Curse of the Magi - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Curse of the Magi

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Mar 08, 2004 13:12:44 I know there have been many threads on the Curse in the past, but I am trying to find out what people now think about the Curse now that they have had a chance to try it a few times.

Has anyone thought of any alternatives or changes to the Curse?

I am considering a house rule that would allow 0-level spells to be cast without the Curse, and also allow the Caster a number of spells per level equal to his bonus spells, i.e if the caster has 1 bonus 1st level spell and 1 bonus 2nd level spell, then the first spells he cast from those level do not carry the curse.

What do you all think?
#2
zombiegleemax
Mar 08, 2004 14:11:11 I have played with curse of the magi for some time now, and I have found it to have the role I expected from it. Wizards are a little more cautious with hurling the well known random fireball. But to make up for it, I give the wizard one bonus feat at first level, from the wizards bonus feat list. I did the same with the test. A player of mine just had his test, and I gave him the flaw(from Unearthed Arcana) slow. As a symbol of his greater understanding of magic after having had the test I gave him an extra bonus feat, as per the rules for flaws in the Unearthed Arcana.

Works great. You should check out Unearthed Arcana. It also has a hit point system I find more suitable for the tone of dl. Vitality and wound points to be precise.
#3
zombiegleemax
Mar 08, 2004 14:18:02 You know, that is probably the best idea I have heard yet, treating the Curse like a flaw straight from UA.

I am going to use your idea in my campaign
#4
zombiegleemax
Mar 08, 2004 14:46:55 What Page is the Curse Details on again, I've forgotten.
#5
cam_banks
Mar 08, 2004 14:59:09 I don't use the Curse of the Magi, since I believe that the spells per day limit combined with the Reserves of Strength feat (from the DLCS) more than account for this phenomenon of Krynn's arcane spellcasters. If you think about it, it really was just a way for the authors to explain why Raistlin couldn't cast too many spells in one day, a limit imposed by the AD&D rules the setting was based on.

Cheers,
Cam
#6
zombiegleemax
Mar 08, 2004 16:18:51
Originally posted by Teclis of House Magi
What Page is the Curse Details on again, I've forgotten.

It's on page 89 of the DLCS....
#7
sweetmeats
Mar 09, 2004 8:12:24 I have used it and it works very well. As someone said, it makes wizards more cautious and less likely to throw spells left, right and centre.
#8
zombiegleemax
Mar 09, 2004 10:28:45 Ahh yes, thats one of the many varient rules i'll be using for Dragonlance when I get my camapign off the ground this summer.

So far it's the only balanceing factor to theVP/WP system that tones mages down (Cuse the way I see it, many spells, such as magic Missle and Fireball, should do damage directly to wound points, however, this makes mages, well, frankly, teh kickass.)

However, i think i'll be sharpening the DC a bit, i'm still not sure on that.
#9
zombiegleemax
Mar 10, 2004 0:51:28 While it hasn't really come up very much in the game that I just started, I do have two house rules concerning the Curse.

As a general rule, I don't use the Curse of the Magi all the time. In many regards I take the same considerations that I do with taking 10 on skill checks. If the wizard can cast without any undo stress, then I generally pass on the check. If the wizard hasn't cast many spells already that day and isn't under stressful situations, I assume that they have the center enough to make the check.

Additionally, if a spell is cast during such a time that I would require the check, the wizard may opt to take longer in casting the spell to lessen the DC of the check. For each additional action that the character dedicates to the casting, the DC is lowered by 2.

Correlanthias

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Mar 08, 2004 13:12:44	I know there have been many threads on the Curse in the past, but I am trying to find out what people now think about the Curse now that they have had a chance to try it a few times. Has anyone thought of any alternatives or changes to the Curse? I am considering a house rule that would allow 0-level spells to be cast without the Curse, and also allow the Caster a number of spells per level equal to his bonus spells, i.e if the caster has 1 bonus 1st level spell and 1 bonus 2nd level spell, then the first spells he cast from those level do not carry the curse. What do you all think?
#2 zombiegleemax Mar 08, 2004 14:11:11	I have played with curse of the magi for some time now, and I have found it to have the role I expected from it. Wizards are a little more cautious with hurling the well known random fireball. But to make up for it, I give the wizard one bonus feat at first level, from the wizards bonus feat list. I did the same with the test. A player of mine just had his test, and I gave him the flaw(from Unearthed Arcana) slow. As a symbol of his greater understanding of magic after having had the test I gave him an extra bonus feat, as per the rules for flaws in the Unearthed Arcana. Works great. You should check out Unearthed Arcana. It also has a hit point system I find more suitable for the tone of dl. Vitality and wound points to be precise.
#3 zombiegleemax Mar 08, 2004 14:18:02	You know, that is probably the best idea I have heard yet, treating the Curse like a flaw straight from UA. I am going to use your idea in my campaign
#4 zombiegleemax Mar 08, 2004 14:46:55	What Page is the Curse Details on again, I've forgotten.
#5 cam_banks Mar 08, 2004 14:59:09	I don't use the Curse of the Magi, since I believe that the spells per day limit combined with the Reserves of Strength feat (from the DLCS) more than account for this phenomenon of Krynn's arcane spellcasters. If you think about it, it really was just a way for the authors to explain why Raistlin couldn't cast too many spells in one day, a limit imposed by the AD&D rules the setting was based on. Cheers, Cam
#6 zombiegleemax Mar 08, 2004 16:18:51	Originally posted by Teclis of House Magi What Page is the Curse Details on again, I've forgotten. It's on page 89 of the DLCS....
#7 sweetmeats Mar 09, 2004 8:12:24	I have used it and it works very well. As someone said, it makes wizards more cautious and less likely to throw spells left, right and centre.
#8 zombiegleemax Mar 09, 2004 10:28:45	Ahh yes, thats one of the many varient rules i'll be using for Dragonlance when I get my camapign off the ground this summer. So far it's the only balanceing factor to theVP/WP system that tones mages down (Cuse the way I see it, many spells, such as magic Missle and Fireball, should do damage directly to wound points, however, this makes mages, well, frankly, teh kickass.) However, i think i'll be sharpening the DC a bit, i'm still not sure on that.
#9 zombiegleemax Mar 10, 2004 0:51:28	While it hasn't really come up very much in the game that I just started, I do have two house rules concerning the Curse. As a general rule, I don't use the Curse of the Magi all the time. In many regards I take the same considerations that I do with taking 10 on skill checks. If the wizard can cast without any undo stress, then I generally pass on the check. If the wizard hasn't cast many spells already that day and isn't under stressful situations, I assume that they have the center enough to make the check. Additionally, if a spell is cast during such a time that I would require the check, the wizard may opt to take longer in casting the spell to lessen the DC of the check. For each additional action that the character dedicates to the casting, the DC is lowered by 2. Correlanthias