Creating this thread as a follow up to a discord discussion about the dissonance between the mechanical utility of magic and its portrayal in the setting, especially including the IC treatment of wisps.
From what I've understood from the discussion, the predominant opinion on the subject is that magic is a staple of adventuring, few if any people will ever have any considerations as to what using magic entails except the immediate benefits it gives, and the regard for the setting and the world's attitudes amounts to avoiding spellcasting in front of the NPC's. On the opposite is the tiny minority of anti-magic extremists who are facing scrutiny and often find themselves excluded because of their views. The only mechanical consequence of using magic are the spellfire wisps that have a chance to manifest and deal area debuffs or damage. According to some, the presence of this threat is negligible, is often completely dismissed/ignored and does not constitute a valid in game reason to fear or distrust magic.
What can be changed in this regard? Should the effects of the wisps become stronger, should they become indestructible, should they appear more often? Should there be other forms of 'failing' to cast a spell besides arcane spell failure as is? Should the 'failed' spells, for example, strengthen the enemy instead of damaging him, or cause debuffs instead of healing someone? Should the mechanics behind these side-effects, both the hypothetical failures and the spellfire wisps, be known or obfuscated for mystery and IG research?
From what I've understood from the discussion, the predominant opinion on the subject is that magic is a staple of adventuring, few if any people will ever have any considerations as to what using magic entails except the immediate benefits it gives, and the regard for the setting and the world's attitudes amounts to avoiding spellcasting in front of the NPC's. On the opposite is the tiny minority of anti-magic extremists who are facing scrutiny and often find themselves excluded because of their views. The only mechanical consequence of using magic are the spellfire wisps that have a chance to manifest and deal area debuffs or damage. According to some, the presence of this threat is negligible, is often completely dismissed/ignored and does not constitute a valid in game reason to fear or distrust magic.
What can be changed in this regard? Should the effects of the wisps become stronger, should they become indestructible, should they appear more often? Should there be other forms of 'failing' to cast a spell besides arcane spell failure as is? Should the 'failed' spells, for example, strengthen the enemy instead of damaging him, or cause debuffs instead of healing someone? Should the mechanics behind these side-effects, both the hypothetical failures and the spellfire wisps, be known or obfuscated for mystery and IG research?
