All them spells! [Archive] - Wizards Community

All them spells! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
nevick
08-28-03, 06:16 PM With the amout of spells in the game.. i just thought i ask how you guys keep track of them for smooth gameplay.

firstly if you have a monster cast a spell you normally want to know the detals of it.. like what saves? spell resistance? damage? in the long run, id hate to look up each one in the book =(.

secondly, how does your players keep track of known spells, memorized spells and spells cast/spent. if i was a player wizard i would prolly want a whole separate sheet just for spells.
Rasmus
08-28-03, 06:22 PM A seperate sheet for spells is a must for every player!

When it comes to NPC spells, it is all about being prepared. When you make an encounter, make sure you read his/hers/its most important spells, so you know duration, range, damage and any small quirks the spell might have.

Another good idea, is to take the PHB with you to bed, and read a few spells before you go to sleep. Or, whenever you have 15-20 minutes, which you would otherwise use in front of the TV, pick up the PHB and browse those spells :)

They are hard to memorize, but as you said yourself, they are vital for smooth gameplay.
Dasein
08-28-03, 08:00 PM Still, given that spells are spread out across so many books, it can become a real hassle to look up all the spells. I find the bigger problem to be when the various spellcasters are preparing their spells, as they can spend hours looking through the various books to find just the right spell combos.

It would be very helpful if WoTC published an annual compendium of all the spells out there so that we could easily reference them. This would make it far, far easier to keep track of what spells are available without having to fumble through a dozen splat books and such.

Dasein
nevick
08-28-03, 08:34 PM I think it would be extremely useful with a booklet just with spells, just short descriptions of the most important stats for game mechanics. with page number to PHB for reference if you want more info. no fancy graphics, just black and white.
if i get bored someday, ill make one =P.
Luminous Crayon
08-28-03, 08:55 PM It's not really too hard to keep track of spells, as long as you're prepared. If you're the DM, look up the spells your monsters have access to before the game starts, and put bookmarks in the PHB at those pages so you can find them again quickly. If you're a player, definitely use a seperate sheet to list your spells known and spells prepared, and know ahead of time what your spells do, so you don't have to spend an entire combat leafing through the PHB deciding what you want to cast.
Darthos the Librarian
08-29-03, 12:09 AM At low levels I sometimes use index cards. Make the wizards, clerics, druids, etc. write out each spell they want to prepare on separate index cards at the beginning of the "day." That way, you keep people from accidentally (or intentionally) casting more spells than they have. of course, this gets a little easier in 3.5 with the sor and bard. Just use different colored counters. You can get a bag of hundreds at craft stores fairly cheaply. Of course, at higher levels, that gets rough.
cowdragon
08-29-03, 12:28 AM My wife hates it, but my little daughter enjoys the "family time" oppertunity it creates. I suppose I should explain. My little girl, who is 16 months old btw, is very smart for her age and we are poddy training her. Soooo, when daddy needs to poddy, she follows me into the poddy and sits on her little poddy chair. I bring my PHB and read up on the spells and she reads one of her little Cat in the Hat books. Cute really. Strange bonding time that hopefully she will outgrow before too long. Anyway, that's how I catch up on all the spells.

The Cowdragon:uh-huh:
Unholydragoon
08-29-03, 12:52 AM I recommend that ye write the pertinent information for player spells on index cards. It is a lot simpler to just leaf through the pile, and it creates less clutter at the gaming table! :) Plus, ye can just hand the card to the DM when he has a question (no cheating and changing the spells now!)

For the DM, I recommend a photgraphic memory. :P

Seriously though, I recommend a running, "nothing unless I approve it out of non-core" rule. That way, ye only include non-core spells ye can read up, write down (if the book isn't yers), and mull over prior to game. Wizards dos have a spell compendium of sorts.

I also have a cheat sheet excel spreadsheet with just aboot every spell from almost every source (even the netbook of carnal knowledge :uh-huh: ). It helps a ton as well.
BobtheMighty
08-29-03, 01:34 AM Well, if my PCs don't bother to denote what type of save a spell requires, I roll the target's best save, unless it's glaringly obvious what type of save is necessary. Okay, I lied, but I should.

