Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ragentx Apr 03, 2008 15:23:27	We started a FR (Waterdeep) city campaign. I have not played a magic users in years. So I decide on a Red Wizard of Thay... leadership Feat for my circle magic. I am pretty excited and am looking forward to being lawful evil and snobbish to everyone. Here where things go bad... My DM tells me the world will have a chaotic effect on magic... a percentage (%) of my spells will fail like when where armor. He told me as I get stronger in magic the % will lessen. I am kool with that... no problems. So I take 4 hours to build my character (1st lv). I always (outline)build to 20th so makes for quicker leveling in game. The night we start the game Irealise about 1 hour into it that he is using the 100% chaotic magic chart in FR... about 60% of the time something bad will happen or nothing... including backfire ( not spell failure as I was told ). Thier is no getting better the chart is rolled everytime. I have almost killed myself and group members about 5 times... we are 3rd lv. The problem is I really like this character... not sure what can be done... any help?
#2 crimsondeath Apr 03, 2008 16:51:05	Are there any enemy spellcasters? Do they suffer wild surges as well? Do the wild surges affect the use of spell trigger or spell completion magic items? Unfortunately, the only class I know of that can mitigate the effects of a wild magic zone is the Wild Mage (by rolling twice and taking the better result), and a Wild Mage/Red Wizard would have to be either CN or CE-- obviously not in keeping with your character concept. Maybe you could tell your DM that you didn't realize how debilitating the wild surges would be, but that you'd still really like to play a wizard, and ask just what sort of mitigating factors are available (and possibly propose a feat or skill that might be used to reduce the likelihood or severity of the wild surges).
#3 syrinth Apr 04, 2008 1:26:13	Talk to your DM about this and if he doesn't budge then tell him you're remaking your character because he's just not playable. No one is going to want to cast a spell in combat if there's a 60% chance it'll blow up in your face. ... Correction, no one is going to want to make spell-casting their priority if there's a 60% chance it'll blow up in your face. You could always make a Gish character and then start casting when the check lessens I suppose. I personally would not play an arcanist with those moronic rules.
#4 toucanbuzz Apr 04, 2008 10:48:49	That's a pretty high chance. Maybe your DM should reduce it a bit, and you might ask out-of-game if this is going to last the entire campaign or if you have a chance to remedy it. As I recall the FR older editions, during the Time of Troubles the chance for spell mishap was a given. It placed a burden on casters to choose carefully when they did cast. At least you're not a cleric in those times. They couldn't cast spells unless actually in the near vicinity of their gawd. Yikes. (Sounds like the DM is, as you said, automatically assuming a spell mishap and adjusting based on the spell level and your level. Unfortunately, at low levels, you have little ability to make your spells work on this system. It's fun reading it in books, less fun to try and play. See if he'll knock it to a check for a mishap, like a 1-4 on a d20 rather than automatic.)
#5 kuros81 Apr 04, 2008 14:22:33	You are justifiably upset. Tell him you need to have to roll onto the chaotic magic table. This 100% thing, even at level 1, is just not kosher. He did not explain the full details to you at the start, and apparently has not assured you how much it will get better. If he's thinking of alleviating the pain 5% with each advanced level, it still majorly hoses wizards. Terrible.