When a Magic-user obtains a new level, he can go through that level of spells and try to learn to use those spells. He rolls through the list of spells until he gains his minimum number of spells. He can add those spells into his spell book. Any additional spells that he want to learn and use he needs to find them from other Magic tomes up to his Maximum spells known per level.When a MU finds a spell that he would like to add into his spellbook he needs to see if he can 'know' it. Knowing a spell is a percentage roll based on INT. If the roll is successful, the MU can know that spell and add it to his spell book for future use.
The cost and time for adding a spell to a spellbook is as follows:
Cost: 20-50gp for ink, which lasts for 2-4 spellsCreating Scrolls
Time: one hour per spell level
Magic-users may make a scroll of a spell they already 'know' (have in their spellbook) at a cost of 100 gp and 1 week's work for each spell level. The gold spent in this process counts towards experience. If he fails the roll to know the spell then he cannot add it to his spell book until he gains a new level and can attempt to lean the spell once again.
A magic-user cannot have more spells per level in his spellbook than is his Maximum number of spells. This too is based on intelligence.
Spells are very complicated mystic formulas and it takes a lot of intelligence to understand and harness this knowledge. The MU's brain can only hold so much knowledge, the higher INT the more knowledge he can hold.
Using Spells
- A Magic-user needs to memorize spells that he wants to cast.
- Once cast he forgets that spell and he needs to memorize it again.
- Memorizing takes time and rest.
- The only spells that he can memorize are the ones in his spell-book.
- The only spells that he can put into his spellbook are spells that he can know.
God, there are a lot of different subsystems interacting here. I think the reason I've been having such trouble with it is that it's a really inelegant set of mechanics, with too many similar terms connoting different actions.
ReplyDeleteI understand that I need to roll whenever I encounter a new spell at a spell level I can cast, and that this roll determines whether I can learn the spell. If I can, I need to write it in my spellbook. I can only write spells in my spellbook if I know them; I can only know 6 spells per level (spell level, not character level); therefore I can only have 6 spells in my spellbook at each spell level.
Questions/Thoughts:
--What is the point of separating the systems of knowing spells and writing them in the spellbook? They are effectively identical and nothing is gained.
--I have more than one spellbook. Mine plus two found during our travels. Those contain spells I don't know, but can roll to learn upon level up. Is there any problem with this? It completely circumvents the limitation of only storing 6 spells in the spellbook, offering me much greater flexibility to "swap out" spells at level-up.
--I didn't know it cost money to scribe spells into the book, I need to deduct several hundred GP next session.
Yes, I agree it's a bit clunky. I think it always has been and argued upon since the game came out. It's based on Jack Vance's concept of wizards and spells (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dying_Earth). The first story in his Dying Earth book covers it well.
ReplyDeleteYes, the word level has different meaning; as in Character level, dungeon level and spell level. Being a 3rd level wizard lets you cast one second level wizard spell and two 1st level spells. Your character level and spell level have nothing to do with each other. The spell levels are just how challenging the spells are. A 10th level spell is 10 times more challenging to learn and master than a 1st level spell.
Your second paragraph is correct.
To answer you questions:
Technically how this works is that at a new level, you go through and roll to determine what spells you are able to know until you hit that minimum amount which in your case I believe is 4. These are the spells that you will be able to use if you ever run across those spells in a book or scroll on your adventures. You technically do not gain those spells until you find them. I found the to be incredibly restricting for the MU character. Most folks house ruled it so that you actually got those spells at a new level. That is how we are now doing it as well but only the minimum. You have room to max out your spells per spell level to 6 based on the spells that you find while you adventure.
After having filled your 4 minimum when you leveled up, say you find a web spell in a book or scroll. You have two more 2nd level (ranked) spell slots left. You think that the web spell would be a great spell to have in your repertoire. You roll the percentile dice to determine if you can learn the spell after study. A successful roll means that you have learned the spell and can add it to your book. If the roll fails, you can't try to learn the spell again until you level up.
ReplyDelete- You can only have in your spell book the spells that you know. So yes, 6 per rank/spell level. You can keep those other spell books around as part of your haul, research etc. If you go back to the original concept of the rules, a bunch of spell books lets you pick and choose what spells you want to fill out your slots as you do not gain spells upon level but by finding them.
-Yes, pay up!
Phew. OK. I think I get it now. Thanks, Paul :)
ReplyDelete