divine vs arcane magic

Many run a swords and sorcery inspired game. Look at the difference between the magic-user and cleric. Scrap the cleric. Give the magic-user access to both types of spells, arcane and divine. This seems more in line with the genre of swords and sorcery. Plus its simpler, right?

I am tempted to do the same. It fits in better with characters that I have seen in several inspirational sources. Ultimately I decided against this simplification. It boils down to origins of magical abilities and why that matters.

divine magic

Powers bestowed upon men by the gods. Only the most devoted to their deities are ever granted power. The use of divine magic is a representation of force of will, dedication, and faith. It is a slow life-long path that only the chosen are ever able to walk down. Cleric powers are not preformed by special research, writings, or discoveries about the natural world. The power of a cleric is innate as long as the favor of the worshiped god remains. The cleric's spell book represents meditative actions, prayers, and chants. Only what a devout follower needs to prepare themselves to unleash the powers given to them. Its physically impossible without proper preparation to unleash these powers of the gods.

This long-suffering attitude of clerics explains the delay of magic spells until 2nd level in OD&D and B/X. Clerics do not require reagents to use their magic. They draw their powers from within (granted by their god). This power is additive, not consuming. The cleric is not manipulating reality, he makes reality. He is not bound by the same equipment restrictions as a magic-user. The restrictions and codes placed upon him by his deity (i.e. no bladed weapons, etc) are all that bind him.

forces of law and chaos

As described in OD&D clerics may not be of the Neutral alignment. By their nature they do not seek to push their own personal agenda. They always seek to work on behalf of a power greater than themselves. Chaos doesn't always mean evil, rather the disassociation of all things. Law is not always good, rather the lock-step alignment of all things. Each deity grants power to their followers to carry out their wills.

arcane magic

Stolen magic from beings with innate powers. Arcane magic is man's attempt at a shortcut to power. A display of hubris, selfishness, and short-sightedness. The fast-track way to access powers beyond mundane physical strength. No dedicated life as a devout follower of a god required.

The magic-user's spell book has detailed formulae, careful hand motions, and reagents. These finesse a magic-user's spells from the aether. The magic-user captures the spells mentally until needed. A magic-user's power comes from unknown entities. One mistake in spell-casting could alert the slighted being. This leads to retaliation in the form of various side-effects, or unexpected results. The magic-user is unable to use weapons and armor. They hinder this delicate process of manipulation.

"Fast and dangerous" explains the ability for a magic-user to access their spells at 1st level in OD&D and B/X. It also explains why the magic-user requires reagents. Their spells are consuming in nature. Every spell cast winks away little bits of reality, ever-moving the world toward its dark end.

selfish neutrality

Given the framework outlined, magic-users should always be neutral. They rarely choose to align themselves with the forces of law or chaos. They prefer to utilize both camps whenever it is beneficial for them. Magic-users that do happen to serve a particular deity, do so out of pure selfishness. It is never out of belief in their cause or true devotion. The true master of a magic-user is nihility, nothingness, or oblivion (whether they wish it to be or not). They are never able to overcome their inability to create from nothing. They must always destroy to produce. Though likely to lead down the path of evil, this doesn't define all magic-users as such.

"With my encounters of many tribal peoples, I have noticed the prevalent belief that their is little difference between the holy miracles of the Divine and the dark trickery of their village witches. There is nothing further from the truth. The true essence of a holy miracle is a gift freely given by the Divine for his mysterious purposes. An arcane spell is the machinations of men, greedy in their hubris, who wish to shortcut the natural order. They undermine the good in exchange for instant results." -- Excerpts from 'The Miraculous', in the Scripta Rota.

⇦ back to all posts