Spell Components, Learning New Spells, etc...

[Daniel D. Fox]

It just now occurred to me that spell components are gone, yet impliments are in.

While I believe this is a positive change, I also lament the exclusion of them. It gave spells a flavor that transcended game mechanics behind them. Although I have a feeling that Rituals will have components tied to them, there are several questions that I still have:

!) Can Wizards cannibalize foe's spell books to learn new spells?

2) If the above is in fact true, can other classes open up their repertoire by learning new Exploits or Prayers in the same manor?

3) What will happen with the tride and true Protection from Evil; will it return to being a spell that hedges out extradimensional foes, or will it be eliminated?

4) Is a spellbook even required for Wizards once they "learn" a spell or suite of spells every level?

5) What is the effect of a Wizard losing his spellbook?

 

[mach1.9pants]

You are asking questions that I really don't know but AFAIK:
1. I think so, but really unsure could be I am thinking about researching/learning rituals (a vague recollection of a podcast sorta feeling!)
2. Unknown
3. Not a hope of knowing until PHB launch IMO
4. Yes, I think, to choose their daily.
5. My guess is that if you loose your spellbook you will be unable to change your choice of daily spells until you get it back.

 

[malraux]

It gave spells a flavor that transcended game mechanics behind them.

I would dispute this. I don't think it gave spells a flavor, spell components were always more of a garnish than a flavoring. That is, they looked pretty when you first looked at the spell, but quickly got brushed to the side of the plate to get at the food of the spell.

 

[zoroaster100]

I think a good way to add spell components back in is to treat them as magic items. You could have certain rare components which, when found as valuable treasure or purchased for a high price, can be used (single use) to give a particular spell or type of spell a boost. For example, specially treated efreeti horn that gets used up to give a fire spell a +1 on damage.

 

[CaptainCoal]

While I believe this is a positive change, I also lament the exclusion of them. It gave spells a flavor that transcended game mechanics behind them. Although I have a feeling that Rituals will have components tied to them, there are several questions that I still have:

!) Can Wizards cannibalize foe's spell books to learn new spells?

2) If the above is in fact true, can other classes open up their repertoire by learning new Exploits or Prayers in the same manor?

I had the same thought. I remember when wizard (or magic-users, really) used to love killing other wizards because it meant getting their spell books and opening up more spell choices.

While it makes sense that such a thing is still possible (after all, we know they have spell books and we know those spell books allow them to juggle their daily power), it does seem unbalancing.

I think you hit the nail on the head with your second question. Why should wizards have all the fun? If they can use another wizard's spellbook, then fighters are stuck learning new powers at the same rate as always. No fun for fighters, there...

My vote? I think a wizard's spellbook will be unique to them. No trading powers, no learning powers ahead of the given curve. Unless there's some unique class trait to wizards that counteracts this... Personally, I think it would put every other non-spellbooker at a disadvantage (fun-wise, not mechanics-wise).

CC

 

[Vaeron]

My guess would be that wizards can still collect enemy spellbooks, since that's where Daily spells come from. They probably can't learn more than 1 new Daily per level, though, so it might not do them any good. But even if they could learn it immediately, they still can cast only one per day and it seems that all the spells learned so far have been balanced pretty well for against each other for their level. So even if they could aquire new spells this way I wouldn't call that broken - versatility has always been a wizards strong point, it's what made them (at times) preferable to sorcerer's in 3rd.

 

[snkline]

I would assume it works much like it does now, only instead of preparing your slots for the day, you prepare what at-wills/encounters/and dailies you want for the day. A Wizard might eventually know most of the spells in the game, that wouldn't mean he could use them all.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I think you hit the nail on the head with your second question. Why should wizards have all the fun? If they can use another wizard's spellbook, then fighters are stuck learning new powers at the same rate as always. No fun for fighters, there...

Well, if everybody has the same shtick, it may get repetitive. From the DDXP characters, we could also draw the conclusion, that every class has its unique "shtick" in power handling:

- Wizards: Swap and/or accumulate daily spells (spellbook of previous editions).
- Fighter: Dailies are reliable (it's like the fighter - you WILL hit and NOT run out of it before it's done)
- Clerics: Have "Channel Divinity", which can be used 1/encounter, but is selected from a list (mimicking the variety of options clerics had with their spell list).

Just a guess, LT.

 

[HeinorNY]

2) Yes. Multiclassing.

 

[Nytmare]

Why should wizards have all the fun?

As I understood it, wizards were the only class so far that had a (Vancian) list of abilities that they chose at the start of the day. The other classes don't get options like that.