D&D (2024) The new spell creation rules

[Leatherhead]

You can read an others spellbook with the assistance of that Wizard.

While that would make narrative sense (I'm sure Wizards and their Apprentices are supposed to work that way) the feature specifically calls out needing magic to read a spellbook that isn't yours.

And even if you could read the spell, you still couldn't memorize it or ritually cast it because it's not a part of "your spellbook."

Which is why the rules need to be amended before it goes to print.

 

[Yaarel]

While that would make narrative sense (I'm sure Wizards and their Apprentices are supposed to work that way) the feature specifically calls out needing magic to read a spellbook that isn't yours.

And even if you could read the spell, you still couldn't memorize it or ritually cast it because it's not a part of "your spellbook."

Which is why the rules need to be amended before it goes to print.

At some point the Wizard with a spellbook needed to be able to learn the Scribe spell in the first place. So it is obviously possible.

 

[tetrasodium]

At some point the Wizard with a spellbook needed to be able to learn the Scribe spell in the first place. So it is obviously possible.

Automatically there at level one. It's lacking the always counts as prepared but does not count against prep slots type wording present in some of the sorcerer & warlock features that prep a spell.

 

[Yaarel]

Automatically there at level one. It's lacking the always counts as prepared but does not count against prep slots type wording present in some of the sorcerer & warlock features that prep a spell.

There is unclear wording in the playtest document, but the intention seems to be ...

The "Known Spells" can be written into a spellbook without the use of the Scribe Spell spell. This is the case when gaining two additional spells at each new level. One writes them in without the use of Scribe Spell.

So, when a spellbook is destroyed, the Wizard can still record the Known Spells into a new book without the use of Scribe Spell.

(Of course, knowing a spell is different from preparing a spell. Knowing how to do something and actually doing it are two different things.)

The part that becomes confusing is unhelpful wording of the section to create "an other" spellbook, which requires the use of the Scribe Spell for no meaningful reason.

Nevertheless, if the primary spellbook is lost, the rewriting of it would be the primary spellbook and not extra copies of it. In this view, every Known Spell can be rewritten without the need to use the Scribe Spell spell.

The purpose of the Scribe Spell spell is to decipher an unknown spell, not write down a spell that one already knows.

(For some reason, there is a difference between having one record of a spell, versus creating multiple duplicates of a spell.)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Granted, it would be nice if the spell actually said that, but it's not hard to rule on.

It's not, but they should be jumping on obvious Sage's Advice questions before publication, when it's clear that they'll be coming.

 

[Parmandur]

It's not, but they should be jumping on obvious Sage's Advice questions before publication, when it's clear that they'll be coming.

Yeah, this needs adjustment before it hits print, but I like where their head is at.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The Spell component one bothers me a bit, but not because it breaks the Spell. I don't like it edgining in on the Sorcerer's Metamagic turf.

This is why it was a mistake to center the sorcerer on metamagic as its exclusive thing.

most spellcasters should be able to do some of that stuff.

 

[Yaarel]

There is unclear wording in the playtest document, but the intention seems to be ...

The "Known Spells" can be written into a spellbook without the use of the Scribe Spell spell. This is the case when gaining two additional spells at each new level. One writes them in without the use of Scribe Spell.

So, when a spellbook is destroyed, the Wizard can still record the Known Spells into a new book without the use of Scribe Spell.

(Of course, knowing a spell is different from preparing a spell. Knowing how to do something and actually doing it are two different things.)

The part that becomes confusing is unhelpful wording of the section to create "an other" spellbook, which requires the use of the Scribe Spell for no meaningful reason.

Nevertheless, if the primary spellbook is lost, the rewriting of it would be the primary spellbook and not extra copies of it. In this view, every Known Spell can be rewritten without the need to use the Scribe Spell spell.

The purpose of the Scribe Spell spell is to decipher an unknown spell, not write down a spell that one already knows.

(For some reason, there is a difference between having one record of a spell, versus creating multiple duplicates of a spell.)

