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Thread: Schools Of Magic
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12-13-2003, 07:39 PM #1
Heya all.
I've been working on trying to start up another BR game, and have been thinking about incorporating one of my favorite house rules involving magic, namely the elf/human split on magic. I wanted to throw it up on here to see what you all thought about it. Basically, the split is based upon the distinction between the Sorcerer and Wizard class. Elves are always Sorcerers and can't access necromantic spells, humans are always wizards, and must specialize in one school of magic.
I've always liked the idea of the Schools of Magic, and feel that they have never been played up as much as they should. Dividing magic up into schools definitely seems like a human, Anuirean in particular, idea to me. Anuirean society lends itself to lawfulness, and so I believe that lawful inclination would tend to push Anuireans into trying to catagorize, define, and label meibhaigl. Different theories on how magic works would lead to different approaches to casting spells. It seems only natural that these different theories would produce certain effects better than others, thus lending a wizard towards specialization. Anuireans being Anuireans, there would naturally be competition between these schools, particularly after the College of Sorcery was founded and the different Schools began competing for the most promising students. (As an aside, I have an image of the College of Sorcery being a lot like Hogwarts from the Harry Potter books, but that is another discussion entirely.)
The question I have for you all is whether you think a) mandatory specializing for human wizards would handicap them too much and B) do the realm spells slant the choice too heavily towards one or two schools.**************************************
"My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain."
-William Shakespeare, Richard III (Act 5, Scene 3)
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12-13-2003, 08:56 PM #2
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Patrucio schrieb:
> This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
> You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/forums/ind...=ST&f=2&t=2137
>
> Patrucio wrote:
> Heya all.I've been working on trying to start up another BR game, and have been thinking
about incorporating one of my favorite house rules involving magic,
namely the elf/human split on
magic. I wanted to throw it up on here to see what you all thought
about it. Basically, the split
is based upon the distinction between the Sorcerer and Wizard class.
Elves are always Sorcerers
and can't access necromantic spells, humans are always wizards, and
must specialize in one
school of magic. I've always liked the idea of the Schools of Magic,
and feel that they have
never been played up as much as they should. Dividing magic up into
schools definitely seems
like a human, Anuirean in particular, idea to me. Anuirean society lends
itself to lawfulness,
and so I believe that lawful inclination would tend to push Anuireans
into trying to catagorize,
define, and label meibhaigl. Different theories on how magic works
would lead to different
approaches to casting spells. It seems only natural that these
different theories would produce
certain effects better than others, thus lending a wizard towards
specialization. Anuireans
being Anuireans, there would naturally be competition between these
schools, particularly after
the College of Sorcery was founded and the different Schools began
competing for the most
promising students. (As an aside, I have an image of the College of
Sorcery being a lot like
Hogwarts from the Harry Potter books, but that is another discussion
entirely.)The question I
have for you all is whether you think a) mandatory specializing for
human wizards would
handicap them too much and <img
src=`http://www.birthright.net/forums/html/emoticons/cool.gif`
border=`0` style=`vertical-align:middle` alt=`cool.gif`> do the realm
spells slant the choice
too heavily towards one or two schools.
I like the idea of schools playing a bigger role in the game.
Not only because of Harry Potter (of which I read all 5 books now ;-) )
but also because of the Shadow Stone which while converted to fit
Forgotten Realms allows us a glimps at the Imperial College.
To simply rule "Sidhelien can never cast Necromancy" and "Humans MUST
specialize" I do not like.
As others on this list already wrote, the "sidhelien shun necromancy"
should mean that sidhelien who cast necromancy are social outcasts,
possibly hunted by other sidhelien/gheallie sidhe or even killed on
sight if known in any sidhelien realm, but not that it is impossible for
them to learn and cast those spells.
And the human wizards should not be simply forced to become specialists.
After all MOST humans (those without a bloodline) are already forced to
be Magicians instead of becoming wizards.
Those few humans that can become a wizard should have all choices if
they wish to specialize or to stay a generalist.
Perhaps you could "encourage" them to specialize if you want them to, by
ruling that only specialists are able to master battlemagic/realmmagic? ;-)
bye
Michael
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12-13-2003, 10:08 PM #3
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Originally posted by ConjurerDragon@Dec 13 2003, 03:56 PM
To simply rule "Sidhelien can never cast Necromancy" and "Humans MUST
specialize" I do not like.
As others on this list already wrote, the "sidhelien shun necromancy"
should mean that sidhelien who cast necromancy are social outcasts,
possibly hunted by other sidhelien/gheallie sidhe or even killed on
sight if known in any sidhelien realm, but not that it is impossible for
them to learn and cast those spells.
And the human wizards should not be simply forced to become specialists.
After all MOST humans (those without a bloodline) are already forced to
be Magicians instead of becoming wizards.
Those few humans that can become a wizard should have all choices if
they wish to specialize or to stay a generalist.
bye
Michael
If elves are 'forced' to be sorcerers then they no longer are the greater creators of magic items that they are in the setting and humans will pass them in this regard. Don't forget the wizard bonus feats?Duane Eggert
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