DM Help with test of high sorcery~ - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

DM Help with test of high sorcery~

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 28, 2003 23:08:25 Zug Zug.

Sorry if there is a thread about this - I thought there would be, but I couldn't manage to find one. Anywho...

Next week a character in my campaign is taking the test. Any other DMs have ideas for tests? According to the book, it seems to be fairly difficult to write the type of test that they are asking for.

Thanks.

Cheers
#2
darthsylver
Sep 29, 2003 7:12:59 Well first off I aasmue you are running before the 5th age.

One of the 1st things you need to do is get a list of the spells he knows. As 1 of the requirements is to cast all known spells. You get the list and make situations that warrant the use of these spells.

Also prepare a copy of one of the wizards friend's character. As the wizard is supposed to fight someone who is suppoesed to be a friend. If you have any friend that is opposite alignment of the wizard, this can be a good sub-plot tactic. He fights friend (in test), he treats friend either better or whose, but thinks this is because he fought said friend in test, eventually finds out friend isn't really friend but makes discovery all that more fun.
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 29, 2003 13:31:57 In the past, I have thrown alignment based Tests against the characters, as well as the Tests of Magic Knowledge. In the Test, a Potential has to use every one of his known spells, and there must be a lethal challenge involved. when the character is going for testing, I have always made part of the test a challenge of furtherance of magic over the lives of innocents or friends, as a further way of forcing the alignment issue when dealing with the Color of Robes the Potential will "graduate" to.
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 29, 2003 15:53:33 Zug Zug.

Sorry if I was unclear. I am aware of what a test entails. I was wondering if anyone has done one, and what it is they did. I mean, how do you get someone to have to use magic mouth, etc.

Cheers
#5
zombiegleemax
Sep 29, 2003 17:03:10 I have never role played but if I did it, I'd tell him that he sees 3 paths. each path leads to the bottom of a different mountain.
One really tall rocky mountain, one medium height neither too difficult nor easy and one little mountain with an easy path to the top.
The wizard must choose one of the mountains to climb. and then depending on the mountain he chooses and his alignment (and if he explains why he chose it, the explanation also counts) u decide which robe he must be. if he is good aligned he may wear the red or white robes, if he is neutral he may wear any of the robes if he is evil he may wear the black or red robes (depending on his choices). Climbing the tall mountain may show that he is hard working but it may also show that he wants to show everyone that he is the best.

Another way is adding a chronometer and giving him a situation he must choose fast what to do. u can time how long he takes to decide to see if he is selfish(red robes), caring(white robes) or even evil(black robes).
For example, he is being chased by a group of monsters and sees an area packed with some really rare plants. if he decides fast that he is going to cross the area, it shows that he is thinking only on himself, if he decides to run around it, he shows that he cares, if he takes time to think and in the end runs through the area or shows any sign of harming the plants, he is evil. U can either care for the time he takes as in if he takes too long, the monsters catch him, or u can just let him think that u r counting the time it takes.
This can also be used to choose the alignment of the characters.
#6
zombiegleemax
Sep 29, 2003 20:11:02
Originally posted by TaisharMalkier
Zug Zug.

Sorry if I was unclear. I am aware of what a test entails. I was wondering if anyone has done one, and what it is they did. I mean, how do you get someone to have to use magic mouth, etc.

Cheers

Magic Mouth: set it up so he has to create a distraction. magic mouth on a wall down a corridor then sneak up and hide near by, gaurds walk by to investigate noises, slip past them. same type of situation for ghost sound, open/close, dancing lights, light, ventriliquism and mage hand, possibly even unseen servant, though I prefer to use that to push goblins off of cliffs.

Nystul's magic aura is good for bartering, or bribery. silent image and minor image is good to use to create ghosts to scare with, or draw kender away with.

message is good to quietly tell people things, such as plans for getting around things, or for whispering in someones ear from a distance for a distraction.

Mirror image is just an important survival spell, as it is harder to hit you if they don't know which you to hit. Tenser's floating disc is good for giving your self a 3 foot boost in height if neccessary.

You just have to create a situation in the test that allows the player to be creative with his magic. After all, part of the purposes of the Orders are to expand knowledge and creativity with magic (much like the followers of Mystra in FR), so you should encourage the player to seek creative solutions with the magic he has at his disposal.

