Should magics have verbal requirements for spells?

[Markisstreaming 521]

I'm looking for the community's opinion on this, should magics like Housemagery, Bardmancy, and other small, not really combat-oriented magics have a system where you have to say what you're doing before it actually happens. For example, the Housemagery spell Catch Spark. Currently, it's a pretty basic thing. Summon aura, flick, and boom, candle be burning. My proposal is, should it go something like
Housemage summons aura
Housemage looks at candle "Light!" and flicks at it.
Candle lights up

I think it'd add some more flavor to magics and a little diversity, requiring the mages to express what they're trying to do. Because flicking your wrist at a candle could mean you want to light it, but it could also mean you want to blow it out.

[MeteorDragon 2822]

The aesthetics of spells are up to the mage - casting requirements are up to the specific magic. There are some magics that require verbal input, however, I don't believe all should. Who cares if a flick of the wrist can mean two different things, perhaps it's just the mage showing they're capable of something with minimal effort 

[Traveller 2171]

too harry potter-esque, like meteor said it's up to the mage and i imagine their intention is channelled within their magics anyway

[TeawithFrisket 2634]

My used to be mage would speak backwards elven when casting spells

 

try then apples

[Cheese 2307]

As an illusionist, if I had to verbalize every spell I did, they would all end horribly because people would then be able to disbelieve said mirage and the magic would be mostly useless.

But this was a good thought, I think it would be funny to yell out their spells like anime characters 

[Markisstreaming 521]

36 minutes ago, MeteorDragon said:

The aesthetics of spells are up to the mage - casting requirements are up to the specific magic. There are some magics that require verbal input, however, I don't believe all should. Who cares if a flick of the wrist can mean two different things, perhaps it's just the mage showing they're capable of something with minimal effort 

Good point, yeah! All I'm saying is that for some spells in some magics, making it mandatory could cause some interesting situations

 

Just now, Cheese1sgrater said:

As an illusionist, if I had to verbalize every spell I did, they would all end horribly because people would then be able to disbelieve said mirage and the magic would be mostly useless.

But this was a good thought, I think it would be funny to yell out their spells like anime characters 

That's why I said some magics that are not combat focused and such. Because yeah, that'd be difficult

[ydegirl 1757]

i think it'd be silly in the cute way for magics like bardmancy and housemagery but im not a magic rper so idrc shrug

[DrunkPapaBear 1975]

all the cool magics already require you to chant/speak

[PrimnyaQuorum 1036]

I think it's a neat tell depending on the magic - though I believe some of the stuff under Heralds of Azdromoth requires it to be spoken aloud. Would need further citation on that, not something I've read a lot of

 

I think magic tells and auras, to a extent, should be whatever, provided it's a clearly notable tell and it's not providing a advantage to someone in the encounter. My only concern is about making it mandatory - that would kinda prevent any mute character from picking up the magic for little reason.

 

 

[Markisstreaming 521]

6 minutes ago, DrunkPapaBear said:

all the cool magics already require you to chant/speak

Bardmancy doesn't :(
 

 

5 minutes ago, PrimnyaQuorum said:

I think it's a neat tell depending on the magic - though I believe some of the stuff under Heralds of Azdromoth requires it to be spoken aloud. Would need further citation on that, not something I've read a lot of

 

I think magic tells and auras, to a extent, should be whatever, provided it's a clearly notable tell and it's not providing a advantage to someone in the encounter. My only concern is about making it mandatory - that would kinda prevent any mute character from picking up the magic for little reason.

 

 

Yeah, that's a good point.

[JustMeMorgan 1000]

Did you read my status post??? mr Markis

 

29 minutes ago, DrunkPapaBear said:

all the cool magics already require you to chant/speak

(They don't btw, you can literally just sit silently and look at a place and bam you could cast a T5 ice spike into someone's cranium)

 

2 hours ago, MeteorDragon said:

snippy

My only thing to consider abt what you said Meteor, is I'm guessing we both already add tonnes of flavour into our spells, movements, incantations, etc. But a lot of other mages out there would much rather sit in a corner and just emote the spell happening, nothing about their character and what they're doing. On top of that having requirements means it gives us some limitations rather than just 'oh if you can see you can cast' it also adds other requirements

 

-+-

Spoiler

 

I did write a status post abt this idea recently, maybe an optional feat mages can take that will change how their focus and spell play works.

 

 

My idea would be an optional feat that makes it so mages have to perform a ritual circle of some kind and an incantation. Rather than standard connection of spells (gets pushed, loses connection) it all relies on your circle and incantation, if you complete both then boom your spell is cast no matter how long it took or if you were hurt halfway through (example being during a fight, you are thrown away from your ritual circle but over a few minutes manage to get back to it, completing it and the incantation and thus casting your spell)

 

I like the idea of making people have to do more to cast their spell, sure with stuff like illusion it might be sketchy but there could be exemptions or alternatives

 

It's a neat idea that I'd like to see enforced, seen too many lazy mages in my time on lotc

 

Beneath is an example piece of lore I just cooked up to describe how Incantations and Circle spells may be used and implemented

Spoiler

Incantations and Circles

 

Circles - A mage constructs a small circle drawn in chalk or another material around them, adding in relevant runes or phrases within. They will then imbue this spell with their mana to turn it into a temporary yet static mana anchor of which their spell will draw energy from -+- Circle spells take up half, rounded up, of the usual emote requirement for a spell.

 

Incantations - After completing their circle, a mage will then speak their incantations they have associated with the spell. These do not have to be anything standard, yet should typically have meanings they have associated with that particular spell, for instance a protective shield may have words such as "Defend, Protector, Saviour, Vanguard" in the incantation, whereas an offensive one may have "Destroyer, Vengence, Ruin" in it. It is generally suggested a mage develops their own incantations that they use for spells, but keep them the same as it is the repeated use that gives it power. -+- Incantations take the remaining emote requirement, mages will use phrases they have developed themselves for the spells, typically having a book or something similar to remember what phrases they use for what spells. It is through this ritualism that empowers the spell.

 

After casting the incantation, no matter how long or how much damage the mage had taken, the spell is completed and is cast. The mage must however be able to speak clearly to fulfil their incantations - cannot be spoken whilst gagged or during a deathrattle for instance - and the ritual circle depending on the material used may be broken (such as water washing away the chalk, or one using a fine powder having it kicked and broken)

 

[Unwillingly 11175]

14 minutes ago, JustMeMorgan said:

They don't btw

key word "cool magics"

 

if you don't have a verbal chant to cast then ur magic simply isn't cool. srry idk I don't make the rules

[Somersetting 304]

Nah, I'm of the very strong opinion that more magics like house magery and voidal stuff should be less understood, more varied, and have completely different traditions and understandings of it. One town's mages should be saying "yeah its house magery it comes from the soul" the other is saying "no its science you have to say these words (you don't)" and another saying "This is a gift from our great god X and it is holy magic". 

 

And all of them should be at least slightly wrong 

[megavoltar 1110]

I already emote my skeleton fire balls with cool names, sometimes just random attack names for normal attacks too, its fun

[ClassyDryad 1733]

It would kind of remove the uniqueness of the magics that do require verbal components (shamanism, naztherak, heraldry). There is nothing stopping someone from adding verbal components to their other magics on their own but it's not forced and should not really be forced on them.