Dungeons and Dragons Lore: Hedge Wizard

[@10cody7]

i think the local wizard is just an old man tripping on dmt and is "seeing the magic energies"

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

10cody7 He’s been snorting the fairy dust again.... Actually, being high off his ass on Fey drugs could be why he can’t cast actual spells, but gets visions of shite. That could really work well in game. Local wizard has a magic item you need, before he gives you the item he sends you on a quest to get more of the dust from some pixies that can be found around a fairy circle in the nearby woods, you meet the pixies, they have a job for you in exchange for the dust and you end up on a romp through the feywilds.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

Tommy Chong...

[@kingmasterlord]

DMT, duration 15 to 20 minutes, effects: detect magic on user for duration, on a successful insight arcana check casts astral projection

[@brianstephens7572]

I'd like to think of Perf from JourneyQuest. 'I can cast Conjure Milk and Vague.' 'What does Vague do?' 'Well... It's not so much what it does... as what it doesn't do...? It's kind of hard to explain.'

[@tonlito22]

I can imagine a sort of Hedge Wizard who went out with the local militia to chase off some suspected Drow Raiders, on which there is a big reward, returning to the tavern absolutely fuming, crossbow bolt stuck in his hat, robes torn and in disarray, staff cracked in three places, and with mud and twigs in his beard. Soon he's in a raging drunken state because it turns out that the supposed Drow were some just some sort of hill tribe cult that painted their skin black when going out on night raids as a form of camouflage. He used his two scrolls of Fireball, and his Lightning Bolt scroll during the engagement. Lost his good horse to an arrow, and his second horse to one as well. His Potion to Transmute Rock to Mud came in handy to bring an escarpment down on the bastards, but he also got some in his beard. Long story short, the local Lord is only paying the Bandit head bounty on the Raiders, of which his share won't come near to covering his losses, one of the militiamen accidentally shot his hat, and while he was out some Adventurer's abducted his Apprentice, which was his only stable source of income in this two bit.

[@namekman01]

i just learned the word escarpment, and thats neat

[@destonlee2838]

This former pig farmer planted turnips around the stump and his pigs dug the stump out. Then I got called a druid.

[@themalcontent100]

I imagine a dnd wizard would look at the game and either laugh uncontrollably or sneer in disgust.

[@trevorjohnson6748]

One of the things that would be interesting would be to see all those spells that hedge wizards usually cast. Prevent milk spoiling, firewards to prevent kitchen fires getting out of hand, cow-finding spells...

[@mikifauns]

I would love a cow finding spell. Just for flavor. How much fun could that be?

[@trevorjohnson6748]

@@mikifauns I think a ritual locate object spell, where the object is a rune clipped into the ear of a cow. Only works on animals. I might also suggest a spell called vermin cloud, which creates a cloud which repels or kills fleas, ticks, lice, etc.

[@michaelpettersson4919]

Useful utility spells.

[@vinx.909]

"prevent milk spoiling" is probably amongst all the spells that exist in the world but not written in the book because no player or villain would ever use it (: firewards could be something like a miniature glyph of warding that just contains the spell "control flame" "locate creature" is a spell that exists. though maybe a hedge wizard would know more something like "locate beast" that's slow as fuck and imprecise, but works great for slowly finding lost cattle.

[@Reddotzebra]

@@trevorjohnson6748 There is a vermin ward spell in 3e I think.

[@MisterDTwenty]

I had an NPC Wizard in my Eberron game named "Fizzle" who was once a great wizard but had forgotten almost all his spells with age. He would use an Arcane Lock on his shop each night but always forgot the Knock spell in the morning. In the end he saved the party when he suffered a blow to the head and remembered the Knock spell to free the party.

[@xironbeastx8677]

A warlock whose patron is a powerful fire elemental, that tells him to constantly set things on fire, but it turns out he's actually just a wizard who has schizophrenia and hears voices and knows some basic fire magic.

[@alanschaub147]

AJ, your ability to throw out a myriad of ideas on any D&D theme, seemingly just off the cuff, blows my little mind. I feel like my brain has been teleported one foot sideways, outside its brain-case. 🧠

[@rexcaliburn]

Gandalf was forbidden from ever using his full power so its kinda hard to use him as an example for wizard prowess

[@michaelpettersson4919]

I understand that he used to be a warrior before becoming a wizard and seem to do well fighting that way.

[@onpatrolforthejuice]

LOL I'm sure he knows. I had the same thought though. It is just an example of of if you threw Gandolf as we see him in the books into the DND universe where everything is so OP.

[@finnmcool2]

It's worth remembering that "this side up" and "make sure kit is complete before proceeding" are also the product of professional writers. The top of the heap is a small place, most won't fit.

[@Oooze3424]

I imagine that the average advanced spellcaster often looks nothing like their birth race due to arcane mishaps and ambient magic warping them, I'm picturing a man with six fingers on one green clawed gnarled hand, a large splotch of skin turned black with luminesce blue and purple veins leading up to a crooked face with a extended haglike smile curved all the way across their cheek and one giant fennec foxlike ear.

[@BigDictator5335]

Gandalf wasn't allowed to use his full power. The Valar didn't want their agents in Middle Earth to act like gods and form religions around them. Saruman and the blue wizards did it anyway.

[@wbbartlett]

The fact that a 5th level wizard casts more spells than Gandalf says more about D&D than it does about Gandalf

[@AJPickett]

You have a point

[@anthonyromasco3528]

Schmendrick from the last unicorn. A hedge wizard who finds his path to true magic

[@markusnavergard2387]

You beat me to it

[@DyrgeAfterDark]

Shmendrick the runeless wonder

[@lordnul1708]

I remember that Death literally refers to his encounters with Rincewind as "near Rincewind experiences", most notably towards the end of The Color of Magic.

[@Reddotzebra]

On the Disc, all things have their own lifetimer in the keeping of Death (He's got one too, obviously) which is an hourglass (except for at least one, which is a bottle) filled with sand representing the remaining life of the associated living thing. Rincewind's hourglass is such a convoluted mess of tubes that not even Death has any clue about how much sand remains in it, and unlike any other creature some of those tubes actually seems to be transporting sand back up into the top bowl of the hourglass.

[@handlebarfox2366]

9:20 "their brain could teleport a foot sideways out of their braincase" ....er.... they go out of their mind? ....I'll see myself out.

