I've used many different methods for determining what spells magic-users (and sometimes clerics) have scribed in their first spell book when they enter the game. Sometimes it's all first level spells, sometimes it's just one, or one plus their INT modifier. Sometimes it's according to the (surprisingly restrictive?) table on page 8 of the Greyhawk supplement. Sometimes the spells themselves are picked by the player, or randomly determined, or sometimes a mix of both.
In your campaigns, what do 1st level magic-users get in their first spellbook? Please let us know!
7 comments:
Clerics choose whatever they want. For M-U's, they get one spell of their choice, plus Read Magic. Sort of cruel not to give them Read Magic.
Read Magic, def. Then I determine an array of spells from 1st to 3rd based on what I think their masters would have passed onto them.
I really like random selection for magic users; it forces players out of potential ruts and encourages them to use what they have in creative and fun new ways.
For the game I'm running on Saturday they get Read Magic plus 3 random 1st level spells. Here's a little DIY PocketMod Spellbook I made today. :)
They roll d% vs. INTx5% for each 1st level spell. They get Read Magic no matter what. They get what they get. No 2nd level or beyond. Gotta find/trade for those...
Very cool to see how you guys do it :) I agree that putting a random factor in it encourages creative use. Also, giving them all 8 (in OD&D) makes them too generic, with virtually nothing to be happy about when they find that Sleep scroll in the treasure.
I love that pocket mod spellbook Stuart!!
I let them pick one spell and roll randomly for a second. That way they get some choice but some randomness too. (I don't use read magic, figure that only wizards can read spells anyway).
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