Learning Extra Arcane Spells

Copyright Nicholas HM Caldwell ©2001

Edited by Jamie Revell for The Guild Companion

In the OGL 3.x rules , there are substantial inequities in spell choice among the various character classes. A Cleric or a Druid can select freely from a large number of spells at each spell level; a Bard or a Sorcerer is limited to the much smaller number that the character actually knows. If the standard system of memorising (or preparing) spells in advance is replaced with a power point system where all spell-casting character classes do not need to prepare their spells in advance, then the imbalance is shown to be even starker. For example, a first-level Druid may choose from 13 0-level spells and 15 1st-level spells, whereas a first-level Sorcerer is limited to 4 0-level spells and 2 1st-level spells. Even Wizards will normally acquire additional spells relatively slowly unless they share spellbooks or discover magical tomes in the course of an adventure.

The variant rule proposed to redress this imbalance is to allow characters with access to Arcane spells to purchase additional spells using skill points.

Spells below the current maximum spell level which may be cast normally by a character cost 1 skill point.

Spells at the current maximum spell level which may be cast normally by a character cost 2 skill points.

Spells cannot be purchased above the current maximum spell level which may be cast normally by a character.

The skill point costs are presented as a function of class level and spell level in the three tables below.

Table 1: Bard Additional Spell Costs

Table 2: Sorcerer Additional Spell Costs

Table 3: Wizard Additional Spell Costs

Appendix A

This article: "Learning Extra Arcane Spells", Copyright © 2001 by Nicholas HM Caldwell, is an OGL 3.x article.

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System Rules Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

"Learning Extra Arcane Spells", Copyright © 2001 by Nicholas HM Caldwell, first published by The Guild Companion (http://www.guildcompanion.com)

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