Random Spells

[Macrus]

Does any one have a good way to randomly choose spells. The wizard in my group likes to always be on the hunt for new spells and I would like a table or something like that where I can give him a random one from a list. Would anyone have something like this?

Macrus

[Ninja_Prawn]

If you'll excuse the self-promotion, the third tab of my spell matrix (https://www.dropbox.com/s/kgw687j37upfsul/Spell%20Matrix.xlsm?dl=0) has a random spell picker (you could roll a d10 to determine which level). You do have to download it and enable the macro, though.

Edit: link fixed.

[Macrus]

Brilliant, thank you.

[ATHATH]

You could also use a random number generator to pick random spells from the Wizard section of the Grimoire.

[Dalebert]

(you could roll a d10 to determine which level).

Yikes. Lower level spells should definitely be more common than high level spells. A str8 d10 roll makes a lvl 9 spell as likely to find as a cantrip. Maybe just exercise some judgment based on the level of the dungeon regarding what level spells are likely to be found there. There's a chart in the DMG regarding rarity of spell scrolls based on the level of the spell that scales and gives a good idea. 1st and 2nd level spells should be like candy while 8th and 9th are potentially legendary finds.

[Saeviomage]

Yikes. Lower level spells should definitely be more common than high level spells.
Why? People wouldn't go to great lengths to protect low level spells.

Also it doesn't really matter: your wizard isn't going to be able to cast them until he's appropriate level anyway. It just gives him something to work towards.

[Vogonjeltz]

Does any one have a good way to randomly choose spells. The wizard in my group likes to always be on the hunt for new spells and I would like a table or something like that where I can give him a random one from a list. Would anyone have something like this?

Macrus

They have spell card decks, so you could pull the ones you want to randomly select from and then have him pick a card, any card.

Alternatively, if you don't want to shell out for a deck, write down (type out) 52 spells corresponding to the 52 cards in a normal deck of playing cards, then select from that.

Myself I'd just pick spells based on the context and what I think thematically ought to be there. i.e. An enemy wizard's spellbook would have at least the base number of spells they know, possibly one or two more.

[Dalebert]

Why? People wouldn't go to great lengths to protect low level spells.

That's a strange line. You asked a question and then answered it yourself. But there's more to it than that. I'm honestly shocked that there would be any need to explain this.

Like you said, the higher level spells are more valuable and people would tend to be more protective of them and/or require more compensation to share them.
There are more low level wizards than high level in the world.
Low level characters are going to fight casters closer to their own level and those caster's books will have the spells they can know, i.e. closer to the level the party can use.
Now, a lower level caster MIGHT have a book that he got from another now-dead caster, or some pathetic little low-CR monsters might kill a caster and still have his book somewhere, but odds are it's not someone much higher level or they wouldn't likely defeat that person to take their book.

You may as well ask why the monsters you encounter are of a CR that's appropriate to the level of your party or why you find a volume of treasure that's level-appropriate. How does this need explaining? Do you put 10000 gp in a lvl 1 goblin dungeon? Do you put a Staff of the Magi in the goblin dungeon?

[Saeviomage]

That's a strange line. You asked a question and then answered it yourself. But there's more to it than that. I'm honestly shocked that there would be any need to explain this.

Like you said, the higher level spells are more valuable and people would tend to be more protective of them and/or require more compensation to share them.
There are more low level wizards than high level in the world.
Low level characters are going to fight casters closer to their own level and those caster's books will have the spells they can know, i.e. closer to the level the party can use.
Now, a lower level caster MIGHT have a book that he got from another now-dead caster, or some pathetic little low-CR monsters might kill a caster and still have his book somewhere, but odds are it's not someone much higher level or they wouldn't likely defeat that person to take their book.

Perhaps I miswrote:
A low level spellcaster dies. His normal paper spellbook rapidly decays, leaving nothing.

A high level spellcaster dies. I would expect his spellbook not to be quite so perishable.

Also bear in mind that high level spellcasters are not necessarily adventurers.


You may as well ask why the monsters you encounter are of a CR that's appropriate to the level of your party

They aren't always.


or why you find a volume of treasure that's level-appropriate.
How does this need explaining?
Do you put 10000 gp in a lvl 1 goblin dungeon?

I might. In this current edition there's not much reason not to unless you're paranoid that 2 points of AC is going to wreck your game. Rich PCs buy things that make them invested in the game, and 10,000 GP isn't enough to retire comfortably on or anything.

Do you put a Staff of the Magi in the goblin dungeon?
Not ordinarily, because the spells and bonuses it gives DO significantly alter the balance of the game. Unlike, say, a spellbook full of spells you cannot cast.