*Non-human characters typically are able to speak more languages than
are human characters, but intelligence likewise affects the upper limit of
their abilities as well, and there are racial limitations. (See CHARACTER RACES.)

DMG:

The intelligence rating roughly corresponds to our modern "IQ" scores.
However, it assumes mnemonic,
reasoning,
and learning ability skills in additional areas outside the written word.

INTELLIGENCE TABLE I.

Ability Score	-	General Information	Possible Number of  Additional Languages (Months to learn)	Illusion/Phantasm Immunity*	Wisdom Range  for Monsters
0	Non-intelligent or not ratable	-	0	-	<>
1	Animal intelligence	-	0	-	<>
2	Semi-intelligent	-	0	-	<>
3	^	-	0	-	<>
4	^	Min. INT for a half-elf character	0	-	<>
5	Low intelligence	Here or lower the character can only be a fighter	0	-	2-8
6	^	Min.  INT for a halfling character	0	-	^
7	^	Min.  INT for a gnome character	0	-	^
8	Average (human) intelligence	Min.  INT for an elf character	1 (12 months) <+1y>	-	3-12
9	^	Min.  INT for a paladin or M-U character	1 (12 months) <+1y>	-	^
10	^	Min.  INT for use of 5th level magic spells	2 (12 months) <+2y>	-	^
11	Very intelligent	Min.  INT for an assassin character	2 (12 months) <+2y>	-	4-16
12	^	Min.  INT for use of 6th level magic spells	3 (12 months) <+3y>	-	^
13	Highly intelligent	Min.  INT for a ranger character	3 (11 months) <+2y9m>	-	4-16
14	^	Min.  INT for use of 7th level magic spells	4 (10 months) <+3y4m>	-	^
15	Exceptionally intelligent	Min.  INT for an illusionist character	4 (9 months) <+3y>	-	8-18 (2d6 + 6)
16	^	Min.  INT for use of 8th level magic spells	5 (8 months) <+3y4m>	-	^
17	Genius	Max. INT for a half-orc character	6 (7 months) <+3y6m>	-	8-18 (2d6 + 6)
18	^	Min.  INT for use of 9th level magic spells	7 (6 months) <+3y6m>	cantrips	^
19	Supra-genius	-	7 (5 months) <+2y11m>	1st	8-20 (4d4 + 4)
20	Supra-genius	-	7 (4 months)	2nd	^
21+	Godlike intelligence	-	7 (3 months)	3rd	9-24 (3d6 + 6)
22	^	-	7 (2 months)	4th	^
23	^	-	7 (1 month)	5th	^
24	^	-	7 (Instantaneous) <?>	6th	^
25	^	-	7	7th	^

* Spell immunities to illusion/phantasm spells.

INTELLIGENCE TABLE II.: ABILITY FOR MAGIC-USERS

Ability Score	Chance to Know Each Listed Spell	Minimum Number of Spells/Level	Maximum Number of Spells/Level
9	35%	4	6
10-12	45%	5	7
13-14	55%	6	9
15-16	65%	7	11
17	75%	8	14
18	85%	9	18
19	95%	11	All
20	96%	12	^
21	97%	13	^
22	98%	14	^
23	99%	15	^
24	100%	16	^
25	100%	17	^

SA: All of the info on Intelligence Table II applies to rangers as well.

Notes Regarding Intelligence Table II:

Each and every magic-user character must employ the Table in order to
determine which and how many of each group of spells (by level) he or
she can learn. At first, only the 1st level group of spells are checked.
Successive level groups are checked only when the character reaches a
level at which the appropriate group of spells is usable by him or her.

Chance to Know Each Listed Spell pertains to the %percentage%
chance the character has by reason of his or her intelligence to learn any given spell
in the level group.
The character may select spells desired in any order he or she wishes.
Each spell may be checked only once.
Percentile dice are rolled, and if the number generated is equal to or less than the percentage chance shown, then the character can learn and thus know that spell
(it may be in his or her spell books - explained hereafter).
    Example: A character with an INT of 12 desires to know a charm person spell
    that he finds in a book or scroll, percentile dice are rolled, but the number
    generated is 52, so that spell is not understood and can not be used by the
    character (see, however, the paragraph below regarding the minimum
    number of spells knowable).

<make a note about reversed spells here>

Minimum Number of Spells/Level states the fewest number of spells by
level group a magic-user can learn. If one complete check through the
entire group fails to generate the minimum number applicable according
to intelligence score, the character may selectively go back through the
group, checking each spell not able to be learned once again. This process
continues until the minimum number requirement has been fulfilled. This
means, then, that certain spells, when located, can be learned - while
certain other spells can never be learned and the dice rolls indicate which
ones are in each category. Example: The magic-user mentioned above
who was unable to learn a charm person spell also fails to meet the
minimum number of spells he or she can learn. The character then begins
again on the list of 1st level spells, opts to see if this time charm person is
able to be learned, rolls 04, and has acquired the ability to learn the spell.
If and when the character locates such a spell, he or she will be capable of
learning it.