My PCs never write down whether SR applies to a spell or not, so as far as I'm concerned, SR applies to every spell they cast. I'll take the time to look up the spells NPCs/monsters are casting, but if my PCs won't they can just take the short end of the stick and shove it.

I don't mind the "non-core" splatbooks; I own all the class-based accessories and so on and so forth, but, to add flavor, I decided that all spells made available in those books must first be researched.

As a PC, I just make a short note of what type of save a spell requires, whether the save negates or allows for partial effect, whether spell resistance applies, and what page I can reference.

So, an entry might look like this: Player Character Blaster Rpar; N; PHB333

So, the spell allows Reflex save for partial effect, spell resistance does not apply, and any and all other pertinent info can be found on page 333 of the PHB.
Kalrin
08-29-03, 07:20 AM I got Microsoft Access 97..... I'm currently in the process of putting every spell in every book I own in that database.... I've got all the spells from Tome and Blood and Song and Silence in, and all the spells in the PHB up to E. I'm indexing Saves (and Type) which classes can learn it at what level, Schools, Modifiers, Source and Page....

I already did something similar for the monsters in the ELH and MM 3.5..... *Grin*

Note: The only 3.5 book I use is MM 3.5.... my PHB and DMG are 3.0, and I have no intention of "updating" them :)
Luminous Crayon
08-29-03, 02:24 PM As a continuation of the Index Cards idea, particularly studious players who run Wizard characters may wish to buy an inexpensive though cool-looking blank journal and write spell information on its pages. That way, all the spells are easily referenced, and you've got a neat "spellbook" that makes a great prop for your character.

Here's an example: (http://www.angelfire.com/in2/thevortex/pics/) the spellbook for a character I unfortunately never got to play. I'm working on a better one now, and I'll get some pictures on my site as soon as I finish it.
nevick
08-30-03, 11:31 AM Good ideas. i like the book idea. maybe ill get a few thin booklets and cut out grooves on the side for each spell level, for easy indexing. 1st page, cantrips, just short descriptions. 2nd page 1st level spells with the starting spells. as the game progresses the player actually copies the spell description from the PHB into the booklet as he gains spells via scrolls or copying. cool! =P

