A Magic-User’s First Spell Should Be Read Magic

by G. Bruce MacKenzie

So you fire off your character’s one spell, Magic Missile (typically), and must now face down monsters with your lowly dagger, oh my… You fail! That’s right, both you and I have been playing like schmoes, for untold years. Lets delve into why I think we’re doing it wrong and why one of our first known spells should actually be Read Magic.

Known Spells?

There is a fine point of difference between knowing spells and being able to cast them. What are we talking about here, doesn’t a first level Magic-User only get one spell that they know?

No, that isn’t necessarily the case at all depending on the version of the rules being used. For example, in Holmes Basic a Magic-User’s intelligence determines how many spells they actually know but they only get to memorize and cast 1 spell at first level per day.

So, how many spells does a Magic-User in the original D&D game, Holmes Basic, or Moldvay Basic actually know? Lets look at the various editions of the rules and compare them:

Arneson/Gygax D&D	Holmes Basic	Moldvay Basic
The number in each column opposite each applicable character indicates the number of spells of each level that can be used (remembered during any single adventure) by that character.	At the start, however, they can cast only one spell and must advance a level in experience before they can learn another.	Magic-users and elves may use one spell at first level. Unlike clerics, magic—users and elves must select the spells to be used from those spells they know. These spells are stored in large spell books. As magic-users and elves gain levels of experience, the number of spells they may use also increases.
Characters who employ spells are assumed to acquire books containing the spells they can use, one book for each level.	The number of spells a magic-user may employ during an adventure is determined by what level magic-user he may be. If he is a first level, only one. He gets to choose the spell he will memorize from his books and he does this before the expedition starts off. He does not necessarily get to choose from the entire list of first level spells, however. That depends on his intelligence, as shown in the table… [refer to page 13 of Holmes Basic],	Each magic-user and elf has a spell book for the spells that he or she has learned. A first level character will only have one spell (a first level spell) in the spell book. A second level character will have two spells (both first level) in the spell book; a third level character will have three spells (two first level spells and one second level spell) in the spell book.
Authors Note – Men and Magic contains no particular limitation on the number of spells which may be known or not known due to Intelligence. Does the book contain all the spells? The rules do not explicitly make this clear. The DM may rule on this. The way we used to play was that we only got to pick and know one spell at first level, and so on.	Authors Note – We see from referring to the rules that an intelligence of 15-16 grants between 6 and 10 known spells in the Magic-User’s spell book. The character’s Int grants a 75% chance of knowing any particular spell. What is not explained is how different spells, if any, are learned or exchanged within this limitation. Conceivably a character might never learn Read Magic!	Authors Note – The reference to Intelligence granting known spells is missing. The limitation to knowing only 1 spell is an issue, and in this author’s opinion that spell should be Read Magic.

 

The distinctions between the rules tell us something quite useful because it sets out the repertoire of spells which a Magic-User has available to them:

• In the Arneson/Gygax original D&D game we always understood the text to mean that the Magic-User was limited to knowing one spell which they could memorize and cast. That spell should, in my opinion, be Read Magic; read on to find out why.
• In Holmes Basic, a Magic-User’s list of known spells grants an opportunity to memorize and cast one spell from any of those known. The Holmesian Magic-User can make their own scrolls at first, second and third level, which opens the door to empowerment of the character if Read Magic is included in the list of known spells, after all what is the use of making scrolls if you cannot also Read Magic.
• In the Moldvay edition of the rules we find the character again limited to one spell, and that spell should, in my opinion, be Read Magic; read on to find out why.

