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I'm just wondering how people handle wizards starting above first level in terms of spells known. Do you just give the base 2 per level, an extra spell/s per level, multiply spells known by int mod, some other method? I'm curious as for wizards the spells known is a large part of their power and very few don't gain extras as they level up from captured spell books, research, purchasing. So what method do you use to deal with the amount of spells given to a wizard starting above first level say they're joining a game in progress?
Just have them pay the normal price (15 x spell level^2) for any spells in addition to the ones they gain through level advancement. Unless any spells are especially rare or guarded in your setting, in which case they may need a backstory reason to access them, at your discretion, but it's probably better for everyone just to do it the easy way.
Figure out their starting gold, then they can use that to purchase/scribe spells as per the rules in the magic chapter. They of course get the bonus two spells per level of wizard (as long as they were of the appropriate level) and whatever prestige class/archetype expanding the list. But no GM-granted freebies. Fighter starting at higher level isn't assumed to have found a masterwork sword anywhere.
A fighter starting at higher level isn't charged for any cure or fly potions they may have used getting there nor any ammo the archer used. They aren't even charged for equipment upgrades they may have done, such as trading in scale armor for banded and later plate armor.
Take a portion of the WBL and allow them to allocate it as scribing costs. Something less than 5%.
Captured spellbooks are treasure, and thus are typically accounted for in WBL as such. When creating a high-level character, you have a huge advantage in not 'buying' spells you already have or don't want. That abundant ammunition spell in the spellbook you just found in a campaign is something you're stuck with whether you wanted it or not, but when generating a character, only buy spells you want.
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I give them normal spells per level, others must be purchased. Spells from outside the Core Books need to be approved ahead of time, although I'm usually the one most knowledgeable in our group about spells, being primarily a player of spellcasters. I often end up recommending spell choices for them.
Then again, the last time I did that, the player had forgotten what a lot of his spells actually did (we were only 5th level) . . . so my fighter was actually making tactical spellcasting recommendations.