Maximum Number of Spells/Level: is the obverse of the minimum number
which can be known. According to the character’s intelligence, this
maximum number which the magic-user can possibly know (have in his or
her spell books) varies from 6 to an unlimited number. As soon as this
maximum is reached, the character may not check any further in the level
group.

THE FORUM
While I was rolling up a magic-user character
for the AD&D game, I ran upon a rule that
seems illogical to me, the “Maximum Number of
Spells/Level” rule on page 10 of the Players
Handbook. I had never encountered any problems
with this before, because the previous
magic-users I had played all had relatively high
intelligence scores and never had any problems.
This character, however, has an intelligence of 12
(I rolled him up the “old-fashioned” way, not one
of the new methods presented in the Dungeon
Masters Guide) and is approaching sixth level. <Also, Method V>
He already has seven spells of both 1st and 2nd
levels in his books, and has found another. So, I
was forced to give some serious thought to the
maximum number of spells rule.

The rule seems illogical, both at first and after
a more careful examination. The limitation is not
on the number of spells that a character can
memorize at once, but it is instead on the number
of spells that he can keep in his books. That
doesn’t seem right.

A character’s intelligence is a measure of his
overall mental processes, including mental capacity,
reasoning power, and ability to cope with new
circumstances (see DRAGON issue #107). Intelligence
is not a measure of a character’s writing
ability (although a character with a low intelligence
would have difficulty writing well), as this
rule seems to imply. It seems to me that the
“Maximum Number of Spells/Level” should be
the maximum number of spells that a character
can memorize at one time within a spell level.
Allow me to explain further.

A character’s intelligence should certainly effect
his powers of memory. A more intelligent character
should be able to memorize more spells than a
less intelligent character. This principle comes
through in the rules in the “Wisdom Spell Bonus”
rule, whereby a cleric gains bonus spells for
having a high wisdom. Just because a magic-user
can’t memorize ten spells at once doesn’t mean
he can’t have ten spells in his books, selecting at
the beginning of a day which spells he wants to
memorize. After all, a person who is not of
exceptional intellect can still own a library.

I am definitely in favor of a limit on the number
of spells that a high-level magic-user can
carry around in his head at once. I am also in
favor of applying a little common sense to the
subject. From my point of view, the rule should
be changed to read “. . . According to the character’s
intelligence, this maximum number which
the magic-user can possibly know at one time
varies from six to an unlimited number.” Then,
to determine the number of spells that a magicuser
can know, consult the “Spells Usable by
Class and Level — Magic-Users” table on page
26 of the Players Handbook. If the chart on page
26 states that the number of spells that the character
can memorize of any given level is less than
or equal to the maximum number, then everything
is OK. If not, the character can only memorize
up to his maximum number, no matter how
many spells the chart says are usable by a character
of his level.

I do not think that this makes magic-users of
high levels unduly powerful (at least not any
more so than they already are), because of the
“Chance to Know Each Listed Spell” rule. This
rule states that if a magic-user wishes to learn
(place in his spell books) any given spell, he must
first roll equal to or less than his percentage
chance. If he doesn’t make the roll, then he can
never know that spell. Not only does this limit the
number of spells that a character will have in his
books (returning to the example of my character,
he will only make his percentage roll enough to
know an average of 10 spells per level of spell
levels 2-6), it is perfectly logical, considering that
real people “get” certain subjects better than
others (consider the student, like myself, who has
difficulty remembering dates).

There should be a limit on the number of spells
that a character can memorize, based on intelligence.
This limit should not extend to an arbitary
cut-off on the number of spells that he can have
in his books.

    Gordon Hull
    Murfreesboro, Tenn.
    (Dragon #109)

Change in Intelligence: If intelligence goes down or up for any reason,
and such change is relatively permanent, the magic-user must check again
as explained above far known spells by level group.

Acquisition of Heretofore Unknown Spells: Although the magic-user must
immediately cease checking to determine if spells are known after the first
complete check of each spell in the level group, or immediately thereafter
during successive checks when the minimum number of spells which can
be known is reached, it is possible to acquire knowledge of additional
spells previously unknown as long as this does not violate the maximum
number of spells which can be known. New spells can be gained from
captured or otherwise acquired spell books or from scrolls of magic spells.
In the latter event the scroll is destroyed in learning and knowing the new
spell or spells. (This subject is detailed more fully in the section explaining
magic-users as characters.)

Q: What is the relationship between INTELLIGENCE
TABLE II (Chance to Know
Spells) in the Players Handbook and the
ACQUISITION OF MAGIC-USER SPELLS
section in the Dungeon Masters Guide?
Aren't these contradictory?