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
nevick 08-28-03, 06:16 PM	With the amout of spells in the game.. i just thought i ask how you guys keep track of them for smooth gameplay. firstly if you have a monster cast a spell you normally want to know the detals of it.. like what saves? spell resistance? damage? in the long run, id hate to look up each one in the book =(. secondly, how does your players keep track of known spells, memorized spells and spells cast/spent. if i was a player wizard i would prolly want a whole separate sheet just for spells.
Rasmus 08-28-03, 06:22 PM	A seperate sheet for spells is a must for every player! When it comes to NPC spells, it is all about being prepared. When you make an encounter, make sure you read his/hers/its most important spells, so you know duration, range, damage and any small quirks the spell might have. Another good idea, is to take the PHB with you to bed, and read a few spells before you go to sleep. Or, whenever you have 15-20 minutes, which you would otherwise use in front of the TV, pick up the PHB and browse those spells :) They are hard to memorize, but as you said yourself, they are vital for smooth gameplay.
Dasein 08-28-03, 08:00 PM	Still, given that spells are spread out across so many books, it can become a real hassle to look up all the spells. I find the bigger problem to be when the various spellcasters are preparing their spells, as they can spend hours looking through the various books to find just the right spell combos. It would be very helpful if WoTC published an annual compendium of all the spells out there so that we could easily reference them. This would make it far, far easier to keep track of what spells are available without having to fumble through a dozen splat books and such. Dasein
nevick 08-28-03, 08:34 PM	I think it would be extremely useful with a booklet just with spells, just short descriptions of the most important stats for game mechanics. with page number to PHB for reference if you want more info. no fancy graphics, just black and white. if i get bored someday, ill make one =P.
Luminous Crayon 08-28-03, 08:55 PM	It's not really too hard to keep track of spells, as long as you're prepared. If you're the DM, look up the spells your monsters have access to before the game starts, and put bookmarks in the PHB at those pages so you can find them again quickly. If you're a player, definitely use a seperate sheet to list your spells known and spells prepared, and know ahead of time what your spells do, so you don't have to spend an entire combat leafing through the PHB deciding what you want to cast.
Darthos the Librarian 08-29-03, 12:09 AM	At low levels I sometimes use index cards. Make the wizards, clerics, druids, etc. write out each spell they want to prepare on separate index cards at the beginning of the "day." That way, you keep people from accidentally (or intentionally) casting more spells than they have. of course, this gets a little easier in 3.5 with the sor and bard. Just use different colored counters. You can get a bag of hundreds at craft stores fairly cheaply. Of course, at higher levels, that gets rough.
cowdragon 08-29-03, 12:28 AM	My wife hates it, but my little daughter enjoys the "family time" oppertunity it creates. I suppose I should explain. My little girl, who is 16 months old btw, is very smart for her age and we are poddy training her. Soooo, when daddy needs to poddy, she follows me into the poddy and sits on her little poddy chair. I bring my PHB and read up on the spells and she reads one of her little Cat in the Hat books. Cute really. Strange bonding time that hopefully she will outgrow before too long. Anyway, that's how I catch up on all the spells. The Cowdragon:uh-huh:
Unholydragoon 08-29-03, 12:52 AM	I recommend that ye write the pertinent information for player spells on index cards. It is a lot simpler to just leaf through the pile, and it creates less clutter at the gaming table! :) Plus, ye can just hand the card to the DM when he has a question (no cheating and changing the spells now!) For the DM, I recommend a photgraphic memory. :P Seriously though, I recommend a running, "nothing unless I approve it out of non-core" rule. That way, ye only include non-core spells ye can read up, write down (if the book isn't yers), and mull over prior to game. Wizards dos have a spell compendium of sorts. I also have a cheat sheet excel spreadsheet with just aboot every spell from almost every source (even the netbook of carnal knowledge :uh-huh: ). It helps a ton as well.
BobtheMighty 08-29-03, 01:34 AM	Well, if my PCs don't bother to denote what type of save a spell requires, I roll the target's best save, unless it's glaringly obvious what type of save is necessary. Okay, I lied, but I should. My PCs never write down whether SR applies to a spell or not, so as far as I'm concerned, SR applies to every spell they cast. I'll take the time to look up the spells NPCs/monsters are casting, but if my PCs won't they can just take the short end of the stick and shove it. I don't mind the "non-core" splatbooks; I own all the class-based accessories and so on and so forth, but, to add flavor, I decided that all spells made available in those books must first be researched. As a PC, I just make a short note of what type of save a spell requires, whether the save negates or allows for partial effect, whether spell resistance applies, and what page I can reference. So, an entry might look like this: Player Character Blaster Rpar; N; PHB333 So, the spell allows Reflex save for partial effect, spell resistance does not apply, and any and all other pertinent info can be found on page 333 of the PHB.
Kalrin 08-29-03, 07:20 AM	I got Microsoft Access 97..... I'm currently in the process of putting every spell in every book I own in that database.... I've got all the spells from Tome and Blood and Song and Silence in, and all the spells in the PHB up to E. I'm indexing Saves (and Type) which classes can learn it at what level, Schools, Modifiers, Source and Page.... I already did something similar for the monsters in the ELH and MM 3.5..... Grin Note: The only 3.5 book I use is MM 3.5.... my PHB and DMG are 3.0, and I have no intention of "updating" them :)
Luminous Crayon 08-29-03, 02:24 PM	As a continuation of the Index Cards idea, particularly studious players who run Wizard characters may wish to buy an inexpensive though cool-looking blank journal and write spell information on its pages. That way, all the spells are easily referenced, and you've got a neat "spellbook" that makes a great prop for your character. Here's an example: (http://www.angelfire.com/in2/thevortex/pics/) the spellbook for a character I unfortunately never got to play. I'm working on a better one now, and I'll get some pictures on my site as soon as I finish it.
nevick 08-30-03, 11:31 AM	Good ideas. i like the book idea. maybe ill get a few thin booklets and cut out grooves on the side for each spell level, for easy indexing. 1st page, cantrips, just short descriptions. 2nd page 1st level spells with the starting spells. as the game progresses the player actually copies the spell description from the PHB into the booklet as he gains spells via scrolls or copying. cool! =P