LoadingReadyRun: Wizard Chat
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Agh! Again with the war on Goblin terror!DVS BSTrD said:
What about the Necromancers of North Kra va um??! We know they're using the neverending war with the southern kingdom to collect souls so they can complete the staff of a thousand terrors to summon highborn demons which they can then send to our enemies!
We need to seriously consider were our fine young battlemages are deployed and move them out of the Middle Mountain Range and into the Dragon Kingdoms of the east to show our might so that we may deter these blasted Necromages!
Wands and staves? please!
Check it; have someone use unicorn blood to engrave your flesh with magic symbols. You get all the portability and ease of use of a wand (Plus, you'll never lose a tattoo), but your hands will be free, so if you need a way to defend yourself at close range, you can carry a weapon (Spellsowrds FTW).
Check it; have someone use unicorn blood to engrave your flesh with magic symbols. You get all the portability and ease of use of a wand (Plus, you'll never lose a tattoo), but your hands will be free, so if you need a way to defend yourself at close range, you can carry a weapon (Spellsowrds FTW).
I would like to kill a dragon as much as the next battlemage, I mean dragon based weapons and armour are pretty awesome, I fear if we unnecessarily assault the dragon home land we may anger an elder dragon, some of these guys know how to cast meteor spells as if they were magic missiles. We need as many of our forces to fight the goblins in order to make sure they don't pull any flanking manoeuvres our simply try and go around us and attack villages. Also we have as many spirit catchers in use on the battle field as possible to try and minimise the souls the necromancers of north kra va um are getting.kajinking said:
Oy, don't get me started.Thunderous Cacophony said:
Obviously, the volume-to-surface area ratio can't be beat, but that's about it. And what happens when the oaf of a fighter in front of you bumps into you and makes you drop your Orb on to the stone dungeon floor? It gets [em]scratched[/em], that's what. You ever try casting a Purify Evil spell through a scratched Orb? [em][strong]Not[/strong][/em] pretty.
Even if you only drop it on dirt, you'll still ruin the AR coating (yes, I'm in the AR coating camp; sue me!). Unless it's kept in very fine cloth, you're going to get scratches and blemishes. And if you've got a sentient Orb with an attitude, heaven help you if you try to keep it in anything less than dragon silk.
And that volume-to-surface area ratio advantage is also its disadvantage. Those things are effing [em]heavy[/em] -- you'll be too encumbered to carry any loot. (Yes, you can mount an Orb on the end of a staff, but all that does is free up a pouch.)
So, yeah, Orbs are more of a lab tool, IMHO.
Oooh! I cant wait for that episode on how to decorate my pocket dimension! Its getting a touch cramped with the new alchemical laboratory on the 1/2th floor.
On the subject of casting devices. I was a staff user in my youth. Imbuing your mighty stave of rune carved adamantine with the power to light things it touches on fire is EXTREMELY useful... Especially if a friend forgets their own fire spell and wants to have a smoke.
Nowadays though I rarely perform such direct spell casting. Preferring to focus on the subtler more passive arcane arts like alchemy, enchanting and of course divination. However on the occasion where I need such a brash form of magic my trusty staff still serves me well.
On the subject of casting devices. I was a staff user in my youth. Imbuing your mighty stave of rune carved adamantine with the power to light things it touches on fire is EXTREMELY useful... Especially if a friend forgets their own fire spell and wants to have a smoke.
Nowadays though I rarely perform such direct spell casting. Preferring to focus on the subtler more passive arcane arts like alchemy, enchanting and of course divination. However on the occasion where I need such a brash form of magic my trusty staff still serves me well.
I personally prefer the use of magic circles, but I can see a decent argument for either side, even though, out of the two, I prefer a wand, since it frees up a hand for chalk.
Is this a real forum? My cat walked on my keyboard and now I see people talking about staves and orbs and goblin terror. Every-time I look at the address bar I get a migraine and see a rainbow with eight colours. What's happening to me?
I'm fairly sure that you want to get to your nearest warlock and have him determine whether your "cat" is one of the domesticated felines native to the mortal realm. Chances are if you get a migraine by looking at the address bar, it isn't. (Why are you pointing out the eight colours of the rainbow as if it's something new?)Alan Beirne said:
You'll also need to have the fee in gold coins on you. (Preferably unenchanted ones; while positively enchanted coins are worth more, it's not easy to determine whether they're cursed at first glance.) Other precious metals will do in a pinch.
I've heard that some people in the mortal realm are using wood pulp derivatives for currency, which are just too flimsy and delicate for day-to-day transactions if you ask me. And you really don't want to start running up credit with the wrong warlock.
