Commoner's/npcs and casting in their vacinity

[randomhero00]

How should this be handled? In one of my games, one of my DMs has this annoying tendency to make them freak out whenever someone casts anything. i.e. run away. Even if its just a simple Message spell to one of my allies. Nor can I say, "I turn away" or "Go into the corner" or "I wait till his back is turned" on the other hand, I haven't taken any abilities that would cloak my casting, but again, these are more roleplay situations than combat and it seems like I should be able to do simple spells in taverns and such without freaking out the company. Is there any RAW to support this or something?

[Sallera]

Whether it scares commoners and the like is a setting detail, really, but it sounds like magic is pretty rare in your setting. There is one quite useful method of dealing with this, though, as long as you're willing to drop some points into Sleight of Hand - the Conceal Spellcasting skill trick from Complete Scoundrel, which lets you make a SoH check to disguise the fact that you're casting at all.

Edit: I would talk to your DM about it, though. If he hasn't made it clear that magic is rare in the setting, he should have, and in that case I'd suggest asking him to let you retroactively take the skill trick if you want it. If magic isn't supposed to be rare/despised/feared/etc. in the setting, however, then it shouldn't be bothering the commoners that much.

[Tanaric]

Actually, according to the Rules Compendium, you can do that with just a normal Sleight of Hand check, no skill trick required.

Although if memory serves, both are 1/encounter, so it might be worth picking up the skill trick anyhow.

[ashmanonar]

How should this be handled? In one of my games, one of my DMs has this annoying tendency to make them freak out whenever someone casts anything. i.e. run away. Even if its just a simple Message spell to one of my allies. Nor can I say, "I turn away" or "Go into the corner" or "I wait till his back is turned" on the other hand, I haven't taken any abilities that would cloak my casting, but again, these are more roleplay situations than combat and it seems like I should be able to do simple spells in taverns and such without freaking out the company. Is there any RAW to support this or something?

We need some background on the campaign setting.

If this is a low-low-low magic setting, then casting of any sort would be weird. It would probably be remarked upon, singling you out of the crowd (even then, freaking out and running away is a bit much.) You would probably have trouble with gather info checks or diplomacy, that's all.

If we're talking Forgotten Realms, then the grizzled old farmer is a retired level 20 wizard who uses time stop to get his chores done faster. (I kid, but only slightly.)

In the middle ground? Nothing really unusual about seeing magic. Even commoners will have experienced it or seen it before, either during war, in temple, or whatever. It may be different, and again single you out slightly, but not to the point of "it's a witch!"

[randomhero00]

Doh, forgot to say, this is Pathfinder, Savage Tides. So no 3.5 books for me. Not sure if sleight of hand still works like that in pathfinder. The book is still new to us.

[Vizzerdrix]

Spend a few evenings in a tavern putting on magic shows for the patrons. Get them to see magic as just another tool. Better yet, offer to do this for a temple on worship day. The priest can preach about some of the more fantastic things, and you can do matching pictures and scenes