Quote from: Ratman_tf;973290Our houserule since time out of mind has been that spellcasters can choose their spell to cast at the time of casting. So the slot system works a bit like a mana point system.
For my 2nd edition games, I have recently houseruled that wizards get extra spells similarly to cleric bonus spells. (Apparently that's how 3rd and Pathfinder have it as well.)

Quote from: Willie the Duck;973289This has its own consequences (in particular, massive incentive to search out new spells, murder/rob every wizard you run across, etc.) because each new spell you have in your book is one more option you have up at all times. This is not inherently a bad thing, but it might effect the shape of your game. 5e did a thing where you still have to pick a number of spells each morning that you were memorizing, but you were limited in casting based on your slots, not once per time you memorized the spell. I think it works fairly well, is similar to a lot of the fixes we tried for BECMI when we were dissatisfied with the default memorization scheme, and might be another option.

Quote from: estar;973288In my Majestic Wilderlands supplements I use a variant of the 4e ritual system. A magic user and cast any spell in his spell book as a ten minute ritual with a cost in components equal 10 times spell level squared. They are limited to casting rituals for spell level equal to HALF of the highest spell level they can cast rounded down. Cost can be gold or silver which I use.

I use this mechanic to flesh out a series of ritual only spell caster like the Runecaster, Artificer, and Theurgist. I use a variant of the 3.X sorercor system for another class called Wizards. They can cast less spells but are more flexible with the ones they do know.

Finally I explain that memorization is mental discipline that constructs a series of magical forms in ones mind. When a spell is cast mana is channeled into the form which creates the spell and destroys the form. Part of the meditation is using the spell book. The form is a magical construct in one's mind created by following the ritual inscribed in the spell book. The inscribing spell books in of itself is a magic ritual and the spell book is a minor magic item and a critical part of the memorization ritual.

Wizards opt for a more generalized system where forms are not attuned to specific spells but only to a spell's power level. Through training a Wizard affixes in his mind the partial forms of a number of spells based on his experience. These partial forms are permanent. The power forms are designed to be created from a memorized ritual that doesn't need a spell book.

Hope this helps.

Quote from: The Exploited.;973305Maaatt Daaamon.

Silly human... That's why there would be hp loss, or some form of countermeasure, etc. Did you net read the posts.:rolleyes:

Plus, your game balance would not be the same as my game balance.

Quote from: Dumarest;973317People still prattle on about "game balance"? :eek: I thought we had moved past that nonsense.

Quote from: The Exploited.;973305That's why there would be hp loss, or some form of countermeasure, etc. Did you net read the posts.:rolleyes:

Quote from: The Exploited.;973305Plus, your game balance would not be the same as my game balance.

Quote from: The Exploited.;973272I really like the spell slots idea as an abstraction of a Sorcerers limits.

So, I've no real issue with that per se. However, having to choose the spells for that day is a right pain. So, yes, that totally needs to go IMO... How did you generally house rule it?

Off the top of my head, I'd pretty much allow access to spells that you have in your grimoire. But of course, you'd have those limited slots.

Krueger's idea of hit point fatigue is great and would stop players taking the piss at higher levels.

Ta'.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;973326Yes, and countless others just like them for more than a dozen years, plus whole editions all of whaich managed to fuck this pooch straight into the ground.

My personal feeling is you're better off playing a completely different fantasy roleplaying game, built to allow spells to be cast the way you want them to be cast.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;973326Please share whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean.

Quote from: Larsdangly;973330I'ave always house-ruled this by simply letting magicians cast whatever spells they know, in whatever order and combinations they like, provided they don't exceed their spell slot limits for a day. This comes pretty naturally to most people, I think; it's been decades since my group even discussed the issue!

Quote from: Harlock;973320No group I have ever played with felt memorization was 'bad' per se. A little goofy that it's literally fire and forget, but we've always explained that memorization was mere prep time. My personal feeling on the matter is that allowing Wizards to determine spells at time of casting makes them far too versatile and takes off one of the reins Wizards have in OSR.

Quote from: The Exploited.;973341. . . I couldn't give a cup of blue piss about your personal opinion.

Quote from: The Exploited.;973341. . . you're as dumb a stump.

Quote from: The Exploited.;973344Of course, the GM is the key to a balanced game and would adapt to anything that might be going awry. Ta'.

Quote from: Harlock;973355I was actually going to make that comment on a later post, that GM fiat can fix any imbalance. Sometimes I forget which boards are stirred into an uproar with the words GM and fiat next to one another. Obviously old school gamers are a bit more used to that than the "everything must be balanced at every stage if every level in all situations" crowd.

I swear, my brother-in-law still thinks OSR means the GM and players have an adversarial relationship and that the GM's job is to kill players, not referee the game.