[@agsilverradio2225]

Nice prophile pic. And nice pun too.

[@jeremygriffin620]

My mind is awash with ideas. That is the best compliment that I can pay you brother, I love your demon videos I learned from your monster videos, but every once in awhile you put out something like this that sets my mind on fire with things.

[@Tbrekke]

how I'd build Rincewind: Human Rogue with expertise in Arcana, the Luck feat, the Linguist feat, Anthropologist background, etc, so he knows a shitton and can say "PLEASE DON'T HURT ME" in 17 different languages

[@Reddotzebra]

And loudly plead for mercy in at least 17 more.

[@markusnavergard2387]

one that comes to my mind is Schmendrick the magician from the last unicorn

[@PrincipledNaturalLaw]

Rincewind is the world's greatest anti - hero.

[@Scianta]

I thought of an angle you may have missed. The mage where magecraft is kept secret on grounds being found out could bring a mage hound (a witch hunter/bounty hunter specialized in eliminating spellcasters) . Much akin to the witch trials but being actual mages (good and bad).

[@jacobfreeman5444]

I imagine a lot of damage is done by magic users who lack official pedigree. So mage hunters would be a fact of life I would think. I have this image of a level 5 to 10 fighter giving anyone they suspect of magery a hard time by demandimg their papers and such.

[@syvajarvi2289]

I’ve always looked at artificers as hedge wizards in a high magic campaign, powerful but in a different way.

[@jerrywalton8140]

There is a 3e class called hedge mage that focuses on a lot of low level spells, potions, and fetishis( like scrolls that only last a few days or weeks).

[@Daimon-X]

Rouge: Hey Wiz? Wizard: What? Rouge: You are glowing. Wizard: Don't be ridiculous.... Well Sh*t Wizard explodes creating a rainbow of magic energy... Only his hat remains. Rouge: Dibs on pointy hat!

[@anthonyhargis6855]

I remember Kulgan. A great character.

[@confuseddullahan5046]

I saw a hedge wizard backround and used it to make "pied piper" like bard that talks to animals and heals those she can. the basic idea was a little human girl dancing around and taking care or her animal friends

[@confuseddullahan5046]

koboldpress.com/the-sorcery-stop-hedge-wizard-background/?fbclid=IwAR2dbcHVWPQPRQ9XNHCJb8YjKnVo19UydMLoVuBh0gdGKj7jv5NlN7PVQtE

[@benstiebel2851]

Really love this kind of thing. I really like these imaginative ways to fill in the worlds in which we play. "Hey man. want to buy a healing potion. At least I think it's a healing potion."

[@sanddry738]

YES DISCWORLD! I haven’t read all the books but Death & Rincewind in the stories were great characters! A really good example of knowledge Vs. Ability and how wizards can be portrayed in D&D.

[@truefanforum3273]

I don't know why, but when I think of hedge wizards my mind goes right to Fizban from the Dragonlance series. I love that befuddled, hat losing guy.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

I use an absolute mix of high magic and low magic in my homebrew world. There's a city-state that is a magocracy, and is blanketed with enough magic to make the faerie fires of Menzoberranzan turn green. This magical dystopia is situated between two kingdoms who have a handful of wizards between them, and not one of those wizards could stand up to a Barovian witch in casting ability. They've read a lot, but they don't compare notes or share their secrets, and they tend to only cast from one spell school, unless they have a scroll or ritual. There's also the plains in the south with the barbarian tribes right next to the big forest full of elves and fairies. There could be magic anywhere, but it's not everywhere. I like that approach

[@jamesadamsfl]

Me too. That sounds like an interesting world.

[@florenmage]

It is always important to show that not everyone is super skilled or knowledgeable in what they do sometimes people are just doing their best and it might be sad but that's all they can do also what about an old wizard who was once banished a balor or something making it possible for the heros of his time to push back its armies and save the land who everyone loves but he's gotten old and his mind is going out on him maybe there is a glimmer of his former power but he is just so forgetful now days he can't always recall that spell you needed but everyone still respects him because there are adults around now who watched him push the demons back and songs are still sung of that battle

[@thedarkmaster4747]

This is a great comment. 👍 I also like the idea of magic users having a slight shift of personality when they use spells, kind of like being drunk, but your reflexes and coordination get sharper instead. Maybe there is a reason why he doesn't remember the spell? Maybe he doesn't like who he becomes when he thinks about it? Maybe the balor wasn't the only "demon" he banished that day, so... So long ago?

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

To me, Gandalf seems to almost be more of a Warlock/Paladin with a Devine or celestial patron than a proper wizard. Especially if you go into the whole Valar/Myar thing from the simirilian.

[@handlebarfox2366]

hapless coward who keeps figuring things out by running away from the scary stuff? Shaggy and Scooby Doo come to mind.

[@purplehaze2358]

I don’t actually remember watching this before, but apparently I did.

[@rykonjm]

i respect this

[@mal35m]

AJ Pickett Jack L. Chalker in the Dancing Gods book series had the idea that magic and reality itself might be controlled by a reality bending bureaucracy. In this world you may know the spell to fly but be unable to use it until you paid a fee and passed a test and even then you had to be lucky because only a limited number of magic pilot licenses are allowed. A high level mage could get into a shouting match with a higher level bureaucrat and find himself unable to do anything past fist level spells. Spells could even be taxed. Maybe you are only allowed to use a wand or staff to cast spells and at the end of the year it has to be turned in in order to be examined to see how many fireballs you cast so that you can be charged the proper fees.

[@llanorick]

Sort of like Skeeve in Robert Asprins “Myth” series, he only knew a handful of spells, but had a great reputation.

[@SonicSanctuary]

Ah my man is a man of quality 👌 speaking of good ol' rinsewind!

[@jamesadamsfl]

I appreciate this. I've never heard of Rinsewind, but I like the idea of a magical scholar who can't cast many or even ANY spells and just gets by on theoretical knowledge. Or the idea of a schmuck who isn't really a wizard (or is a VERY low level one) who mostly relies on a supply of magic items. And I definitely agree that most mages shouldn't be casting spells above a certain level. I'm not sure what the percentages are in my homebrew world, but I will say that there's probably only one Wizard who's reached 9th level spells for each subclass. That's how you fix the problems that arise when you have an ultra-high setting; limit the number of really powerful people.

