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Post by Q Man on Jul 20, 2018 16:12:37 GMT -5
How do you rule on learning spells from scrolls or from a discovered spellbook or appropriated spellbook? Are scrolls or spell books trapped and if so how are they likely to be trapped? What are your rules for researching a specific spell?
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Jul 20, 2018 16:39:28 GMT -5
I'll post on this after I get back from the store.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2018 17:55:27 GMT -5
How do you rule on learning spells from scrolls or from a discovered spellbook or appropriated spellbook? Are scrolls or spell books trapped and if so how are they likely to be trapped? What are your rules for researching a specific spell?
Casting a written spell IMC, whether by scroll or spellbook, erases the spell from the parchment. Scribing a scroll into a spellbook from a scroll (or any other source one may imagine) erases that scroll.
Research is based upon the guidelines in the TLBBs, but I also expanded the role of sages IMC to have a lot more spell-caster skills. They are able to research spells, scribe scrolls, brew potions, write spellbooks, and create any magical item an MU can create. They even have randomly determined spells, though typically only a few. They are also protected by superstition: it is very bad luck to kill or even harm a sage and doing so will typically invoke the angry villager rule.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2018 17:58:44 GMT -5
I forgot to answer about trapped scrolls. Very rarely, and when I've used that trick I tend to highlight the scroll as special somehow. I may use an ornate case, or one of unusual material, or have it hidden in a hard to find spot. I would also give any MU or thief (or Cleric, as appropriate) picking it up a saving throw at -2 to detect something "off" about it.
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Post by Q Man on Jul 21, 2018 10:17:49 GMT -5
Research is based upon the guidelines in the TLBBs, but I also expanded the role of sages IMC to have a lot more spell-caster skills. They are able to research spells, scribe scrolls, brew potions, write spellbooks, and create any magical item an MU can create. They even have randomly determined spells, though typically only a few. They are also protected by superstition: it is very bad luck to kill or even harm a sage and doing so will typically invoke the angry villager rule.
I really like this and will use it IMC. |
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Post by Q Man on Jul 21, 2018 10:25:39 GMT -5
I forgot to answer about trapped scrolls. Very rarely, and when I've used that trick I tend to highlight the scroll as special somehow. I may use an ornate case, or one of unusual material, or have it hidden in a hard to find spot. I would also give any MU or thief (or Cleric, as appropriate) picking it up a saving throw at -2 to detect something "off" about it. IMC you would rarely expect scrolls to be trapped, but you would expect all Spellbooks to be trapped. Question? If you have an Anti-Magic field, would copying a spellbook that you have obtained (while inside the field) onto scrolls, one spell per scroll keep any magical trap on the spell book from going off? If so, once all the spells are copied you could go through the spells one by one and figure out which spells are the traps and then you would be able to not read that one(s) from the spell book and it would be protected and usable by you the same as your own. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2018 11:28:26 GMT -5
Nice idea!
Trapped or cursed scrolls IMC are triggered merely by looking at them. You could copy the good ones while in the anti-magic shell, then close the book or roll up the scroll, etc., then remove it it from the field. I would allow anyone with the knowledge enabling them to copy scrolls to discern a trapped spell by looking at it in such a case.
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Post by Q Man on Jul 21, 2018 12:24:56 GMT -5
You could even take trapped scrolls into the dungeon and leave them inadequately hidden in areas that you have cleared.
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Post by ripx187 on Jul 21, 2018 15:40:59 GMT -5
I believe that I play this by the book, but I often believe that and then find that I was wrong.
Spellbooks are always trapped, it takes an unspecified amount of time for the player to figure out how to open it (often dictated by when I decide to prep the thing.) At lower levels, once the player gains a level he opens it and finds a couple of spells from the new spell level inside. At higher levels, I just develope a system at the table, typically prompted by the player. If they are out in the field and insist on opening it and fail, there is always a chance that the book will be destroyed and perhaps a circle of damage; in other words, I just make it up. Sometimes I design specific traps or just go with some generic thing.
Scrolls, I place specific ones in my designs, but they can also appear in random treasure. I usually break the rules out of laziness and assign just 1 spell per scroll, the random number rolled on the treasure appendix is typically the number of times that the player can cast that spell from the scroll before it disappears. Mechanically, I can put any spell on there that I want to, but it will be cast at the spell level dictated by the random table. Say that I roll up a level 5 scroll with 4 spells, it is all the same spell, if I choose to put a 1st level spell then it can be used 4 times and cast as if the character was 5th spell level or the caster's true level whichever is higher.
