Thinking About OD&D

[Philotomy Jurament]

As I've been running OD&D, I've been posting my thoughts and opinions about gameplay, philosophy, house rules, etc on my website (linked in my sig). I just put three new "musings" up on the site, all related to spell-casters, if anyone is interested:

Scrolls
Spell Special Effects
Vancian Magic

(You might recognize some of the stuff in these from discussions we've had, here.)

 

[diaglo]

thinking about it.

heck, i'm refereeing it still.

 

[ghul]

Okay Philly,

I've popped by your site before when you had one or two gaming philosophy pieces. I just popped by again now. Most impressive! You just made the list, buddy. Bookmarked!

--ghul

 

[RFisher]

Thanks for the heads-up on the updates!

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

Very nice stuff-bookmarked!

 

[WSmith]

On Vancian magic, I would agree. However, I have given some thought to allowing the cleric, and only the cleric, given the amount and nature of the spells on their list in Vol I, some form of spontaneous casting. I am not sure about Clerical scrolls. These may be the spells found outside Vol I.

 

[Korgoth]

On Vancian magic, I would agree. However, I have given some thought to allowing the cleric, and only the cleric, given the amount and nature of the spells on their list in Vol I, some form of spontaneous casting. I am not sure about Clerical scrolls. These may be the spells found outside Vol I.

One variant I thought about for Clerics was to make them spontaneous casters, but limit not only daily castings but "spells known" to what is indicated on the chart. So a 3rd level cleric might have CLW and Prot. vs. Evil; he could cast each once per day or one of them twice per day, but only knows those spells. I think this goes along with the idea that clerical spells are like 'miracles' that the cleric can perform as a granted power.

I haven't made up my mind about it yet, though.

One advantage is that it does help get around the potential campaign difficulties of "Raise Dead" being available to 7th level clerics (not that they're a dime a dozen or anything): only those that have chosen that to be their 5th level spell can actually cast it (i.e. only to those few to whom it has been granted). Perhaps most only have access to things like "Dispel Evil" and "Commune".

 

[migo]

I agree with the point on Vancian magic. It's not really D&D without it. I think in OD&D/BD&D/AD&D it's still somewhat workable - you can get a really powerful spell in Sleep at first level. With 3rd edition, and 3.5 though (different topic I know), it really starts to suck.

If you've only got one spell, it should be really powerful. Read Magic shouldn't be a spell though, it should be a skill.

 

[WSmith]

Well, considering the cleric option, I can see some point to it. Here is the spell table from Vol I:

Clerics:
1st Level
1. Cure Light Wounds
2. Purify Food & Water
3. Detect Magic
4. Detect Evil
5. Protection/Evil
6. Light

2nd Level
1. Find Traps
2. Hold Person
3. Bless
4. Speak with Animals

3rd Level
1. Remove Curse
2. Cure Disease
3. Locate Object
4. Continual Light

4th Level
1. Neutralize Poison
2. Cure Serious Wounds
3. Protection/Evil, 10'r.
4. Turn sticks to snakes
5. Speak with plants
6. Create Water

5th Level
1. Dispell Evil
2. Raise Dead
3. Commune
4. Quest
5. Insect Plague
6. Create Food

Now considering that the cleric only casts a spell of each level only once a twice a day until 9th level, and that 5th level spells are not granted until 7th level of experience, I would not have a problem allowing "pray-as-you-go" type casting.

I would also not be against keeping everything the same as in the rules, but allowing the "cure" spells only swapping with prepared ones.

When it comes to magic-users, however, it is straight up fire and forget, baby, with spellbooks and all!

 

[WSmith]

Oh one more thing. There would be absolutely positively no reversible spells, i.e., lawful clerics could not cast "Cause Serious Wounds" or "Finger of Death."