One of my pet peeves of modern fantasy media is the notion that some people are “special” - and thus implied to be “better” - than other people because of some inherent magical ability. One of the best-known modern examples of this is the Harry Potter franchise, where the protagonists are mostly mages, and even the characters who actually care about the welfare of the latter do so in an extremely patronizing way - i.e. by stopping the “bad mages” rather than working together.

In #dnd and similar #ttrpg, the concept is represent by the “sorcerer” and similar characters who gained their cool powers from some innate birth ability rather than study and hard work.

And while there is nothing wrong with wanting to play such a character, just for once I would like to see an in-setting examination of what it means to have this privilege, instead of the more common:

“Oh no, woe is me, I have been born with special powers and will be hated and persecuted for them. Thus, I must spend most of my time in a secret society with my fellow very special people!”

To be clear, people born with privilege did not ask to be born with privilege, and cannot be blamed for that. However, they should also acknowledge that they have this privilege, and not assume that they are somehow “better” than people without it.

One of my pet peeves of modern fantasy media is the notion that some people are “special” - and thus implied to be “better” - than other people because of some inherent magical ability. One of the best-known modern examples of this is the Harry Potter franchise, where the protagonists are mostly mages, and even the characters who actually care about the welfare of the latter do so in an extremely patronizing way - i.e. by stopping the “bad mages” rather than working together.

In #dnd and similar #ttrpg, the concept is represent by the “sorcerer” and similar characters who gained their cool powers from some innate birth ability rather than study and hard work.

And while there is nothing wrong with wanting to play such a character, just for once I would like to see an in-setting examination of what it means to have this privilege, instead of the more common:

“Oh no, woe is me, I have been born with special powers and will be hated and persecuted for them. Thus, I must spend most of my time in a secret society with my fellow very special people!”

To be clear, people born with privilege did not ask to be born with privilege, and cannot be blamed for that. However, they should also acknowledge that they have this privilege, and not assume that they are somehow “better” than people without it.

I like Midgard, the first German fantasy ttrpg, in that regard. Every character has magic talent as a stat like dexterity, strength or int. When starting out, only some classes have already learned to use that inherent ability everyone has but there’s rules for learning magic for non magic classes. Granted this cost a helluva lot of exp to do but it is possible and takes a bit away from that special people factor

Who the pretty lady

Who the pretty lady

Seoni, the “Iconic Sorcerer” from the Pathfinder RPG.

don’t most systems relate magic to a stat. int, wis, cha in the case of pathfinder and dNd? Like in pathfinder your to hit and damage with spells are effected by your key stat. That seems more natural to me. having a magic talent stat is like having a non magic talent stat. to generic over str/dex or such. Granted I wish the magic systems split them more up on both sides. dex and int being to hit and str/cha being damage (although I hate cha as opposed to a word like will power or prescence or such)

One of my pet peeves of modern fantasy media is the notion that some people are “special” - and thus implied to be “better” - than other people because of some inherent magical ability. One of the best-known modern examples of this is the Harry Potter franchise, where the protagonists are mostly mages, and even the characters who actually care about the welfare of the latter do so in an extremely patronizing way - i.e. by stopping the “bad mages” rather than working together.

In #dnd and similar #ttrpg, the concept is represent by the “sorcerer” and similar characters who gained their cool powers from some innate birth ability rather than study and hard work.

And while there is nothing wrong with wanting to play such a character, just for once I would like to see an in-setting examination of what it means to have this privilege, instead of the more common:

“Oh no, woe is me, I have been born with special powers and will be hated and persecuted for them. Thus, I must spend most of my time in a secret society with my fellow very special people!”

To be clear, people born with privilege did not ask to be born with privilege, and cannot be blamed for that. However, they should also acknowledge that they have this privilege, and not assume that they are somehow “better” than people without it.

The important part here is that it’s an extra stat that everyone has. It’s not like DnD or Pathfinder where you know magic and your modifier comes from one of your normal stats and everyone else does not know magic. Magic Talent is an extra that every class has and every class can eventually make use of if they live long enough. It’s also the implication that you don’t have a magic on/off switch that is rolled at birth. Everyone has that possibility but has to go through training to use it.

While the Eberron setting doesn't directly tie dragonmarks to the Sorcerer class, it does explore hereditary magic as a privilege. In general, if you're not of the bloodlines who are "supposed to" get particular constructive magic and want to go into business using that magic, you need to either sign a contract with the appropriate Dragonmarked House or they'll go Pinkerton on your ass. This cuts the other way, too, where anyone in the House with such powers is pressured to participate.

Racism and prejudice are missing from your equation. The sorcerer is different but only treated special in character creation because they get free shit. In the world they would be hated and feared as the person who started fires as a child or drowned a local cow. They would have a rumor of death or destruction follow them wherever they go

Good on your for not thinking of how much your personal frustrations would impact the behavior of the world. It’s hard to think beyond prejudice and racism.

People hate different people for existing and different people exist: they can be called “special” but they are still different. And special people exist. That’s what makes Einstein and Mozart and many others stand out in history. Differences exist. How your world treats them is what makes a good story.

Seoni, the iconic sorcerer of Pathfinder.

I'll note that one thing that bugs me about the Sorcerer class *is* that, despite how fairly early in D&D 3e's life there was a Dragon article talking about many alternative ways to have innate magic other than being born with it, both D&D itself and Pathfinder after it doubled down on the "magical bloodline" lore and terminology.

My preference is more "wizards have an education, warlocks have a magic sugar daddy, sorcerers have a superhero origin".

I’d also like to see it come with relevant costs. Much in the same way genius and madness often go hand in hand. Not full on oracle’s curse, more like how some beautiful people struggle being taken seriously or respected for their minds, or how some neurodivergent people just get difficult subjects while struggling with aspects of ordinary life.

But yeah generally I’m in full agreement with you. Show me the half orc who only got a chance in their hometown because they’re a sorcerer and that resulted in complicated emotions. Show me the noble whose family paid good money for their child to be a sorcerer and now they’re off trying to prove themselves. Show me a society in which a sorcerer child is considered an unimaginable blessing even though that bloodline may leave their sibling a hated tiefling and then use it to show a golden child/scapegoat sibling dynamic enforced not necessarily by the parents, but by the whole community.

The Locked Tomb did both. Necromancers are a blessing and privileged. There are roles in society only they’re allowed to fill. But they’re also chronically ill. They’re frail and sickly and look and feel like they’re dying. That actually would give credence to if they were to not like being like that.