Casting from your spellbook [Archive] - Wizards Community

Casting from your spellbook [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shrap
01-19-06, 08:11 AM What are the rules on casting straight from your spellbook, spells within and above your level.
Can it be done?
What are the chances/penelties?
Does it disappear from your spellbook as a scroll would become blank?
Where is it detailed in the rulebooks?

Shrap
Seeker of Undeath
01-19-06, 08:37 AM What are the rules on casting straight from your spellbook, spells within and above your level.
Can it be done?No.
What are the chances/penelties?0%/-0
Does it disappear from your spellbook as a scroll would become blank?Since there's nothing to disappear but your notes for how to prepare the spell, I'm gonna say no.
Where is it detailed in the rulebooks?It's not (that I remember). However it is a question asked in the FAQ. The problem is that the spellbook is 100% nonmagical. It contains zero spells. It's just your notebook for how to prepare spells, or spell book for short.
Seeker95
01-19-06, 09:41 AM Casting "from your spellbook" is as possible as playing Warcraft "from the instruction book".
It can't be done, as Seeker of Undeath has noted.
Nom
01-19-06, 04:16 PM It's a bit like trying to build a cart having only a list of instructions. You need something to provide the raw materials (power). That's one of the big differences between a scroll and a spellbook.
Luminous Crayon
01-19-06, 05:18 PM This all boils down to the difference between a spellbook and a scroll. A spellbook is not just a bunch of scrolls bound into the same cover.

The example I like to use here is a culinary one. It's the difference between a cookbook and a microwaveable dinner.

A microwaveable dinner is a self-contained package, which already contains food. With a minimum amount of work, I can convert it into a tasty meal. Each microwaveable dinner produces a predetermined type of meal. Once the dinner is cooked and eaten, it is used up, and can't be used again; I have to buy a new dinner if I want to repeat the process.

A cookbook, by contrast, is just a set of instructions for making tasty meals by myself. I have to supply my own ingredients to use one (since food isn't included with most cookbooks), and it takes a little more effort to cook this way. However, a cookbook can be used to prepare a wide variety of foods, because it has numerous different recipes on multiple pages. Once I use a recipe from a cookbook, it is not used up; I can cook the same recipe from the cookbook again and again.

A scroll is a self-contained package, which already contains magic. With a minimum amount of work, I can use it to cast a useful spell. Each scroll produces a predetermined type of spell. Once the spell is cast, the scroll is used up; I have to buy a new scroll if I want to repeat the process.

A spellbook, by contrast, is just a set of instructions for making useful spells by myself. I have to supply my own magic to use one (since magic energy isn't included with spellbooks; they don't even register under detect magic!), and it takes a little more effort to cast this way. However, a spellbook can be used to prepare a wide variety of spells, because it has numerous different spells on multiple pages. Once I prepare a spell from a spellbook, it is not used up; I can prepare the same spell again and again.

Obviously, the metaphor breaks down eventually (try scribing a frozen dinner into your cookbook!), but I think it works remarkably well, up to a point. But the long and short of it is that unless you houserule things quite a bit, the average wizard's spellbook is no more innately magical than my 9th grade algebra book is.
Seeker95
01-19-06, 05:35 PM Luminous, this is absolutely the best analogy I have ever seen on these Boards, for any subject at any time over the last four years. :tiphat:
Luminous Crayon
01-19-06, 06:24 PM Luminous, this is absolutely the best analogy I have ever seen on these Boards, for any subject at any time over the last four years. :tiphat:Why thank you, Seeker, but it's not its debut posting. I'm just coming out of a one or two year hiatus from these boards, but there was a time when I'd pull out cookbooks and microwaved dinners every time the spellbooks and scrolls subject came up.

As long is it helps illustrate the point, I'm happy.
Zherog
01-19-06, 08:25 PM A microwaveable dinner is a ... tasty meal.

You and I obviously have vastly different definitions of tasty.

