]

They would be treated like a Messiah. It's literal world-bending magic with very few restrictions. That's not even counting that even if people tried killing him, he would be effectively untouchable. Entire religions would probably crop up around him. It would be a society-altering event, even a thousand + years down the line.

[Xar Zarath]

They would be treated like a Messiah...

Would it be that quick though? wouldn't some people still be on the fence about it?

[Efrate]

In your face dungeons and dragons style exact unexplainable magic effects happening on command would shut down a lot of naysayers very quickly. People, organizations or governments with power would try to monopolize the wizards skills for their own gain, then would try to steal his secrets for themselves. When that failed, they would attempt to imprison or kill him. Everyone would quickly start begging him for everything once he is not debunked.

Entire religions would both crop up and be destabilized very quickly. Over time reality as we know it would warp to the point of unrecognizableness. Scarcity in general would be eliminated and we would become dependent on magic. It would be a slow transition but eventually happen. Then if something stopped the magic everyone would be ruined.

[Xar Zarath]

... Scarcity in general would be eliminated and we would become dependent on magic. It would be a slow transition but eventually happen. Then if something stopped the magic everyone would be ruined.

However if the Wizard did not teach or provide his magic for the people, would we be able to figure it out?

I mean, contextually speaking we haven't figured out a lot of stuff even with science so how do we suddenly turn away from what we have been trying for a long time to turn to something like magic especially if said expert in magic doesn't bother to give us any tidbits?

[Efrate]

If he didnt provide his magic to the people what is he doing here and how do we know he has magic? Even if we don't know his goal he would have to show something magical to a lot of people so we even know he's magic. If he doesn't want us to know, we won't find out, and he will just ghost by doing whatever with us none the wiser.

[AvatarVecna]

Assuming that this wizard has Collegiate Wizard feat but determines spellbook spells by rolling randomly (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?563075) on the spells listed in the PHB, they still have enough rolls that they're gonna end up with some pretty powerful options. Assuming 16 Int at lvl 1, we're looking at 13 1st, 8 2nd, 8 3rd, 8 4th, 8 5th, 8 6th, 8 7th, 8 8th, and 16 9th.

1st
Alarm
Animate Rope
Cause Fear
Comprehend Languages
Detect Undead
Endure Elements
Enlarge Person
Nystul's Magic Aura
Protection From Law
Ray Of Enfeeblement
Reduce Person
Sleep
Tenser's Floating Disk

2nd
Command Undead
Eagle's Splendor
False Life
Flaming Sphere
Glitterdust
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Obscure Object

3rd
Explosive Runes
Illusory Script
Magic Circle Against Good
Greater Magic Weapon
Phantom Steed
Secret Page
Sleet Storm
Stinking Cloud

4th
Contagion
Fear
Lesser Globe Of Invulnerability
Hallucinatory Terrain
Illusory Wall
Mass Reduce Person
Solid Fog
Wall Of Ice

5th
Blight
Cone Of Cold
Leomund's Secret Chest
Mind Fog
Prying Eyes
Symbol Of Pain
Telekinesis
Teleport

6th
Control Water
Eyebite
Flesh To Stone
Greater Heroism
Programmed Image
Shadow Walk
Mass Suggestion
Symbol Of Fear

7th
Bigby's Grasping Hand
Control Weather
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion
Prismatic Spray
Greater Scrying
Summon Monster VII
Teleport Object
Vision

8th
Mass Charm Monster
Incendiary Cloud
Maze
Otto's Irresistible Dance
Prismatic Wall
Protection From Spells
Sunburst
Symbol Of Death

9th
Astral Projection
Energy Drain
Etherealness
Foresight
Gate
Imprisonment
Power Word Kill
Shades
Shapechange
Soul Bind
Summon Monster IX
Teleportation Circle
Time Stop
Wail Of The Banshee
Weird
Wish

1st
Enlarge Person
Reduce Person
Tenser's Floating Disk

2nd
Flaming Sphere
Invisibility
Mirror Image

3rd
Explosive Runes
Phantom Steed
Stinking Cloud

4th
Lesser Globe Of Invulnerability
Hallucinatory Terrain
Mass Reduce Person
Solid Fog
Wall Of Ice

5th
Cone Of Cold
Telekinesis
Teleport

6th
Control Water
Flesh To Stone

7th
Control Weather
Prismatic Spray
Summon Monster VII
Teleport Object

8th
Incendiary Cloud
Sunburst

9th
Etherealness
Shapechange
Summon Monster IX
Teleportation Circle

1st
Cause Fear
Detect Undead
Protection From Law

2nd
Command Undead

3rd
Magic Circle Against Good

4th
Contagion
Fear

5th
Blight
Mind Fog
Symbol Of Pain

6th
Eyebite
Flesh To Stone
Symbol Of Fear

8th
Mass Charm Monster
Symbol Of Death

9th
Energy Drain
Imprisonment
Power Word Kill
Wail Of The Banshee
Weird

5th
Telekinesis
Teleport

6th
Programmed Image

7th
Control Weather
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion
Greater Scrying
Summon Monster VII

8th
Mass Charm Monster

9th
Astral Projection
Foresight
Gate
Shapechange
Summon Monster IX
Time Stop
Wish

Regardless of how optimally the wizard is being "played", they still have access to a couple summoning spells, scry n die tactics, and The Big Five of the 9th lvl spells (Astral Projection, Gate, Shapechange, Time Stop, Wish). They've also got a number of useful, versatile, and powerful spells at their disposal (Telekinesis, Control Weather, Summon Monster VII/IX, etc).

