I can't find a direct statement or explanation in the actual text, but I'm fairly sure it's intended to follow the original AD&D rules (since the system is largely AD&D based), in which a standard 1st level Magician knows 3 spells, but can only memorize one of them at a time and forgets it when the spell is cast.  The one memorized spell is the only one that's ready for use.

If he gets a bonus spell for high Intelligence, then he can memorize two of his three spells (or the same one twice) at a time.  The non-memorized spell(s) would not be available to cast, other than by casting from a scroll or directly from his spellbook.

Yeah... the intention is that the number of spells you can memorise matches the number you may cast, but you're right in that the text may not be clear on that, other than stating that cast spells are erased from memory and that you may memorise the same spell multiple times.

Theoretically, known, memorised, and cast spells would be like having three layers: a wizard may know a lot of spells, but he can commit only a certain number of those into memory (but still be able to use scrolls and cast from spellbooks), a subset of which he might be able to actually use (casting a spell being more taxing on mind and body than memorisation itself). But AS&SH doesn't work this day - until you make a house rule ;)

Last edited by Ynas Midgard (1/16/2016 10:13 am)

Thanks for the replies. I knew how it works but looked at it in a different light and it got me thinking, how could this be possibly interpreted wrong, maybe it never would be.