Spell Gestures

[Tactical Drongo]

Inspired by the discussion about subtle spells I've gotten curious how your spellcasters to their gestures.

Most expect wide movements that Draw magical shapes into their Air from wizards, more dance and esoteric routines from witches, etc.

But of course it doesn't have to, I Imagine especially dorceres having a Lot of freedom in what they do and every Religion having possibly multiple forms

I could perfectly imagine some eastern spell schools working with Finger signs, Akin to what er know from Naruto

And while He was especially non-magical, Reign Arataka from Mob psycho 100 had certainly some Flair in his flashy gestures and Hand poses He used to underline his more or less profound speeches

[Errenor]

Tactical Drongo wrote:

I could perfectly imagine some eastern spell schools working with Finger signs, Akin to what er know from Naruto

Finger or hand signs like in anime or the Magicians are nice, but then we have to remember all gestures could be done with hands full...

[Sy Kerraduess]

Really anything goes now. If you want to, your casting of Fireball can consist of making a pose that looks like the letter F while shouting "Face the Fury of the Flaming Fiery Inferno!".

[PossibleCabbage]

Errenor wrote:

Tactical Drongo wrote:

I could perfectly imagine some eastern spell schools working with Finger signs, Akin to what er know from Naruto

Finger or hand signs like in anime or the Magicians are nice, but then we have to remember all gestures could be done with hands full...

Nothing says you can't make the magic happen by manipulating your fingers while grasping something. Like if you're holding on to a stick you don't actually need more than 2 points of contact to not drop it. You'd obviously want as many as possible if you're going to swing it at someone, but you don't do that *while* casting a spell.

[Errenor]

PossibleCabbage wrote:

Nothing says you can't make the magic happen by manipulating your fingers while grasping something. Like if you're holding on to a stick you don't actually need more than 2 points of contact to not drop it. You'd obviously want as many as possible if you're going to swing it at someone, but you don't do that *while* casting a spell.

Nothing says. But have you seen the actual topic of the post? Naruto? The Magicians? Have you seen any characters there doing their magic with anything in 'active' hands? I meant only that.

[Tactical Drongo]

Errenor wrote:

PossibleCabbage wrote:

Nothing says you can't make the magic happen by manipulating your fingers while grasping something. Like if you're holding on to a stick you don't actually need more than 2 points of contact to not drop it. You'd obviously want as many as possible if you're going to swing it at someone, but you don't do that *while* casting a spell.

Nothing says. But have you seen the actual topic of the post? Naruto? The Magicians? Have you seen any characters there doing their magic with anything in 'active' hands? I meant only that.

actually quite a few times

naruto was just an example that spontaneously came to my head as it is quite a good one - I think they even do them rarely with something in their hands and at least one character has a single handed variation

finger signs generally seems like a good option for spell gestures with a lot of flexibility

and I am mostly considering style and flavor here, not practicality

[YuriP]

Errenor wrote:

Tactical Drongo wrote:

I could perfectly imagine some eastern spell schools working with Finger signs, Akin to what er know from Naruto

Finger or hand signs like in anime or the Magicians are nice, but then we have to remember all gestures could be done with hands full...

Unless you are a Kineticist.

[Orikkro]

You are overthinking it. Gestures-Manipulate have always been whatever you wished. You could be drawing sigils in the air or simply outstretching a hand towards the intended target.

Mechanically the only point was to provide a trigger for reactions, recognizing the spell, and burning actions so spellcasters are still playing 3.5/1e and only get an action and a move action per turn. I mean.. so they can't cast more then two useful spells per turn unless they are focus based.

[Argonar_Alfaran]

Some Characters in Naruto can do any Hand Signs with one hand. Well okay there are 2.
But to compensate, there are many jutsu that need only one hand with simplified signs (thus not using combinations of the default signs) for weapon wielders. Sometimes the characters will put their current item into the mouth temporarily and at least Sasuke can use one handed finger signs while holding his sword, by the time he is an adult.

In general the "needs to be possible with occupied hands" thing is not such a problem. Think of Dr Strange (the movie) where the "sorcerers" use finger and hand gestures to practice magic circles. But then the guy who has lost his hand is able to do it just by moving his arm instead, because in the end the gestures are just helpers and the mind is more important than the body.

This can be applied to any caster with a weapon too. Use one hand with the finger signs and the weapon to complete the magic symbols. Shields might leave the fingers free enough for the gestures. And well dual wielding characters might use different gestures alltogether, if 95% of the time both hands are occupied.

As for the original question. My current wizard does the classic gestures with fingers and hands. He wields a staff, which is also his bonded item. While casting spells he will simply hold it in one hand and does the gestures with the other (and will sometimes switch up which arm he is using for what). If he's using drain bonded item, he will draw out the magical energy with one hand from the staff and "throw" it at the target instead

If he was dual wielding before the spell, he will end the casting "animation" with dual wielding again, if he wasn't he won't, because this is a fluff thing. I try to differentiate my casting style from the rest of the party and have distinct gestures (and actually distinct spoken rhymes, half semi latin and half my mother's tongue) for each spell.

I think the main point is that a caster, who is in public, will be recognized casting as spell. And a caster, who has been captured and has his hands tied behind his back, shouldn't be able to cast most spells, unless he invested in the corresponding feat(s) to do so. As long as these points stand, anything goes.