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Inform those players who have
opted for the magic-user profession that they have just completed a course
of apprenticeship with a master who was of unthinkably high level (at least
6th!).
Having been a relatively
apt pupil, worked diligently, and made every effort to please, master (or
mistress, as the case may be) was kind enough to prepare a special present
for the character before he or she goes out into the world to seek his
or her fortune.
At this juncture request
the player to ready a piece of paper which will go into his or her records
as a permanent fixture.
Instruct the player to entitle
the page "FIRST LEVEL SPELLS KNOWN".
While the INT of the PC will
dictate how many and which spells can be and are known,
this knowledge
is not automatic.
Each and every spell,
except
those which "master" was generous enough to bestow upon the character,
must be
found somewhere and recorded in the character's spell books.
Thus, if Redouleent the Prestidigitator,
intelligence
15,
has a
repertoire of 7 spells and finds a scroll with yet another,
there
is a 65% chance that the spell can be understood by that worthy.
If, in fact,
[the scroll]
can be comprehended,
Redouleent
must then record the spell in his book
(thus
destroying that portion of the scroll, of course),
and he
is now the proud possessor of 8 first level spells --
just 3
short of the maximum he'll be able to know.
Returning
to the recently-completed apprenticeship,
let us
now consider the spells given to Redouleent by his wise old master.
Obviously, an apprentice
must know how to read magic to be of use to
his master.
It is also an absolute must
to anyone following the profession of magic-user,
so that
spell is AUTOMATICALLY on each magic-user characters list of known spells.
Then select by random means
[1] spell each
from the
offensive,
defensive,
and miscellaneous
categories listed below.
Redouleent, or any other
player character magic-user will than have a total of 4
-- count
them --
4
[first level] spells with which to seek his (or her) fortune!
| [d10] | Offensive Spells | [d10] | Defensive Spells | [d10] | Misc. Spells |
| 1. | Burning Hands | 1. | Affect Normal Fires | 1. | Comprehend Languoges |
| 2. | Charm Person | 2. | Dancing lights | 2. | Detect magic |
| 3. | Enlarge | 3. | Feather Fall | 3. | Erase |
| 4. | Friends | 4. | Hold Portal | 4. | Find Familiar |
| 5. | Light | 5. | Jump | 5. | Identify |
| 6. | Magic Missile | 6. | Protection From Evil | 6. | Mending |
| 7. | Push | 7. | Shield | 7. | Message |
| 8. | Shocking Grasp | 8. | Spider Climb | 8. | Unseen Servant |
| 9. | Sleep | 9. | Ventriloquism | 9. | Write |
| 0. | (choose) | 0. | (choose) | 0. | (choose) |
Choice should be left to the
player.
Note that both Nystul's
Magic Aura and Tenser's Floating Disc must be located by the character;
they can never be known at
the start.
If your campaign is particularly
difficult, you may wish to allow choice automatically.
You can furthermore allow
an extra defensive or miscelloneous spell, so that the character begins
with 5 spells.
Q. If a Prestidigitator cannot
have
Nystul's Magic Aura or Tenser's
Floating Disc in his spell book at the
beginning of his career, is he prohibited
from choosing 1 of these
spells when he gains a level?
A. This question raises points other
than the obvious one. Both the above
spells are specifically mentioned
on
p39 of the DMG as spells that must
be located by the character -- either
in the possession of another character
(PC or NPC) or on a scroll and
copied into the MU's ''recipe book'.
Naturally, the MU who is after
the spells must be able to 'know'
them, as with all other spells.
In the case of spells acquired when
a character advances a level, these
are not necessarily chosen by the
player. The spell so acquired should
be a function of the spells in the
NPC's spell books, or randomly rolled
by the DM if the training supervisor
has never been created in detail and
is simply assumed to exist at some
vague point 'off stage'. In this case, it
is entirely possible that a MU
might learn Nystul's Magic Aura or
Tenser's Floating Disc. Unlike spells
that are acquired between level
rises, spells that are gained at this
time are automatically in the MU's
book, and are also automatically
'known' by the MU in
question.
(Imagine #19)
Question: How does
a Prestidigitator (MU1) get spells in his first-level spell
book?
Also, what obligations does
he have to his master for his spell book?
Answer: A first-level
Magic-User gets his spells placed in his spell book by himself or his mentor
by way of a Write spell.
This is the way he places
all his spells in his spell books.
As to his obligations to
the Magic-User who was his master, that is between them.
I myself am cleaning up after
a 10th-level Magic-User’s young black
dragon twice a week in return for a book of third-level spells.
(Correction: The mentor
would almost certainly NOT be using a write
spell to inscribe spells into a the spellbook of a level 0 or level 1 magic-user).
Q: How many spells
does a 1st-level
magic-user have in his book?
The
DMG (page 39) says four,
while the
PHB (page 10) sets a minimum
and
maximum according to intelligence.
When does the magic-user
add
spells to his book?
