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kingtycoonThird level spells. You know - normally, this is where the Wizard, excuse me - The Magic User really becomes superhuman. Some of the spells he throws up to that point - they're ersatz versions of what a more... robust adventurer can do. Magic Missile is basically a crossbow that runs out of arrows really quickly, and Charm Person can be replicated with actual charm and a little money. Heck, the Floating Disc is a shoddy version of a donkey! Even Shield is just... Well it's almost as good as an actual shield. Sure, they're magic, but it sure is giving yourself a hard way to go, all that studying and learning just to do stuff that you could do with a little bit of money and practice. The payoff though. The payoff is supposed to start with the 3rd level spells. That's where Fly and Fireball are, and Lightning Bolt. The Big Ones. Of course I didn't get any of those. I got much more esoteric and, in the end, I have to admit, more interesting spells.
As a Magic-User grows in knowledge andpower, he becomes able to dismiss magic as well
such as potions and scrolls (but not spellbooks)
are permanently nullified.
There is one important exception - a Magic-
User’s Dispel Magic has no effect on Cleric spells.
Dispel Magic negates magical curses or diseases
for only 2d6 turns.
Clairvoyance is a means of seeing events in adistant location. There is no effective limit to
I reasoned that Dispel Magic- since it's so recursive, so self-aware and metamagical, that it would be much more technical, formulaic and difficult. I figure Op-Art kind of sums that up. There are steps and procedures and there's a gloating bit of triumph. Dispel Magic won't help you get it over a pack of wild animals, some angry townsfolk or even a very aggressive priest. But you know who it does beat? Other Wizards. I like that it's the competitor's spell. The one you go to if you're trying to outplay the chessmaster. Sure it's brute-force, sure it's sometimes more science than art and sure it's a technical and arduous spell to get down and memorize (cripes...) But it wins, it wins the battle and the war - the ones that matter, the ones against your peers. I like especially to that an enemy wizard might buff and enchant and fix himself up all fancy and strong, all glammered and buffed and in a moment you can take all the wind out of him, knock his stuffing out and let the fighter have at him. "Goodbye to your fancy flight, your silly illusions, goodbye to your fireball and your enlarge and so on, I dismiss them, I am the teacher and I dismiss your nonsense."
Clairvoyance is a whole other animal. I cheated a little, and by cheated I mean - just did something I think I would do if I lived in a magical universe where I had to write these things down for real and memorize them daily and carry this nutty book around and be the obligatory scrapbooker of the party - and that's embellish preposterously. Sure I added an additional semi-transparent page! Of course I did. Transformative thinking! That's the Magic-User's whole M.O. And really, by the time I got to here, big level 5, I think I'd be pretty pleased with myself and rather stoked about my biggest and heretofore best spell. Clairvoyance is another not-too-flashy, not-so-glamorous spell that straight up wins. Sure it's viscerally pleasing to lightning bolt a line of kobolds into ash. Sure it is. It's more useful still to be able to look into their tunnels and find their treasure in advance of ever having to go and menace them. You can figure out who's who and what's what - and with my other crazy spells, I can just go in and pose as one of them and charm the dickens out of their leader. Intelligence gathering. Sure, you're going to see a lot of things you probably would have preferred not to see, and sure! You could be a giant pervert and just remotely-view bathrooms and sorority houses. You could also learn the combination to the safe, the whether your neighbor is sleeping and where he keeps his valuables. You can solve the whole puzzle in advance of everyone even knowing there is a puzzle. It's another chessmaster spell - but you don't beat other wizards with it (of course you could) you beat the whole silly world.
Dispel Magic
As a Magic-User grows in knowledge and
as conjure it. This spell empowers the proper
forces of existence to expel the foul energiesknown as magic as if they never were. The spell
affects a 20’ cubic area. All spells in that areathat are currently in effect are automatically
negated. If cast on the same segment in combatas a spell from an enemy combatant, Dispel
Magic can be used to disrupt and negate thatspell.
All magical items within the area of effect aretemporarily disenchanted. They regain their
enchantment after 2d6 turns, but one-use itemssuch as potions and scrolls (but not spellbooks)
are permanently nullified.
There is one important exception - a Magic-
User’s Dispel Magic has no effect on Cleric spells.
Dispel Magic negates magical curses or diseases
for only 2d6 turns.