A: Not at all -- each has a different purpose.
Here's how the system works: a
new 1st level magic-user receives a Spell
Book containing 4 spells (as per the
ACQUISITION section). As the magic-user
adventures, he/she will probably
have the opportunity to gain more spells
to copy into his/her Spell Book, either
from scrolls or other mages' Books. As
he/she comes across each heretofore-
unseen spell, the magic-user must make
a percentage dice roll to see if he/she
can ever understand that spell to memorize
it (using INTELLIGENCE TABLE II).
If he/she fails, he's out of luck on that
particular spell. The Maximum Number
of Spells/Level column shows how many
spells of each spell level a magic-user
can possibly understand with his or her
intelligence score. The Minimum Number
column shows the least number he/she
can understand. If, through bad luck, a
magic-user rolls below the number
needed for comprehension on so many
spells that he/she can understand less
than the minimum indicated, he/she
should reroll for the failed spells until the
minimum is achieved for that spell level.
Conversely, if more than the maximum
are understood, the excess (at the player's
choice) must be dropped.
- LJS (Polyhedron #1)

Q: Woe is me; I blew my "chance to
know" roll for magic missile. How can
my magic-user (human female) get this
great spell?
A: It happens to the best of us. If your
character can find a scroll of it, and if she
knows the write spell, she can study an d
cast it without understanding it fully. Or,
you can wait a few year; using the Age
Categories (DMG pg. 13), when Intelligence
changes due to aging, you can
recheck the chance to know. Of course,
high-power magic (wishes, times, etc.)
can also change IIntelligence. Good luck!
(Polyhedron #4)

Question: Please clear up an apparent rules contradic-
tion in the AD&D PH. On page 10 it gives a list
of how many spells a Magic-User can know, based on intel-
ligence and the chance for knowing them. But on page 26 it
states that the Magic-User can only cast a certain number of
spells, according to the level of the spell and the level of the
spell caster. Must the DM decide which table to use, or
what?

Answer: The table on page 10 shows how many spells the caster
may know due to intelligence, not how many he/she can cast. These
spells are the ones which are written in the spell-caster’s spell books.
The table on page 26 indicates what levels of spells and how many
from each level may be memorized at one time (from the spell
books) for casting at a later time. As the Magic-User increases in
levels, so does his/her ability to learn and memorize more spells. The
tables are designed to be used together, not separately.
 

Q. What does the number of spells a
magic user may 'remember' mean?
(Advanced)
A. This question covers 3 distinct
areas. The 1st is how many spells a
M-U may remember (ie. have
ready for use) at any one time, the
2nd is which spells are in the
M-U's spell book, and the 3rd
is which spells the M-U is
capable of understanding.
    The number of spells that a M-U
may have on call in his mind is
given 'Spells Uable by Class
and Level -- M-Us' table on
p.26 of the PH.
    Spells in a M-U's spell book are
simply words written on a page, like
recipes in a cookbook.  They are
initially given to the M-U by
his master. M-Us usually start
with 4 spells, 1 being read magick,
and the others being determined
by the method given on page
39 of the DMG.
    With the exception of the initial
allotment of spells, the inculsion of a
spell in a M-U's spell book does
not mean that he can use it. The
spell's underlying logic and symbolism
must be understood before it can
be learnt and cast.  This is often
referred to as 'knowing' the spell, and
the rules for determining which spells
are known are given on page 10 of the
PH.
    In order to cast a spell the M-U
must fulfil all 3 conditions.  That
is, he must have the spell in his spell
book, he must be able to understand
(know) the spell, and he must be of
high level <enough> to hold the spell in his mind.
All this is in addition to acquiring the
spell 'recipe' in the 1st place, having
any material components <needed>, and taking
time to learn the spell. Magic use is
not a quick way to power, riches &
easy living.
(Imagine #1)
 

Illusion/Phantasm Immunity (Immunities to Illusion/Phantasm Spells):
Beings of very high intelligence will not be fooled by illusion/phantasm
spells; they will note some inconsistency or inexactness which will prevent
their belief in the illusion. A being with a 19 intelligence will never believe
a 1st level illusion/phantasm spell, even if cast by a high-level spell-caster,
and will thus avoid all effects.
All effects noted are cumulative (e.g. a 20 intelligence gives immunity to first
and second level illusions).
 

Q: Exactly which spells from which
classes are first-level illusions?
A: Illusion/phantasm spells from the illusionist
?s first-level spell list are first-level
illusions, even when several classes can
cast them. Phantasmal force, for example,
is a first-level illusion/phantasm, even
though it is a third-level spell for magicusers.
(145.12)
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuStel
Hey there, Gary!

There's always been some debate as to whether newly-created AD&D magic-users check the entire 1st level spell list for spells known immediately upon character creation, or if they only check spells as they come across them. I therefore have two questions:

1. How do you do it in your games (if at all)?

2. Which way did you have in mind when you wrote the book?

A spell can be known only when the character is able to use spells.
Thus the check is done when the new PC is seeking to fill his 1st level spell book.
As new levels are gained, and with that added spells, the player again checks for the PC.

We allowed the player to decide on which spell was to be known, then dicing to see if it was.
When all slots were filled, the process ended until a new level was gained.

Cheers,
Gary