D&D General Is this use of a wizard's spellbook accurate?

[TwoSix]

It's a frustrating article to see especially because this topic was litigated over and over again in the first few years after 5e's release, and the explanatory text in the PHB is unfortunately opaque enough to confuse people pretty easily.

 

[cbwjm]

My instinct was also to say that AI had something to do with it, buuut to be fair we've had things like "this cantrip is better than 5th level spells!" clickbait videos before AI. So human slop is equally likely :'D

We've also had plenty of people argue for one level of wizard allowing for you to add every wizard spell to your spellbook. If this article is AI, I wouldn't be surprised if it got some (incorrect) info from ENworld.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This claim is incorrect under both the 2014 and 2024 rules. It does, however, reflect how multiclassing works in Baldur's Gate 3, so either an author is incorrectly extrapolating into the tabletop game or an LLM is repeating language from BG3 guides.

Rory's a real person who got it wrong.

 

[FrogReaver]

Article Argument: by taking only 1 level in wizard, you learn & cast every wizard spell, using scrolls to add spells.

Answer: No. On p44 (PHB 2024), it specifically says you "prepare" spells as if you were a "single-class" wizard of that level. So, you'll be limited always to only preparing 1st level wizard spells, no matter your available spell slots.

On p45, it notes your spell slots may be higher than what you can prepare. You might even get to a point that you have, for example, 3rd level slots and no class that can cast 3rd level spells. Whether multi-classing or not, you can always slot in a lower-level spell into a higher spell slot. Sometimes this boosts the spell, sometimes it won't. In this instance, you can slot in a 1st level spell, for example, to cast in that higher slot (e.g. boost burning hands to deal more damage) but you'll never be able to cast a wizard's fireball.

I don't see any authority that supports the author's claim that "scrolls" let you bypass the rules. That's nonsense.

I think it’s ambiguous under pure 2014 RAW. I don’t feel like dragging out those books to explain the reasoning, but iirc the crux is wizard classes spell book feature didn’t specify wizard levels. This was similar to the warlock invocations level prerequisites not stating warlock level.

I think ultimately it was either clarified in a tweet or sage advice or both and so no one really brought it up anymore.

Though I think for most it’s purely a what is RAW question. I don’t expect any or at most extremely few actually play or played it that way.

 

[SkidAce]

Thanks, everybody. It definitely felt off, but I lost internet shortly afterwards so just now got back to read yall's thoughts.

 

[Mistwell]

I don't even see a way to leave feedback or make a comment.

I know how to reach them (my spouse used to work for GeekMom) so dropped them an email inviting them to this thread to read the feedback and respond if it suits them.

 

[TheSword]

It is absolutely a thing in BG3 - a very common one. It’s probably been misunderstood from there as many BG3 players in forums seem to think it’s a true translation of the rules.

Absolutely not in 5e 2024 as has been mentioned. Copying a spell requires you to be be able to prepare the spells.

However 2014? As @FrogReaver mentions the language is very different…

The rules for multi-classing for 2014 still stops you preparing the higher level spell because preparing slots is still limited by individual class. I can see how they got confused though and they can have the spell in their spellbooks.

 

[ECMO3]

Was reading this article...

Why D&D Spellcasters Should Take Exactly 1 Level in Wizard (and No More)

Taking a single level in Wizard grants you the entire Wizard Spell list. Click through to learn how this works, and how you can use it to make your games more exciting.

geekdad.com

and wondered if it was accurate about using the spellbook?

Technically RAW this is true in 2024 rules. You can prepare a spell as you have slots for it and you can copy it into your book as long as you can prepare it. Here is the relevant text:

Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To do so, choose four spells from your spellbook. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a level 1+ Wizard spell, you can copy it into your spellbook if it’s of a level you can prepare and if you have time to copy it. For each level of the spell, the transcription takes 2 hours and costs 50 GP. Afterward you can prepare the spell like the other spells in your spellbook.

So for example a Wizard 1/Cleric 19 has a 9th level spell slot. So she can prepare a 9th level spell if it is in her book. Since she can prepare a 9th level spell, if she finds or buys a scroll of Wish she can copy it into her book.

This is not RAI, but it is RAW.

 

[ECMO3]

Though I think for most it’s purely a what is RAW question. I don’t expect any or at most extremely few actually play or played it that way.

I agree, I've never played it that way or TBH even thought about it. But it is kind of cool and probably worth doing to allow more versatility.

 

[FrogReaver]

Technically RAW this is true in 2024 rules. You can prepare a spell as you have slots for it and you can copy it into your book as long as you can prepare it. Here is the relevant text:

Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To do so, choose four spells from your spellbook. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a level 1+ Wizard spell, you can copy it into your spellbook if it’s of a level you can prepare and if you have time to copy it. For each level of the spell, the transcription takes 2 hours and costs 50 GP. Afterward you can prepare the spell like the other spells in your spellbook.

So for example a Wizard 1/Cleric 19 has a 9th level spell slot. So she can prepare a 9th level spell if it is in her book. Since she can prepare a 9th level spell, if she finds or buys a scroll of Wish she can copy it into her book.

This is not RAI, but it is RAW.

Ummm, one cannot prepare wizard spells of higher level than their wizard level indicates. So no, by 2024 RAW you wouldn’t be able to add it into the spell book.