Magical Duels in the Campaign

A magical duel allows player characters to test their spellcasting prowess in any number of ways. For example, if a party finds a valuable magical item suitable for either of the group’s two wizard PCs, the two characters could conduct a friendly duel to see which one gets the item.

Magical duels can be a useful tool for the DM as well. A nonlethal duel is an excellent way for a rising druid to match wits with an NPC rival when advancing a level. In a similar vein, an NPC wizard might refuse to cooperate by sharing a new spell or some other bit of magical knowledge with the PCs until one of the party spellcasters defeats one of his apprentices—or perhaps the NPC himself—in a duel.

A magical duel can also make an excellent climactic encounter in an adventure. For example, a lich might offer to duel a PC wizard or priest to the death, providing a real challenge to the character. Of course, the rest of the party might have their hands full beating off a sneak attack by the lich’s minions while the duel proceeds, but a duel might give the heroes a better than normal chance to actually slay the lich and still escape the lair with their skins intact. Don’t forget the problem of finding a mediator for the duel. (Do the PCs trust the lich’s sinister necromancer apprentice, or does another party spellcaster step forward, which commits two player characters to the duel?)

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