[@dromankass8655]

Rincewind appears in many of the Discworld series of books by the British author the late Sir Terry Pratchett (an author who took fantasy seriously to the point that when he was knighted, he forged his own sword). While unable to commit any spells to memory, Rincewind does have an innate skill with languages, retains knowledge of magical lore from his time at the Unseen University, and most of all, he is very cunning. Here is an extract from the Discworld Novel - Eric, where the wizard Rincewind and the young boy Eric are trapped in the city of Tsort, which is currently under siege. Suspected of being enemy spies they are taken to the guard house for questioning. But when a strange object is discovered outside the city gates, most of the solders leave to investigate, leaving Eric and Rincewind to be watched by one remaining guard . . . It had begun to dawn on the guard that there was a lot of shouting going on in the distance. Someone tried to blow a bugle, but the notes gurgled into silence after a few bars. "Bit of a fight going on out there, by the sound of it," said Rincewind. "People winning their spurs, doing heroic deeds of valour, being noticed by their superior officers, that sort of thing. And here's you hanging around in here with us." "I've got to stick to my post," said the guard. "Exactly the right attitude," said Rincewind. "Never mind about everyone else out there fighting valiantly to defend their city and womenfolk against the foe. You stop in here and guard us. That's the spirit. They'll probably put up a statue to you in the city square, if there's one left. 'He Did His Duty,' they'll write on it." The solider appeared to think about this, and while he was doing so there was a terrible splintering creak from the direction of the main gates. "Look," he said desperately, "if I just pop out for a moment . . . " "Don't you worry about us," said Rincewind encouragingly. "It's not as if we're armed." "Right," said the solder. "Thanks." He gave Rincewind a worried smile and hurried off in the direction of the noise. Eric looked at Rincewind with something like admiration. "That was actually quite amazing," he said. "Going to go a long way, that lad," said Rincewind. "A sound military thinker if ever I saw one. Come on. Lets run away."

[@pitviper6652]

I’ve already immortalized a number of wizards, sages, and any historians into potions that can grant portions of their memories and knowledge.

[@gabrielshervo678]

I like the ideas this is giving me!

[@pitviper6652]

I have mine in a way or alchemist necromancy, transmutation of their soul/mind, or you can also have them be actively sentient and give the help action for history or what ever subject of your choosing

[@karpmageddon4155]

@@pitviper6652 Considering the consumable nature of potions, wouldn't housing such knowledge make more sense in a tome or another more permanent item?

[@pitviper6652]

Not, if by drinking the potion, the knowledge inside diminished as well proportionally. As with a sentient version, they would lose their intelligence and recollection. This can also make a moral dilemma for players if they want to access the potions knowledge but doing so would destroy the entity connected

[@handlebarfox2366]

2:40 Death: "OH. IT'S YOU AGAIN."

[@lordnul1708]

Death: "I JUST HAD ANOTHER NEAR RINCEWIND EXPERIENCE."

[@Secret_Takodachi]

My favorite source of magic lies in an innocuous deck of playing cards.....

[@jacobweatherford4696]

Yes heheh.

[@757theX]

Is the a blog version of this? That was so much valuable information all cramed into a few minutes. What a solid video, such prime content. Imma go check that description for a blog/written version

[@blueperry5409]

Feist gives us a great view of the dawn wars as well.

[@onpatrolforthejuice]

I love these more campaign writing ideas videos. Very inspiring and fun. Gets my noggin joggin

[@ajmeyers5661]

Pug aka Milamber, master of the "Lesser" and "Greater" Paths, magician of two worlds. Imo Feist is far superior to Eddings, but that's just my opinion. I disagree with the way presenter characterized magic and mages on Pug's homeward, and lesser path magic and clerical magic are explained really well later on in the series; the reader learns along side Pug and Tomas. And I especially love the "there is no magic" twist, I guess you'd call it. Love the video, thanks!

[@gregoryfloriolli9031]

When I make a Wizard PC, I assume there are 3 ways they could learn magic: from a school, apprenticing to a single master, or self taught which is what I think of as a Hedge Wizard. The self taught wizards always feel disreputable and are fun to play. Maybe they were dabblers who spent all their money buying spell scrolls. Maybe they bought spells on the black market because Arcane spell casting is outlawed by the religious authorities. Maybe they stole a spell book from a Wizard. You could build one of these self taught wizards by taking the Charlatan or Criminal Background and skip taking the Arcana skill to give yourself the feel of a character with no formal education.

[@axepoison255]

There are also records of Gandalf casting Blinding Flash, Speak with Animals, and Acorns to Firecorns. Think Sticks to Snakes, but worse, rr Badberry. But the least known fact about him is that he spends almost all of his spell slots for Persistent Tenser's Transformation.

[@AJPickett]

ooooh... true!

[@GenoX1987]

Imagine the wizard screwing up a magical summon, and out pops one of the severed heads of Demogorgon he just cut off and transported.

[@muninrob]

I like using apothecarians as hedge wizards, knows a bit about alchemy, healing, magical history - knows a LOT about monster lore, spell components, and local history. Add in a few cantrips (that they cast out of a wizardry primer - using the book almost like a scroll),a "whatever works" mindset to solving minor problems, and you have a memorable *"mighty wizard"* for a small village or tribe. Another good approach for a hedge wizard is a "mechanic" who uses a collection of magical items to impersonate a spell caster - I tend to avoid that approach due to that many magical items in one place bringing out the "murder-hobo" in otherwise good parties.

[@krispalermo8133]

L.O.L. I been in a few games where you PC reach a village and they had signs posted, " Pick pockets will not be fine, whip, or imprison or punish in anyway. Hope you enjoy your stay ! " Needless to say, the first thing the PC did was wrap all of their valubles so the villages can't rob them blind for sport. As for too much magic items bring out the " murder hobo," in your campaign setting just have all magic item carry a curse !

[@nvfury13]

Heh, full Aahz and Skeeve with those.