A: For a beginning
character, ignore the
minimum number of spells
on Intelligence
Table
II in the PHB (page 10). A 1st-level
magic-user has a book of
four spells, as
per the DMG, page 39. He
does not roll his
"chance to know" for these
spells.
As the magic-user gains levels,
he gains
new spells as part of his
training. It is best
to simply give the magic-user
a new spell
for his book each time he
gains the ability
to cast an additional spell.
For example, a
1st-level magic-user can
cast one first-level
spell. When the magic-user
reaches 2nd
level, he can cast two first-level
spells, and
he gains an additional first-level
spell for
his book. His intelligence
still determines
the maximum number of spells
of each
level he can have in his
book, and his
chance of successfully writing
any given
spell into his book.
The DM should select the new
spell, and
the magic-user must successfully
make his
"chance to know" roll in
order to gain it. If
the roll fails, the DM should
assign another
spell. To allow magic-user
PCs more
options when choosing spells,
you might
give each such PC an extra
2nd, 3rd, 4th,
or 5th-level spell when the
magic-user first
gains the ability to cast
it (this will occur at
3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level,
respectively).
The magic-user can also try
to add spells
to his book when he finds
them on scrolls
or in captured spell books.
The magic-user
rolls his "chance to know"
and, if successful,
may add the spell to his
book. The
spell disappears from the
scroll or book
when the magic-user adds
it to his book.
If, during the course of
play, the magicuser
has tried every spell of
a given level
but has fewer spells of that
level than the
minimum for his intelligence
score, he can
go back and try to learn
one or more
spells a second time.
For more information, see
"Spelling It
Out,"
in DRAGON issue #147.
(154.96)
Acquisition of Illusionists' Spells
Illusionists do not need the
spell read magic or anything like it in pursuit of their profession.
All illusionist spell books
and scrolls are written in a secret tongue which every apprentice learns
from his or her mentor.
This arcane and difficult
language is common to all phantasmal magics, and is necessary for illusionistic
conjuring.
When an illusionist gains
read magic at the 14th level (along with 'several other 1st level magic-user
spells),
this merely allows him or
her to utilize magic-user scrolls that contain spells different from those
on the illusionists' list.
When a 1st level illusionist
receives his first level spell book from his master,
it contains
only [3] spells
(read
magic being unnecessary).
The DM should require the
player's character to roll a d12 on the table of 1st level illusionist
spells,
rolling
three times and ignoring any rolls that result in duplication.
If a DM feels his or her
campaign is unusually difficult,
he or she may allow the player
to choose [1] or even [2] of these initial spells.
Naturally, magic-user
PCs will do their utmost to acquire
books of spells and scrolls
in order to complete their own spell books. To
those acquired, the magic-user
will add 1 (and ONLY 1) spell when he or
she actually gains an experience
level <q.v.> . Therefore, most will be
frantically attempting to
purchase or cozen spells from NPC
magic-users, or even from
other PC magic-users.
How you handle NPC magic-users
is of utmost importance. There is a
special section of the rules
regarding non-player characters, and you
should follow the suggestions
therein carefully. By doing so, players will
find that their magic-user
characters are unable to acquire new spells -
at worst - ar must pay so
dearly for them in money, magic items, and
[QUESTS] that the game is
hardly worth the candle. Of course they will pay
the price nonetheless, and
that will help you to maintain the campaign as
fresh and challenging, as
it will rid it of excess treasure and give player
characters reason to adventure
at the same time.
Superior players will certainly
co-operate; thus, spells will in all probability
be exchanged between PC magic-users
to some extent. No special
sanctions need be taken to
prevent such exchange - although this cooperation
should never be suggested
or otherwise encouraged, either.
The DM should leave this
interaction strictly alone. This is NOT the case
when PCs deal with NPC henchmen
or hirelings. Non-player character
hirelings or henchmen will
ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to co-operate freely with
player characters, even their
own masters ar mistresses. Again, this
matter is dealt with separately
under the section pertaining to the DMs
role in operating henchmen
and hirelings. <make link?> As a general
rule, they will
require value plus a bonus
when dealing with their liege. If they will
deal with other PCs (or NPCs)
at all, they will require double volue plus a
considerable bonus.
For example, Thigru Thorkisen,
Magician in the hire of Olaf Blue Cheeks,
a 10th level Lord, knows
the spell, suggestion; and
Olaf’s associate, Halfdon
the Necromancer, requests that he be allowed
to copy this spell into his
book of third level spells. If Olof is willing,
Halfdan can approach Thigru.
If Halfdan has been at least civil to the
magicion, Thigru will osk
nothing more than a third level spell in return,
plus another spell, plus
some minor magic item such as a set of three
potions, a scroll of 3 spells,
or perhaps o ring of invisibility. If Holfdan
had formerly insulted the
magician, then the price would be more dear;
but supposing the necromancer
had actually saved Thigru's life at one
time, the cost would be reduced
to but a spell exchange and a single
potion or scroll of 1 spell.
Naturally, the personality
of the henchman or hireling would modify the bargain to some extent.
