Wizards Gaining Two Spells When Gaining a Level - How do you do it?

[ThirdWizard]

( )

I select other! I allow the PC Wizard to do it however he wants. If the player thinks the PC had a sudden burst of inspiration, then that's how it happened; if the player wants to handle it that his PC has been working and researching and finally something came together, that's great too. If something else, we work together.

As for the expensive inks? What do you think familiars are really for? >_>

 

[smootrk]

As for the expensive inks? What do you think familiars are really for? >_>

My familiar also supplies the the ink. Squid in a jar.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

My familiar also supplies the the ink. Squid in a jar.

Man ... Don't trip, don't fail any saving throws, and keep the heck away from destrachans!

DM: "Make a Balance check."
PC: "Uh, 10 ..."
DM: "Ooh! OK - you fall down the greased stairs, and ... [dice roll] ... Ooh ... You squid-jar breaks. Lose 400xp."

 

[Harmon]

Party in town- "Matrin, my old friend, long time no see- hay, I owe you a couple of spells. I have just what you were looking for, man its good to see you again."

In a dungeon- "cool, two scrolls- oh, they are a little frail I better not move them and copy them into my book, wow there is just enough supplies here to do just that." The next morning- "man I wish I could remember how I copied those so fast, that would be helpful."

Or, moment of- "wow- thats how Fireball works, I better copy that down- whow- if Fireball works like that then I could do this and Dispel it doing this."

 

[Len]

Ooh ... You squid-jar breaks. Lose 400xp."

Maybe it's a wooden jar.

 

[smetzger]

Was just wondering how you guys play a Wizard learning his/her two new spells when gaining a level. Are they:
- Something that the wizard has been working on and so when a level is gained, the work all comes together at that moment and thus they can be learned?
- Something that the wizard has the ability to cast once they write it into their spellbook?

Same diff for me. It all comes together, of course he can't cast it right away because it hasn't been prepared yet. When he next prepares spells, during the process with no extra time or resources alloted, he completes his notes in his spell book.

 

[Khristos]

Lol in the game I am playing sunday afternoon I am an elven wizard(RoW) with the collegiate wizard feat (5 spells per level total) that would cost 1,000 gps a level minimum for 1st level scribing if I had to pay (ouch).... Now my character has a campaign specific item that attunes him to his family which has several powerful servants (called a rou a'rou in the campaign which is the dagger equivilent version of what a katana means to an ancient and honored family of Samurai) so I treat my spell learning by communing with my ancestors during my trance downtime and when I wake up the spells are within the spellbook courtesy of my Elven House Spirit (I am 2 levels from Geometer which is the best saving money technique of PrCs in the game)

Generally a mechanic can be found within a campaign to explain it away.... limitations could be

1) Wizard belongs to an overarcing guild and trades in esoteric lore (gained from the adventure) for access to inks and spells in a town. This would allow the wizard to upgrade as per the PHB with the exception of requiring a town for access (or limit spell level access by town size)

2) The mysterious master.... character received his initial spellbook from a master mage and the book reveals further pages when the proper incantations are spoken (thus the character masters the spellbook which contains the spells) The problem with this is it fails to explain how the spell appear in a new spellbook (like Boccobs Blessed Book)

just throwing out some ideas

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I like the "sudden burst of inspiration" idea-- best description I've seen of it is in Sepulchrave's Story Hour, though for non-Alienists, I would make that inspiration... gentler.