[@TheMimiSard]

The concept of "magician" in the Belgariad is kind-of a minor point. The main characters in the series are sorcerors, able to cast magic via "Will and Word" - willing something and saying an appropriate word (usually the words come by near-instinct). There are witches, who consort with spirits for their magic, but I'm not sure if the magicians were the northern tundra nomads or not (it's been a while since I read the books). If those wre the magicians, then they would be more like D&D Warlocks, because they summon demons (in context, dangerous creatures from a different dimension). Gandalf may seen like a "Hedge Wizard", but that is because he had to function under the radar, so to speak. The Istari (the wizards) were Maiar - essentially Celestials - who had to disguise and restrict themselves to being almost human. That aside, magic in Tolkien was nowhere near the flashy spellcasting that D&D popularised. It tended to be more subtle, spiritual, or attributed to natural abilities of races who had greater abilities, like Legolas being able to see the Uruk-Hai miles away due to better eyesight, or walking on top of a snowdrift the rest of the Fellowship sunkinto because he's "light on his feet", or Hobbits being able to hit almost anything they throw a stone at, or being able to "disappear" because they are quite swift. My point is, not only is Gandalf kinda a bad example as a hedge wizard, but the whole paradigm of magic in LotR is in fact barely comparable to D&D.

[@iGuttsi]

I wish there were more Name Of The Wind books, I loved how they handle magic

[@MRDicristofaro]

your wizard videos are always great and insightful . great job and cant wait to see more

[@TenositSergeich]

I usually try to emathise this angle of wizardry to my players - that any self-respecting wizard will certainly not muck his robes in dank dungeon. For example, in the "default D&D"-flavoured campaign setting where we currently play, most official wizards study magic and play politics in the Council of Arcane, which exists to unify arcanists of known world for common good, where they are a majority among other spellcasters. The Council itself is oft ineffectual too - while Rise of Evokers, Abjurers, Transumeters and Diviners constantly have something to work with, Illusioners are plagued by confict between gnomes and spellcasters of other races, Conjurers and Enchanters are distrusted, and Necromancers, while being permited, are de facto forbidden from doing anything besides a couple of staples like helping investigations and funerals for people of great importance as most of things they do would sour the relations with nearly anyone. And so, a polite and plesant city necromancer who cannot practice his art became a contact for my players in matters of both arcane and politics.

[@reply7007]

Hey AJ, can you make some Elminster videos. I know it is a tall order but he's got so much good stuff to cover!

[@AJPickett]

Maybe one video...

[@jgr7487]

12:14 bandits on the road? that sounds like an adventure hook to me!

[@theknightofbadassness301]

I use to be an adventurer, till I found some bandits on the road...

[@Drew-qs2wk]

That was the shortest neuroscience lecture I ever attended.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

I see you survived and made it back out of Sithrune in one piece. I like this video, since I needed good ideas for magical NPCs

[@rickeymariu1]

Thanks for the great vid A.J. I love hack wizzards

[@Im-Not-a-Dog]

In my world, I have a city state called Gonza that hosts monthly gladiatorial games as local entertainment and somewhat of a lottery. As a tax, the wizards of the Arcane College of Gonza have to make one unique magical item each month to be the grand prize for the games. I always feel as though any non-mage ran government that allows wizards to set up an organization within its borders is going to have the wizards pay some type of tax, either through gold, magic items and potion, or magic users to serve in the local army. Even “benevolent” governments still need taxes in order to support itself, and wizards seem like a great source of income. Oh, and in case anyone who read this is wondering, this month’s reward for surviving the Games of Gonza is the Blade of Freezing Flames, a heavily enchanted long sword that is basically just a flaming sword, except the fire is blue, deals cold damage and anything set on fire with the blue flames begins to build up frost on it as the fire spreads over it and as the blue fire “burns” the frost begins to thicken and solidify and the item slowly becomes encased in solid ice.

[@schvanger]

you'd like larry niven's "the magic goes away"

[@x42brown33]

What use is a glass dagger?

[@Monsu1erq]

Hedge wizard sounds like the politically correct term for a druid

[@namekman01]

it sounds more like an insult "wait, why are you calling me a hedge wizard?" "well, ser... didn'ye make the lords rose bushes bloom for'is lady?" "wh-... " druid rubs his brow with frustration "... to answer your original question, yes, i'll take a look at your sheep and see what's afflicting them."

[@NixViridian]

Ah, The Belgariad. You are one the only other people I heard mention that.

[@AJPickett]

Excellent books.

[@mal35m]

Rincewind is a great model for a hedge wizard. I would say Gargamel is another one. He could be both a quest giver and a party member. I mean after all, trust a wizard who is poor, greedy, lazy, cowardly and not very good at magic, what could go wrong?

[@Reddotzebra]

Rincewind only ever learns one spell though right? Then again, what spell level would that one actually be in DnD? And Gargamel is less of a hedge wizard and more of an alchemist, and he did discover the blue clay that gives things life so I'd say he's a pretty accomplished one.

[@mal35m]

@@Reddotzebra But that is the whole point. In both cases Rincewind and Gargamel called themselves wizards but for different reasons they could not be counted on to reliably do "real" magic in the field. That does not mean they are completely useless either. Rincewind was a moderately good lockpick and a great expert at escaping certain death. Gargamel was totally untrustworthy but as you said, a great if very greedy alchemist. Either one would make a great dodgy NPC. I will go even further and say Gargamel could be a great model for a dodgy player character who depended on potions and low level magic and maybe a few rogue levels as well. He would also be stabbing everyone in the back as much as he could. Darn, now I want to play Skyrim again with an evil alchemist character.

[@MrRourk]

You should try playing Backswords and Bucklers.

[@male272]

Ray Fiests 'Magician' series is the best for 'depth' of magic potential as it relates to dimension, time and limitations.

[@zmishiymishi5349]

True wizz is usually too occupied to care about students and law

[@Nox-eg3rq]

Go away am about to finish my bigus dickus spell leave the food on the floor

[@robouteguilliman6662]

Can't reccomend Name of the Wind enough, when the main character wanted to advance in higher studies in Magic Item craft, his teacher challenged him to come up with an entierly new magic item that has not been designed before. He ended up desiging a large metal dodecahedron about the size of a basket ball that could intercept metal tipped arrows within a certain radius of itself.

[@Cytl-bu3nq]

The Istari were forbidden to use their full abilities by the Valar, so your analogy is inaccurate. Don't forget that both Gandalf and the Balrog are minor Valar called Maiar, the sheer power they could command if not limited by their respective Vala, could make a 5th level DnD wizard look like a sleight of hand artist.

