|
I was just wondering, can a character learn magic by accident? I'm specifically thinking about a witch character that I'm creating, but this may apply to other casters as well.
What I mean is, could a witch, because of some innate arcane ability, discover and learn to use magic more or less on their own, and almost by chance, or do they need to be taught? Or maybe a combination of the these?
I've never played a caster before, so I've never spent too much time thinking about this sort of thing. I'm curious what others think about it.
|
|
I could see a Familiar under the guide a mysterious patron entity bonding with an unsuspecting "natural witch" and teaching her the spells it knows.Perhaps her preparation of spells each morning is the witch sitting with her mysterious magical fox and learning "riddles" or playing other make believe games.
I love this idea. It fits my concept very well. Thank you.
Some pople belive that a caster needs proper schooling, but i've never believed that.
Familiar is a great way for a witch to learn spells, dreams from some patron power could actually teach her how to use her hexes.
|
Depends on your GM I suppose
This is how I would run it in my games:
Definately in the case of Sorcerers, magic for them is an inherent ability that just manefests. Definately NOT in the case of Wizards as this is more of a learned ability.
With Witches (and bear in mind I don't have the APG yet) the impression I get is that their power stems from their communion with otherworldly powers manifested in their familiar.
IMO it is therefore quite possible that the familiar could choose the Witch rather than the other way around. Your PC could have befriended an animal as a child and soon you started to demonstrate strange powers. Only later did you realise what these powers meant (after potentially being run out of town).
So yeah, I see no problem with that.
Depends on your GM I suppose
This is how I would run it in my games:
Definately in the case of Sorcerers, magic for them is an inherent ability that just manefests. Definately NOT in the case of Wizards as this is more of a learned ability.
With Witches (and bear in mind I don't have the APG yet) the impression I get is that their power stems from their communion with otherworldly powers manifested in their familiar.
IMO it is therefore quite possible that the familiar could choose the Witch rather than the other way around. Your PC could have befriended an animal as a child and soon you started to demonstrate strange powers. Only later did you realise what these powers meant (after potentially being run out of town).
So yeah, I see no problem with that.
I think part of the way to make it work is to have an exellent RP reason why your character is like that. It really doesn't change anything balance wise. How did the first wizards learn Magic anyway? Not at an academy or a from some other wizard.
Keep in mind that soem GM's will wnat you to play out level advancement and require you to travel to masters to study or take time meditating or practicing harnessing new powers. As long as you can make it fit into how they see level advancement work, you should be fine.
I love this idea. It fits my concept very well. Thank you.
I could see a Familiar under the guide a mysterious patron entity bonding with an unsuspecting "natural witch" and teaching her the spells it knows.Perhaps her preparation of spells each morning is the witch sitting with her mysterious magical fox and learning "riddles" or playing other make believe games.
It sounds like you are going for a Magical Girl type character. Let us know how that works out in actual play.
|
I was just wondering, can a character learn magic by accident? I'm specifically thinking about a witch character that I'm creating, but this may apply to other casters as well.
What I mean is, could a witch, because of some innate arcane ability, discover and learn to use magic more or less on their own, and almost by chance, or do they need to be taught? Or maybe a combination of the these?
I've never played a caster before, so I've never spent too much time thinking about this sort of thing. I'm curious what others think about it.
As an example, I'm running a character who is a Sorcerer. He was originally a shepherd. The local Dryad decided she really liked him and they got to know each other really well.
All the Best,
Kerney
Really, the only caster that doesn't really have the fluff to back up self-learning is the wizard. Anyone else? Go for it.
|
|
Actually, I can see a self-learned wizard working.
Did you ever pick up a book written in a different language and thought it was a book of magic spells? Goblin Wizards can always use "My First Spellbook: Pop Up Edition" for their spells.
Disclaimer: "My first Spellbook: Pop Up Edition" was not created by me, though it was created on this site.
Actually, I can see a self-learned wizard working.
Did you ever pick up a book written in a different language and thought it was a book of magic spells? Goblin Wizards can always use "My First Spellbook: Pop Up Edition" for their spells.
Disclaimer: "My first Spellbook: Pop Up Edition" was not created by me, though it was created on this site.
I agree, there is no rule thats says you need a formal master. Its up to GM and player to make it work, mainly the player to create the concept and how it could work and the GM to fit it in to his/her game/world.
Divine intervention by a god of magic teaches the wizard how to read a spell book she finds.
An innate talent for arcane magic lays dorment till a moment of stress.
A self taught student can't afford to pay for a master, steals a spellbook and teahcers herself how to read and wokr magic.
A young boy makes friends with a raven whom is able to speak to him and teaches him his first spells.
A sentient spellbook, senses power in a young boy and guides him down the path to becoming a mage.
I'm sure there are many more ways to make it work.
My current character in a kingmaker campain who is a martial/caster mix did exactly this. He was in a duelist school and accidently used a magical buff to win an important bout he was losing. Since the school considered the use of magic dishonorable, he was expelled. His magical talents came as a complete accident and were even to a degree unwanted.
Actually, I can see a self-learned wizard working.
Did you ever pick up a book written in a different language and thought it was a book of magic spells? Goblin Wizards can always use "My First Spellbook: Pop Up Edition" for their spells.
Disclaimer: "My first Spellbook: Pop Up Edition" was not created by me, though it was created on this site.
Well, yes, but you still need the book ;p. Even then, it's not on accident, is it? You're actively studying the book to learn the magic inside.
|
|
You come a bridge that has fallen into disrepair, and attempt to cross. Half-way, the bridge collapses and the neat book you can't understand(you just really like the way the pictures/symbols look) glows(or something else) and you start to fall at a much safer pace, one that let's you walk away from a fall that would have at least crippled others.
Book = Arcane Bond/Spellbook
Mechanically, you "prepared" all your spells in the morning. For flavor, you just feel that reading from the book in the morning will make everything just a little bit better, go a bit more smoother...
My current character was a cabin boy shipwrecked on some rocks with nothing to talk to except a bunch of gulls and the ship's figurehead, which was fortunately made in the shape of the local nature goddess. He prayed to Her until She finally answered in his dreams. Trouble was, She only spoke druidic.
Eventually, he picked up druidic (and he's going to have a lot purer accent than any other druids once he finally meets some) and figured out how to talk to the animals and eventually how to turn into one too.
Admittedly that's divine magic as opposed to arcane, but it's the same sort of thing where you don't have a specific mentor or bureaucracy of fellow practitioners.
I absolutely see no reason not to allow this (and I really love the familiar as teacher).
|
I would like to think that theoretically, a wizard that was highly intelligent, could re-discover magic by himself, using the arcane theory basis of Wizardry to deconstruct the rules of the universe and re write them. Much like a newly minted sorcerer or witch heedless to their familiar, this involves lots of trial and error.
|
|
Really, the only caster that doesn't really have the fluff to back up self-learning is the wizard. Anyone else? Go for it.
Ezren is essentially a self-trained Wizard. Check him out.
Ezren the Wizard