I drew the following lists up as sort of a bass ackwards way of answering the question "What is this magic-user up to?"
1st level
Join a band of up to 11 like-minded Mediums, perhaps accompanied by your master (MU3)
Join a Basic NPC party
Serve as apprentice to a Magic-User of 7th to 10th level
Travel to the newly-built tower of a MU 11+ to become their apprentice
Serve as a Retainer to a PC
Serve as retainer to a minor Noble (F3)
2nd level
Join a Basic NPC party
Serve as apprentice to a Magic-User of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits.
Travel to the newly-built tower of a MU 11+ to become their apprentice
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
3rd level
Take on up to 12 first level apprentices
Join a Basic NPC party
Serve as apprentice to a Magic-User of 7th to 10th level
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Travel to the newly-built tower of a MU 11+ to become their apprentice
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
4th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
5th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
6th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Serve as a retainer to a Fighter of 7th to 10th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
7th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
8th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Hang out with Nomads
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
9th level
Join an Expert NPC party
Join a band of Brigands
Join a band of Pirates
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
10th level
Join a band of Brigands
Join a band of Pirates
Join a band of Buccaneers
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
11th level
Join a band of Brigands
Join a band of Buccaneers
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices
12th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices
13th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices
14th level
Lead up to 30 Bandits
Serve as a Retainer to a PC of at least the same level
Make some magic items
Build a tower, attract d6 apprentices
Looking at this stuff reminded me of the fact that under B/X rules magic-users of up to 3rd level are still considered apprentices. And I also learned that such an apprentice could have up to 3 different masters. They could start out with an intitial 3rd level instructor who teaches them the basics of the craft. Then either the master dismisses them ("You've learned all I can teach you.") or the apprentice wises up and leaves. They then seek out a travelling MU of 7th to 10th level in hopes of learning more. But then they hear a bigwig wizard is setting up a new tower, so they head out to learn from them instead. Or maybe their first instructor leaves for an opportunity to learn from a higher level master. Imagine showing up to a shiny new tower and having to compete with your old tutor for a spot!
The Revisitation
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Following on from the role-playing games I have and haven't played, here
are the games I've played but would very much like to play again before my
body fa...
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1d6 apprentices all hanging around smoking pipes waiting for tower construction to finish. Breakdancing on a frictionless Wall of Force someone set up on the floor, robes whirling, one apprentice on the sidelines beatboxing.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that would be a neat little convention adventure. Everyone plays an apprentice M-U vying for the favor of an 11th level M-U who just finished his shiny tower.
Is it just me, or do these lists make the world they describe seem really post-apocalyptic/frontier-ish? A medieval fantasy post-apocalypse, but I definitely get a civilized-society-has-broken-down vibe. I dig it.
ReplyDeleted30, that idea is goddamn amazing.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't mind, I might take it for a convention that's coming up in a couple months.
oddysey- It isn't just you.
1. Brilliant as usual, Jeff.
ReplyDelete2. A similar list could be compiled for each class.
3. Those lists could be used to make a Traveller-like character creation system for generating high-level characters (PC or NPC).
"Imagine showing up to a shiny new tower and having to compete with your old tutor for a spot..."
ReplyDeleteAn opportunity for cable-drama skullduggery, intruigue, and betrayal. It's just like grad school!
@Oddysey I definitely get that vibe from the Basic/Expert books. D&D in general has a very Western/Frontier/Post-Apoc vibe more than a Medieval one.
ReplyDelete@Odyssey, et. al.: Agreed; heaven knows that's how I play things in my B/X campaign.
ReplyDeleteEven allowing for the idea that the Middle Ages were essentially a recovery from a post-apocalyptic period themselves.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I wonder if the authors themselves gave as much thought to this when they stated what various M0Us were doing throughout the rules... It definitely gives us a "big picture" of what's going on in the world.
ReplyDeleteCanonical MU NPCs clearly get a lot more done than PCs... if you can't use this list to come up with a dozen adventure hooks for the party MU, hand in your dice! :)
ReplyDeleteExtremely awesome. Please do more for other classes, if you have the intestinal fortitude.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm going to refer back to this every time I design something from now on.
Brother, I wouldn't want to be a 2nd level MU in charge of 30 bandits. There's always some skeevy underling looking for his own shot at the big chair, & he must know full well that once you've fired off your second spell for the day you're a sitting duck.
ReplyDeleteVerification word: tated. To be beaten to death with tubers.