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LightlyFrosted · 05-10-08, 09:17 PM

Well, the common explanation for why mages can only cast a spell a certain number of times per day is that they cast all but the trigger ahead of time. Their 'casting' a spell is actually the completion of the formula instead of the entirety of it - the same reason why they can cast from scrolls; the spell is almost finished in its written form, but requires a few verbal or somatic components to complete.

It could well be that to cast a fireball, a wizard has to take ten or fifteen minutes and go through a number of gestures and words. As the wizard improves, he may be able to pare down this preparation, or make it quicker, but it's not a matter of actually casting the spells so much as completing them.

This is actually supported pretty well by Layo's item creation set-up. Infusing is just impressing the 'all but done' onto a gem geometrically carved to accept it. Scribing is writing down everything that you did, and magically impressing the significance of that on the page. Even if, theoretically, a wizard could cast the entirety of a fireball spell from memory, it would require his target to stand still for ten or fifteen minutes.

As well, unlike 2nd edition AD&D, casting time is pretty much uniformly 'one round', even the spells which are probably more complex. The way that spell memorization works in rests is that the simpler spells get prepared first, followed by more complex spells, until by the end of the rest, all spells are prepared - or at least, that's how it's worked in NWN.

Now, that's not to say that a wizard shouldn't be able to improvise, but patching together a ritual or something would be an applied dose of spellcraft - to wit, crafting the spell. It definitely wouldn't be a 'cast on the spot' thing, and it would probably take quite some time to craft, unless there was some form of more basic spell to work from.

*Shrugs* Not discounting what you said, but it's another possible take.

05-10-08, 09:17 PM	#6
LightlyFrosted Adamantium Golem Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 206 Thanks: 14 Thanked 75 Times in 35 Posts	Re: Spellbooks Well, the common explanation for why mages can only cast a spell a certain number of times per day is that they cast all but the trigger ahead of time. Their 'casting' a spell is actually the completion of the formula instead of the entirety of it - the same reason why they can cast from scrolls; the spell is almost finished in its written form, but requires a few verbal or somatic components to complete. It could well be that to cast a fireball, a wizard has to take ten or fifteen minutes and go through a number of gestures and words. As the wizard improves, he may be able to pare down this preparation, or make it quicker, but it's not a matter of actually casting the spells so much as completing them. This is actually supported pretty well by Layo's item creation set-up. Infusing is just impressing the 'all but done' onto a gem geometrically carved to accept it. Scribing is writing down everything that you did, and magically impressing the significance of that on the page. Even if, theoretically, a wizard could cast the entirety of a fireball spell from memory, it would require his target to stand still for ten or fifteen minutes. As well, unlike 2nd edition AD&D, casting time is pretty much uniformly 'one round', even the spells which are probably more complex. The way that spell memorization works in rests is that the simpler spells get prepared first, followed by more complex spells, until by the end of the rest, all spells are prepared - or at least, that's how it's worked in NWN. Now, that's not to say that a wizard shouldn't be able to improvise, but patching together a ritual or something would be an applied dose of spellcraft - to wit, crafting the spell. It definitely wouldn't be a 'cast on the spot' thing, and it would probably take quite some time to craft, unless there was some form of more basic spell to work from. Shrugs Not discounting what you said, but it's another possible take.