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For many people, "power" is not in having material things but in over coming sentient beings' free will.
Extroverts like people. Evil extroverts don't become introverts just because they have all the gold they need.
Attaining that kind of power is not necessarily done to obtain worshipful masses of mewling peons. Religion. Nationalism/Patriotism. 'Noble Obligation'. Or just to 'fix' your old home town and everything around it as a beneficial side effect.
As creative as any one person can be, creativity expands rapidly via interaction.
All manner of theatre. Social gatherings to hash out 'solving the [geography] problems'. New recipes for foodstuffs, tasty beverages of all sorts. New fashions in clothing and decor. Ad nauseam.
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True, but would just live above the law and do whatever they want around others or would they actually want to rule?
They would want to rule other people.
Have you ever dealt with someone who, no matter how minimal their role in the bureaucracy, got pleasure from telling people they couldn't do something? Some people *like* being able to boss other people around.
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While those spells are nice and can be permanent subjects still give you something that magic only grants in small and difficult to reach ways: Action economy.
While you are using all those spells to do the mundane you have less time to do other things. Beyond that there are simple limits that subjects allow you to overcome, such as crafting. One person can only craft 8 hours a day. Having subjects means they can craft for you too. Of course they can do more if someone takes care of their more mundane needs, like finding food, and security so there is reason to want more subjects to provide for your important subjects so they can spend more time on what you want.
It can quickly become a recursive loop of course if you start actually taking care of your minor subjects.
Also I would point out clones, summons and the like are all still subjects, just not of a mundane nature.
This is beyond those that choose to place themselves under you for various reasons. They may believe you offer safety or goods, or simply subscript to your newsletter.
The wizard along in his/her tower is a trope that shows up often enough, truth be told. But it's more part of just what the wizard wants. If Wizbang Wizard wants wealth, then magic will be used to acquire it. Power? That. Isolation? Isn't there a wizard who makes his home on the sun with SPF nine billion from his spells?
But what about the extroverted wizards who just want to party down? Why don't we ever hear about them?
But what about the extroverted wizards who just want to party down? Why don't we ever hear about them?
Because they're not interested in making the news. They're busy casting Prestidigitation and illusion spells all day.
And Beer. Don't forget the Beer spells
I just don't buy the theory that only introverted wizards can do Serious Wizardry. I think extroverted wizards can do far more than little prestidigitation cantrips.
And if they are BBEGs as well, look out. They'll fool you into thinking they're not serious enough to worry about.
And Beer. Don't forget the Beer spells
I just don't buy the theory that only introverted wizards can do Serious Wizardry. I think extroverted wizards can do far more than little prestidigitation cantrips.
And if they are BBEGs as well, look out. They'll fool you into thinking they're not serious enough to worry about.
Or just have a LOT of friends. 'Hey, those paladins are trying to kick Wizbang's ass! That means no more party! GET THEM!'
Seriously, I think that people will get out of magic what they want and what they want to put into it. If that wizard WANTS to enslave a kingdom, they can. If they want to throw a kingdom-wide party, they can. And if they want their own demiplane to get away from the party because all of the peons in this town are CRAZY!, they can.
And one of those tends to draw angry adventurers more often.
Obviously, mages with sufficient skill have the option to isolate themselves. However I think that most don't make that decision (deliberately). Altruism or social needs aside, people are themselves a useful resource. If you can use a person to perform a function a spell could perform I'd usually rather conserve that spellslot for something else.
And Beer. Don't forget the Beer spells
I just don't buy the theory that only introverted wizards can do Serious Wizardry. I think extroverted wizards can do far more than little prestidigitation cantrips.
And if they are BBEGs as well, look out. They'll fool you into thinking they're not serious enough to worry about.
Or just have a LOT of friends. 'Hey, those paladins are trying to kick Wizbang's ass! That means no more party! GET THEM!'
If they want to throw a kingdom-wide party, they can. And if they want their own demiplane to get away from the party because all of the peons in this town are CRAZY!, they can.
Time to make a Party Sage, Wizbang...
Perhaps I shall make it a necromancer with disco zombies or zombie butlers. Even give him fireball fireworks...
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Eventually spells like Mage's mansion, create demi plane, simulacrim, fabricate, and planer binding allow a caster to live however he wants. At this point the caster does not need the resources a population can harvest for him.
With no need for resources would casters really care all that much about the world any more. If a the BBEG can have whatever he wants already then he needs some motivation other then greed or power for world domination.
At what level does a caster really no longer need commoners?
I'd say they would care all the more. Now that they are no longer constrained by hunger and other worldly desires, they will relise what really matters-the fact that they can finally play Civilisation with their other wizard friends, except on a real map.
I mean, what else are you going to challenge yourself with, as a lv 20 wizard? "Turn my country into the most advanced in the world, then conquer everything" seems as good of a goal as any.
Taxes (or other ways to get gold). Fabricate and similar spells can only get you so far. You still need gold to craft magic items, right? That and lack of interaction with other people tends to drive you bonkers over time no matter how introverted you might be.
But what about the extroverted wizards who just want to party down? Why don't we ever hear about them?
If you hear about Sorshen you're part of her party for the rest of your life.
For the same reason that RL people get dissatisfied with time spent solely on the internet, playing video games solo, playing with action figures and other dolls, etc. It's not the same as interacting with real people with free will, who are surprising and infuriating and everything in between. It's not only lonely, it gets boring after a while.
If you think about it. A significant portion of the powerful wizard trope isn't taking power over a kingdom or other political entity. Often they actively don't want to rule, almost precisely because their personal power can already achieve most or all of what they actually want.
Usually if a powerful magical character seizes power they are either the villain of the piece or they are doing so in order to act against the villain of the piece. But a significant number of big time wizards literally just want to be left alone in their towers, or laboratories or personal demi planes.
But what about the extroverted wizards who just want to party down? Why don't we ever hear about them?
If you had that kind of power and wanted to spend a few decades living a life of luxury and partying, would you advertise your power?
I would not. At best I would claim no more than a minor nobility and financial independence.
At worst, I would be the wandering traveler, carrying only what I needed and befriending those I met on my journey. (A common theme in mythology and legend. True in at least one instance with a Chinese emperor.)
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Lets not forget about the Mad (social) Scientist wizards out there. The pointless masses are why they are in this game in the first place.
True, and he is even more likely to work from the shadows.
Less chance for people to interfere with his experiments.
Eventually spells like Mage's mansion, create demi plane, simulacrim, fabricate, and planer binding allow a caster to live however he wants. At this point the caster does not need the resources a population can harvest for him.
With no need for resources would casters really care all that much about the world any more. If a the BBEG can have whatever he wants already then he needs some motivation other then greed or power for world domination.
At what level does a caster really no longer need commoners?
When you aren't using spells like simulacrum and planar binding to mimic having subjects and you aren't trying to have subjects/peers then you have reached that point. Just because you created them doesn't mean they aren't your subjects. But if you are using your world-altering powers to make subjects, then obviously you still see a need for them.
Or, level 16 wizard is all it takes to give society an inappropriate gesture and live on the sun if you want a cannon example for golarion.