Let's Talk About Magic Missile (1st Level)

 

As you might expect, I think about D&D a lot. In fact, I'm almost always thinking about it. About a year ago, I started thinking about how magic would impact the modern world if it suddenly appeared one day. Here are the assumptions through which I will build this hypothetical scenario.

 

My Assumptions

- Magic has not always existed.

- Magic was discovered last year.

- 1 out of every 1000 people are naturally gifted with magic.

- Spells are being discovered all the time.

- Magic breaks the laws of physics in ways we don't understand.

- This is not the only spell in the world.

 

Today's spell: MAGIC MISSILE

1st-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 Feet

Components: Voice, Motion

Duration: Instantaneous

You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4+1 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.

 

This is the quintessential D&D spell. In short, it's like a gun. You shoot high-speed darts at a target, and the spell never misses. Very handy.

 

What It Changes

This spell's power depends on how difficult it is to use magic in the first place. If we're using D&D rules, the ability to use magic can be given from birth or learned after years of practice (like becoming a surgeon). If we're using Harry Potter rules, anybody with adequate skill with a wand could conceivably cast the spell with a little practice. This is scary when you realize that wands (or even bare hands) can be used like a gun at any time. Talk about a concealed carry.

 

You're going to hear this a lot, but in every scenario, magic is dangerous. Let me rephrase that: No matter how whimsical or wondrous or lovely a fantasy world is, the mere presence of magic inherently makes the world ten times more dangerous. You may feel nervous just thinking about holding a gun. Imagine if guns were untraceable and invisible, and the bullets never missed.

 

Accio terrorism.

 

The existence of this spell in modern society would create an immediate need for counter-spells. Assuming magic isn't unstoppable and unimaginably powerful, we'd surely find ways to stop, or at least protect against it.

Just as weapon technology has escalated the need for defensive technology, offensive magic naturally leads to defensive magic. What form might that take? Armor.

We don't know the exact penetrative ability of your typical magic missile compared to your typical bullet, so potentially, Kevlar might be enough to stop it. In fact, a lot of dense fabrics might stop it. However, based on my core assumptions, there are other spells in the world, and some of those spells are going to be based on enchanting regular items to become magical.

Enterprising manufacturers would find ways to infuse regular clothing with protection from such danger, or even special, inconspicuous under-clothing. It works like a bulletproof vest, except they could have the spells extend to cover your extremities, such as your head. Why not? It's magic.

 

Technological Applications

As defense technologies improve, we would see an escalation of offensive technology (here meaning magic). Eventually we would see a version of this spell that penetrates targets better, fires more missiles, fires faster and is easier to use. Because of the escalation of defense technology and enchantment, military development would find a way to infuse the spell into a physical weapon (in D&D this takes the form of a wand or scroll). This would have several benefits over a traditional projectile-based weapons when it comes to weight. Imagine a balsa wood wand that carries a few thousand "shots?" Enterprising entrepreneurs might also find ways to imbue regular bullets with a part of the Magic Missile spell so they never miss, which cuts training costs dramatically. Note that we'll see some defensive spells coming up that could very well render traditional firearms obsolete over time.

 

Does it Change Life as We Know It?

At its most basic level, I think defensive magic technologies could be so cheaply developed that it would essentially nullify the basic spell after a few years, if the threat were big enough. Primarily, it would cause weapon escalation. As mentioned above, it would forever change the game for military weapon technology. Harry Potter-style magical education would be nonexistent to the general public outside of illegal private teachers, and certain spells would definitely be deemed illegal. There is no school of witchcraft and wizardry; there is a black book of military secrets. Anyone with access to magicwould either be kidnapped by the government for experimentation OR hired to produce enchanted weapons OR simply locked up in a black site prison.

 

Other Thoughts

Magic Missile is a standard, low-level spell. I'm curious to see how the world breaks down under the weight of magic. With my current model, it would be easier for governments to control the dangers that come with this and other spells. However, if that ratio shifted even a little in favor of more magical people, the world would become incredibly dangerous; it would change so dramatically and so suddenly that I struggle to speculate. Seems like a good premise for a novel, though.