Learning spells as a Wizard

[ZenBear]

What are your experiences with this in play? Does your DM give you ready access to libraries and arcane scholarship? Do you find scrolls in dungeons/steal them from foes? Is your DM generous or stingy? Can you be too generous? Etc.

[djreynolds]

What are your experiences with this in play? Does your DM give you ready access to libraries and arcane scholarship? Do you find scrolls in dungeons/steal them from foes? Is your DM generous or stingy? Can you be too generous? Etc.

I made it a point when we did out of the abyss, that DM had to roll to see if scrolls were available first at each merchant, and then roll or pick scrolls we could buy.

Its almost a courtesy to you as a wizard, but not at all unrealistic that places will offer scrolls. You cannot be the only wizard around.

And the cool thing is, it really makes you go to every place in village and talk with everyone. Our rogue would try breaking into places, and our DM had a rival NPC wizard trying to steal my spellbook. It can add to an adventure. So the whole party was almost invested in my and my spellbook, as I was in their needs. The bard would try talking down prices, the rogue would steal from anyone (we had got arrested once), maybe the cleric asks his church, and the fighter finds old soldier contacts or intimidates people.

Also find out his ruling, AFB, on transcribing from other casters. We had a warlock with pact of the tome and we shared ritual spells.

If a cleric has prepared a spell, can you learn it form? We didn't allow it, but maybe your DM will because its too much out of game work to create merchants who sell stuff and its not in the module.

The DM would make a cost and often the whole party would pay into helping me get spells, same as me helping to pay for plate armor or silvered weapons.

Basically, keeping bugging the DM respectfully.

[Sigreid]

My wizards tend to make their own luck. They are friendly to wizards that they might be able to negotiate exchanges with. They require spell knowledge as part of payment for tasks. They actively hunt wizards no one will miss...

[BurgerBeast]

I made it a point when we did out of the abyss, that DM had to roll to see if scrolls were available first at each merchant, and then roll or pick scrolls we could buy.

(snip)

This sounds pretty awesome to me, and I'll be trying to emulate this in my games.

[Dalebert]

Scrolls are actually magic items so I tend to treat them as fairly rare and you're unlikely to find them for sale. However, wizards with spellbooks who might trade spells with you or sell spells (let you scribe for a fee) are not that uncommon. I would decide how receptive they are based on a persuasion check and some spells would be very common, essentially staples, while other spells would be harder to find. Everyone and their mom has Mage Armor, Sleep, Magic Missile, Mirror Image, Fireball.