If all else fails, but the mage survives he could always cast suggestion on the person overseeing the Test : "I Passed", "Yes, You Passed" (probably won't work though)
#7
zombiegleemax
Sep 30, 2003 16:53:39 I was wondering... when DM a test of high sorcery to a player, do u actually test their skill to play a wizard or simply run a short solo adventure the get the PrC... just a formality.
#8
zombiegleemax
Sep 30, 2003 20:24:08 If the player is new to playing a wizard, I give a little more leeway, but if he is experienced, I figure he (the player) should know what he (the character) has for spells, and what those spells do, just like his character would. I don't give much time to think of the appropriate spell, because in my opinion, the player should be aware of what is available, what the effects are, and the possible alternative ways you can use them. I do warn the players before the campaign even begins, that this is the way I do it, so they have plenty of time to work on it.
#9
zombiegleemax
Oct 01, 2003 0:49:47 I recommend the Test is dropped on the player without their knowledge, that they don't know it's a test, so both the player, and character act accordingly.

The tests take many shapes and forms, but 'heading' to the tower to have something go wrong, can be thought of as an encounter to a player, where as it's the Wizards springing the test on the pc.

It may be wise to advice the other players before hand so they can play along without the Wizard players knowledge, all the more fun.

So IF a friend turns on him, it's not the DM saying 'ok, he turns on you' but the player suddenly saying ' I draw my sword and move on blahblah'.

Part of the fun of role-playing is how things are carried out, well, most of it really, if they know it's a test, it'll be a lot different than if they don't, and in my mind be more enjoyable.
#10
zombiegleemax
Oct 01, 2003 10:48:41 Another good way to do it is to highlight certain portions. Roleplay out the exciting and important parts, and kind of gloss over the stuff that would be more boring.

This way, even if the player finds a way around something without using the spell you planned for him to use, you can still say that he had to "cast every spell he knows." (Which, by the way, is impossible without item assistance to accomplish in one day, unless the wizard's spell selection is very limited.)
#11
darthsylver
Oct 01, 2003 13:12:55 Well as far as the one day thing goes (casting all known spells during test) I say the council essentially puts the testee in an illusion (with a time distortion that they control), where the applicant does not really cast the spells, he just thinks he does. This way the test can essentially take days to complete as far as the character is concerned but really is completed in a day, or even better a hour or so.

