New Wizard Items: Lvl 1 Wiz with Gate?

[Silpharon]

It appears that low level wizards can now cast (as if prepared) high level spells they wouldn't otherwise be able to prepare. For instance:

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Atlas of Endless Horizons
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a wizard)

This thick book is bound in dark leather, crisscrossed with inlaid silver lines suggesting a map or chart. When found, the book contains the following spells, which are wizard spells for you while you are attuned to the book: arcane gate, dimension door, gate, misty step, plane shift, teleportation circle, and word of recall. It functions as a spellbook for you.

While you are holding the book, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.

The book has 3 charges, and it regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. You can use the charges in the following ways while holding it:

If you spend 1 minute studying the book, you can expend 1 charge to replace one of your prepared wizard spells with a different spell in the book. The new spell must be of the conjuration school.

<More left out to follow forum rules>
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This language "replace one of your prepared wizard spells with a different spell in the book" doesn't require it to be a spell you could prepare otherwise. It's got this odd conjuration school requirement, but I think that just excludes Misty Step (edit: this is conjuration too, but some of these items have non-class spells written in them).

So it looks like a Wizard 1/Druid 16 could now cast a Level 9 Wizard spell (Gate) in this way. The other new wizard items are similar.

Thoughts?

[PhantomSoul]

This language "replace one of your prepared wizard spells with a different spell in the book" doesn't require it to be a spell you could prepare otherwise. It's got this odd conjuration school requirement, but I think that just excludes Misty Step.


Misty Step is also a Conjuration Spell -- my thought is that it might be a restriction designed for when the Wizard Scribes Spells to the Book; if they add Conjuration Spells, the perk expands, but only for those Conjuration Spells.

[Unoriginal]

[Edited due to rule error from me]


Also I think posting the full item text is against the forum rules. Should probably edit the OP.

[Silpharon]

A 1 Wiz/16 Druid wouldn't have the spell slot to cast Gate.


Also I think posting the full item text is against the forum rules. Should probably edit the OP.
Yes he would. Level 17 spell casters have a 9th level spell slot.

I fixed the item text per your advice.

[Silpharon]

Misty Step is also a Conjuration Spell -- my thought is that it might be a restriction designed for when the Wizard Scribes Spells to the Book; if they add Conjuration Spells, the perk expands, but only for those Conjuration Spells.

Oh I gotcha, yeah that's a good catch. Still, do you agree that the spells already in the book could be cast but a low level wizard?

Also, what if you had a high level wizard PC or NPC fill the book with more high level conjuration spells, then hand it back to the low level wizard? He/she should be able to cast those new spells now as well!

[Unoriginal]

Yes he would. Level 17 spell casters have a 9th level spell slot.

It seems I have to re-read the multiclassing rules, then. Sorry for the mistake.

[Yakk]

Looks like. But note that this costs an artunement slot.

You can swap any of your handful of wizaed spells prepared for conjuration ones from the book. Up to 3 or 1d3 "sustained" per day.

I don't think prepared spells become unprepared either.

[PhantomSoul]

Oh I gotcha, yeah that's a good catch. Still, do you agree that the spells already in the book could be cast but a low level wizard?

Also, what if you had a high level wizard PC or NPC fill the book with more high level conjuration spells, then hand it back to the low level wizard? He/she should be able to cast those new spells now as well!

My head-canon (having not read anything beyond what you posted) is that that's why those spells are there! (I like the idea that maybe the book has consumed non-conjuration spells like food or removes them [somewhat] consciously when atunement no longer feeds it. Scribed spells are maps; non-conjuration spells are maps that are in the wrong tome, but have the right kind of knowledge to feed someone who enjoys maps in general.)

[JackPhoenix]

Considering Word of Recall is on that list, and it's not normally a wizard spell, I'd say that's a valid interpretation.

[Silpharon]

It seems I have to re-read the multiclassing rules, then. Sorry for the mistake.
No worries mate, I think I have the multiclass spell table memorized, which goes to show how much time I waste theory crafting!