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance is a means of seeing events in a
the spell’s range, but the location must either
be familiar to the caster or be obvious, such asthe top floor inside a tower the caster can see,
or just beyond a dungeon door. The spell cannotpenetrate metal; sheets of any type of metal
between the caster and the target area willprevent the Magic-User from being able to scry
upon the area. The caster will be able to hearsounds in a 10’ radius of the spell’s focal point
even if the area is dark. If the area is not dark,the caster will be able to see as if he were
standing at the spell’s focal point, for a normaldistance but in all directions at once (for the
vision is in his mind’s eye).I reasoned that Dispel Magic- since it's so recursive, so self-aware and metamagical, that it would be much more technical, formulaic and difficult. I figure Op-Art kind of sums that up. There are steps and procedures and there's a gloating bit of triumph. Dispel Magic won't help you get it over a pack of wild animals, some angry townsfolk or even a very aggressive priest. But you know who it does beat? Other Wizards. I like that it's the competitor's spell. The one you go to if you're trying to outplay the chessmaster. Sure it's brute-force, sure it's sometimes more science than art and sure it's a technical and arduous spell to get down and memorize (cripes...) But it wins, it wins the battle and the war - the ones that matter, the ones against your peers. I like especially to that an enemy wizard might buff and enchant and fix himself up all fancy and strong, all glammered and buffed and in a moment you can take all the wind out of him, knock his stuffing out and let the fighter have at him. "Goodbye to your fancy flight, your silly illusions, goodbye to your fireball and your enlarge and so on, I dismiss them, I am the teacher and I dismiss your nonsense."
Clairvoyance is a whole other animal. I cheated a little, and by cheated I mean - just did something I think I would do if I lived in a magical universe where I had to write these things down for real and memorize them daily and carry this nutty book around and be the obligatory scrapbooker of the party - and that's embellish preposterously. Sure I added an additional semi-transparent page! Of course I did. Transformative thinking! That's the Magic-User's whole M.O. And really, by the time I got to here, big level 5, I think I'd be pretty pleased with myself and rather stoked about my biggest and heretofore best spell. Clairvoyance is another not-too-flashy, not-so-glamorous spell that straight up wins. Sure it's viscerally pleasing to lightning bolt a line of kobolds into ash. Sure it is. It's more useful still to be able to look into their tunnels and find their treasure in advance of ever having to go and menace them. You can figure out who's who and what's what - and with my other crazy spells, I can just go in and pose as one of them and charm the dickens out of their leader. Intelligence gathering. Sure, you're going to see a lot of things you probably would have preferred not to see, and sure! You could be a giant pervert and just remotely-view bathrooms and sorority houses. You could also learn the combination to the safe, the whether your neighbor is sleeping and where he keeps his valuables. You can solve the whole puzzle in advance of everyone even knowing there is a puzzle. It's another chessmaster spell - but you don't beat other wizards with it (of course you could) you beat the whole silly world.
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no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 03:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 06:04 pm (UTC)Always put that in quotes and cite me, when you mention it to strangers.
Yeah, Dude is straight up an enemy wizard. Alignments are: Wizards/Elves = Chaotic, Clerics = Lawful, everyone else = Neutral. So Nixon is Chaotic. And So am I and Elvis.
no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 07:51 pm (UTC)I have recently been thinking about 4e pacts; I sort of like them, even though 4e didn't go anywhere with the idea besides naming the feat trees after them.
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Date: 2013-07-16 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 06:02 pm (UTC)But in this edition? In the Red Box? Fireball solves it all. You played 2e right? Where you end up with 30 lifetime HP? As a Dwarf Fighter? Yeah - 10d6 fire damage really does it.
Now - in another game entirely - say SR - I'm all in on Divination. In fact I'm pretty sure Divination is absolutely the strongest school of them all. It just needs finesse. Illusion is my personal favorite, sure! But that's the one that rewards creativity.
Abjuration rewards caution and sense
Illusion rewards creativity and nutso-ness
Divination rewards weasleishness and cunning
no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 07:48 pm (UTC)I agree with Divination: Gerd dominated my game with it.
Anyhow, I like...well, I like warlocks, in the 3e sense. Or sorcerers if you prefer. I like innate. I like permanent.
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Date: 2013-07-16 08:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 08:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 03:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 06:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 07:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 08:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 09:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 09:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 09:19 pm (UTC)You don't have to be nice to wizards, it is practically my favorite thing about 'em.
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Date: 2013-07-16 09:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-16 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-20 04:26 am (UTC)