Read Magic

Read Magic, we scratch our heads, that is not naturally our first spell pick but it opens the door to a world of possibilities which are unrealized without it. Let us compare the texts of the spells as they are written

Arneson/Gygax D&D	Holmes Basic	Moldvay Basic
Read Magic: The means by which the incantations on an item or scroll are read. Without such a spell or similar device magic is unintelligible to even a Magic-User. The spell is of short duration (one or two readings being the usual limit).	Read Magic — Level 1 ; Range: 0 feet; Duration: 2 turns The means by which incantations on an item or scroll are read. Without such a spell or similar device magic is unintelligible to even a magic-user. (Note once a scroll is looked at under a Read Magic spell, the magic-user can read it again without such aid.)	Read Magic Range: 0 Duration: 1 turn By casting this spell, magical words or runes on an item or scroll may be read. Without this spell unfamiliar magic cannot be read or understood, even by a magic-user. However, once a scroll or runes are looked at with a read magic spell, the magic-user becomes able to understand and read that item later without the spell. A magic-user’s or elf’s spell book is written so that only the owner may read them without using this spell.

With each iteration, the text is obviously more verbose, and becomes more specific as to what the spell is about; yet they do share a theme. One needs this spell to read scrolls! Also, in no version is the level of the spell on a scroll mentioned, that means you can cast spells of a higher level by reading them from scrolls no matter how lowly one’s own Magic-User is. Let that sink in.

How Scrolls Work

The texts describe how scrolls actually work, and no, the scroll itself does not vanish. In Arneson/Gygax D&D:

All Scrolls are spells for Magic-Users, and regardless of the level of the spell they can be used by any Magic-User capable of reading them. All “Protection” spells can be used by any character who is able to read. Scroll spells are of the 6th level unless necessarily higher, in which case they are of the minimum level necessary to generate such a spell. After reading a spell from a scroll the writing disappears, so the spell is usable one time only!

The Holmes Basic rules tell you how scroll reading is to work and what happens to a spell on a scroll after you read it:

The spells written on the scrolls can be read only by magic-users, except for the protection spells. The scroll can be used only once, the words fade from the scroll if it is read, leaving it blank. The magic- user can carefully unroll the top of the scroll and read the title without setting off the spell. The exception is the curse, which takes effect immediately when the scroll is first opened.

Moldvay Basic again describes for us the method of scroll use and confirms that only the immediate writing disappears when there is more than one spell on a scroll:

A scroll is a piece of old paper or parchment upon which a high level magic-user, elf or cleric has written a magical formula. To use a scroll there must be enough light to read by, and the scroll must be read aloud. A scroll can only be used once, for the Words will fade from the scroll when they are read aloud. A spell scroll can only be read by a magic-user, elf, or cleric, but a Protection scroll or a Treasure Map can be read by anyone.

And elsewhere…

If more than one spell is written on a scroll only the spell cast will disappear when read.

Scrolls as Treasure

Of course the differing rules have various things to say about scrolls found with treasure but the broad strokes are the same. So let us presume the Magic-User is lucky enough to find a scroll as treasure, how many spells can be on it?

Arneson/Gygax D&D	Holmes Basic	Moldvay Basic
1 Spell 2 Spells 3 Spells 7 Spells	Any one spell Any two spells Any three spells	Scrolls may have 1, 2, or 3 spells written on them.
Spells are those available to a 6th Level Magic User	Spells of 1st to 3rd level.	Spells are 1st to 3rd Level
Authors Note – Spells are those available to a 6th Level Magic-User, which means spells of 1st to 3rd level, this may also imply the spells on a scroll present at a 6th level capability.	Authors Note – The number of spells which may appear on a scroll is reduced to 3.	Authors Note – The number of spells which may appear on a scroll is reduced to 3.

When can a Magic-User make scrolls?

Arneson/Gygax D&D	Holmes Basic	Moldvay Basic
Wizards and above may manufacture for their own use (or for sale) such items as potions, scrolls, and just about anything else magical.	Magic users may make a scroll of a spell they already “know” (i.e. have in their magic book)	Magic Items: A spell caster may not create magic items until reaching 9th level or greater.
100 Gold Pieces/Spell/Spell Level/Week (a 5th level spell would require 500 GP and 5 weeks.)	A cost of 100 gold pieces and 1 week’s work for each spell of the first level, 200 gold pieces and 2 weeks for a second level spell (if the magic-user is third level), etc.	Scroll: magic missile (x2)* 1,000 2 weeks
Authors Note – Wizards are 11th level, before they may create scrolls. The wording of the example of a 5th level spell contradicts the restriction of spells on scrolls to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells.	Authors Note – Information regarding a level qualification for the manufacture of magic items is not cited but in order for this to be useful the character must have Read Magic in their repertoire of spells.	Authors Note – The level restriction for the creation of magic items is restated but lowered to 9th level.

