Casting from Spell books

[Coredump]

Are they any rules about casting spells straight from a rule book. There were in previous editions, but not sure about 3.X

If not, how do people think about it. It doesn't seem too unbalancing, it just makes spellbooks into large scrolls. And IIRC, spell books are worth more than scrolls.

 

[Alzrius]

This is addressed on page 9 of the Main 3.5E FAQ:

Can a wizard cast a spell directly from his spellbook? If so, what effects on the spellbook are there?

No, you cannot use a spellbook like a scroll. A spellbook just contains notes for preparing a spell, but it's not a precast spell just waiting to be activated as a scroll is.

 

[Geoff Watson]

There actually wasn't rules for casting directly from spellbooks in previous editions, but it was a popular house rule.

The main problem is that spellbook pages can be cheaper than scrolls, especially at high levels, and with no XP cost.

Geoff.

 

[Coredump]

hmmmm....

Okay thanks.

My group is a bit magic light (one sorcerer) so I am thinking about letting him cast from found spellbooks. Maybe I will keep it to 3rd level or lower.

What do people think about any balance issues?

Maybe a failure chance?

 

[Sithobi1]

HR Alert:
I'd have him expend 2 slots instead of 1 to do that.

 

[Shin Okada]

Isn't it much easier to just let him sell the book and spend that money to buy magic items (say, scrolls)?

 

[dcollins]

There actually wasn't rules for casting directly from spellbooks in previous editions, but it was a popular house rule.

Actually, see AD&D 1st Ed. Unearthed Arcana, p. 80, top two paragraphs.

 

[Thanee]

Yeah, what Shin said, or even easier, just let him *find* some scrolls instead of spellbooks.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Sithobi1]

I think the point was to use a spellbook like a sorcerer with Master Staff would use a staff...

 

[Li Shenron]

My group is a bit magic light (one sorcerer) so I am thinking about letting him cast from found spellbooks. Maybe I will keep it to 3rd level or lower.

What do people think about any balance issues?

Scrolls can have more spells each, although IIRC the examples in the DMG and T&B were 1d4 spells at most, but still you could this to your advantage.

Spellbooks instead are permanent. If you let someone cast spells from a spellbook without having the spells "disappear" (like from scrolls), you're giving them lots of scrolls for free.
Instead, if you let the sorcerer cast from spellbook but you require the use of daily slots, you are giving him spells known for free.

If you just want to help your group, I'd suggest that at most you could have some "different spellbooks" which just work like "books of scrolls", and treat them completely as scrolls, while a wizard's private scroll would remain the same.