[@AJPickett]

Gandalf was an alien, gotcha.

[@jamesadamsfl]

@@AJPickett Not an alien, an angel.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Well, I would say an angel is pretty alien. Why do you think many of them had to preface any conversation they had with mortals with "be not afraid"?

[@lordnaarghul]

The one thing I enjoy is high magic settings where you see things like this. In the Elder Scrolls games, other than maybe Skyrim, you see this: the mages and magic users are organized into guilds that wall off all the good magic items behind their paywall. The Telvanni wizards of Morrowind especially, whom you need to do a loooot of butt kissing for before they even consider tslking to you. Skyrim appears to take place when much of that has broken down after a series of disasters, terrible wars, a couple of invasions, and at least two apocalyptic cataclysms.

[@DracosDiabolis]

ok off subject. Another Great video AJ, But I can find screenshots of the 5E Planewalker Class, but not where it could be found. Any help would be awesome. and Many Thanks

[@plotholedetective4166]

gandalf likely cast haste enhance Ability and long strider spells to catch shadowfaux, chased that horse for 2 damn days

[@Licjr]

The Birthright campaign setting had a class called the magician that fits my idea of a hedge mage. They can use enchantment and divination but they're capped at low level spells from other schools. So they can use magic to give them an edge in day to day life, but no flashy stuff like reversing gravity

[@marclytle644]

Ah yes... a well known Halfling Divination Wizard, named Patrick (Pat) McGroyne. Everyone knows the heroic deeds of that awkward sarcastic little guy.

[@ajhoward8888]

Belgarath is the #1 OG hedge wizard in my book.

[@dr.calibrations7984]

Wait, is Mr. Satan (Hercule) the Dragonball Z equivalent of a Hedge Mage?

[@AJPickett]

In attitude, certainly! Great example.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

YES!!! XD he's the epitomy of one!

[@Bluecho4]

I've been thinking about the archetype of the Cunning Person - the figures of rural medieval history who possessed old wisdom or bits of cunning. The types who knew herb lore and stone lore, who could fashion remedies and protective amulets, and were known to forecast the future or dispel the hexes of malicious witches. And I've been thinking how these sorts of folk seem like such an obvious facet of medieval life, I'm surprised DnD games don't make better use of them. Because I find the highly systemized nature of wizardly organizations and magic shops plopped in the middle of town to be, well, kind of unlikely. It's just not how medieval and renaissance societies did things. You might have these things in major cities, but small towns would rely more on the arts possessed by wise elders and reclusive specialists. Especially if peasants act like peasants, and so are fearful of magic at the best of times. Meaning even a benign practitioner does well to keep a bit of space between themselves and the townsfolk, lest they get blamed for famine or livestock getting sick. I'm also deliberately blurring the lines about what a Cunning Person is, from a games mechanics point of view. While the game rules are quite clear on what powers a character has, in-universe a "Cunning Person" or "Wise Person" might be any number of things; things like "enchanter", "sorcerer", "magician", etc. were always nebulous labels throughout history, used interchangeably. Just in DnD 5e, for instance, a Cunning Person could be any of the following: -Someone with 1 to 3 levels in Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard -Someone with the Magic Initiate or Ritual Caster feats pertaining to one of the above -Someone with proficiency in Herbalism Kits or Alchemist's Supplies -Someone who knows the formula for a handful of magic items, and the proficiency in Arcana or relevant tools to create same -Any combination of the above The Cunning Person might just be an herbalist, mixing remedies and occasionally healing potions. They might be a person who was taught in the old ways by an elder, either as part of initiation or simply having tricks and secrets passed along in the same way the elder taught them how to cook or spin cloth. They might have been bequeathed a spellbook or ritual book, or found one in an attic. They might be descended from a line of Sorcerers, but either had too weak a connection to manifest as full class levels, or simply never bothered to hone their ability much. They might even have made a deal with some supernatural being - a devil at a crossroads, a fae noble or hag, an old/outer god that visited them in their dreams, etc. - in exchange for a little magic, but not a full blown Warlock Pact. Or maybe they have class levels, but don't feel much like advancing them, because they have as much magic as they require to live their lives. If you can get by making something but Potions of Healing or Periapts of Health, why bother learning more? This is what separates most Cunning Folk from spellcasting PCs and major NPCs. The latter are specialists, while the former are general practitioners. Most folk have neither the need nor inclination to advance in their craft beyond what is required for day-to-day work in their corner of the agrarian society.

[@jmartin4396]

I was thinking the Magic Initiate and Ritual Caster feats would be the perfect combo for the traveling "country wizard" type person. Take wither of those and combine with the Healer feat and you have that wise old village elder that small communities can't live without but is always annoyed when she is bothered by all the youthful nonsense going on.

[@krispalermo8133]

3.5e game, DM had us all make single class 5th-level characters, and the DM told me to build a country wizard. Feat: create wondrous item. profession(herbalist):5ranks"+2 on Heal checks Profession(tinker):4ranks, items Wand of Mending cantrip. concept: travels from hamlet to hamlet fixing thing magical that the locals can't fix on their own. Collects gossip for the local baron.

[@SlothinAintEasy]

So, that reading list for aspiring dungeon masters. Where would that be?

[@michaelpettersson4919]

Renswid, the Discworld wizard that only know a single spell that really WANT to be cast is really a funny character. No one knows what it does (as far as I read the books). :P

[@JasonDenton]

Keep reading. It is an important spell, and its purpose is revealed early on.

[@strings1984]

It's a change spell esentally an intelegent wish spell.

[@martinmossmane6014]

Hey now Gandalf cast daylight to push back the Nazguul

[@Shadow200001]

Healing potions?, my party only uses wands of cure light wounds.

[@nullvoid4063]

“When a wizards hands begin to spark, wise men run.” Me personally, I prefer a high fantasy settings where it’s possible for one of the local cripples can read the future with uncanny accuracy and one of the horse in the stable where an illicit transaction is taking place is actually a polymorphed Druid. That being said, this was a great video and gave me lots to think about lower magic settings and I will defenitly be returning to this video for further inspiration. Question of the day to AJ and the others in the comment section; What is your favorite “magic level” setting and why? High fantasy and fantastic? Low magic and Dark Souls like? Somewhere in the middle? I’m interested to know. Thanks for another great video AJ, here’s to many more!

