Non-artificial ways of limiting access to magic...

[Trifletraxor]

Or does anybody think that a good game which is powered by the S&S spirit of Hyborea does need balanced magics? No. It needs dark magic as it is described in the Conan books for example. (which is everything else than balanced)

The maguses have no chance against Conan, so it's balanced I would say!

SGL.

[Enpeze]

The maguses have no chance against Conan, so it's balanced I would say!

SGL.

I think conan has an excellent guardian angel with REH.

[Nightshade]

Cultural, religious, or societal morals and/or taboos are the way to limit or grant access to magic in any given game world.

This can seem artificial at face value, but it's not really.

Culture 'X' says that in order to become an apprentice, you must pass a test. This test translates in game terms to having a certain level in 'Z' skills or 'Y' characteristics.

Even if that works short term in the setting (and it is short term; controlling access to specific skills has never worked in the long term) there's no guarentee it'll actually work amongst a group of PCs unless all PCs are firmly set in their settings mores and not permitted to deviate therefrom.

[drohem]

Even if that works short term in the setting (and it is short term; controlling access to specific skills has never worked in the long term) there's no guarentee it'll actually work amongst a group of PCs unless all PCs are firmly set in their settings mores and not permitted to deviate therefrom.

What are you talking about? Who said anything about restricting access to skills?

Works in the short term, huh?

I don't think you understood my post because your response makes no sense to me.

[Nightshade]

What are you talking about? Who said anything about restricting access to skills?

Works in the short term, huh?

I don't think you understood my post because your response makes no sense to me.

What I'm saying is that unless all your magic is, from a lack of a better term, "aware", and thus will only work for people who should have access to it, access to it will leak out sooner or later, the same way any other useful knowledge does; in particular, whatever their society says they should be doing, PCs will tend to teach other PCs things they think its useful for them to know.