The components (somatic and verbal) are not the spell.
When a Wizard prepares a spell, he locks in a complicated structure of patterns, formulae, attitudes and specific energies that sit in his mind. When he casts the spell, the components trigger the activation and release the spell's energies according to the structure of the spell.
For example, lets take true strike, this spell only has a verbal component. If a fighter attempts to learn true strike by repeating the verbal component, it will never work. Even if that Fighter has 18 intelligence and the Wizard teaches him the words, and how to pronounce and accent the words perfectly, it will never work, because the Fighter hasn't learned the spell, and there is nothing for the words to "activate".
How do you know that? Considering it's not really "Vancian" 100%.
For all we know a 4th dimensional fairy is amused by the finger wiggling and weird gobbledygook the spellcasters say and makes things happen when they do so.
You may have well have said "Read Chapter 9 in the Core Rulebook." Or ten, whichever it is.
We all know how it works in the game, even if we don't know the fluff completely (or more important, care). Without the beginning preparation, you can't cast. Without the ability to channel magical energies (Represented by taking a level in an appropriate class), you can't cast.
If you prepare spells, when you cast the spell, that spells energy is expended, and you can no longer cast it that day. You can call it what you like, but as long as you know the basic mechanic, there's no argument for the effect. "Energy expended", "Magical powers wiped from mind", "Forgot", whatever is fine. Everyone can call it what they like. As long as the basic principal is understood, it's not really important what words we use to describe it.
...Your title is somewhat misleading, by the way. One would think it's related to rules or something, rather than almost pointless fluff.
How do you know that? Considering it's not really "Vancian" 100%.
For all we know a 4th dimensional fairy is amused by the finger wiggling and weird gobbledygook the spellcasters say and makes things happen when they do so.
The whole point is that it's not 100% accurate to Vance's system, We're talking about the D&D/PF system.
There are certain things that are just game mechanics. Yes, you can reflavour certain things, but others you can't.
Like it or not, this is how Wizards cast spells, and has been how Wizards have cast spells since 1st ed D&D.
The fact that spells are not their components is simply something that can be reasoned out with a clear understanding of the spellcasting rules.
You may have well have said "Read Chapter 9 in the Core Rulebook." Or ten, whichever it is.
We all know how it works in the game, even if we don't know the fluff completely (or more important, care). Without the beginning preparation, you can't cast. Without the ability to channel magical energies (Represented by taking a level in an appropriate class), you can't cast.
If you prepare spells, when you cast the spell, that spells energy is expended, and you can no longer cast it that day. You can call it what you like, but as long as you know the basic mechanic, there's no argument for the effect. "Energy expended", "Magical powers wiped from mind", "Forgot", whatever is fine. Everyone can call it what they like. As long as the basic principal is understood, it's not really important what words we use to describe it.
...Your title is somewhat misleading, by the way. One would think it's related to rules or something, rather than almost pointless fluff.
It's not just fluff. Many people seem to be under the impression that a spell are the words and motions that activate the spell. This is not "fluff" this is a misunderstanding of the spellcasting rules that leads people to believe strange things about Vancian casting systems.
If a fighter attempts to learn true strike by repeating the verbal component, it will never work. Even if that Fighter has 18 intelligence and the Wizard teaches him the words, and how to pronounce and accent the words perfectly, it will never work, because the Fighter hasn't learned the spell, and there is nothing for the words to "activate".
I have NEVER seen anyone try to seriously argue this point. We know the fighter can not cast spells because the game does not allow him to.
This is not a common misunderstanding.
If a fighter attempts to learn true strike by repeating the verbal component, it will never work. Even if that Fighter has 18 intelligence and the Wizard teaches him the words, and how to pronounce and accent the words perfectly, it will never work, because the Fighter hasn't learned the spell, and there is nothing for the words to "activate".I have NEVER seen anyone try to seriously argue this point. We know the fighter can not cast spells because the game does not allow him to.
This is not a common misunderstanding.
*Facepalm*
It's not just fluff. Many people seem to be under the impression that a spell are the words and motions that activate the spell. This is not "fluff" this is a misunderstanding of the spellcasting rules that leads people to believe strange things about Vancian casting systems.
As long as the mechanics are clear, each table can fluff it up how they want. The CRB provides "baseline" fluff, if you want to call it that, and I assume that's how things work in Golarion. In another setting, it may be completely different fluff with identical mechanics.
Doesn't make it wrong, just different.
The game doesn't allow him to, true, but Assuming Control (and myself) didn't make this stuff up about wizard spell casting. It's old. Very old. Like 1970's dragon magazine articles old. It's a way to try to add some versimillitude to the game, so it's not just "wizards cast spells and fighters don't because them's the rules". It's also to add some logic to the fantasy of the game world.
See above, and also, just because it was there in the past does not mean it needs to be or should be. A great deal is, and everyone (myself included) consider that "core D&D", but when the fluff changed over time, everyone who wanted to keep playing adapted and the world didn't end. Divination used to have a chance to cause the caster to go insane for talking directly to the divine (or something like that). We didn't keep it over time because we found that it simply wasn't worth it. Those that continued to play adapted to the new rules and changed the fluff of the spell appropriately.
...I actually don't know what point i intend to make here. The past is the past. If it's not in the PF books, I don't much care about it. Much of what Gygax wanted in his game has been dropped because WotC and/or its fans didn't want it. The game serves the players, not the other way around.
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How do you know that? Considering it's not really "Vancian" 100%.
For all we know a 4th dimensional fairy is amused by the finger wiggling and weird gobbledygook the spellcasters say and makes things happen when they do so.
Because Assuming Control's description is pretty much how arcane preparation is described in the Pathfinder rulebook?
Once a wizard prepares a spell, it remains in his mind as a nearly cast spell until he uses the prescribed components to complete and trigger it or until he abandons it...
Now, having said that, D&D magic really isn't (and never was) really Vancian. Vance's The Dying Earth inspired the magic system in D&D (and Vecna is just Vance with the letters re-arranged) but it isn't the same. If it were truly "Vancian" then a fighter or rogue or peasant farmer could learn individual spells and there'd be nothing preventing an apprentice wizard from learning Wish. Exclusive class magic and spell levels were Gygax, not Vance. So really we should be calling it ... Gygaxian Magic? Maybe?
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If it's not in the PF books, I don't much care about it. Much of what Gygax wanted in his game has been dropped because WotC and/or its fans didn't want it.
Fortunately for everyone who liked the way older D&D did it, the same exact Gygaxian "You lock the magical energies in your mind and release them with a word and/or gesture later" part is spelled out specifically in the Core Pathfinder Rulebook as how arcane magic works for non-spontaneous casters like wizards. :-)
If it's not in the PF books, I don't much care about it. Much of what Gygax wanted in his game has been dropped because WotC and/or its fans didn't want it.Fortunately for everyone who liked the way older D&D did it, the same exact Gygaxian "You lock the magical energies in your mind and release them with a word and/or gesture later" part is spelled out specifically in the Core Pathfinder Rulebook as how arcane magic works for non-spontaneous casters like wizards. :-)
It is fortunate! And fortunate for others they can use that fluff, or change it to their liking, or completely ignore it if they want.
Everybody wins.