HYPERBOREA / Spell memorization

**Posted by SavageGM** 1/16/2016 3:34 am

So reading the section on spell memorization I didn't see anything that said the spells you memorize are connected to how many spells you can cast a day. I know the way many other games use "slots" or some such but just to be clear, can a 1st level magician memorize all 3 of his spells but only cast one as long as he has spent 30 minutes studying his spell book, thus allowing all 3 be "ready for use" but can only cast 1? Is memorization just a time thing meaning if the same magician gets to cast one extra spell a day due to high intelligence could he spend 40 minutes and memorize 1 of his 3 spells twice, and cast that 1 twice even though all 3 of his spells are available to him to cast?

I know how I've always played which is it being tied into how many you can cast, but maybe I have missed some wording somewhere.

**Posted by nDervish** 1/16/2016 6:54 am

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.

**Posted by Blackadder23** 1/16/2016 9:37 am

You can only memorize as many spells (including duplicates) as you can cast. It's the same thing.

At least that's how it works in every Old School version of D&D, and I don't see anything in AS&SH that suggests it works differently. I'm not even sure what the purpose would be for distinguishing between spells memorized and spells castable.

Things I Worked On · **Posted by Ynas Midgard** 1/16/2016 10:10 am

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)

**Posted by Ghul** 1/16/2016 11:30 am

Thank you for clarifying this for SavageGM, fellows. Yes, David and I can make a few adjustments to clarify the explanation. We strive to be clear and concise.

**Posted by SavageGM** 1/16/2016 12:07 pm

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.