pugh@cornell.UUCP (William Pugh) (10/11/83)
A few thoughts on wishes. Often, wishes are considered incredibly powerful
and are balenced by being incredibly crocked. The definition of wishes is
very vague and (as can be seen by comments on the net) open to contraversy
as to what will or will not be granted.
There are several different definitions of wishes I can think of which
eliminate some of this vagueness:
1 - A wish is granted by a specific entity. The extent of what can be
granted is limited by the powers of that entity. Whether or not
a wish is crocked depends on the attitude of the entity. For
example, a person might aquire a ring of three Djinn wishes. There
would likely be some sort of limitation on the amount of time/mana/
effort an entity would spend fullfilling a wish. This is nice
in that it allows low-powered wishes to be created, which are
wishes granted by a low to medium powered entity. Super-powerful
wishes still exist; this are wishes granted by major gods.
2 - A wish is a very flexible spell, which is similar in power to
other spells of the same rank, but the effects of which can
be specified when the spell in cast. For example, you might
decide that a 9th level MU wish spell could accomplish anything
that could be performed by a combination of up to three lower
level spells, including spells not known by the mage or not
researched. This sort of wish would not likely be crocked unless
the mage mis-cast the spell. Lesser powered wishes could exist;
for example, a 3rd level MU wish spell that could do anything that
could be performed by up to two first or second level spells.
3 - A wish is granted by the fates. In this case, the wish is likely
to be accomplished by the slow and subtle manipulation of destiny.
For example, if you wished to become rich, you may find two weeks
later that a relative has died and left you money. These wishes
are subject to crocks, and powerful wishes may take a long time
to fulfill, or may never by granted.
On a side note, an interesting wish to ask is: "I wish that something
wonderful and well worth a wish should happen to me today."
Bill Pugh
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Wishes
References: <1017@pur-ee.UUCP>, <3547@decwrl.UUCP>CSvax:Pucc-H:Physics:hal@pur-ee.UUCP (10/12/83)
Regarding the use of wishes consider the following points:
o The 9th level Magic User spell "Wish" is just that; A 9th level MU spell.
It can only accomplish results consistent in power with other 9th level
spells.
o The "Wish" spell is neither intelligent nor perverse. It can only produce
effects based on wording.
o A wish granted by a deity can only produce results consistent with the
power of that deity. A wish granted by a Greater God can accomplish more
than a wish granted by a Djinn.
o Since the deity is intelligent, it may grant the intent of the wisher.
Exact wording may or may not be important. A good aligned god will
probably grant your intent if within its power and the wish was freely
granted. The Devil is notorious for fullfilling the exact wording to
those that would bargain with him.
NOTE: In the world in which I play, high level MUs are about the only
sources of wishes. In this case, besides paying him to cast the wish
it is also necessary to supply him with a Potion of Longevity.
Furthermore, since wording is critical and the MU is more experienced
at this than our characters, we usually pay extra and discuss the wish
with the MU and let him word it.
My favorite story about wishes:
A player character obtained a magic ring (ring of one wish) and was
experimenting with it trying to figure out what it did. Turn it, see if
you become invisible; try to walk on water, splash; try to fly, thud; etc.
Finally in desparation the character cried "I wish I knew what this ring did!"
(Voice from the sky: "IT'S A RING OF ONE WISH").
Oh, well...tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney) (11/16/84)
You should never allow wishes for magic items of any significant power. Read the section on creating such items; you will see that wishes, sometimes several, may have to go into their creation. Obviously that would be wasted effort if you could just get the whole thing with a single wish. Boosting plusses on existing magic items is a good application for a wish, though. Wishes and psionics. Wishes should suffice to let any character who meets the minimum requirements get psionics. However, this means only that they get to start rolling to see what their psionics are. They might wish that they hadn't! Wishes should not get you a new discipline, but you should be able to trade disciplines within the same class (major or minor). You might also let two minors be traded in for a major. Psionic strength ought to be able to be added up to ten points per wish, but only up to the maximum rollable strength. Of course, it can be raised indirectly by raising intelligence, wisdom, or charisma. -- Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University Computation Center ARPA: Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K uucp: seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim (supposedly) "Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains." Liber AL, II:9.
berry@zinfandel.UUCP (Berry Kercheval) (11/27/84)
In article <47@cmu-cs-k.ARPA> tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney) writes: >You should never allow wishes for magic items of any significant power. > [...] Obviously that would be wasted >effort if you could just get the whole thing with a single wish. Why not? If a character wishes for a +5 magic potrzbie, let him have it. Of course, there will also be a powerful NPC who is VERY annoyed, because his potrzbie just disappeared... -- Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) (415)932-6900
friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) (11/28/84)
In article <246@zinfandel.UUCP> berry@zinfandel.UUCP (Berry Kercheval) writes: >In article <47@cmu-cs-k.ARPA> tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney) writes: > >>You should never allow wishes for magic items of any significant power. >> [...] Obviously that would be wasted >>effort if you could just get the whole thing with a single wish. > >Why not? If a character wishes for a +5 >magic potrzbie, let him have it. Of course, there will also be a powerful >NPC who is VERY annoyed, because his potrzbie just disappeared... > >-- >Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) >(415)932-6900 Or, since in my world most artifact and high power items are owned by gods .... Sarima Noolendur
kay@flame.UUCP (Kay Dekker) (11/30/84)
>Why not? If a character wishes for a +5 >magic potrzbie, let him have it. Of course, there will also be a powerful >NPC who is VERY annoyed, because his potrzbie just disappeared... Duhh? What's a potrzbie? I didn't find it in the DMG. Could I have details? and how do you pronounce it? Kay. -- "Serendipity: finding something useful on the net" ... mcvax!ukc!qtlon!flame!ubu!kay
chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Cheshire Chuqui) (12/03/84)
In article <250@flame.UUCP> kay@flame.UUCP (Kay Dekker) writes: >>Why not? If a character wishes for a +5 >>magic potrzbie, let him have it. Of course, there will also be a powerful >>NPC who is VERY annoyed, because his potrzbie just disappeared... > >Duhh? What's a potrzbie? I didn't find it in the DMG. Could I have >details? and how do you pronounce it? Uh, I'm very annoyed... I was just about to impress this damsel in distress by killing off this diamond dragon, see, when all of a sudden my +5 potrzbie disappeared (for those that don't know, a potrzbie looks suspiciously like a bazooka, shoots projectiles that do 5-500 hp of damage and does half damage to anything within 14" of the point of contact). Needless to say, the dragon was quite amused, the damsel wasn't (the dragon later told me she was delicious) and I'm looking for the guy that stole my potrzbie... My he hope I never find him.... Lucius the Lucious, 11th level palladin -- From the center of a Plaid pentagram: Chuq Von Rospach {cbosgd,decwrl,fortune,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo}!nsc!chuqui nsc!chuqui@decwrl.ARPA ~But you know, monsieur, that as long as she wears the claw of the dragon upon her breast you can do nothing-- her soul belongs to me!~