I don't think prepared spells become unprepared either.
The rule for wizards is:

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Based on this, I agree with you, but I'm not sure if you can keep the Atlas spells when you prepare any new spells. "Preparing a new list" sounds like wholesale replacement. Thoughts?

Otherwise you could attune to the book once, learn the conjuration spells you want, and then drop the book and keep those spells forever (while still preparing new ones). That's really strong.


My head-canon (having not read anything beyond what you posted) is that that's why those spells are there! (I like the idea that maybe the book has consumed non-conjuration spells like food or removes them [somewhat] consciously when atunement no longer feeds it. Scribed spells are maps; non-conjuration spells are maps that are in the wrong tome, but have the right kind of knowledge to feed someone who enjoys maps in general.)
Love the thematics!

Considering Word of Recall is on that list, and it's not normally a wizard spell, I'd say that's a valid interpretation.
Great point Jack!

[MrCharlie]

Someone else mentioned this, and while it obviously does not work with a single classed wizard, you took the next step and realized multi-classing exists.

Good job!

And yes-it seems to work. Further, people are absolutely right that you can use it, unattune the book, and still have it prepared. It's worth noting that, to me, this is the only problem I have with the item-if you were constrained to using an attunement slot then getting a 9th level wizard spell to cast with the slots you earned in another class, at the expense of attunement and a (generally) inefficient multiclass (and thus inefficient attribute array) would be fine balance wise and a cool exploit...But because you just have to navigate the multiclassing requirements, not the attunement, I find it problematic.

Of course, those items should probably say that if you end the attunement you unprepare those spells in general, because this technically works with any wizard, but still.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

Someone else mentioned this, and while it obviously does not work with a single classed wizard, you took the next step and realized multi-classing exists.

I must have missed the other thread--why does it not work for a single-classed Wizard? (I am assuming there is a reason, but am currently AFB and unable to directly consult the text myself to see.)

[Chronos]

There's not much benefit to preparing a spell that you can't cast, and you still need a spell slot to cast the spell. So a single class wizard either has 9th level slots, and so could cast Gate anyway, or doesn't have them, and so can't cast it even with this tome.

[Silpharon]

Someone else mentioned this, and while it obviously does not work with a single classed wizard, you took the next step and realized multi-classing exists.

Good job!

And yes-it seems to work. Further, people are absolutely right that you can use it, unattune the book, and still have it prepared. It's worth noting that, to me, this is the only problem I have with the item-if you were constrained to using an attunement slot then getting a 9th level wizard spell to cast with the slots you earned in another class, at the expense of attunement and a (generally) inefficient multiclass (and thus inefficient attribute array) would be fine balance wise and a cool exploit...But because you just have to navigate the multiclassing requirements, not the attunement, I find it problematic.

Of course, those items should probably say that if you end the attunement you unprepare those spells in general, because this technically works with any wizard, but still.
I agree, it seems OP, but it seems a lot of things weren't fully thought through and need errata. For instance Amulet of the Devout provides it's benefits to all spells cast, not just cleric spells. Spellwrought tattoos (cantrip and 1st level) can be replicated by Artificers, giving them access to every level 1 spell once a day, though scrolls can't be replicated (I'm hoping this was intentional, but it could've been a mistake).

I must have missed the other thread--why does it not work for a single-classed Wizard? (I am assuming there is a reason, but am currently AFB and unable to directly consult the text myself to see.)
I think it should, but maybe on level up you must prepare your spells again (if you want any more!), and that would drop the Atlas spells.

There's not much benefit to preparing a spell that you can't cast, and you still need a spell slot to cast the spell. So a single class wizard either has 9th level slots, and so could cast Gate anyway, or doesn't have them, and so can't cast it even with this tome.
There's still plenty of benefit though. This still gives you access to middle of the day preparation of conjuration spells. It's like having a larger prepared spell count.