Again the idea seems to be, one need not use Scribe Spell to write down ones own "Known" Spells.

A reference in The Books Appearance mentions in passing, that a "spellbook" can look like "even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap". The intention is, a Wizard character is assumed to be able rewrite the Known Spells of a lost spellbook.

Moreover, in this specific instance, the Wizard does not actually "have more than one spellbook". Therefore. There is no need to use the Scribe Spell spell to write this renewal of a one-and-only spellbook. The Scribe Spell is only to "have" more than one. Indeed, the Wizard can "scrounge" together whatever happens to be at hand, to get these spells down into a written (or at least a graphic) form.

Known Spells can be written down for free. But one cannot have more than one copy of it without Scribe Spell. The requirement of Scribe Spell seems to be a financial disincentive to prevent an infinite number of spellbooks, since the spell itself costs money to cast. But to have one book is free.

The reason it is necessary to write down these Known Spells, is the inscription seems to be part of the requirement for the process of "preparing" a spell.

 

[Yaarel]

Comments on the Modify Spell spell.

"You can change the spells, color, sound, and smell". Any mage can do this anyways, as per the spell thematics section in Tashas. One can make the Magic Missile effect appear as if chickens, or however one visualizes the flavor the spell.

Components. "Verbal, Somatic, or Material". This is worthless, and the spell descriptions should not refer to these in the first place.

Concentration. The concentration on this spell cannot be ended by damage. This is situationally useful depending on the particular spell and depending on whether the Wizard expects to be in melee combat, rather than kiting away from the threat. Typically, this Concentration feature is not worth the casting of the slot 4 Modify Spell. But again certain situations might benefit on occasion.

Damage Type. Swap the damage type of a spell. This is awesome ... flavor. If the Wizard focuses on elemental themes and tropes, then Cold, Fire, Lightning or Thunder is superheroish. Also possible are Acid, Necrotic, or Poison, which to me feel like the primordial Elemental Chaos or else necromantic flavor. There is utility because the swapping the damage type can bypass resistance. It doesnt actually improve the amount of damage, thus doesnt cause any gaming balance issues. But it can mean your high damage spell can hit more reliably. The best use for Damage Type is planning an assault mission against a known big bad ahead of time.

Range. Increase the range of a spell adding 30xlevel. This choice of modification is a big deal. If your character likes to "kite", namely attacking a target while sniping from a safe distance away, then this spell makes that tactic easy to do with whatever damage spell seems most effective. In my experience, having good defenses and mobility, plus a few interrupts like the Shield spell, while kiting, makes the Wizard almost unhittable. Meanwhile the chosen extra-ranged spell can be a lethal one.

Ritual is poor. These spells that require a spell slot, but take 10 minutes to cast, probably need to be fixed or rethought in the first place. In any case, this modification is little or no benefit. To make it a ritual means one doesnt need to spend a spell slot ... but to cast this modification requires spending a spell slot! Maybe one or two specific spells might benefit from "spamming" as a ritual, but at 10 minute per casting, this isnt all that spammy.

Targets. Make an area-of-effect spell 100% accurate. Typically, one uses this modification to launch Fireball into a battlefield and not a single "ally" will be injured by it. Only targets that you want to hit will be affected. This doesnt increase the amount of damage, so it stays balanced in that sense. However it makes the most damaging spell more useful in more situations. This modification is worth casting the slot 4 Modify Spell.



Components and Ritual are mostly worthless.

Concentration might be useful in niche cases for a frontline Wizard.

Damage Type is meh, but I love this kind of thematic flavor.

Range is useful, but only if the Wizard is already investing other resources in the "kiting" tactic.

The Targets modificaiton is probably worth casting a slot 4 Modify Spell.

 

[Parmandur]

Components. "Verbal, Somatic, or Material". This is worthless, and the spell descriptions should not refer to these in the first place.

This I take exception to: the Spell components are a major part of the feel of D&D, and have real strategic implications in play, in my experience.