Bah, duels and their fanciful tales. Very well, here’s a yarn about a wizard’s duel I once found myself in, though don’t expect any flowery prose.
The duel was against a wizard notorious in the realm, a gaunt figure shrouded in a cloak as dark as the abyss. His eyes, like flickering embers, glared from beneath his hood, giving off an air of malice that could chill the bones. Known for his mastery of shadow magic, he was a formidable opponent, not someone to trifle with. We faced off in the ruins of an ancient citadel, its crumbled walls and eerie silence adding to the grim atmosphere. Moss-covered stones and ominous statues surrounded us, witnesses to countless battles fought long ago.
As for me, a dwarf wizard of no small repute, I grasped my trusty staff, runes etched deep into its wood glowing faintly with arcane energy. My specialty lies in elemental magic, particularly fire and earth – a stark contrast to my foe’s shadowy inclinations. The battle commenced with a series of intricate incantations and arcane gestures. My opponent began by summoning tendrils of darkness, snaking towards me like vipers poised to strike. I countered with a burst of flame, illuminating the ruins and turning his shadows to mere wisps of smoke.
The duel intensified, spells clashing with the force of clanging swords. I summoned a protective barrier of earthen rock to shield myself from his relentless shadow bolts. In response, he conjured illusions to disorient me, phantoms dancing in the periphery of my vision. But I wasn’t easily fooled; I’ve been around long enough to know trickery when I see it. I let out a thunderous roar, channeling my magic to shatter his illusions like glass.
As the duel reached its climax, I decided to end it with a display of raw power. Drawing deep from my magical reserves, I summoned a mighty inferno, a swirling vortex of fire and heat. The dark wizard, realizing the impending danger, attempted to flee, but it was too late. The fiery tempest engulfed him, and with a final, desperate scream, he was no more. The ruins stood silent once again, the only evidence of our battle the smoldering remnants of his cloak.
Wizard Duel Mechanics (5e)
Right, let’s delve into the 5e mechanics of this wizard’s duel. Dumbasses love their rules, after all.
- Shadow Magic vs Elemental Magic: In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5e), wizards choose a school of magic as their Arcane Tradition. My opponent likely specialized in the School of Necromancy or perhaps even a homebrewed Shadow Magic tradition, focusing on darkness and illusion spells. My specialization in elemental magic would be akin to choosing the School of Evocation, emphasizing destructive fire and earth spells.
- Initial Spells: The dark wizard’s opening move, summoning tendrils of darkness, could be represented by a spell like “Arms of Hadar” or a custom spell mimicking its effects. My counter with a burst of flame would be a classic “Fireball” or “Burning Hands” spell, basic but effective.
- Defensive Tactics: My use of an earthen barrier could be a creative application of “Wall of Stone” or “Stone Skin” for personal defense. His shadow bolts might be akin to “Eldritch Blast” if he’s dabbling in Warlock territory, or a “Shadow Bolt” homebrew spell.
- Illusions and Counters: His illusions could be represented by “Mirror Image” or “Major Image.” My response, shattering his illusions, could be a simple dispel via “Dispel Magic” or an Intimidation check to resist being fooled, depending on how the Dungeon Master (DM) interprets it.
- Final Confrontation: My climactic inferno would be a high-level spell, like “Fire Storm” or “Meteor Swarm.” These spells cause massive damage and can indeed be battle-enders, fitting the description of a mighty inferno. His attempt to flee and subsequent demise could involve a failed saving throw against the spell’s effects.
In a 5e setting, each of these actions would involve rolls for spell attack, damage, and saving throws, depending on the spells’ mechanics. The DM would also play a key role in interpreting how some of the more creative applications of spells play out, especially in the case of homebrewed elements like shadow magic.
Wizard Duel Mechanics (SWADE)
- Arcane Backgrounds and Powers: In SWADE, spellcasters have “Arcane Backgrounds” that define their magical abilities. My elemental magic would likely fall under the “Wizard” background, focusing on flashy, destructive spells. My opponent’s shadow magic could be a part of a “Sorcerer” or a custom Arcane Background, emphasizing darkness and illusion.
- Casting Spells: SWADE uses a system of “Powers” to represent spells, with each power having various “Trappings” to define its specific effects. The dark wizard’s tendrils of darkness could be the “Entangle” power with a shadow trapping, while my burst of flame might be the “Blast” power with a fire trapping.
- Defensive Tactics: My earthen barrier could be represented by the “Barrier” power with an earth trapping. His shadow bolts could be the “Bolt” power, again with a shadow trapping, symbolizing his focus on dark, direct attacks.
- Illusions and Resistance: His use of illusions could be the “Illusion” power. My response, shattering his illusions, would likely involve a Notice roll to see through the deception, or a Smarts roll to discern the reality, depending on the GM’s call.
- Finale – Fiery Tempest: The climactic inferno I unleashed would be a powerful use of the “Blast” power, possibly at a higher Power Point cost for increased effect. In SWADE, this would require a casting roll, and the dark wizard would get a chance to resist, likely with an Agility roll to escape the area of effect.
In SWADE, the duel would be more about managing Power Points and making tactical choices with the powers available. The system is more streamlined compared to 5e, focusing less on specific spells and more on generic powers that can be flavored to fit different magical styles.