[@kapitanbeuteltier5889]

Interesting question. For the last few years we've always played in a world where the "magic level" all around was pretty low to about mid-level. Mythical beast were oftentimes nothing more than savage creatures and many "normal" people would've never seen magic in their lifetime. That said, magic was more prevalent many hundreds of years before our campaign started and both artifacts and ruins of forgotten past still hold powerful magic in them. That said, we aren't playing DnD, but a wonderful homemade system, where innante powers and abilites are not that interwoven with the basics of gameplay like in DnD, which isn't a critique of DnD (- we all like that system and played it a few time doing One-Shots) but I feel like, that DnD works best within a high-fantasy setting. At least when it comes to higher level spells, that summon greater demons at a casters whim or teleporting over vast distances in an instant.

[@michaelkelligan7931]

Null Void I've been playing only 1st and 2nd edition for close to 40 years and in the end all levels of magic have its merits,that being said,i personally enjoy the highest levels of magic and have several magic users that have created and cast what would be considered 10th level spells and beyond,ive actually had to create charts that go well beyond 30th level in 1st/2nd ed. as there were none to work with. When a 60th level wizard comes knocking on your door please show the utmost respect! 😁

[@thedarkmaster4747]

I like high fantasy, dragon riders, immortal elves, undoubtable deities, dragons who are virtually celestial, magic that exists purely to counter other magic and multiple competeting systems of magic. But i don't like a world saturated with mages, blackclover the anime would be the epitome of what i despise and the elderscrolls would be something very close to what i like. Magic should be earned or learned and i don't mind sorcerus communities or even races and wonderously magical ancient artifacts or creatures. But definitely not any hill billy pyromancers & thats what i love about low fantasy, elves dwarves and gnomes upto your eyeballs but it's still down to earth. With not a golum insight for hundreds of miles, but then again i wouldn't mind a village of hillbilly pheonix sorcerers if it's done right. I like high fantasy elements in a low fantasy world. In the world im building, you can tell if there is a high powered mage in the room(because bits of them are glowing.) unless they don't want you to know they're there. But if your a pesant you still have to till those fields and any spell you'd have the time to learn would either be more exhausting than tilling the fields yourself, or too weak to accomplish the job of putting food on the table for you. And no you don't ask the mage unless you're litterally starving to death, because they have to live in an equilibrium between learning about magic and practicing it, because it comes from the same resource & they might kill 80% of the village out of fear of magical enslavement.

[@jacobvardy]

I really love the idea of casting above level in high magic environments. Now wondering how to communicate this to players.

[@himanshuwilhelm5534]

Just tell them it's dangerous, has to be cast with a time delay, uses multiple spell slots, and might invoke wild magic. Players have to make a high Int(wizard), Wis(cleric and druids), Cha(sorcerers and wizards), If they succeed, goes off without a hitch. Failure invokes wild magic, failing the roll by 10 causes damage to the casters spell modifying ability score. Natural 1 is instakill.

[@jacobvardy]

That is more or less what i was thinking of doing. My question was more how to tell players without them trying it every other encounter. :)

[@steveno3141]

@@jacobvardy you feel a surge of magical energy around you like you could touch it with your finger tips. Your spells feel stronger as this new magic courses around you. So much so you feel that you could change how your spells behave or even cast spells above your normal power, but also that if you reach to deep the magics could tear you apart. Roll intel check on arcana.

[@krispalermo8133]

@@jacobvardy if the players think they can crunch & game the system, they will nearly always try to. 3.5e rules Psionic hand book, Psion class; 9th-level psion ability cost 17power points. " Spell/ psion cost = to caster level need to cast given effect." 2.) elite NPC wizard Int:15 grey elf" mountain" +2Int, Starting Int:17 at 8th-level,Int:19 multi-class: Wizard5th/loremaster5th/bard2nd. CR 12 caster: 10th-level wizard spellcraft: +25modifier (21ranks+4Int) Wish spell 17th-level wizard or 18th-level sorcerer. Int/or Cha:19 does the character have a 19 ? He does ?! Dam.... Spellcraft roll DC: 22 (10 base+9 spell level --4 Int modifier) -- 7 caster levels Do they have 5,000xp to burn off without losing a class level ? Ok, let them screw themselves over by trying to cast a Wish. If they roll 3 or higher on d20 .

[@beatrixthegreat1138]

I do love Rincewind lol

[@bartlester591]

I would love to see some lore on monks

[@gabrielshervo678]

Thanks AJ, that was good stuff. I always come away with multiple Inspiration Dice from your videos. I have a (mostly) unrelated question: Never read Rothfuss, where to start? Same question for Brandon Sanderson.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

I kinda like settings where magci is common but low-power...most everyone can get access to a few 'granny spells' that are weak but useful (cantrip level stuff), while the high power stuff 'flinging fireballs, magic missles, and the like) is rare. P.C. Hodgell's books have a nice example of this kind of thing..the innkeeper knows some spells for mending, accelerating yeast growth in bread, fire-kindling and such (mosly read from a spellbook). but whem the main chjaracter (whos is rather magically endowed, but untrained) tries, the results are..unfortunate. One of the reasons I've preferred GURPS over D&D for a while now is that the latter's class restrictions make it nigh-impossible to create, say, a travelling warrior who knows a few of these low-magic spells like mending, fire-making, rain-shielding, and similar 'utility' spells, but takes a lot more effort to use them than a 'proper' spellcaster would. Hedge wizards are lower in power, but generally far more creative with using the powers they do have...another good literart example of this in the Owlknight series by Mercedes Lackey, where a you boy uses what's basically a 'pinfoot' cantrip to defeat an attacking thug. This also comesw up as a social issue in her Herald-Mage trilogy, with the main character getting upset that people are rejecting the aid of the lower-power Heralds in favor of the Herald-Mages (who are critically dwindling in number), despite the plain Heralds possibly being more capable of handling the situation.