The player with the scroll has a decision to make. If this is a new spell they can save it as is, and attempt to add it to their spellbook off camera which destroys it. Or they can choose to cast spells directly from it, and I don't tell them how many times they can use it (if I can't remember I roll a saving throw or just delete the scroll). These are bonus spells that they don't have to pay for and require no prep. They are also cast first in the attack phase, unlike using their own spells which take effect last and can be spoiled or interrupted.
Now, some scrolls are very powerful, say a 3rd level wizard finds a 6th spell level spell, there is a risk involved. The wizard cannot copy this scroll into his spellbook, but there is a chance of him being able to cast it directly from the scroll. I make up a system at the table, nothing set in stone, but it should have a chance of success, a larger chance of failure, and some chance of catastrophic failure. Best case scenario, it doesn't work and the scroll is destroyed, worst case it casts but severely injures the caster and might even backfire to do damage to everybody and everything in the room, whatever I happen to find more entertaining at the time. I don't create a set system because I want magic to be unpredictable.
Cursed scrolls: I've got two types. The standard cursed ones which affect the reader immediately, or the tricky ones that look like regular scrolls and I give the player no hints that it was written to harm the user. If the player chooses to copy the scroll into his book, he curses the entire book, the spell is alive and makes subtle changes to the other spells. If he casts the cursed spell from the scroll, comedy ensues which should result in DM entertainment. Anything from annoying results that have to be cured with "Dispel Magic" to a dangerous spell that rebounds on the party.
A word about the spell "Read Magic", I don't always require the player to cast this spell for reasons of book-keeping. The more information on the Character Sheet the easier it is. If I want this scroll to be a big deal, I will tell the player that they can't tell what it is. They can either cast Read Magic, or they can study it off camera (I'll tell them what it is at the end of a session that ends back in town). Read Magic can tell the player how many times the spell can be cast, and if the scroll is cursed or not (my speciality curses, not the standard Cursed Scrolls which take place immediately)
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Post by El Borak on Jul 21, 2018 18:13:29 GMT -5
You could even take trapped scrolls into the dungeon and leave them inadequately hidden in areas that you have cleared. That's sneaky and chaotic.  So much for those competing adventuring parties. |
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Post by El Borak on Jul 21, 2018 18:14:09 GMT -5
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Post by True Black Raven on Jul 21, 2018 22:29:30 GMT -5
I like @gizka, we seem to think alike on this. I would add that some of my magical traps are delay spells.
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Post by ripx187 on Jul 21, 2018 22:43:04 GMT -5
Nice idea! Trapped or cursed scrolls IMC are triggered merely by looking at them. You could copy the good ones while in the anti-magic shell, then close the book or roll up the scroll, etc., then remove it it from the field. I would allow anyone with the knowledge enabling them to copy scrolls to discern a trapped spell by looking at it in such a case. That is ingenious! Exalt  |
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Post by Q Man on Jul 25, 2018 18:31:32 GMT -5
You could even take trapped scrolls into the dungeon and leave them inadequately hidden in areas that you have cleared. That's sneaky and chaotic. So much for those competing adventuring parties.  , I like it! |
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Post by mao on Jul 26, 2018 7:56:27 GMT -5
During Mysantia, because peeps could maybe get to 3rd L, I had to kiss but of anybody who wanted to play a wizard, so If you have a scroll or purloined book , you can memorize directly from the source.
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Post by colinouchou on Jul 26, 2018 9:14:32 GMT -5
During Mysantia, because peeps could maybe get to 3rd L, I had to kiss but of anybody who wanted to play a wizard, so If you have a scroll or purloined book , you can memorize directly from the source. What does "I had to kiss but of anybody who wanted to play a wizard" mean? |
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Post by mao on Jul 26, 2018 9:40:27 GMT -5
During Mysantia, because peeps could maybe get to 3rd L, I had to kiss but of anybody who wanted to play a wizard, so If you have a scroll or purloined book , you can memorize directly from the source. What does "I had to kiss but of anybody who wanted to play a wizard" mean? Because we played so low level , I had to beg peeps to make mages. |
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Post by colinouchou on Jul 26, 2018 14:11:45 GMT -5
What does "I had to kiss but of anybody who wanted to play a wizard" mean? Because we played so low level , I had to beg peeps to make mages. Ah, you meant kiss butt to get people to play a wizard. |
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So much for those competing adventuring parties.
, I like it!
