How Many Spells Does Your Wizard Have In His Spellbook?

[Deadguy]

In one of my campaigns I actively reduced the cost of scribing spells into the book, to get the effect that wizards develop large spell repertoires. As others have pointed out, Wizards struggle as it is with the costs of acquiring magic to use. Their ability to learn new spells is always held out as one of their great strengths. But that point is moot if the can't actually afford to do so.

So no, I wouldn't regard 50 1st+ level spells as odd for a PC Wizard of 8th level. That's his chance to shine, by having the right spells to hand. My only addition would be to recommend you use some cash and XP to scribe a whole load of utility spells up as scrolls. It always impresses the party when the Wizard can produce just the right spell to overcome the specific challenge they are facing.

 

[airwalkrr]

By coincedence, I too am playing an 8th level wizard right now, and I have quite a few spells. My character scribes zealously in an endless pursuit of knowledge. I have a fondness for having any spell for any situation, which is why the wizard suits my tastes more than any other class. My wizard has 81 spells in his spellbook (including 23 cantrips). My DM has never questioned it, but I happen to be a very honest and knowledgeable player who stays away from certain items often considered "broken" on mere principle. For instance, I refuse to use pearls of power, metamagic rods, or sudden metamagic feats. I also stay away from multiclassing prestige classes and relegate myself to some of the more moderately powered ones. I plan on taking only two prestige classes, elemental savant (which I have 3 levels of) and archmage, both of which I will max out by 20th level. I also tend to roleplay my character very well. He is a hothead elf who rebelled from elven society and likes to practice necromancy. He enjoys setting anything he can on fire, is very quick to anger, and has already killed one member of the party (the other character was perceived by the whole group as a traitor) as well as nearly killing two others when the party tried to force compliance because he refused to cooperate. He is a very fun character to play, but I choose for him to take numerous rash and foolish actions, which could be seen as a self-imposed handicap.

Anyway, bottom line, no amount of spells are too many for a wizard. It's what they do, it's a way they spend their share of the treasure (until they get a Boccob's blessed book). And it is perfectly reasonable.

 

[Waldorf]

All of them, of course.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

By coincedence, I too am playing an 8th level wizard right now, and I have quite a few spells. My character scribes zealously in an endless pursuit of knowledge. I have a fondness for having any spell for any situation, which is why the wizard suits my tastes more than any other class. My wizard has 81 spells in his spellbook (including 23 cantrips). My DM has never questioned it, but I happen to be a very honest and knowledgeable player who stays away from certain items often considered "broken" on mere principle. For instance, I refuse to use pearls of power, metamagic rods, or sudden metamagic feats. I also stay away from multiclassing prestige classes and relegate myself to some of the more moderately powered ones. I plan on taking only two prestige classes, elemental savant (which I have 3 levels of) and archmage, both of which I will max out by 20th level. I also tend to roleplay my character very well. He is a hothead elf who rebelled from elven society and likes to practice necromancy. He enjoys setting anything he can on fire, is very quick to anger, and has already killed one member of the party (the other character was perceived by the whole group as a traitor) as well as nearly killing two others when the party tried to force compliance because he refused to cooperate. He is a very fun character to play, but I choose for him to take numerous rash and foolish actions, which could be seen as a self-imposed handicap.

Anyway, bottom line, no amount of spells are too many for a wizard. It's what they do, it's a way they spend their share of the treasure (until they get a Boccob's blessed book). And it is perfectly reasonable.

airwalkrr, any news on the status of the AoW PbP?

Olaf the Stout