[@Reddotzebra]

But in 5e there's a feat for that. More specifically it's a feat that is more or less useful to absolutely everybody since it allows you to learn some very basic low level spells and cantrips no matter what class you are. It's the magic initiate feat, you pick one class with a spell list and it gives you access to all the low level utility magic you could ever want. There's also the ritual caster feat which lets you learn and cast ritual spells, which could be expanded on to create a homebrew shaman or witchdoctor class (or hedge wizard I guess) if you feel like it. These two feats are basically meta for anyone that wants more utility at this point, especially since both gives you access to the find familiar spell if you want it (and you do) plus all cantrips in the game, I basically use it to get my hands on cantrips from outside my class list, or give otherwise non-magical characters the ability to play with mage hand, find familiar and prestidigitation.

[@krispalermo8133]

@@Reddotzebra Some of the few things I liked about 3e was, just pick up a few 1st or 2nd-level spell casting classes. That way you gain use of multiple types of cantrips and Will save bonuses. Then again it is about what style of game you DM is running. With 3e CR system a single class commoner/ wizard( farmer) just getting rats, snakes, toads/frogs, and over size insects out of their gardens and barns will reach 7th-level in a single class by the time they are 28 years old. Example one: commoner3rd/ wizard3rd. CR:5. After stander seasonal farming any free time or during winter months the children are locally schooled by the village wizard. So by the time a character reaches young adult marrying age. They have a handful of lesser minor magic items powered by their own XP. The campaign setting my game shop ran, magic item are not gold/silver gem cover items. We just replace GP value with spellcaster class level XP. *Example two: farmer kills daily dinner of rabbit/rat or chicken/crow with a sling using True Strike and at the end of each month they create a cantrip wand for starting cooking fires, warming food or chilling water on a hot day. Wonderous Item cost:1,500gp which is transfer into 1,500xp. which slows spellcaster level growth. In this regard any poorly worked, carved wood, clay, stone item has a magic bonus or curse to it. 2.) Also if there is any way to pass off magic spell effect as a normal mundane manner so much the better. a.) Spell: Create Food & Water: cleric cast this spell these effects happen. One: food & water just magically Appears. Two: the cleric or other character has great luck in finding food & water. Three: the party finds a lost pack animal/ mule with just enough or more than what is needed for food & water. ( the Gods do Listen and Grant their Blessings.) b.) Spell: Fire Ball: One: stander fire ball effect of magic. Two: alchemy potion you just throw at a group with better than average results. Three: a group of archers letting lose a volley of arrows into a group of opponent where no arrow misses it's mark. Any one missed by the arrows suffer from heat exhaustion cause by the panic of a near miss. By bad luck, anyone who is carrying any flaming object is dropped and the area starts to slowly catch fire. 3.) One of my favorite gag on Pc's. Party runs into a room with a bad guy, bad guy knocks over lamp/ candle, drops something. PC makes Will save vs distraction, then PC wrestle with bad guy that turns into a knife fight to cut the other guy's throat in a head lock. Back up PC must make a Initiative roll/ Ref save to keep their team mate from cutting their own throat. Spell example, modify 4th-level Phantasmal Killer.

[@sufferinsuccotash8981]

Oh brilliant AJ just brilliant.

[@wthrasherb]

David Eddings, Belgariad and others.... TOTALLY AWESOME, highly recommended.

[@draxthemsklonst]

Hedge, as in "to safeguard, just in case?" Or the other hedge definition: "limited?"

[@benthomason3307]

I wasn't aware the word could refer to anything other than a shrub.

[@draxthemsklonst]

@@benthomason3307 You've probably heard it and never thought about it later on. "Hedge your bets."

[@benthomason3307]

@@draxthemsklonst nope, never heard that phrase

[@PrincipledNaturalLaw]

'Hedge' as in 'Trimmed bush' lol

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Funny how regional some turns of phrase are. But I do not know why the word hedge was used in hedge wizard. Other than to say this is a wizard who didn't get a formal training, just played it by ear until they learned to set bushes on fire.

[@snforde4603]

Say AJ, how do you suppose magic would effect the work of tradesmen? How would, for example, the work of a blacksmith be effected if they had pyromantic sorcerous abilities? For that matter, how do guilds work as organizations in the world of d&d?

[@AJPickett]

Hmmm complex question, might need to make more vids.

[@jacobfreeman5444]

Magic would just make related aspects of the trade easier. But would still require the knowledge and skill one would have for the level of mastery in a trade. Basically not much would change and likely most with sorcerous talents would be forced out not just because of the natural advantage they would have but because of the likelihood of the would be tradesman screwing up in some truly catastrophic way. Basically...I think most with sorcerous talents become adventurers not out of choice but because it is the only career path most can have.

[@daniell1483]

I have to admit, the hedge wizard as you describe them is not something I've encountered enough as a player and wish they were more widely used, at least in my D&D experience. As a player there is always that place in the mind trying to maximize output when it comes to magic, like finding the most damage per spell level or what have you for a given situation. I think what sticks with me the most is that player characters are more likely than not to be the best of the best a civilization can muster; the top several percentiles in the magic community. Imagining how the other 95% of casters live sounds like an untapped vein.

[@damienjordan3859]

I now know what I'ma do in the Ethereal! And thank you once again!

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

Fizban the Fabulous Oh and gandalf probably put on one of the most badass displays of magic ever combining call lightning with Arcane weapon with what I'm assuming must have been true strike yeah he wove like 3 spells into that or at least I like to think he did 😂

[@AJPickett]

Its not the size of your mana, it's what you can do with it.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

"I smote his ruin upon the mountain side..." 🧙‍♂️⚡⚔⛰💀😎

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

@@thedarkmaster4747 after further research I've come to the conclusion that gandalf doesn't really count because he's an angel or at least something that passes for an angel in his world he's a maiar spirit but so is sauron so is saruman soar the Balrogs or Valaraukar,

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Yes. He is a celestial larping as a wizard. In lord of the rings spells don't exist, only powers. It's a very soft magic setting, as far from harry potter as you can get. He beat the balrog because basically he was the same thing, just in a different body. But L.O.T.R. Is trope nectar, despite it's age, fantasy owes so much to tolkien's works.

