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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5746910" data-attributes="member: 92511">Just a few notes on magic, I'd been thinking of so far...specifically magic-user spells.This basically goes back to the old breakdown, just thrown into a 4x4 block (and limiting it somewhat)Read Magic is going to be a Skill, automatically given for MUs, no Skill slots needed. Basically, this is not a spell anymore. It is the basic ability/skill learned by years of apprenticeship and study, that you can Read Magic (magic, essentially becomes a language). For those spells with which a MU is unfamiliar, higher level than they can cast, a Skill check is basically in order.Every MU has a base 80% chance of being able to read any magic scroll or spell. The MU rolls their Intelligence (however we end up categorizing that Ability) or lower with a modifier of -20% for each spell level above the caster's highest spell level.So, for example, a 3rd level MU comes across a scroll that contains a 3rd level spell. The MU's top castable spell level is 2nd. So 80%-20%, the mage has a 60% chance of being able to read the spell.That is not to say she can CAST it! But she can find out what it is/does and will be able to learn it when she is capable of casting 4th level spells (far far away at 7th level). She can always try to cast it off the scroll...with whatever the system/chances/dangers for casting spells one doesn't know there will be or is in your game/edition of preference.  I always liked cantrips. I like what the d20 SRD did with better than they were originally presented in Unearthed Arcana...and have been using those for a long time.To get the MU on their feet...I would say a MU begins play with all cantrips/0 level spells at their disposal (there will only be 4, after all <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />.Then each level of spell will be broken down by "ye olde Offensive/Defensive/Utility" method. Keep in mind, at this beginner stage, all MUs are "general/universal" magic-users. There are no specialists in the game yet, so breaking things up by magic type/school isn't really necessary and, I feel, would simply be confusing.The player rolls a d4 and adds their Int. modifier (if any). These are the number of spells the MU begins with in their spellbook.A DM may decide whether they wish to roll for a MUs starting spells or let the player roll them himself.Roll a d6. Results of 1-2, roll on the Offensive list. Results 3-4, roll on the Defensive list. Results of 5-6, roll on the Utility list.For the sake of player fun and fairness to the seriously weak beginning MUs, a DM should make sure that a player has at least ONE offensive spell in their starting book.0 Level SpellsDetect MagicProduce FlameOpen/CloseLight1st Level OffensiveBurning/Chilling Hands (basically the Burning hands spell but you can make it fire or frost/ice/cold damage)Charm PersonMagic MissileSleep1st Level DefensiveAlarmHold PortalProtection from Evil Shield1st Level UtilityComprehend LanguagesFloating DiscIdentifySpider Climb2nd level OffensiveDarkness (20' rad)Flaming/Icing SphereStinking CloudWeb2nd level DefensiveInvisibilityMirror ImageMisdirectionWizard/Arcane Lock2nd level UtilityDetect InvisibleDetect Thoughts (a.k.a. ESP)KnockLevitate</blockquote>

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