Spellcasters, spell selections and party approvals !
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I know my rogue has a reasonable Int score, but my fighters wander round and look at marketing posters created by wand crafters. Strangely enough these wands have names like "Bulls Strength" and "Fire Ball". I think a fighter who has an INT of 10 and can read a simple marketing poster can remember that a wand with "Bulls Strength" might relate to a spell called "Bulls Strength" and therefore might ask for "Bulls Strength" when he wants to be strengthened.
@Notsoslimshady:If a fighter hears my wizard mention a spell called 'Bullstrength' (and I find myself discussing spells aloud in character often) I will forgive him for guessing that its purpose might be to make him stronger, then maybe even asking for it by name rather than just saying make me stronger.
Give folks some leaway here, to play their character as they wish. If you want to be an arrogant mage who ignores fighters who ask for particular spells, then do so IC. If you want to be an arrogant Battle Leader who dictates what spells are cast when, do so, but expect some agressive RP back in response! But lets not shout at each other for calling spells by their real names! The knowledge of the spell names is out there in the public domain, as wizards call the spells by name in public and the names are quite descriptive. Also they are on so many posters round the city!
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I've always thought it was quite cool when wizards would ask the party what they are to expect on the adventure, and then develop spells depending on the situation. Nobren always kept things interesting in that department. I personally like the mystery.
As a side note, I think one of the most epic things on the server is two wizards either arguing or deciding on who will prepare what spell, and then debating each spells effectiveness. The most common you see is the difference between stone skin and improved invisable. I love watching these debates! Makes the game seem more real!
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Spellcraft is a check to determine what spell is being cast -before- it goes off. It is knowing what spell it is by the combination of words and hand gestures not that acid or fire came out of the wizards hands after the fact. The spell must have a varbal or somatic component and you must be in visual or hearing range to use spellcraft depending on the spell.
(thus why it is the counterspelling skill in nwn)
In pnp it can also be used to determine what spell affects people and objects have cast on them.
We develop words over time to describe things so we don't have to describe them every time we see them. I figure if you ask IC what it's called - you would know spells with obvious visual affects no matter your SC score.
Can my 0 SC fighter tell the difference between color spray and prismatic spray? probably not. Can I tell the difference between scare, fear, etc? No. Do I know magic missile and fireball. Not until they're coming at me, but yes.
I know a tree when I see it despite not being a botanist. I can ever easily learn oak from spruce in a matter of hours. If the oak tree hit me with a branch and the spruce give my candy, I'm guessing I'd make a mental note of it.
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I know what an automobile is. I can drive mine quite well and do regular maintanance too. Could I build one from scratch in my garage? Probably not. My point here is that a non wizard class that is smart enough to be an adventurer and lives in the world we play in could probably put names to spells. Kind of like how I can look at a car on the street and tell you the make and model without actually being an engineer. It doesn't mean your non-wizard type person is going to be casting the spells, but he sure as heck should have some common sense in the matter. We do this all day long in RL with technologies that we really have no clue how they operate. Like this computer.. absolute mystery to me when I turn it inside out, but here I am on the internet just the same.
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One way a none Magician, or a magician for that matter, can bring uniqueness and flavour is to invent names for spells. Marin has called the Magic Missile spell a Fiveballer or a Threeballer for some time. Those magicians who she deals with understand what she means. This description also defines the level at which the spell is cast.
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You can know its name, you can know its effects, its duration and level specifics.
I do not care, my character won't accept his spell selection and casting time will be made by another character unless the situation is very particular. That was the point of the thread or am I wrong?
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You what? You want to know which spells I can cast? You want to tell -me- a wizard, who delve in mind devouring pools of knowledge how to use the Art?
You want to teach me when I should call for celestial aid? You want to tell me when it is proper to shield your mind? Do you think I am unable to protect your weak miserable life? laughs
Do I tell you when to swing your blade? How high to raise your shield? When to use your hammer?
Be sure warrior, that you will receive the aid of the Art whenever -I- will see it proper and our enemies will receive the wrath of the Weave when -I- will decide.
Of course you can suggest the proper course of action before the battle ensues, after all you are the master tactician. And be sure to know the difference between a proper suggestion and an order.
Now let's proceed, tinhead, otherwise I'll roast you in your armor! taps his staff on the back of the warrior's helmet
Yup!
Seconded, and end of story. I can't imagine the wizard in Lord of the Rings (whatever his name was) asking his party for advice. I can't imagine anyone acompanying him daring to suggest his course of action either. Now that's the kind of wizard I'd hope to be and/or adventure with.
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I'd like to point out again, that not all wizards are the same in terms of mood, approach, etc.
Some wizards might, for IC reasons, be very respectful of the part's armored division, to the point of taking their advice even on magic seriously; one example could be a wizard of Red Knight, who wants to understand the preferences for spells from the up-front fighters perspective, since it's a position the wizard doesn't get much of.
Further, spellcaster does not equal wizard. It can be a sorc, too, who can be as ignorant of the working of their own spells as Joe commoner, or a particularly spell-based cleric, druid or bard.
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@Net:
You what? You want to know which spells I can cast? You want to tell -me- a wizard, who delve in mind devouring pools of knowledge how to use the Art?
You want to teach me when I should call for celestial aid? You want to tell me when it is proper to shield your mind? Do you think I am unable to protect your weak miserable life? laughs
Do I tell you when to swing your blade? How high to raise your shield? When to use your hammer?
Be sure warrior, that you will receive the aid of the Art whenever -I- will see it proper and our enemies will receive the wrath of the Weave when -I- will decide.
Of course you can suggest the proper course of action before the battle ensues, after all you are the master tactician. And be sure to know the difference between a proper suggestion and an order.
Now let's proceed, tinhead, otherwise I'll roast you in your armor! taps his staff on the back of the warrior's helmet
Yup!
Seconded, and end of story. I can't imagine the wizard in Lord of the Rings (whatever his name was) asking his party for advice. I can't imagine anyone acompanying him daring to suggest his course of action either. Now that's the kind of wizard I'd hope to be and/or adventure with.
Yeah, but Gandalf is not a Wizard, that is his title in the Middle Earth, technically he is a Demi God.
Or a very powerful Celestial. -
Let's each roleplay our wizards the way we find most enjoyable, yeah?
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Let's each roleplay our wizards the way we find most enjoyable, yeah?
And once again you close the debate. Well done. :)
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Oliver|Weekend: Eldaris, can you prepare me for combat?
Oliver|Weekend: "Sure, here is a badger" -
Let's each roleplay our wizards the way we find most enjoyable, yeah?
Hear, Hear! Debate is good and really helps folks consider their style of play, but this has gone on.