The wizard's core spellbook

[Thanee]

While dcollins is polling about the individual levels, I'd like to ask about complete spellbooks.

Let's assume you are an 18th level human generalist wizard (you started at 1st level with a 16 Int), you have access to the PHB 3.5 only to pick spells from, and you have scribed only a few more low to mid level spells into your book.

You have all 0th level spells,
8 spells each of 1st through 3rd level,
6 spells each of 4th through 6th level, and
4 spells each of 7th through 9th level.

Keep in mind, that you have built that spellbook over time, so pick spells that are useful for the respective level at which they have been chosen also, but of course you have always kept an eye on the higher levels as well.

Which spells are in your book now?

Spellbook:

0th - all spells;
1st - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
2nd - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
3rd - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
4th - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
5th - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
6th - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
7th - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
8th - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>;
9th - <spell>, <spell>, ..., <spell>.

Feats: If some feats would be important for your spell selection to make any sense, list them here.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Spellbook:

0th - all spells;
1st - Shield, Mage Armor, Unseen Servant, Identify, Magic Missile, Color Spray, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall;
2nd - Resist Energy, Glitterdust, See Invisibility, Invisibility, Mirror Image, False Life, Knock, Rope Trick;
3rd - Dispel Magic, Magic Circle against Evil, Arcane Sight, Suggestion, Fireball, Fly, Gaseous Form, Slow;
4th - Dimensional Anchor, Evard's Black Tentacles, Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility, Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer, Polymorph;
5th - Break Enchantment, Cloudkill, Hold Monster, Wall of Force, Persistent Image, Telekinesis;
6th - Antimagic Field, Greater Dispel Magic, Planar Binding, Analyze Dweomer, Contingency, Mordenkainen's Lucubration;
7th - Greater Teleport, Greater Scrying, Forcecage, Limited Wish;
8th - Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Horrid Wilting, Polymorph any Object;
9th - Summon Monster IX, Dominate Monster, Shapechange, Time Stop.

Bye
Thanee

 

[uzagi_akimbo]

Hmm,; nice selection. Close enough to mine to make me feel comfortable

If I could pick at 18th level, without regard to spells I may have wanted before I got their higher level counterparts, I would take the picks in () brackets, though.

Spellbook:

0th - all spells;
1st - Shield, Mage Armor, Charm Person, Burning Hands, Identify, Magic Missile, Expeditious Retreat, Silent Image;
2nd - Resist Energy, Glitterdust, See Invisibility , Invisibility, Mirror Image, False Life, Alter Self, Levitate (Scorching Ray);
3rd - Dispel Magic, Fireball, Blink(Haste), Arcane Sight, Suggestion (Major Image), Fly, Gaseous Form, Clairvoyance;
4th - Polymorph, Stoneskin, Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility, Charm Monster, Scrying (Enervation);
5th - Break Enchantment, Teleport (Baleful Polymorph), Magic Jar, Wall of Force, Persistent Image, Telekinesis;
6th - Antimagic Field, Greater Dispel Magic, Planar Binding, Analyze Dweomer, Contingency, Disintegrate;
7th - Greater Teleport, Greater Scrying, Forcecage, Limited Wish;
8th - Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Iron Body , Polymorph any Object;
9th - Summon Monster IX, Dominate Monster, Shapechange, Time Stop.

 

[Shadowdweller]

Heh. I NEVER play generalists (specialists have much more flavor IMO), and unfortunately each type of specialist tends to be built very differently, so this is a bit of a patchwork. Note that there are a number of either/or choices below. I try to keep at least a certain number of attack spells, utilities, and buffs. Also highly influential to my picks are the abilities of other party members.