But this thread isn't about the wizard, it's about how the world reacts...and honestly, I'm not seeing a reaction beyond fearmongering. There'll be cults that pop up here and there worshipping the wizard, but there's too much money invested in existing religions for the people in charge to give up power so easily. The lack of dependable information on the wizard (a combination of a perhaps-limited media presence along with the fantastic abilities he supposedly possesses) will make it easy to paint a picture of a massively-successful conman with no true power who's taken in vulnerable weak-minded young people and needs to be hunted down when he makes an appearance. We won't succeed, but short of optimal play, the wizard will have a hell of a time convincing the world at large that he's both all-powerful and benign.

[16bearswutIdo]

Would it be that quick though? wouldn't some people still be on the fence about it?

Their doubts would probably be cleared up pretty quickly the first time the wizard casts Meteor Storm or Wish.

[Andor13]

So I've been thinking of something. Imagine a scenario that is similar to Man from Earth but with some slight variations below, link below for those who do not know it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_Earth

Imagine a Wizard from either 3.5e or PF, your choice, has revealed himself to the whole world, not just a select group of people.

Instead of the usual kill and conquer scenarios, what would be the repercussions of such an action. A person, who by all accounts is able to perform miracles and powers only imagined, in our world. (and yes, by other aspects do exist and the wizard is able to call upon them such as metaphysics, afterlives and the planes etc)

What would be our first response after inevitable conclusion? Kill him/her? Make the wizard join "our" side, depending on whose side it is?

I know religion is off topic but can there be some personal comment you would like to make if an actual angel appeared because some dude just whispered a few words.

Other considerations? Culture, societal, technological, economic?

Remember the wizard isn't out to kill or enslave us. The wizard reasons for coming to this particular world is a secret. Everything else is fair game. Maybe he would teach magic to others if the price was right, assuming you can meet such a price.

Keep in mind: Spellcaster must be human, at least 17-20th level range, not exactly optimised and only base vanilla T1 caster class

What does the Wizard want to happen? Why has he revealed himself? To whom? How?

He can ingratiate himself with, or destroy any religion he pleases with a few summonings.
He can get any amount of money he wants by selling a few high level castings.
He can, in practical terms, suborn any government he pleases, although the more public he is, the fewer options he has.
He could easily become a cult figure.
His abilities are essentially limitless.

It's meaningless to try to model his impact without knowing how he is trying to impact things. Is he subtly trying to influence a few key people to achieve some subtle goal, or is he posting a functional spellbook to 4chan?

Will everything go his way? Of course not. Will someone try to kill him? Almost certainly. Will they succeed? Depends on how seriously they try, and how scrupulous the Wizard is in maintaining his defenses.

[Nifft]

"Hello I'm a Wizard and that's how I built this moon base. Now I'm going to create some permanent teleport circles so space migration is a lot easier. Earth is nice but I want to go exploring, and you can too. I'm hiring one cohort and 73 followers, plus a harem of arbitrary size."

[Goaty14]

The world reacts to the wizard like the world reacts to all things that they covet: by trying to replicate (or steal?) it for themselves.

Oh, but if the wizard decides to help out the world... Tippyverse - Monsters = ???

[Andor13]

" plus a harem of arbitrary size."

Isn't that how Merlin wound up bound into an oak tree?

[Quertus]

I believe The Man who was Magic adequately encapsulates my opinion of human behavior in the face of such an event.

[Nifft]

Isn't that how Merlin wound up bound into an oak tree?

As a human, it is my inalienable right to not learn from history.

(Was he at least bound in there with a dryad?)

[Troacctid]

We in the business of literature have a name for this trope. It's called a "superhero." (Or in the evil case, a "supervillain.") It may surprise you to learn this, because of course it's not big in mainstream pop culture, but it's actually been explored quite a bit in fiction, to the point where it's considered by many to be a genre all of its own. In fact, Benedict Cumberbatch even starred in a movie based on a similar premise not too long ago. I think it's on Netflix.

[Xar Zarath]

What does the Wizard want to happen? Why has he revealed himself? To whom? How?.

Hmm, for this thread, the Wizard wants to explore a modern world along with all the things that he may not be familiar with e.g our tech and such.

So he wishes to familiarise himself with it. As a matter of personal pride, he shows off his magic to scientists who are sceptical of his power through various flashy spells and a few summoning's to drive home that our material universe is not the only one.

After that it becomes public, though there is some scepticism and he shows off to the public.