Remember in the defenders of magic trilogy, the first book had three different applicants (sorry cannot recall names right now and do not have books handy) take the test in the same day.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 28, 2003 23:08:25	Zug Zug. Sorry if there is a thread about this - I thought there would be, but I couldn't manage to find one. Anywho... Next week a character in my campaign is taking the test. Any other DMs have ideas for tests? According to the book, it seems to be fairly difficult to write the type of test that they are asking for. Thanks. Cheers
#2 darthsylver Sep 29, 2003 7:12:59	Well first off I aasmue you are running before the 5th age. One of the 1st things you need to do is get a list of the spells he knows. As 1 of the requirements is to cast all known spells. You get the list and make situations that warrant the use of these spells. Also prepare a copy of one of the wizards friend's character. As the wizard is supposed to fight someone who is suppoesed to be a friend. If you have any friend that is opposite alignment of the wizard, this can be a good sub-plot tactic. He fights friend (in test), he treats friend either better or whose, but thinks this is because he fought said friend in test, eventually finds out friend isn't really friend but makes discovery all that more fun.
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 29, 2003 13:31:57	In the past, I have thrown alignment based Tests against the characters, as well as the Tests of Magic Knowledge. In the Test, a Potential has to use every one of his known spells, and there must be a lethal challenge involved. when the character is going for testing, I have always made part of the test a challenge of furtherance of magic over the lives of innocents or friends, as a further way of forcing the alignment issue when dealing with the Color of Robes the Potential will "graduate" to.
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 29, 2003 15:53:33	Zug Zug. Sorry if I was unclear. I am aware of what a test entails. I was wondering if anyone has done one, and what it is they did. I mean, how do you get someone to have to use magic mouth, etc. Cheers
#5 zombiegleemax Sep 29, 2003 17:03:10	I have never role played but if I did it, I'd tell him that he sees 3 paths. each path leads to the bottom of a different mountain. One really tall rocky mountain, one medium height neither too difficult nor easy and one little mountain with an easy path to the top. The wizard must choose one of the mountains to climb. and then depending on the mountain he chooses and his alignment (and if he explains why he chose it, the explanation also counts) u decide which robe he must be. if he is good aligned he may wear the red or white robes, if he is neutral he may wear any of the robes if he is evil he may wear the black or red robes (depending on his choices). Climbing the tall mountain may show that he is hard working but it may also show that he wants to show everyone that he is the best. Another way is adding a chronometer and giving him a situation he must choose fast what to do. u can time how long he takes to decide to see if he is selfish(red robes), caring(white robes) or even evil(black robes). For example, he is being chased by a group of monsters and sees an area packed with some really rare plants. if he decides fast that he is going to cross the area, it shows that he is thinking only on himself, if he decides to run around it, he shows that he cares, if he takes time to think and in the end runs through the area or shows any sign of harming the plants, he is evil. U can either care for the time he takes as in if he takes too long, the monsters catch him, or u can just let him think that u r counting the time it takes. This can also be used to choose the alignment of the characters.
#6 zombiegleemax Sep 29, 2003 20:11:02	Originally posted by TaisharMalkier Zug Zug. Sorry if I was unclear. I am aware of what a test entails. I was wondering if anyone has done one, and what it is they did. I mean, how do you get someone to have to use magic mouth, etc. Cheers Magic Mouth: set it up so he has to create a distraction. magic mouth on a wall down a corridor then sneak up and hide near by, gaurds walk by to investigate noises, slip past them. same type of situation for ghost sound, open/close, dancing lights, light, ventriliquism and mage hand, possibly even unseen servant, though I prefer to use that to push goblins off of cliffs. Nystul's magic aura is good for bartering, or bribery. silent image and minor image is good to use to create ghosts to scare with, or draw kender away with. message is good to quietly tell people things, such as plans for getting around things, or for whispering in someones ear from a distance for a distraction. Mirror image is just an important survival spell, as it is harder to hit you if they don't know which you to hit. Tenser's floating disc is good for giving your self a 3 foot boost in height if neccessary. You just have to create a situation in the test that allows the player to be creative with his magic. After all, part of the purposes of the Orders are to expand knowledge and creativity with magic (much like the followers of Mystra in FR), so you should encourage the player to seek creative solutions with the magic he has at his disposal. If all else fails, but the mage survives he could always cast suggestion on the person overseeing the Test : "I Passed", "Yes, You Passed" (probably won't work though)
#7 zombiegleemax Sep 30, 2003 16:53:39	I was wondering... when DM a test of high sorcery to a player, do u actually test their skill to play a wizard or simply run a short solo adventure the get the PrC... just a formality.
#8 zombiegleemax Sep 30, 2003 20:24:08	If the player is new to playing a wizard, I give a little more leeway, but if he is experienced, I figure he (the player) should know what he (the character) has for spells, and what those spells do, just like his character would. I don't give much time to think of the appropriate spell, because in my opinion, the player should be aware of what is available, what the effects are, and the possible alternative ways you can use them. I do warn the players before the campaign even begins, that this is the way I do it, so they have plenty of time to work on it.
#9 zombiegleemax Oct 01, 2003 0:49:47	I recommend the Test is dropped on the player without their knowledge, that they don't know it's a test, so both the player, and character act accordingly. The tests take many shapes and forms, but 'heading' to the tower to have something go wrong, can be thought of as an encounter to a player, where as it's the Wizards springing the test on the pc. It may be wise to advice the other players before hand so they can play along without the Wizard players knowledge, all the more fun. So IF a friend turns on him, it's not the DM saying 'ok, he turns on you' but the player suddenly saying ' I draw my sword and move on blahblah'. Part of the fun of role-playing is how things are carried out, well, most of it really, if they know it's a test, it'll be a lot different than if they don't, and in my mind be more enjoyable.
#10 zombiegleemax Oct 01, 2003 10:48:41	Another good way to do it is to highlight certain portions. Roleplay out the exciting and important parts, and kind of gloss over the stuff that would be more boring. This way, even if the player finds a way around something without using the spell you planned for him to use, you can still say that he had to "cast every spell he knows." (Which, by the way, is impossible without item assistance to accomplish in one day, unless the wizard's spell selection is very limited.)
#11 darthsylver Oct 01, 2003 13:12:55	Well as far as the one day thing goes (casting all known spells during test) I say the council essentially puts the testee in an illusion (with a time distortion that they control), where the applicant does not really cast the spells, he just thinks he does. This way the test can essentially take days to complete as far as the character is concerned but really is completed in a day, or even better a hour or so. Remember in the defenders of magic trilogy, the first book had three different applicants (sorry cannot recall names right now and do not have books handy) take the test in the same day.