Thunderous Cacophony said:
Well, you're both right, usually orbs have their place and that place is worklabewhac said:
BUT
my mentor had staff with orb on it, the orb was made from the huge polished blood diamond
that orb was resilient- you could whack rock golem few hundred times without any scratch on it
Of course blood and hemolymph still left stains on it so before casting high level spells some cleaning was necessary (mostly by me)
Now the hard part- price
Finely crafted black oak staff is expensive on it's own, blood diamond orb as well- now imagine price of combined item
I once asked her about the price, and she just smiled and said that it costs as much as few hundred powerful souls
It was some sort of family artifact, as far as I know
Also resonance is huge issue with such combinations, I can tell you that much
While staff and orb were in resonance, resonance wasn't stable, so expensive recalibration was necessary 2-3 times per century
While I dreamed about obtaining similar staff, I rationally realized I couldn't afford such maintenance
I'm always carrying a phallic symbol. (I'm not even going to link to the appropriate meme, because you and I both know what I mean).Eric the Orange said:
Ewhac, it sounds like you're just buying low-quality orbs (not that I would expect more from someone who gets the AR coating; does your cauldron still have it's safety stand attached?). Like Blackrave said, a good orb is durable enough to withstand the rough and tumble of most dungeon crawls. It does require some maintenance, true, but that's what Unseen Servants are for. Price is an issue, but you have to look at what you're getting for it: The orb has much more storage capacity than any dozen wands, and any staff with a high-enough grain to hold the same volume and variety is going to be prohibitively expensive (plus you know it's going to have to come from a tree-ent in an old-growth forest, and if there's a druid in the party you'll never hear the end of it).blackrave said:Thunderous Cacophony said:Well, you're both right, usually orbs have their place and that place is worklabewhac said:
BUT
my mentor had staff with orb on it, the orb was made from the huge polished blood diamond
that orb was resilient- you could whack rock golem few hundred times without any scratch on it
Of course blood and hemolymph still left stains on it so before casting high level spells some cleaning was necessary (mostly by me)
Now the hard part- price
Finely crafted black oak staff is expensive on it's own, blood diamond orb as well- now imagine price of combined item
I once asked her about the price, and she just smiled and said that it costs as much as few hundred powerful souls
It was some sort of family artifact, as far as I know
Also resonance is huge issue with such combinations, I can tell you that much
While staff and orb were in resonance, resonance wasn't stable, so expensive recalibration was necessary 2-3 times per century
While I dreamed about obtaining similar staff, I rationally realized I couldn't afford such maintenance
Also, it's not just about who can put out the biggest flash. I dare you to find a staff that offers the same divination and scrying potential as even the most basic orb on the market. You can't peer deep into the mists of probability if all you've got is a bit of wood, no matter how many arcane runes you've scribed upon it.
They HAD to bring up Wands vs Staffs. Sometimes I think they just bring on guests like that to draw in ratings with the controversy.
I'm a Wand user myself, but I know many good Wizards who swear by the Staff, and I see how they have their uses.
I'm currently in the employ of a High Lord in the Western valleys. I won't say who as I don't want to name drop. My job often finds me in the endless catacombs beneath his castle; clearing it of giant rats, ghouls, and even the odd Minotaur that end up there somehow.
As such my needs are different from the average wizard. Big pointy hats are the first to go as they're constantly get knocked off by the low ceilings. Flowing robes also tend to get caught on things, and end up filthy after barely an hour. I do, however, keep a hat and robe for more formal occasions. My point is that in my line of work a wand is essential. Tight corridors and low arches make staffs unusable as there just isn't enough room to move. A few years ago I was working with a young wizard. Capable lad, but he insisted on carrying a large staff with an ostentatious brass head; a family heirloom I discovered. It was a disaster with bolts of lightning going everywhere as the staff whacked against the walls. The damned thing even got stuck fast in a doorway once.
So it's wands for me. A good wand can last many lifetimes.
I'm a Wand user myself, but I know many good Wizards who swear by the Staff, and I see how they have their uses.
I'm currently in the employ of a High Lord in the Western valleys. I won't say who as I don't want to name drop. My job often finds me in the endless catacombs beneath his castle; clearing it of giant rats, ghouls, and even the odd Minotaur that end up there somehow.
As such my needs are different from the average wizard. Big pointy hats are the first to go as they're constantly get knocked off by the low ceilings. Flowing robes also tend to get caught on things, and end up filthy after barely an hour. I do, however, keep a hat and robe for more formal occasions. My point is that in my line of work a wand is essential. Tight corridors and low arches make staffs unusable as there just isn't enough room to move. A few years ago I was working with a young wizard. Capable lad, but he insisted on carrying a large staff with an ostentatious brass head; a family heirloom I discovered. It was a disaster with bolts of lightning going everywhere as the staff whacked against the walls. The damned thing even got stuck fast in a doorway once.
So it's wands for me. A good wand can last many lifetimes.