[Saintheart]

We in the business of literature have a name for this trope. It's called a "superhero." (Or in the evil case, a "supervillain.") It may surprise you to learn this, because of course it's not big in mainstream pop culture, but it's actually been explored quite a bit in fiction, to the point where it's considered by many to be a genre all of its own. In fact, Benedict Cumberbatch even starred in a movie based on a similar premise not too long ago. I think it's on Netflix.

Contingent Spell and Planar Bubble abuse for all the "Dormammu I've come to bargain" stuff?

[Heliomance]

Entire religions would both crop up and be destabilized very quickly. Over time reality as we know it would warp to the point of unrecognizableness. Scarcity in general would be eliminated and we would become dependent on magic. It would be a slow transition but eventually happen. Then if something stopped the magic everyone would be ruined.

This... seems unlikely, assuming that the general public don't suddenly become able to learn magic. One wizard is not going to eliminate scarcity across the globe. It's a problem of scale. The world is really damn big, and absent TO exponential chain-gating shenanigans, a single wizard is not going to be able to make a real, material difference to seven billion people.

Seven billion is too large a number for the human brain to really comprehend, so we just abstract it to "a lot". And it's easy to imagine that a wizard can eliminate scarcity for "a lot" of people. But seven billion is so much more than a lot it's not even funny.

They could do a lot by becoming a religious leader or something, and having massive influence, but they're not going to be single handedly ending world hunger with Create Food and Water.

[Quertus]

Hmm, for this thread, the Wizard wants to explore a modern world along with all the things that he may not be familiar with e.g our tech and such.

So he wishes to familiarise himself with it. As a matter of personal pride, he shows off his magic to scientists who are sceptical of his power through various flashy spells and a few summoning's to drive home that our material universe is not the only one.

After that it becomes public, though there is some scepticism and he shows off to the public.

Oh, I suppose I should add: a Playgrounder calls him out for being suboptimal, and tells him how he should rebuild himself.

Probably in exchange for an apprenticeship.

[Xar Zarath]

Oh, I suppose I should add: a Playgrounder calls him out for being suboptimal, and tells him how he should rebuild himself.

Probably in exchange for an apprenticeship.

Haha, that's the thing he's suboptimal on purpose!

But as far as thread is concerned, if the Wizard for purposes of thread is not interested in any offers of "employment" from various powerful countries and power groups, would they try to "force" the wizard to work for them?

Because realistically speaking spell-wise, that would be next to impossible.

[Andor13]

Hmm, for this thread, the Wizard wants to explore a modern world along with all the things that he may not be familiar with e.g our tech and such.

So he wishes to familiarise himself with it. As a matter of personal pride, he shows off his magic to scientists who are sceptical of his power through various flashy spells and a few summoning's to drive home that our material universe is not the only one.

After that it becomes public, though there is some scepticism and he shows off to the public.

So he has neither a goal, nor a plan, but exposed magic to an unfamiliar world because as a 20th level wizard he felt insecure in his power. ... So classic high Int dump-stat Wis Wizard? That's going to make everything so much worse.


Haha, that's the thing he's suboptimal on purpose!

But as far as thread is concerned, if the Wizard for purposes of thread is not interested in any offers of "employment" from various powerful countries and power groups, would they try to "force" the wizard to work for them?

Because realistically speaking spell-wise, that would be next to impossible.

It depends on how sub-optimal he is. If his defenses don't include a contingency or quickened teleport it might be entirely possible to grab him, and, if it's been observed that somatic gestures and speaking are required to cast spells, he could be kept captive, again depending on his spell list. Things could spiral out of control very quickly in the wrong scenario.

There is also the utterly GM dependent question of what happens when he shows of his magic to scientists. D&D magic is, in some ways, very scientific, in that a results are highly replicable. If the scientists get good recordings, or if he accidentally spills the beans about how one gets started Wizarding, or hell, if someone talks him into sharing the secrets of wizarding 101 with the world (which sounds plausible since this guy is just that big an idiot.) At any rate, if those initial demos could well lead to a magical revolution as the lid comes off of pandora's box spellbook.

[Quertus]

Haha, that's the thing he's suboptimal on purpose!

But as far as thread is concerned, if the Wizard for purposes of thread is not interested in any offers of "employment" from various powerful countries and power groups, would they try to "force" the wizard to work for them?

Because realistically speaking spell-wise, that would be next to impossible.

Quertus, my signature academia mage, for whom this account is named, uses suboptimal tactics "on purpose" - that is, I set the character up to be tactically inept on purpose, to explore the concept of, "how can you have done X for this long, and still be this bad at it?". So, my question is, did you build him as suboptimal on purpose (in which case, he should appreciate our insight), or did he purposefully nerf himself (in which case... Um...).

I believe the question is, world he successfully teach magic to this world (intentionally or not on his part) before he was murdered, died of diseases to which his body has no previous exposure, etc.

[Xar Zarath]

or did he purposefully nerf himself (in which case... Um...).

I believe the question is, world he successfully teach magic to this world (intentionally or not on his part) before he was murdered, died of diseases to which his body has no previous exposure, etc.

Not so much nerf as chose a build that's pretty much vanilla. Think more of a lore focused wizard than a battle hardened adventurer. all those xp's were from roleplaying!:smallbiggrin: