Yep. They're changing the game. Free D&D Insider membership required to read the article, but here's an excerpt:
What sets wizards apart from others who wield arcane magic are wizards’ unique implements. Most people recognize the three most common tools associated with wizardcraft: the orb, staff, and wand.
Any wizard can use an implement to increase the effectiveness of his spells. Just as a warrior gains a benefit when attacking an enemy with a magic sword, so does a wizard benefit from using a magic orb, staff, or wand with his spellcasting. In addition, each implement focuses magic of a particular discipline or tradition more effectively than the wizard would be able to accomplish otherwise. As a result, wizards are rarely without at least one of these tools.
Comments
Illusion/Enchantment = Wand
Evocation/Abjuration = Staff
Divination = Orb
And I guess we'd have to fit Necromancy and Abjuration in there too, right?
The descriptors on spells and effects is one of the best things about 3.X. I hope they keep them.
The orb is favored by the Iron Sigil and Serpent Eye traditions. Serpent Eye cabalists use orbs to focus powers of enchantment, beguiling, and ensnaring. The mages of the Iron Sigil, on the other hand, employ orbs to guard themselves with potent defenses when invoking spells of thunder or force.
The staff is best suited to the disciplines of the Hidden Flame and the Golden Wyvern. Servants of the Hidden Flame wield fierce powers of fire and radiance through their staves. Golden Wyvern initiates are battle-mages who use their staves to shape and sculpt the spells they cast.
The wand is a perennial favorite for wizards who favor accurate, damaging attacks. Emerald Frost adepts use wands to help channel powers of cold and deadly acidic magic, while Stormwalker theurges channel spells of lightning and force through their wands.
What I envision is being able to replace those cabals and schools with ones specific to your own game world. Kind of like how PrC's were >supposed< to have worked in 3.0
In Scarred Lands, for example (becuase I get to play in that setting), different magic traditions and the appropriate gear could be linked to the different Gods.
But of course you can always replace cabals with ones from your own game. :)
Why do you say "supposed to have worked in 3.0"? I don't see how they fail to be adaptable, as written...
You are not wrong. But that's "as written", not "as played".
In practice, I only ever saw PrC's used as specific "power ups" for PCs. Don't get me wrong, I'm as guilty of this as anyone else. But very few if any PrC's evoked the setting in any kind of concrete or even mechinal way. And that was kind iof a bummer for me.
Anyone else struck by similarities to their MMO PCs?
MMO's are not the be-all end-all of games, devs! Just sayin'...
Seems like WotC cut a few corners on the authentication bit.