Wizard Spells Alternative: Mental Pages

[tedcahill2]

There's a sidebar in Complete Mage that creates an analogy of a wizard preparing their spells to the way a scribe prepares a parchment for writing. Resting effectively wipes away the previous days "pages" and they spend their morning preparing their mind for the spells of the day.

There's never been a really good argument for having a certain number of spell slots available per day, in my opinion, and reading this description got me thinking. Why not reconfigure a wizards ability to prepare spells to be like a mental spellbook, with a certain number of "pages" available each day for him to "write" spells to. It would work just like a normal spellbook, a spell would take up a number of pages equal to twice it's level (1 page for cantrips), and wizard will have a certain number of pages available per day. Beyond that, they prepare their spells normally. High intelligence would grant bonus pages just like it grants bonus spells.

I'd love to hear your thoughts?

Level > Pages per Day
01 > 5
02 > 8
03 > 12
04 > 18
05 > 24
06 > 34
07 > 44
08 > 58
09 > 72
10 > 90
11 > 108
12 > 130
13 > 152
14 > 178
15 > 204
16 > 234
17 > 264
18 > 298
19 > 330
20 > 364

[Vizzerdrix]

People will just top load their highest level stuff.

[tedcahill2]

People will just top load their highest level stuff.

I don't play high level games, but I don't see the issue with that. So you can launch 4 fireballs a day instead of 1 or 2, but that's it, you're out of spells.

[legomaster00156]

So basically, you want to play with psionics.

[Deophaun]

I don't play high level games, but I don't see the issue with that. So you can launch 4 fireballs a day instead of 1 or 2, but that's it, you're out of spells.
In general, there are four encounters a day. I'll take being able to fire off an A-list spell every encounter.

[Gellhorn]

You get what, 20 9th level spells at level 20? 7 5ths at level 9. Only 3 2nd level spells at level 3, but int bonus and specialisation should give you enough to get a few more spells

[DMVerdandi]

Take wizard

Give them the ability to memorize spells for 1 XP per level, They must still in all other ways prepare and cast as usual.
Done.


I am with you though. I absolutely hate the spellbook Vancian preperation thing.
Spellbooks as a casting focus? All for it.

Cool Idea...
Have Grimoires that act like familiars that can eat scrolls, Cast spells on their own, and have special abilities based on which school of magic the wizard is in. Make it so that the book is not what holds the knowledge, but a representation of the knowledge on the physical plane that can be understood. Almost like a summon. If it gets destroyed, mild xp loss, can't cast for the rest of the day, but they can make a new one in a day, like gaining a familiar back. Furthermore, have animal familiars be like witch familiars, so you either have a Grimoire, an Animal, or an Item Familiar.

Having wizards be powered by amnesia. Lame.

[gorfnab]

The Easy Bake Wizard Handbook linked in my signature may be of some use to you.