What lessons may be derived from the foregoing?

• Read Magic offers the Magic-User an opportunity to cast spells beyond the limits set by their current level.
• Magic-Users can cast a spell of any level, 1^st through 3^rd, if it is written on a scroll.
• Multiple spells can be written on a scroll, typically between 1 and 3.
• Potentially, Read Magic presents an opportunity to read multiple scrolls.

There is much to critique in the extant rules. The use of magic spells might be observed to be hampered, if not mired, by restrictions. This observation has led many to attempt to “fix it” with varying degrees of success. Many Dungeon Masters struggle with the rules and themselves become in the end gate-keepers, or enforcers of the rules as written. However, consider the purpose of the Dungeon Master differently, as the leader of the game play and someone who makes judgment calls about the rules, in effect passing rulings on the text. A clear understanding of what is permissible in the rules themselves is key to this.

The intent of this article is to set out a way forward for both the Dungeon Master and Magic-User within the text of the rules, as they are written, which creates better understanding of the full roll of the Magic-User. The end goal is to more effectively play the role of the Magic-User within the scope of rules. Depending on which version of the rules one is using the degree of empowerment may vary.

Strategies by the Book

In Moldvay’s iteration of the rules, and in Arneson/Gygax’s D&D, a first level Magic-User may only know one spell from the entire list of spells. Choosing Read Magic is at first counter-intuitive. After all, a Magic-User should be able to do something. However I believe the real key to preventing the Magic-User from being a one-shot wonder is through access to, and use of, scrolls. When spells of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level are available to a 1st level Magic-User through both Read Magic and seeding the game appropriately with multi-spell scrolls the game is undoubtedly far more enjoyable for all players.

Where can scrolls be obtained? The first answer is from the dungeon adventure. A certain amount of luck is involved as the Dungeon Master stocks the dungeon with scrolls and other treasure by roll of the dice however a DM should probably be seeding the dungeon with treasures beyond what is purely written in the rules and derived by chance in order to make the game a fun and rewarding experience for players.

However, since high level Magic-Users can make scrolls they clearly would do so for profit or for personal use. It is perfectly reasonable to seed the game with magic scrolls that may be purchased by player characters at two or three times their production cost from a “Magic Shop”. The Dungeon Master can control what scrolls are available, how many, and what spells are upon them.

The Magic-User can then take days of preparation ahead of any Dungeon Adventure to cast Read Magic upon any scrolls they have obtained in order to make the spells upon them accessible and ready to cast. Thus when the Magic-User is finally ready to undertake the adventure they have a greater and more useful purpose in the game. The impact of this will be felt immediately.

The Holmes iteration of the game is undoubtedly greatly liberating. As there are no restrictions imposed upon a Magic-User it allows the character to create scrolls regardless of level. A Magic-User is only limited by the depth of their pockets and the spells known to them. This ability to create scrolls of their own presents the Magic-User with an opportunity to create customized scrolls from the Magic-Users own known spells. Moreover, when such a scroll itself then contains Read Magic, it presents an opportunity to read unknown scrolls when the Magic-User’s own Read Magic spell is used up. In this way a chain of accessibility leads to new spells some of which may, it would seem within Holmes Basic, never be known to a Magic-User and therefore scrolls are the only means of access.

The above strategies of player scroll use do not need to put the fear of Bruce into a Dungeon Master, one simply has to know how to administer magic use properly and fairly. Furthermore, many of the spells a Dungeon Master may choose to allocate to scrolls found or for purchase can be investigative or protective in nature rather than offensive with a premium charged for those the DM feels the greatest angst about. Here are some suggestions for benign scrolls:

• Scroll 1:
  • Detect Magic
  • Magic Missile
  • Read Magic
• Scroll 2:
  • Hold Portal
  • Magic Missile
  • Read Magic
• Scroll 3:
  • Light
  • Read Magic
  • Sleep

Example of Play

Consider the following example of play which illustrates the use of such scrolls:

Dungeon Master: With regard to our Magic-User from your starting funds I will grant you a magic scroll to begin the game with for 100 gp, it will have three spells. You will however have to choose Read Magic as your first known spell or you won’t be able to read the spells on the scroll.