:D
Nom
01-19-06, 09:52 PM Why thank you, Seeker, but it's not its debut posting. I'm just coming out of a one or two year hiatus from these boards, but there was a time when I'd pull out cookbooks and microwaved dinners every time the spellbooks and scrolls subject came up.Great minds must think alike, because I've used a similar analogy before. Although I believe I claimed that a scroll was like a packet cake mix (the ingredients are all prepared, but you still need to actually put it all together) and that a wand was like a microwave dinner (point, click, serve - almost no skill required). :)
jaelis
01-19-06, 10:20 PM Dang. I'm hungry.
smrtgmp
01-19-06, 11:44 PM I have the following houserule:

You can cast from your spellbook, but things are a bit different, as follows:

1) The casting time is increased by a factor of 10, to a minimum of 1 minute.
2) There is an extra component of diamond dust with a value of (spell level ^3)x10gp. So its free to do a cantrip, a 1st level spell costs 10gp, a 2nd level spell 80gp, and so on and so on.

My reasoning for allowing this is as follows: The spellbook holds step by step instructions on how to cast the spell. When preparing the spell, you cast all but the last bit which you finish when you want to release the magic. As such, you can follow the instructions in the book to cast the spell but it takes a lot longer.

Due to the casting time, its no good in combat, and the price is prohibitive enough that it wont be used recklessly. I have used this for several years now and havent had a problem with it.
Nightdrifter
01-19-06, 11:58 PM There were rules for this in 1st edition: page 80 of Unearthed Arcana (1985 version).
Immurmodi
01-20-06, 12:33 AM There were also certain character kits in ad&d that allowed you to do this, but as have been mentioned earlier in this thread it is not possible in the current version of the game.
[GSV] Kirstar
01-20-06, 03:50 AM In one of my campaigns I used a varient of the magic system where arcane casters filled their spell slots then could use their casting slots against them.

So a caster with 3 5th spell slots memorises 3 diferent spells can use his 3 5th level casting slots between them as required.

Because in this campaign the idea is that mages have their power internally and put their magic through teh spell patterns I allowed casting from books with a x10 casting time modifier and a chance to erase / ruin the spell

