Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

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silverpheonix
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Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

Post by silverpheonix » Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:18 am

There is an NPC in Cordor that explains, in great detail, that because of certain actions by some powerful mage way back, casting spells on the Isle of Arelith, either Arcane or Divine, is impossible without worshipping a deity. Is this true? Mechanically it isn't, but I'm not sure if that is just a limitation of mechanics. It'd be good to know OOCly for obvious reasons.

Clayton on the Discord.

Lilith Vensurai: [Whisper] Dib's in charge of not exploding reality.
Johnathan Rigsby: [Whisper] This is unfair.


Good Character
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Re: Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

Post by Good Character » Thu Mar 30, 2023 1:04 am

Divine, yes. Arcane, no, aside from Shadow Mages. They specifically need a deity on this list: https://wiki.nwnarelith.com/Category:Shadow_Weave


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MissEvelyn
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Re: Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

Post by MissEvelyn » Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:44 am

silverpheonix wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:18 am

There is an NPC in Cordor that explains, in great detail, that because of certain actions by some powerful mage way back, casting spells on the Isle of Arelith, either Arcane or Divine, is impossible without worshipping a deity. Is this true? Mechanically it isn't, but I'm not sure if that is just a limitation of mechanics. It'd be good to know OOCly for obvious reasons.

This is old conversation from more than a decade ago, and it used to be true on Arelith, back before the Piety system we have today replaced the Presence & Power system we had back then.

Today, arcanists are free to be Faithless and still be able to cast spells. Though it's obviously ill-advised in the Forgotten Realms to not worship any gods.


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Amateur Hour
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Re: Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

Post by Amateur Hour » Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:57 pm

MissEvelyn wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:44 am
silverpheonix wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:18 am

There is an NPC in Cordor that explains, in great detail, that because of certain actions by some powerful mage way back, casting spells on the Isle of Arelith, either Arcane or Divine, is impossible without worshipping a deity. Is this true? Mechanically it isn't, but I'm not sure if that is just a limitation of mechanics. It'd be good to know OOCly for obvious reasons.

This is old conversation from more than a decade ago, and it used to be true on Arelith, back before the Piety system we have today replaced the Presence & Power system we had back then.

Today, arcanists are free to be Faithless and still be able to cast spells. Though it's obviously ill-advised in the Forgotten Realms to not worship any gods.

I'd like to emphasize the above here. In the Forgotten Realms, there is absolutely no question that the entities known as "gods" exist, have very real power to influence your life (for good or ill) if they want to, and tend to respond favorably to worship activities. In 1358 (twenty-one years before the current Arelith date) the gods were all walking around on Toril actively interacting with people, so even if your character is on the younger end they've certainly talked to people who remember the Time of Troubles. It's perhaps more debatable whether or not they're a special kind of being or just people who happen to be nearly immortal and insanely powerful.

It's also worth noting that there are practical benefits to god-worship and piety on Arelith even if you aren't a Shadow Mage or a divine class. Piety (which you can only build if you worship a god) can provide godsaves from death, crafting failure, and enchanting failure up to once every two hours real-time. Your average Arelithian has been saved by their god many times.

Rolled: Solveigh Arnimayne, "Anna Locksley"
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silverpheonix
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Re: Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

Post by silverpheonix » Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:41 am

MissEvelyn wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:44 am
silverpheonix wrote:
Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:18 am

There is an NPC in Cordor that explains, in great detail, that because of certain actions by some powerful mage way back, casting spells on the Isle of Arelith, either Arcane or Divine, is impossible without worshipping a deity. Is this true? Mechanically it isn't, but I'm not sure if that is just a limitation of mechanics. It'd be good to know OOCly for obvious reasons.

This is old conversation from more than a decade ago, and it used to be true on Arelith, back before the Piety system we have today replaced the Presence & Power system we had back then.

Today, arcanists are free to be Faithless and still be able to cast spells. Though it's obviously ill-advised in the Forgotten Realms to not worship any gods.

Ok, cool. Next question: can that conversation be updated or removed?

Clayton on the Discord.

Lilith Vensurai: [Whisper] Dib's in charge of not exploding reality.
Johnathan Rigsby: [Whisper] This is unfair.


chris a gogo
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Re: Do you need a deity to cast arcane spells?

Post by chris a gogo » Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:09 am

Ah the good old days when your Mystra loving wizard couldn't cast it's level 9 spells because everyone else had used up all the power.
:)


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