Checking to make sure PC magickers don't alter spell picks during game?

[Djeta Thernadier]

Our DM has said he does not feel the need to check (neither DM actually, I play in 3 games / 2 DMs). I can't imagine trying to cheat. That seems pretty low to me. And I wouldn't feel right in a group where the DM felt like he or she did not trust the players enough to NOT check.

I write my daily spell picks down, but only for my own reference.

 

[Crothian]

Never. I can't even imagine anyone in my groups doing that.

 

[Amaroq]

If I were DM'ing a bunch of 13-15-year-old kids, I might feel a need to check in some way.. but with a bunch of adults? C'mon.

That said, a campaign I'm playing in frequently spans days quickly enough that, though my spellcaster would have taken a moment to think about what she knew was coming the next day, I haven't written it down on the character sheet. So, I sometimes "fudge" what spells she has memorized for the day after we drop back out of hyperspace. Since that's as likely to go against her interests as for her .. "Sorry, by prior precedent, in town she doesn't have all of her top combat spells memorized..." .. I don't think of it as 'cheating' though a strict structuralist might view it as such.

Hmm.. I suppose I could address the issue 'before hand' by laying out several 'default' spell-memorization lists, say, 'town', 'on the road - safe', and 'on the road into danger'. That's no different than pre-calculating encumbrance for different scenarios, which I do as well. Hrm.

 

[jmucchiello]

Eh, if that's what makes the player happy, then I don't really care.

Ditto.

 

[Krieg]

I have individual security cameras trained on each player constantly to ensure that no cheating goes on. Don't want anyone to illegally walk away with the house's money you know....

...oh wait that was the summer I worked in Vegas, sorry.

 

[orchid blossom]

Would doing something like that be punishment enough in itself? In this case, for example, you've just wasted one of your few sorcerer spell slots on a spell that you'll probably never need again. I like this rule - with cheese weaseling included even!

Your new magical powers awaken within you in time of need...

Very likely it would be it's own punishment. But since sorcerers can swap out spells now, you wouldn't be stuck with it forever. A long time maybe, but not forever.

I do try to choose spells partially on what happened in the level or two before the character gets the new spell. For a while we had lots of trouble with invisible things, so she next got Glitterdust. Makes the invisible things all sparkly, and possibly blind. She was once charmed by an Eriynes, and now has gained no more enchantment spells since. It just makes for an interesting character for me.

 

[Cedric]

As a 13th level Mystic Theurge with a high wisdom and int...it's everything I can do just to keep up with the spells I HAVE prepared. God forbid I start trying to change them around, I'd lose my sanity.

Cedric

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Honestly, in my opinion, cheating is not a big deal in role-playing games.

 

[Tessarael]

How many DMs out there are checking their players' character sheets during the game to make sure spellcasters aren't fixing their spell picks as they move through an adventure?

Especially as you get to higher levels, one of the problems with Vancian spellcasters (i.e. Cleric, Druid , Wizard, not Sorcerer or Bard), is it can take ages to prepare a full list of spells memorized. Particularly if you're trying to roleplay time fairly fast, it's no fun to sit down and wait to the spellcaster players to memorize spells for an hour or two.

Trying to speed things up, can lead to the "but I would have memorized that" scenario - where spell preparation hasn't been done (or at least hasn't been completed). In some cases it's reasonable, party is travelling outdoors for a day or two - Leomund's Secure Shelter to pick a random somewhat appropriate spell.

My suggestion is this, get the players to write up several alternate spell lists for different scenarios:

buff for encounter
covert
dungeon
urban
wilderness

This should really speed up spell memorization. In general, they should be picking one of these lists, and making only minor changes for spell preparation.

Another thing spellcasters can, and probably should, do is not memorize spells in all their spell slots. Ok, it turns out you need Leomund's Secure Shelter - well if you left a 4th level spell free, you can sit down and memorize the spell, and then cast it. However, this doesn't help you for combats.

Another option is to switch to using spellcasters that don't memorize. This really simplifies thing for a spellcaster - no preparation, just choosing what spell to cast in a given round.

I also like Tortoise's idea. Kind of like having a hand of spells memorized from a deck of spells that you have available (sorry Magic the Gathering flashbacks). It would be kind of cool to have that with the spells details, base DC, etc, and a funky picture ... haha, I fireball - pulls card out of hand - the goblins!

And Orchid Blossom's DM's rule is nice flavor to Sorcerer's "wild talents".

Just my thoughts ...

 

[Elf Witch]

I am just satrting to DM and I have thought about this and made the decision to let the players handle it.

The way I look at if they feel the need to cheat to have fun then let them if it is not impacting the game in a stong negatve way. If they are otherwise a good player then I would over look it.

As a player I don't cheat that would take the fun out of the game for me.