0th - all spells;
1st - Alarm, Mage Armor, Enlarge Person, Identify, Magic Missile, Ray of Enfeeblement or Color Spray, Obscuring Mist, Feather Fall;
2nd - Resist Energy, Glitterdust, Detect Thoughts, Invisibility, Mirror Image, False Life, Knock, Rope Trick;
3rd - Dispel Magic, Stinking Cloud, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Suggestion, Fireball, Fly, Shrink Item, Haste;
4th - Dimensional Anchor, Dimension Door, Arcane Eye or Scrying, Confusion (or possibly Fear), Stone Shape;
5th - Break Enchantment, Mirage Arcana, Teleport, Wall of Force, Persistent Image, Telekinesis;
6th - Repulsion or Acid Fog, Disintegrate, Planar Binding, Analyze Dweomer, Contingency, Chain Lightning;
7th - Power Word: Blind, Reverse Gravity, Forcecage, Limited Wish;
8th - Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Otto's Irresistible Dance, Polymorph any Object;
9th - Gate, Dominate Monster, Shapechange, Time Stop.

 

[Vrecknidj]

While we're at it, I hope no one minds if I ask a tangential question. I entered a campaign with a 10th level character. She was an Expert 2, Aristocrat 1, Wizard 7. The DM told me to add several spells beyond the core spells because this wizard happened to be part of an elite society of wizards, many of whom would have, over the course of this character's life, shared some spells (trades, purchases, etc.).

So, even though it's an interesting exercise to see what spells would be in the core spellbook, does anyone out there playing a wizard (or DMing them) actually have wizards that only have such spells?

Dave

 

[Thanee]

Well, when we started with 3.5, we only used the core books for spells and magic items (but also other sources for feats and prestige classes).

I believe, that most spellbooks have a large percentage of core spells in them and while surely many spells from other sources find their way into these books, not every game uses the same sources, so it's best to restrict them to what everyone has available, I think. And the core spell selection isn't all bad, certainly sufficient to play a mage with a reasonable spell repertoire over the course of 20 levels.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Vrecknidj]

Okay, that said, here's my list (with a comment here and there):

0th - all spells;
1st - Mage Armor, Shield, Magic Missile, Silent Image, Detect Secret Doors, Charm Person, Expeditious Retreat, Comprehend Languages (I'm in a lot of role-playing heavy campaigns);
2nd - See Invisibility, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Minor Image, Bear's Endurance, Detect Thoughts, Protection from Arrows, Blindness/Deafness;
3rd - Dispel Magic, Fireball, Protection from Energy, Haste, Fly, Tongues (See Comprehend Languages above), Displacement, Major Image,--if I could have two more, they'd be Greater Magic Weapon and Heroism to buff up an ally;
4th - Dimensional Anchor, Stoneskin, Polymorph, Confusion, Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer, Charm Monster (it was a toss up between this and Wall of Ice);
5th - Wall of Force, Teleport, Persistent Image, Rary's Telepathic Bond (I'm also often in campaigns where the heroes often separate to attack multiple foes), Hold Monster, Shadow Evocation;
6th - Greater Dispel Magic, Globe of Invulnerability, True Seeing, Analyze Dweomer, Chain Lightning, Greater Heroism;
7th - Waves of Exhaustion, Project Image, Limited Wish, Forcecage;
8th - Protection from Spells, Greater Shadow Evocation, Polar Ray, Trap the Soul;
9th - Mordenkainen's Disjunction, Wish, Gate, Meteor Swarm.

Feats and what I might (very generally) use with them: Craft Wand (fireball, dispel magic, haste, fly, displacement, see invisibility, major image), Craft Wondrous Item (see invisibility, detect thoughts, mage armor, stoneskin, polymorph, displacement, globe of invulnerability, trap the soul, protection from spells)

Dave

 

[Vrecknidj]

So, then, how many spells does a 20th level wizard actually have in the spellbook? Do you all really play that the wizard only has the spells gained from increasing in level?

I assume that any wizard worth his/her salt would want to copy scrolls into his/her spellbook, copy spells from other wizard's spellbooks, etc.

I've never played in a campaign that had wizards that didn't end up with far more spells than their level advancements alone would allow.