as you can guewss it was a very mage centric campaign

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shrap 01-19-06, 08:11 AM	What are the rules on casting straight from your spellbook, spells within and above your level. Can it be done? What are the chances/penelties? Does it disappear from your spellbook as a scroll would become blank? Where is it detailed in the rulebooks? Shrap
Seeker of Undeath 01-19-06, 08:37 AM	What are the rules on casting straight from your spellbook, spells within and above your level. Can it be done?No. What are the chances/penelties?0%/-0 Does it disappear from your spellbook as a scroll would become blank?Since there's nothing to disappear but your notes for how to prepare the spell, I'm gonna say no. Where is it detailed in the rulebooks?It's not (that I remember). However it is a question asked in the FAQ. The problem is that the spellbook is 100% nonmagical. It contains zero spells. It's just your notebook for how to prepare spells, or spell book for short.
Seeker95 01-19-06, 09:41 AM	Casting "from your spellbook" is as possible as playing Warcraft "from the instruction book". It can't be done, as Seeker of Undeath has noted.
Nom 01-19-06, 04:16 PM	It's a bit like trying to build a cart having only a list of instructions. You need something to provide the raw materials (power). That's one of the big differences between a scroll and a spellbook.
Luminous Crayon 01-19-06, 05:18 PM	This all boils down to the difference between a spellbook and a scroll. A spellbook is not just a bunch of scrolls bound into the same cover. The example I like to use here is a culinary one. It's the difference between a cookbook and a microwaveable dinner. A microwaveable dinner is a self-contained package, which already contains food. With a minimum amount of work, I can convert it into a tasty meal. Each microwaveable dinner produces a predetermined type of meal. Once the dinner is cooked and eaten, it is used up, and can't be used again; I have to buy a new dinner if I want to repeat the process. A cookbook, by contrast, is just a set of instructions for making tasty meals by myself. I have to supply my own ingredients to use one (since food isn't included with most cookbooks), and it takes a little more effort to cook this way. However, a cookbook can be used to prepare a wide variety of foods, because it has numerous different recipes on multiple pages. Once I use a recipe from a cookbook, it is not used up; I can cook the same recipe from the cookbook again and again. A scroll is a self-contained package, which already contains magic. With a minimum amount of work, I can use it to cast a useful spell. Each scroll produces a predetermined type of spell. Once the spell is cast, the scroll is used up; I have to buy a new scroll if I want to repeat the process. A spellbook, by contrast, is just a set of instructions for making useful spells by myself. I have to supply my own magic to use one (since magic energy isn't included with spellbooks; they don't even register under detect magic!), and it takes a little more effort to cast this way. However, a spellbook can be used to prepare a wide variety of spells, because it has numerous different spells on multiple pages. Once I prepare a spell from a spellbook, it is not used up; I can prepare the same spell again and again. Obviously, the metaphor breaks down eventually (try scribing a frozen dinner into your cookbook!), but I think it works remarkably well, up to a point. But the long and short of it is that unless you houserule things quite a bit, the average wizard's spellbook is no more innately magical than my 9th grade algebra book is.
Seeker95 01-19-06, 05:35 PM	Luminous, this is absolutely the best analogy I have ever seen on these Boards, for any subject at any time over the last four years. :tiphat:
Luminous Crayon 01-19-06, 06:24 PM	Luminous, this is absolutely the best analogy I have ever seen on these Boards, for any subject at any time over the last four years. :tiphat:Why thank you, Seeker, but it's not its debut posting. I'm just coming out of a one or two year hiatus from these boards, but there was a time when I'd pull out cookbooks and microwaved dinners every time the spellbooks and scrolls subject came up. As long is it helps illustrate the point, I'm happy.
Zherog 01-19-06, 08:25 PM	A microwaveable dinner is a ... tasty meal. You and I obviously have vastly different definitions of tasty. :D
Nom 01-19-06, 09:52 PM	Why thank you, Seeker, but it's not its debut posting. I'm just coming out of a one or two year hiatus from these boards, but there was a time when I'd pull out cookbooks and microwaved dinners every time the spellbooks and scrolls subject came up.Great minds must think alike, because I've used a similar analogy before. Although I believe I claimed that a scroll was like a packet cake mix (the ingredients are all prepared, but you still need to actually put it all together) and that a wand was like a microwave dinner (point, click, serve - almost no skill required). :)
jaelis 01-19-06, 10:20 PM	Dang. I'm hungry.
smrtgmp 01-19-06, 11:44 PM	I have the following houserule: You can cast from your spellbook, but things are a bit different, as follows: 1) The casting time is increased by a factor of 10, to a minimum of 1 minute. 2) There is an extra component of diamond dust with a value of (spell level ^3)x10gp. So its free to do a cantrip, a 1st level spell costs 10gp, a 2nd level spell 80gp, and so on and so on. My reasoning for allowing this is as follows: The spellbook holds step by step instructions on how to cast the spell. When preparing the spell, you cast all but the last bit which you finish when you want to release the magic. As such, you can follow the instructions in the book to cast the spell but it takes a lot longer. Due to the casting time, its no good in combat, and the price is prohibitive enough that it wont be used recklessly. I have used this for several years now and havent had a problem with it.
Nightdrifter 01-19-06, 11:58 PM	There were rules for this in 1st edition: page 80 of Unearthed Arcana (1985 version).
Immurmodi 01-20-06, 12:33 AM	There were also certain character kits in ad&d that allowed you to do this, but as have been mentioned earlier in this thread it is not possible in the current version of the game.
[GSV] Kirstar 01-20-06, 03:50 AM	In one of my campaigns I used a varient of the magic system where arcane casters filled their spell slots then could use their casting slots against them. So a caster with 3 5th spell slots memorises 3 diferent spells can use his 3 5th level casting slots between them as required. Because in this campaign the idea is that mages have their power internally and put their magic through teh spell patterns I allowed casting from books with a x10 casting time modifier and a chance to erase / ruin the spell as you can guewss it was a very mage centric campaign