Casting Spells from Sepll Books

[Voltumna]

In one of the threads about the changes to 2E, I read that it is now possible to cast spells from spell books. Can someone give some details about this? Can anyone do it, do you have to be a sorcerer (scholar or dabbler)? If you are not a sorcerer of some sort, I guess you would usually need to do a human sacrifice to power up the spell.

I find this interesting. For an adventure I wrote for a friend, I had a grim Baron of the Border Kingdom cast a Demonic Pact spell from a spell book that had been with the family for ages, to get back the young, beautiful and deceased wife with whom he was obsessed. So, once the demons were manifest, they cast their own foul magics, and cast a Form Demon in the guise of the dead lady, then the demoness takes rein over the domain.

 

[sidkfjjteidlkkf]

I think most of the questions you are asking can be answered by simply getting the 2nd Edition Conan. If we typed out all the rules people are asking for, then no one else would need to get the book.

Support Mongoose, get the 2nd Edition book...

It is worth the money.

 

[thulsa]

In one of the threads about the changes to 2E, I read that it is now possible to cast spells from spell books. Can someone give some details about this? Can anyone do it, do you have to be a sorcerer (scholar or dabbler)? If you are not a sorcerer of some sort, I guess you would usually need to do a human sacrifice to power up the spell.

The book refers to "sorcerers", so I think you have to be a spellcaster. But your story sounds cool, so go for it anyway.

Or if you want to play by the rules, you could always give the noble a single level of scholar (independent) to represent his studies of the book.

- thulsa

 

[LucaCherstich]

I have Conan 2e (never played the 1st ed) but I have seen no reference to spellbooks.
Can you please tell me the page?

 

[thulsa]

I have Conan 2e (never played the 1st ed) but I have seen no reference to spellbooks.
Can you please tell me the page?

See section heading "Spellbooks" on page 274.

- thulsa

 

[Malcadon]

In one of the threads about the changes to 2E, I read that it is now possible to cast spells from spell books. Can someone give some details about this? Can anyone do it, do you have to be a sorcerer (scholar or dabbler)? If you are not a sorcerer of some sort, I guess you would usually need to do a human sacrifice to power up the spell.

In the Conan game, Sorcerers don't need spellbooks to cast their spells. Sorcerers find spellbooks more useful as a teacher's aid for their acolytes. Such a book found would hold a set of spells and some arcane secrets. In truth, spellbooks are most useful for independent Sorcerers to better research new spells, as casting spells strait from the the book (without learning them first) is vary dangerous!!!

And yes, you need to be a Sorcerer to use the book (non-Sorcerers don't need to sacrifice anyone as they don't have the ability or knowledge to do so).

I find this interesting. For an adventure I wrote for a friend, I had a grim Baron of the Border Kingdom cast a Demonic Pact spell from a spell book that had been with the family for ages, to get back the young, beautiful and deceased wife with whom he was obsessed. So, once the demons were manifest, they cast their own foul magics, and cast a Form Demon in the guise of the dead lady, then the demoness takes rein over the domain.

That sounds like a cool plot. It sounds like the Baron has the Dabbler feat to Summoning or he has a level of Scholar with the Demonic Pact background.

 

[Voltumna]

It sounds like the Baron has the Dabbler feat to Summoning

That's how I had tought it to make the thing legal, not that the GM needs to abide by petty rules....

By the way, the Dabbler feat got a pretty good revamp in 2E.

 

[thulsa]

It sounds like the Baron has the Dabbler feat to Summoning

That's how I had tought it to make the thing legal

Well, technically that's not legal, because the Dabbler is restricted to either Counterspells, Curses or Divination (not Summoning).

Seems a level of scholar is your only option (if you go strictly by the rules, that is).

- thulsa

 

[flatscan]

Just my 2 cents, but you don't need to follow the rules for spellbooks and nPeeps. I just finished running "The Lurking Terror of Nahab" and...

***SPOILERS***





Sabiat, the thief who created the Terror had no levels of Scholar and he cast the spell by following the ritual detailed in a scroll...though he did smoke a lot of lotus. :wink:

 

[Voltumna]

Just my 2 cents, but you don't need to follow the rules for spellbooks and nPeeps. I just finished running "The Lurking Terror of Nahab" and...

***SPOILERS***





Sabiat, the thief who created the Terror had no levels of Scholar and he cast the spell by following the ritual detailed in a scroll...though he did smoke a lot of lotus. :wink:

Correct. What I had tought was that the book granted the variation of the feat. Also, in one of it's many incarnations, I think I saw Akivasha had a version of the Dabbler feat for Sumonings.

 

[thulsa]

Just my 2 cents, but you don't need to follow the rules for spellbooks and nPeeps.

I did state in my initial post that whatever seems cool, go for it. It's your (ie the initial poster's) game.

However, I also pointed out what the actual [core] rules on the subject are. You have to know the rules first, in order to bend them...

- thulsa

 

[groshnik]

Some become Scholars to cast Demonic Pact to gain power.
Some cast Demonic Pact, and then become Scholars to figure out what they did

Make use of the Arcane Knowledge and Magic Attack Base that every class has access to. Anyone with enough smarts to figure it out, can then try to force the spell to work. It's the Scholar's understanding of spells (Sorcerer or not) that gives him the edge in controlling the outcome better than most.

The idea of dusty scrolls in an ancient tomb, with no Scholar in the party, is a wonderful way to start (or end) and adventure. Mwuhahaha :twisted:

 

[rabindranath72]

In my Classic D&D Conan game, I allow any character to cast spells from books/scrolls, provided the spell is from the Curses, Divination (excluding dreams of wisdom) or Counterspells. However, there is a 10% chance of failure (spell effect reversal or worse...) for basic spells, and 20% for advanced spells. 10th level thieves have a flat 10% chance of failure for any spell.
No one of my players has actually ever tempted luck until now...