Dave

 

[SkidAce]

So, then, how many spells does a 20th level wizard actually have in the spellbook? Do you all really play that the wizard only has the spells gained from increasing in level?

I assume that any wizard worth his/her salt would want to copy scrolls into his/her spellbook, copy spells from other wizard's spellbooks, etc.

I've never played in a campaign that had wizards that didn't end up with far more spells than their level advancements alone would allow.

Dave

This has ben my experience also. The wizards always seem to search out additional spells they want from defeated foes, colleges, etc. and take the time to add them.

However for the purpose of the original question, using the spells per level gives everyone the same "framework" for submitting ideas.

 

[Faerl'Elghinn]

Hmmm... See, this is a difficult question, as the usefulness of spells often varies from campaign to campaign (although there are those few Fireballesque spells which would appear on any rational person's list.) If the goal is to "win" (or to be the most powerful wizard possible...) Let's see- I'm not multiclassed, so my combat abilities are basically garbage without Tenser's Transformation. I want to choose spells which will a) boost the party, b) keep me from getting hurt, c) render as many enemies as possible ineffective in combat, d) give me an effective mechanics "toolbox" for non-combat situations, and e) disable/kill/hurt a single powerful opponent as effectively as possible. My most important skill to boost will be Concentration, as I'll need to remain cool-headed in order to escape if I'm forced into melee (or at least be able to pop off a spell to make myself an effective fighter, such as Polymorph or Tenser's Transformation). All right, here goes nothing:

0th: All
1st: Identify, Expeditious Retreat, Magic Missile, Shield, Mage Armor, Ray of Enfeeblement, Color Spray, Tenser's Floating Disk
2nd: Invisibility, Mirror Image, Rope Trick, Knock, Bull's Strength, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Darkvision, See Invisibility
3rd: Fireball, Haste, Fly, Dispel Magic, Slow, Tongues, Phantom Steed, Protection from Energy
4th: Dimension Door, Polymorph, Confusion, Leomund's Secure Shelter, Greater Invisibility, Fear
5th: Cloudkill, Feeblemind, Teleport, Wall of Force, Cone of Cold, Permanency
6th: True Seeing, Contingency, Disintegrate, Circle of Death, Mass Bull's Strength, Tenser's Transformation
7th: Greater Teleport, Finger of Death, Forcecage, Limited Wish
8th: Horrid Wilting, Polymorph any Object, Protection from Spells, Otto's Irresistible Dance
9th: Wish, Time Stop, Shapechange, Wail of the Banshee

Eh, something like that. Just a quick list, but it feels pretty well-rounded over all. Of course, many of the spells might change dependant upon my alignment, disposition, sense of self-preservation, race, etc. Even as a good character, I don't think I'd have a problem hitting a horde of weak monsters with a Circle of Death as opposed to a Fireball. I'd just be taking the more direct route. Of course, some of my other choices might be contingent upon external factors, such as the abilities of the other individual party members, such that I would create as few overlaps as possible. Plenty of firepower, buff, protection, escape, utility, and just outright badassitude here, I think. At higher levels, Limited Wish becomes a real powerhouse, as it can give you access to a spell for just about any situation for a paltry 500 XP. Never leave home without it. My experience with the spell may be somewhat influenced by the fact that my DM is fairly forgiving on wording when I stick to the limitations outlined in the book, although some casters may find it to be more bane than blessing.

At low levels, my first reaction would be to pop up a Shield, and then proceed to launch various offensive spells. Hang back, buff, then take the offensive at mid levels, setting up effective party escape routes where necessary (i.e., pop up a Rope Trick when the party appears to be overmatched). Just outright obliterate at high levels. Polymorph all party members into something powerful (save probably the Rogue), such as Stone Giants, as soon as it becomes an option. This post is always assuming that everyone in the party has the singleminded goal of "winning", so I can't see myself facing any opposition to this plan.

Oh, well- end of post.