Other people have written about one possible limitation for Magic Users in the reading of the B/X Rules: magic users and elves may only know as many spells as they are able to cast per day. Their spell book just cannot grow beyond this limit. I will still let magic users and elves start with two first level spells and one second level spell, however.
may only know as many spells as they are able to cast per day
I’ll give the above limitation a try in the Labyrinth Lord campaign we’re running in the first half of 2011. We’ll see what the players think of it.
I’ve also thought about introducing the Five Color Magic by Lord Kilgore or Color Magic by Roger the GS. But I’ve decided on something simpler.
Five Color Magic by Lord Kilgore
I’ve started to make a list of 9th level magic users (many of them inspired by magic users played by myself and others in different games in recent years) and assigned them their spell book according to the limitations discussed above: three first level spells, three second level spells, three third level spells, two fourth level spells, and a fifth level spell.
Learning about the spells at the disposal of the various magic users in the setting, searching them out and learning their spells is going to be an important element of gaining a level. Essentially these magic users *are* the magic schools available for player characters.
The campaign starts out near a settlement of elves sailing the sea ruled by their queen *Gerdana*. Her spells basically define the standard spells available to regular magic users in the area.
I’ve also tried to go through the collection of spells I gathered from the Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets blog, assigning these spells to the various 9th level magic users of the setting. That’s how I’ll introduce new spells. We’ll see how well this goes.
Ancient Vaults & Eldritch Secrets
#RPG #Old School #Labyrinth Lord #Spellcasters
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I think this is a pretty awesome idea. And I don’t even like Vancian spellcasting :P
It also makes tomes with unique spells awesome treasure, both for magic-users and elves, but also for the NPCs of the setting. I remember various articles, from *Dragon* magazine as well as WotC’s site, that talked about unique spellbooks, the wards that guarded them (opening a spellbook could be an adventure unto itself), and the spells contained within.
– Adrian 2010-12-16 22:43 UTC
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There’s more discussion of the limitation imposed on magic users here: Screwing Magic Users. I think that the intent is that you either spend money researching your own spells, or you are taught spells by other magic users. I think there is no copying of spells from scrolls and magic books.
I do like the idea of well guarded spell books, however. They must still be protected from thieves, I guess. And having a spell book containing the spell might cut down research time and cost significantly. Maybe halving it? I need to look at the research rules.
– Alex Schroeder 2010-12-16 23:10 UTC