Just how strong are wizard genes?

[Becq]

Ok, we know that wizards have a constitution that, while not decidedly human, outstrips mundane mortals.  We know that that includes very long life, and the ability to eventually recover from (almost?) any wound.  I condition the almost, because while DFRPG limits the 'healing factor' to non-extreme conditions,

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it seems fairly clear (at least to me) that Dresden's ongoing recovery from his burned hand is and example of recovering from an extreme wound that would be impossible for a human to recover from

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That aside, I've been wondering just how far wizard's constitution goes?

* Does it grant immunity, resistance, or rapid recovery from many common diseases?  (Has Dresden or any other wizard been sick with any non-supernatural diseases?)  This seems implied by the long life, as otherwise it seems likely that older wizards would tend to die from, for example, cancer.

* Given that evidence suggests it is genetic in nature, are wizards born with it?  Or is it something that 'develops' due to extended exposure to magical energy?

* If they are born with it, does it impact the baby wizard's likelihood of suffering from genetic defects?  Or due to their 'wizard genes' are wizards all born defect-free?

* As the flip side to the above, if they are not born with it, will their wizard's constitution allow them to 'recover' from genetic defects?

I was toying with a concept for a midget wizard (High Concept: World's GreatestSmallest Wizard!  Trouble: Judge me by my size, do you?), and I wondered about this.  Is it even possible to have a midget wizard (question 3)?  Or (question 4) would the development of wizard's constitution bring with it an eventual reversal of his stunted growth?

Any thoughts?

[deathwombat]

Go with the little person wizard!

[Stormraven]

Not sure where you get the idea that it limits healing to non-extreme consequences.  YS170 'Total Recovery' says 'You can recover totally from any consequence - including extreme physical ones - with no other reason beyond time'

[WillH]

Not sure where you get the idea that it limits healing to non-extreme consequences.  YS170 'Total Recovery' says 'You can recover totally from any consequence - including extreme physical ones - with no other reason beyond time'

Um, it says excluding extreme consequences.

[babel2uk]

You're right Wizards Constitution doesn't help with healing Extreme Consequences. The way I read that, in conjunction with the section on Extreme Consequences, was that you can recover from one (any character can in theory using milesones) but it's always a difficult and a long process. You never just use the excuse of simply sitting and waiting as a reason to heal an extreme consequence, there have to be other justifications - you do after all need to change an aspect as well as wait for the consequence slot to free up. Any lesser consequence a wizard can just sit and wait for them to heal, they don't need to go to a doctors, have any form of first aid, or magical healing in order for a wound to heal of its own accord.

[arsieiuni]

Another good answer would be: Yes.
You want to play it, there's no glaring "NO YOU CANT DO THAT" button in the world...
so why worry about it? Just play the world's greatest..er... smallest wizard. That sounds... Awesome.

[mostlyawake]

There's no real reason that one gene (wizardness) should have to affect another (dwarfism).  You wouldn't "recover" from it, rather, you'd just heal wounds back to your base state.   If you play it that way, though, you could end up with wizards with crones disease, ms, or the like, where the disease is "injuring" them and the wizard's constitution is healing the injuries (but not the disease).

Alternatively, you can simply choose to view dwarfism as a heritable trait, like eye color. Dwarfism is usually considered a "condition", not a disease, (although there are other ailments common with it), so perhaps it works for a wizard concept when ms or crone's would not.

I honestly can't recall Dresden ever having a cold, or saying that he never had a cold.  Probably, he simply gets a cold and gets better quicker, but the cold is as bad as anyone else's cold.  While I kind of thought that

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the sickness in changes was a magical one, it's possible that it was nothing more than a really bad flu, designed to make the Council inoperable for a short time. Given the limitations on biomancy, this could have worked.

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Dresden does recover from an extreme consequence (in his hand), and his wizard's constitution is allowing that... what it does not help with is recovery "with no other reason but time"... basically he has had also to nurse that hand back to health, and give it a reason to start recovering. Also, note how long it has taken, and that it is still with him. He seems to indicate in changes that it will never be pretty again, but it will regain functionality. Currently, it still bothers him.

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[Stormraven]

Wow, how'd I misread that multiple times?  Every time I looked at it, I read it as Including, but I look now, and it doesn't.  Weird, that.

[Becq]

First of all, I understand that nothing that makes the game fun for the group is 'illegal'.  The question wasn't so much one of "Do the rules allow this character?" but rather one of "I had this character idea, and thinking about it made me wonder what the Dresdenified truth is."  So think of this as more of a philisophical discussion than a rules question. 

Another good answer would be: Yes.
You want to play it, there's no glaring "NO YOU CANT DO THAT" button in the world...
so why worry about it? Just play the world's greatest..er... smallest wizard. That sounds... Awesome.

Thanks!  Here's another aspect I was toying with: "Phenominal Cosmic Power!  (Itty-bitty living space)"

[arsieiuni]

Ah dude I figured that's what you wanted but I had nothing special to add so I had to point out that you should totally play this character!
LOVE THAT ASPECT XD

Man you have some great taste. haaa!


He could have the aspect... "He's like you in every way... except 1/8 your size."
Or "There's No One Taller Than The Last Man Standing"  < I like this one!
Or "Dynamite Comes In Small Packages"

I'm too corny usually... but I don't think I'm too corny  for this concept.