Creating Wizards Above 1st Level.

[Lemmy]

I'm a bit confused, how do you decide how many spells known a wizard (or witch) has in his spellbook (or familiar)?

Should I assume they only have the extra 2 they get from leveling up? And charge the others from WBL as if they had bought a scroll?

That seems a bit unfair, since it's very possible for a Wizard to defeat an enemy wizard and take his grimoire. Or find more scrolls (although I suppose that'd be deduced from WBL anyway)

I remember seeing a rule about it somewhere, but I just can't find it...

-.-'

[bookrat]

That's how I do it. 2 spells per level, and scrolls from WBL after that. And if you're a specialist wizard, one of those two must be from your school.

[Akujie261]

Hello

I had the same question looking through the CRB earlier. Reading through the wizard description, it kept referring to "his Spell book". I had found the wizard spellbook in the equipment section. It says there that it has 100 pages and that each spell takes up one page per spell level (0 lvl spells take 1 page).

I couldn't find any mention of the number of spells they are able to put in per lvl, if any spells can be removed once written in, or anything. I had the idea to let them start with something similar to what a sorcerer has, and then making a research requirement time to learn a new spell. higher lvl spells needing more time.

OOooo, and spells written with ink in the book can't be removed. maybe have them be required to craft a new book from scratch if they wish the spells to change. Unless they or someone else has the erase spell. mmmmm, idk. im just learning.

I am actually very new to this game. i have only played 2 times, and have been rather confused most the time lol. Im starting to get things, but i think its just my group is almost all new to the game. not many of us have ever played anything like this.

My siblings have taken an interest in the game as well. so i plan on using them as guinea-pigs. They wont really care if im fumbling through as a GM. Im glad theres this site to reference for ideas.

[Tinalles]

Akujie261 wrote:

OOooo, and spells written with ink in the book can't be removed. maybe have them be required to craft a new book from scratch if they wish the spells to change.

In the morning, a wizard sits down for an hour and studies a spellbook. Studying the book lets the wizard prepare spells. A prepared spell is loaded into the wizard's memory, all but finished. When he wants to actually cast the spell, he makes the last few gestures, and intones the last few words, and the spell is discharged. It does its thing, and then it is gone from the wizard's mind until the next time he prepares spells.

So a wizard is almost never going to want to remove a spell from his spellbook. They are there as options for spells he could prepare if he wanted. Just leave them there permanently. If he doesn't need a particular spell very often, big deal -- it's there in the spellbook if the need pops up, and if not, no harm done. If the book gets full, start another.

And yes, you get 2 free spells per wizard level after first. If you want more, your wizard will need to buy scrolls of those spells and transcribe them into his spellbook.

[ZomB]

Scribing spells into your spell book costs: spell level * spell level * 10gp (10gp at first level, 40gp at second level, etc), excluding the ones you get for free (first level int mod + 3 spells and 2 per wizard level after that)

Using scrolls to get extra spells still costs you the scribing cost as well as the scroll cost.

Another core method of getting spells is to copy them from an NPC wizards spellbook by paying him half the cost of scribing for access. This should be fine in any large city.

Using that method you would be paying 150% the cost of scribing for each extra spell. Much cheaper than the scroll method.

Note that you can take 10 on the spellcraft check to learn a spell. Which normally means for any spell level you can cast you can learn automatically, except opposition school spells.

Note also you can copy spells of any level, even those you cannot yet cast, as long as you make the spellcraft check.

[Morgan Champion]

Complete Arcane has the Collegiate Mage feat (see the bottom left of page 181 of Complete Arcane).
Aside from giving a +2 to Knowledge (arcana) checks, the wizard with this feat gets 6 free spells (plus Intelligence bonus) at 1st level and 4 free spells whenever gaining a wizard level.
The cons are an Intelligence of 13+ (which a wizard should have anyway) and the fact that this feat can only be taken at 1st level.

[j b 200]

you can also purchase prewritten spellbooks from UM, they are way cheaper than buying scrolls.

[Shar Tahl]

2 per level + purchase any additional spells via the scroll pricing system. Most, if not all, scrolls that are scribed during adventuring are found in loot, and would count towards the wizards total wealth. This would make the purchase price fit in with the wealth by level system

[Ecaterina Ducaird]

From PFSRD - Magic Section - Adding Spells to a Wizard's Spellbook

"Spells Copied from Another's Spellbook or a Scroll
...
In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to half the cost to write the spell into a spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook). Rare and unique spells might cost significantly more."

Linky-dink.

If my maths is right, add that fee to the cost of scribing it in, You end up with "Level Squared * 15gp"

As suggested in that part, as a GM I would reserve right of veto on some spells and enforce a much higher cost on some others, depending on where you char has been and what 'sorts' of spells he's likely to encounter (IE. Campaign flavour). If necromancers are hunted to the ends of the earth in your world, it's unlikely to find a wizard willing to share his spellbook that contains Animate Dead and Enervation. Similarly things like Wish / Limited wish might be deemed a 'controlled substance' because of side effects of re-writing reality. AMF might be frowned upon because it's a spell that primarily is designed to nerf casters.... you know... they guy your trying to buy the spell off.

OTOH, something like permanancy might be so common in your world that it's practically given away on graduation day so you can keep up appearances of wizard kind in general by having your dancing lights in your tower. A College might have an 'open spellbook' with Comprehend Languages in it because of the number of exchange students they get. In the 'necromancy is hated and feared' world above, Churches might maintain 'open' spellbooks of 'acceptable' necromancy spells for things that are only of use hunting undead (Disrupt undead, Undeath to Death).

[ZomB]

You could also use the gamemastery settlement rules to determine what is available where you are.

[LazarX]

I use the PFS guidelines. For extra spells beyond the freebie, I charge 150 percent of the scribing costs to cover spell acquisition, Blessed Books are not figured into the calculation.