Number of Spell

Discussion on playing Earthdawn. Experiences, stories, and questions related to being a player.
FrozenVomit
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Number of Spell

Post by FrozenVomit » Fri Feb 07, 2020 1:46 am

How many spells "casters" should have? How they gain them? How much? At what cost? When?

How do you distribute them?

Is there an official way? How do you guys do it?

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Mataxes
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Mataxes » Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:38 am

At character creation, a magician gets a number of points equal to their Perception Step, which are used to buy spells. First Circle spells cost 1 point, Second Circle cost 2.

(This is covered on page 68 of the ED4 Player's Guide: "Starting Spells".)

Acquiring spells after that is up to the magician. They can learn them from a tutor/mentor, discover them in part of the loot from an adventure, or any other method the GM feels is appropriate. The exact process of learning a new spell and the associated costs in silver and Legend Points are covered on pages 251-252 in the ED4 Player's Guide.
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Aegharan
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Aegharan » Fri Feb 07, 2020 3:58 pm

There is a house-rule that a magician gains a free spell when advancing a circle. That is used both by the group with which I play in RL and the Westmarches Game (on this forum).

Other than that, learning new spells is pretty cost-intensive, so specifically looking for ways to get spells as reward, or finding a grimoire among treasure is a great way.

Most magicians learn very few spells of their current circle or right below, but take a lot of spells from 2-3 circles lower. The cost progression makes this very attractive.

For playing this ingame, looking for a wizard's guild is usually a good start.

Michael
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Michael » Fri Feb 07, 2020 8:02 pm

considering the LP cost for spells, I just have NPC casters open their books and just swap spells equal circle at no cost.

Lursi
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Lursi » Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:43 pm

I am not sure but I think in previous editions there was a rule that you get two times the new circle as „spell points“ and every spell‘s cost was its circle. So you level into 5th circle you get 10 points to buy one circle 5, one circle 3 and one circle 2 spell.

Works well.
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

Anunnaki
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Anunnaki » Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:08 pm

Lursi wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:43 pm
I am not sure but I think in previous editions there was a rule that you get two times the new circle as „spell points“ and every spell‘s cost was its circle. So you level into 5th circle you get 10 points to buy one circle 5, one circle 3 and one circle 2 spell.
That's not from any published edition of Earthdawn I'm aware of, sorry.

Earthdawn Classic introduced and Earthdawn Third Edition continued with allowing a single free spell from the current Circle for magician characters, up to and including Fifth Circle. After that, magicians were on their own, so to speak. Also, Spell Learning Costs (Money and Legend Points) were optional rules in both of those editions of Earthdawn.

Take kaer, James

Lursi
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Lursi » Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:34 pm

Anunnaki wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 5:08 pm
Lursi wrote:
Mon Feb 10, 2020 1:43 pm
I am not sure but I think in previous editions there was a rule that you get two times the new circle as „spell points“ and every spell‘s cost was its circle. So you level into 5th circle you get 10 points to buy one circle 5, one circle 3 and one circle 2 spell.
That's not from any published edition of Earthdawn I'm aware of, sorry.

Earthdawn Classic introduced and Earthdawn Third Edition continued with allowing a single free spell from the current Circle for magician characters, up to and including Fifth Circle. After that, magicians were on their own, so to speak. Also, Spell Learning Costs (Money and Legend Points) were optional rules in both of those editions of Earthdawn.

Take kaer, James
I beg to differ. :geek:

Page 147 Earthdawn 2.Edition LRG
„... .Each time a character advances to a new circle they also learn a number of new spell levels equal to twice the new Circle without a Legend point cost. Depending on the arrengements made during training, the character can learn any spell in the trainer‘s grimoirr. These levels can be divided as the player sees fit. ...“

If you cant find a 2nd Edition,(not the prettiest), [Edit by Mod]you can find it in PDF in the FASA Games Shop or on Drive Thru RPG
Of all things I lost, sanity I held dearest.

Anunnaki
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Anunnaki » Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:32 am

Lursi wrote:
Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:34 pm
I beg to differ. :geek:

Page 147 Earthdawn 2.Edition LRG
„... .Each time a character advances to a new circle they also learn a number of new spell levels equal to twice the new Circle without a Legend point cost. Depending on the arrengements made during training, the character can learn any spell in the trainer‘s grimoirr. These levels can be divided as the player sees fit. ...“
Awesome! I stand corrected, which is never a bad thing. :) Thanks! Might have to pull out my Second Edition books and read them some time. ;)

Take kaer, James
Last edited by Anunnaki on Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Michael
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Michael » Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:13 pm

just to add more color to this, I asked about this exact thing in the fasa discord

in 4th, the spellcasters have been reduced in blasting/dps power to make them more versatile and better equipped to assist the party. That's why you now get bonus effects to spells for a better spellcast roll. Since spells are, in a way like half a talent? (or I guess with the extra successes it's like a 1.5 talent), now, that's why they cost LP.

I ran a 3rd ed game for a long time and I had failed to notice the change between 3rd and 1st about charging for LP let alone getting 1 free one per circle. What that did was foster human spellcasters to learn all the other thread weaving and spells. Now with the added LP cost for spells, I think this is going to reduce the attractiveness of doing that.

In the end, I don't like this rule, however, I fully understand the reasoning and the why and as a GM running a 4th ed game, I endorse this ruling. Spells cost LP but I don't think caster should be charing each other to learn a spell from each other. As long as you have something roughly worth the same in trade.

Sharkforce
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Re: Number of Spell

Post by Sharkforce » Thu Feb 13, 2020 7:14 pm

why *wouldn't* adepts charge each other for spells?

i mean, sure, the cost could potentially be a spell of equal value that the other adept wants (if you have such a spell that they don't know), but in general, they have a thing that you want, they're no more likely to give it away for free than anyone else is.

and the adepts that make a living off of training others in spells and such are fairly likely to know most of the spells that an adventuring adept knows and then some, unless the adventurer has found something special in their travels.

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