A very avaricious or greedy
NPC would ask for more magic items and/or gold too!
As a good DM you will hove
developed the character of each henchman and hireling to the extent that
such determinations will be relatively easy.
Finally, the ramifications
of spell scarcity are bound to aid your
campaign, and not only with
regard to excess treasure and magic items.
A scroll of but a single
spell becomes highly meaningful to the magic-users
in the game, especially when
it is of a spell heretofore unknown.
The acquisition of a book
of spells from someplace in the dungeons or
wildernesses of the campaign
is a benison beyond price! PC and NPC
alike will take great pains
to guard scrolls and spell books. Magic-users
will haunt dusty libraries
and peruse musty tomes in the hopes of gleaning
but a single incantation
to add to their store of magic.
Q: Are there any restrictions
on
magic-users trading spells?
A: None except those
imposed by the DM.
Some campaigns require mages
to make
scrolls (or have them made)
before a spell
can be safely transferred.
Once the scroll
is made, the receiving magic-user
rolls his
"chance to know," writes
the spell into his
book, and the spell disappears
from the
scroll. Any attempt to write
the spell into
the book uses up the scroll
even if the
?chance to know? roll fails.
Note that a
write spell is not required
as long as the
receiving magic-user has
a ?slot? of the
appropriate level available,
and he has not
previously failed his ?chance
to know? for
the spell in question. Attempts
to transfer
spells directly from book
to book result in
the spells disappearance
from the original
book.
If a PC has an NPC mentor
who supplies
higher-level spells as the
PC advances in
level, the mentor might be
upset to find
?bootleg? spells appearing
in his apprentice
?s spell book.
(139.66)
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)
ADQ: DMG.39
states that a M-U may add
1 spell to his or her spell
books each
Time he or she trains. What
level is the
given spell, and can the
player choose the
spell or is it randomly determined?
ADA: The spell is
normally of the highest
level that the character
CAST after training.
It is up to the individual
DM to determine
whether new spells are assigned
or
given by choice in a particular
campaign. In
either case, the "chance
to know' roll still
applies, and the character
may or may not
be given a chance to choose
to another spell if
the 1st offering cannot be
learned. Also,
the DM may choose to make
only certain
spells available through
the training process,
so the choice may be limited.
Good DMs
usually take this opportunity
to insert a spell which will
be needed soon
in the campaign (planning
ahead), or otherwise
one that would lie within
the demonstrated
interests of the character.
For
example, a mage who prefers
evocations
would get a new evocation
in each training
period (usually, but not
always).
(Polyhedron #30)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Gary,
I have a question that has long puzzled me. It's about PC's acquiring Magic-User spells. IN the DMG (p. 39) it states:
"Naturally, magic-user player
characters will do their utmost to acquire books of spells and scrolls
in order to complete their own spell books.
To those acquired, the magic-user
will add 1 (and ONLY 1) spell when he or she actually gains an experience
level (q.v.).
Therefore, most will be frantically
attempting to purchase or cozen spells from non-player character magic-users,
or even from other player character magic-users."
OK, here's my question.
When you say:
"To those acquired, the magic-user
will add 1 (and ONLY 1) spell when he or she actually gains an experience
level."
do you mean that the PC mage
AUTOMATICALLY gains a new spell in their spell book whenever the rise in
levels?
For example, if my M-U is
going from 1st to 2nd level do I get to add a brand new spell to my spell
book even if I did NOT find a scroll or spell book in the dungeon I just
explored?
If this is, in fact, the case then how should you handle it when a M-U goes up levels and gets the ability to cast a spell of a new level AND gains the ability to cast more spells in a level in which he's already proficient? For example, my M-U goes from 6th level to 7th level and is now able to cast 4th level spells AND gains an additional 2nd level spell.
Sorry for asking such an involved
question, but you have no idea how long I've tried to figure this one out!
BUt since I found this site
I figured I may as well go straight to the horse's mouth (so to speak).
Thanks in advance!
Gray Mouser
Howdy!
I left all of your message up here so as to refer to it as I respond.
The M-U going up a level is
assumed to do so through training with a mage of higher level, or at worst
the study of arcane lore.
In this process the character
gains knowledge of one new spell of the highest level he is able to cast.
If by advancement the character
is also able to casr one or more lower level spells, he will have to make
do with those he has in his spell books.
He does not gain any new
ones in those lower levels, only the capacity to memorize more of them.
T
hus the M-U character should
always to be seeking the acquisition of spell books (likely with new and
different spells recorded therein) or else scrolls with spells on them
that he can record into his library.
Cheers,
Gary
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Mouser
Gary,
Thanks so much for answering my question! ...
Thanks again!
Gray Mouser
Happy to have been of service,
Gray mouser
While I can't berate DMs who
play differently, the DMG does set forth the basic guidelines in regard
to acquisition of new spells.
In retrospect I should have
added the details of how the new spell added when increasing in level was
gained, and that would have served well.
Hindsight is so accurate...
Cheers,
Gary