[@linguisticallyoversight8685]

@@thedarkmaster4747 actually there's hints of magic that can be used by pretty much anyone the sorceries in fact it's mentioned that the blue Wizards might have gone off and started Cults of sorcery and went into corruption much like saruman there's also the black Magic's which can be used by most humans especially numenoreans and there's also song it seems that singing specific words and specific tones has more power than anything else in their world look at Tom bombadil or if we go back to the silmarillion you can see filianore fighting sauron with songs and that's because of the nature of their world is music the viner and the mire sang the world into existence

[@thedarkmaster4747]

I love the idea of spells being impossible to forget, kind of a reversed vancian magic system, where you could have a senile old mage, who can only remember his spells. A totally rocking chair bound drooling litteral invalid, who has a sixth sense for magic. Like it's a waking force for his ego as a mage. Cast a cantrip and afew words of wisdom might slip out. Set a ward and he might get self aware for afew mineuts with afew witty remarks. Throw a fire ball at him and he'll catch it, be giving you smack talk in draconic and you'll be waiting afew months for an occasions when he finds himself in the "indignity" of a magicless sittuation. I also love how the magicians universe handles casting spells above your level. Where they burn through you & create a demi genie based of the power of the magic and your state of inspiration during the casting of that spell. You should check out "alice verses the beast" as it should be easy to find inside the inner index of yub tub.

[@thedarkmaster4747]

In the magic system im putting together, it's both impossible to forget spells unless they are removed(via surgery, magic, some incasive process.). And impossible to mess them up, unless they were created/invented broken in the first place(which would mean that it would be impossible to correct them, without making a new version of the old spell, the correct way.). But the consiquences to using magic are absolute. So in your example sittuation: the stone circle itself is now demons(due to other lore.) and the high level of spell will work as described perfectly, the fiend(devil) is a better mage than they are, but it's busy torturing the previous now animated scientient stone circle into obeying the laws of physics and teleporting the cultists into the lowever planes for "cuddles" >XD Unless the spell was guady enough to send it right back to the lower planes for extra vengance scheming against the cultists. As for the consiquences of the high level spell, either the hedge mage has channeled the blow back of it into the environment, meaning that everything around them unspecifically, including the party has been by some percentage displaced between there and the said lower plane(internal bleeding, shock, lots of TPK fun) OR has disappeared intirely... Maybe at best has become spectral(is translucent can't be interacted with.) meaning the hedge mage has either fallen to their death or berried themselves alive because they've just destroyed their own enviroment. Or they've taken the load on themselves resulting in them dissapearing from reality completely or displacing themselves completely in an erruption of magical energy resulting in their death & the inevitable birth of a demi genie with no humanity save an overding obcession to send evil doers to the said lower plane(as to say, the hedgemages last thoughts would be it's thoughts, but at a much higher level of magical agency) so i guess those cultests would still be getting "cuddles" as they'd be momentary ariving near the fiend in the arse end of nowhere in that said lower plane. So i guess the surviving party in this instance would enter combat against the stone circle demons who are mindlessly trying to get sarcrifices in order to be sacrificed upon, in order to grow in power(because i like the concept of demons from warhammer and dragon age alot, monomaniacly theme obcessed and fueled - but not having any boundaries makes them even better.) and intelligence and cult creating arguments. If the stone circle "sacrifice" demons win that fight, they'll be causing problems as they add the collective sacrifice experiences of the party to their themes. I guess i created a system where magic can go both ways instead of just going wrong. *starts thinking about all the tropes involving sacrifice demons could have, including deliberately casting spells beyond your capacity to safely proform*

[@jacekekawa4498]

Check out Fizban - senile wizard avatar of Paladine/Bahamut. :) The spell he can remember most often? Fireball. :D

[@thedarkmaster4747]

Jacek I'll look him up. ;)

[@jacekekawa4498]

@@thedarkmaster4747 If you have time, Dragonlance books (also mentioned in the video) are the best way to get to know him. ;)

[@krispalermo8133]

@@thedarkmaster4747 please rewatch Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, Luke tries to lift his X-wing out of the swamp and is left breathless and had to sit down. Yoda lifts the X-wing and He Looks like he needs a Nap ! AD&D2e, you roll % to learn a spell so you can cast it. Depending on the DM the wizard had to make a ability check modifier by Spell craft Proficiency slots, which meant you had to roll under a 10 on d20. just to cast the spell. And you had to study/ prep for 10minutes per spell level to ready a given spell per day. It is like cram study for Friday's Tests in schools. 3e which came out at the same time d20 Star Wars did. require a Spellcraft roll of DC:10+spell level I also have the core books to White Wolf World of Darkness: Magic Ascension & the Awakening. Spell slots and spell points/ manna = to mental/spiritual endurance . My two game shops even try to work WEG d6 Star Wars Force Skills into d20 Force Skill to power game the system. I worked in an Auto Repair Shop, I know " wizards " Need Spell Books. Good luck with your magic system you are building.

[@Twilight5007]

I thought hedge wizards were the wizards in the world who weren't part of a school, and more akin to a druid, wize old man of town, or witch of the woods or the like? I kind of liked the idea of a wizard that wasn't just from a school.

[@daanhunnik7691]

So a wizard that doesn't have much casting power, but that can do other magical things that are not spell casting. I've seen people take Gargamel as an example. No spell casting at all. But an absolutely accomplished alchemist. Reliant on magical items? This hedgewizard sounds most like: A human with the magic initiate feat or ritual casting feat. A low level warlock. A low to mid level artificer. And ofcourse they'll have proficiency in arcana. Honestly you could make a pretty good hedge wizard player character.

[@smile-tl9in]

mmmhh i wonder if it would be possible to cast a 10+ level place in a place like athas without meddling from gods. That being said travelling to Athas may be an endaveor in of itself, as well as the research needed to make the casting safe, even if the caster don't bother to care if they kill the planet

[@smile-tl9in]

maybe we could play around this idea. Maybe some houserules, who make wizards who cast spells they just learned from levelling or that they copied they should make an arcana check or trigger a wild magic effect like the wild magic sorcerer do ? and each level they also pick two spells they "master" who no longer risk to trigger wild magic. In return getting access to new spells to copy is rather easy, and they may even be ways to cast higher level spells than they should with a difficult check ? Wich would explain why they need apprentices. Other characters with arcana and some levels could use the help action to aid the check. Also with downtime it would be possible to use time and money to master more spells.

[@PrincipledNaturalLaw]

Rincewind is the greatest anti-hero ever to grace this world. Is a a Hedge wizard similar to a Bush magician..........sorry, that was uncalled for 😉 lol