I bet your staff is fine for your Sünday strolls in the park, but when you're climbing a mountain, or scaling a wall it just becomes a hindrance. When you find yourself hanging to a rocky outcrop attacked by Furnace Sprites just try to swing a staff around.BrotherRool said:
Trust a wand boy to give up at the slightest bit of hardship. Good luck trying to bring down the mighty bridgy of GobAcKSpiridur and cast the firey Fli'thillion into the dark pits of Serenity with a piddly little staff. Go play with your wand, staffs are for men.thenumberthirteen said:
There you go with that "Staffs are more powerful" nonsense. Millennia of study has shown conclusively that size has no bearing on the strength of a magical implement. It comes down to the quality of the materials and the skill of the user. A wand and a staff of the same construction, say ebony with a soul silver core (as is my wand), would be of the same power, but the staff would be many times the cost.BrotherRool said:
1) I definitely want to hear more wizard chat.
2) I secretly hope that there is at least a little bit of history/backstory that was fleshed out for this episode involving epic quests, etc...
2) I secretly hope that there is at least a little bit of history/backstory that was fleshed out for this episode involving epic quests, etc...
I propose a compromise: canes.
Stylish, useful for beating up urchins (if you're into that sort of thing), comes in both metal and wood, and has a middle ground between the staff and wand debate.
With that being said, if I had to choose it would be staves.
I love this premise!
Stylish, useful for beating up urchins (if you're into that sort of thing), comes in both metal and wood, and has a middle ground between the staff and wand debate.
With that being said, if I had to choose it would be staves.
I love this premise!
Har de har har. Not everyone has 100 millennia of family lineage and a trust fund to get them started in wizardry. Most of us have to improvise with what's available. If you have unlimited funds to fashion blood diamond Orbs (as Blackrave's mentor appears to have), then yes, an AR coating is silly. In fact I daresay a blood diamond Orb would be insulted at the addition. But if you're just starting out, an AR coating can get you most of the way toward a purer surface at just 20% of the cost. In my current studies, I'm at the point where an AR coating buys you almost nothing.Thunderous Cacophony said:
Also, if you're doing the kind of experimental research that can wreck an Orb, keeping the per-Orb cost down becomes important. Right now I'm mucking around with a handful of inexpensive Orbs and working them into a sort of net such that they can operate cooperatively. But the probability of a resonance cascade goes up geometrically with the number of Orbs, and getting the tuning right is a bear. (Literally. I need a bear to shove the things around once they're fired up and projecting at each other.)
I have to say, though, that those souls in the physical realm are getting awfully clever. Apparently they've worked out a way to fashion artifical diamond (unenchanted) in virtually any size and configuration, and with [em]astonishing[/em] purity. I know it sounds totally impossible, but you really no longer need to delve into the Earth's depths or risk stealing from an irate dragon in order to get a pure diamond of any size. Just zap up some appropriate currency, polymorph to resemble the locals, and approach a merchant. Ask for whatever size and shape you want. You will be greeted, not with uproarious laughter, but by a clerk with parchment and pen asking, "What color?" (I got a couple of these for next to nothing, and so far they've worked out exceptionally well.)
I'm not disputing any of that. I was merely commenting on the practical difficulties of hauling an Orb on your typical adventuring quest.
Yes! My mentor had one of those! They also serve well to conceal swords, which proved its use on one memorable night when we were waylaid by a bandit in an alleyway. The bandit produced a modestly respectable dagger and made the traditional demand. Whereupon my mentor gazed at him levelly for a few moments, then fluidly drew the sword from the cane and pointed it at his throat and said, "I see your six inches and raise you twenty-four."TheOrb said:
He fled.
The only reason most wizards still use wands or staffs is marketing. They're rarely useful for anything other than a focal point for a wizard's innate power, and once you get past the basic levels of training, you don't really need one.
Sure, the higher quality wands/staffs can help you to focus your magic, but I for one prefer my magic a bit more.. unfocused.
As for the claim that they can improve the power output of your magic, the effect is pure placebo.
I personally carry around an enchanted sword for the 'whacking stuff' business that staff users are so fond of.
Sure, the higher quality wands/staffs can help you to focus your magic, but I for one prefer my magic a bit more.. unfocused.
As for the claim that they can improve the power output of your magic, the effect is pure placebo.
I personally carry around an enchanted sword for the 'whacking stuff' business that staff users are so fond of.
Sure, if you're completely incapable of conjuring energy for yourself. The only time I've needed to take energy from another plane was when I once bathed an entire realm in fire. It's very rare that one has to do such a thing on short notice. Had I the time to prepare, I probably would have brought along an orb of some kind, or really any enchanted item that can function as an energy gateway. A lesser wizard might have needed new hands after that one.Lieju said:
Oh please. Unicorn blood is no more effective than the blood of goats. It's only artificial scarcity and snobbery that makes unicorn blood more expensive.sumanoskae said: