Article 1293 of rec.games.frp.dnd:
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From: l2wang@napier.waterloo.edu (  Lei Wang  )
Subject:  2nd Ed. Spell Memorizing Process
Message-ID: <BqutnB.6uL@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu>
Sender: news@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 1992 07:47:33 GMT
Lines: 56

  As in all editions of the D&D game, according to rules, every spell
user(mage or priest) must, after a full night of rest, spend a large
amount of time memorizing each spell that he plan to cast at the beginning
of the day, preparing every spell in advance.

  Of course, this means that in order to cast Any spell, you must have
memorized that spell earlier.  In the case of priests, you must have
prayed for that exact power in your meditations.

  It makes for careful planning, true.  But it forces players to always
choose the common, generic spells, like fireball or lightning bolt or
cure light wounds or magic missile, with no cause for variety.

  I find this all very boring.  What I'd like best(and what is most often
shown in fantasy fiction), is for a player to be creative.  You can't be
really be creative with a fireball:  You either blast your enemy with it
or you don't.


  There are a few ways to avoid the above scenario:  

  1.  Allow the player to spend the time studying/praying in the mornings,
but allow to cast any spell in a situation, provided they have the spell
components.

  This is good, but it's too much freedom.  It also consumes much of
a campaign's time, when during a melee round a mage flips through his
Player's Handbook for half an hour looking for the right spell.

  3.  (My idea)  Allow the player to select, beforehand, as many spells
as his intelligence allows, then cast only from those spells.  If you 
want to cast two fireballs, you must have devoted two or more slots
to fireball.

  This is a bit better, but it doesn't allow for the level of the caster.
A 20th level mage has as much freedom as a 1st level mage, if their
intelligences are the same.

  4.  (My better idea)  Allow the player to select, beforehand, twice
the number of spells that he can normally memorize, and he can cast
from this increased pool of spells.

  This is very good, in my opinion.  It allows for variety, but also
makes for planning.  Allowing three times the normal number is also
acceptable, though perhaps a bit too many.

  5.  (Your idea)  What is your opinion?  Any house rules that you prefer?
What do you normally play on?


-- 
l2wang@napier.waterloo.edu
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