Player Tom, Marvyn the Magic-User: That sounds like a good deal! Can I read the scroll in the days before we set out for the Dungeon?

Dungeon Master: Sure.

Player Tom, Marvyn the Magic-User: What spells are on this scroll?

Dungeon Master: I’ll let you pick them yourself, you can have any three first level spells, but you may substitute 1 of the three with a spell from the second or third level spell lists if you wish.

Player Tom, Marvyn the Magic-User: Awesome! Hey everyone I’m short 15 gp. [players scrounge between themselves to make up the difference.] Ok, I’ll have Read Magic myself but I’ll also have it on my scroll so I can read more scrolls if we find them, then Magic Missile, and what would be a good spell to have? [the players pore over the spell lists for a while, not Fireball says one, you’ll kill us all with it, remember what happened the last time – laughter all around – how about Knock or Hold Portal? Wait, Wizard Lock we can pick… from the second level spells. Eventually a recommendation is put forward…] Wizard Lock.

Sometime later the players are in the dungeon:

Dungeon Master: The battle with the Orcs is ended when the last of them falls, the treasure chest they were carrying is lying on its side. Sadly, Friar Almighty Snap has fallen.

Player Bob (Friar Almighty Snap): [to the DM] Dead again! Ok I’ll roll up a new character…

Korvath the Barbarian: I check their slain bodies to make sure they are all dead, and for treasure! And of course I’ll take anything useful the Friar had.

Light Fingered Lucious: [the player rubs his hands together gleefully] I sheathe my daggers and I want to take a look at that chest.

Marvyn the Magic-User: I’ll take a look and listen at each of the open doors to this chamber while they search the place.

Dungeon Master: Fair enough, Korvath the Orcs are all dead, you find some coins, and as you know Friar Almighty Snap had a mace and shield, rope, rations, and torches . Lucious, the chest has a padlock, and the Orcs were carrying it on their shoulders by two poles which are attached to the sides. [The DM rolls some dice secretly] Marvyn, you hear nothing at any of the doors, but the south one has a really bad smell coming from it.

Korvath the Barbarian: How many coins are there and what kind are they?

Light Fingered Lucious: I’ll push the chest back on its bottom and take the poles out. Then I’ll check for traps and pick that lock.

Marvyn the Magic-User: Smell? What kind of bad smell?

Dungeon Master: Korvath the coins are all gold, stamped long ago with the image of an ancient king, they are from the ancient lost kingdom of which you are descended, there are [checking] not so many that you can’t count them in this exchange, 25. [rolling dice to see if Lucious finds any traps, and if the lock is successfully picked] When you roll the chest back on its bottom you feel that it is quite heavy, something rolls inside of it, it sounds like coins. The chest does not appear to be protected in any way and when you try to pick the lock it won’t open. Marvyn, the smell beyond the door is horrible, more of a stench really, if a light shade of the colour puce had a smell this would be it.

Marvyn the Magic-User: [Hissing] TROLLS! Lets grab the loot and get out of here!

Korvath the Barbarian: Hey Lucious, how about I smash the lock with my sword?

Light Fingered Lucious: No, its time to think outside of the box! [to the DM – I’ll reinsert the poles] We can carry this out of here with these.

Marvyn the Magic-User: [to the others] What about Friar Almighty Snap’s body?

Light Fingered Lucious: Its the body or the treasure, guess which I choose wizard.

Korvath the Barbarian: I say treasure. [to Bob] Sorry!

Dungeon Master: As you re-insert the poles into the sides of the chest there is an unmistakable sound of a screech in the far distance beyond the door Mervyn is listening at, the stench suddenly freshens and grows stronger as there is a dank breeze coming from this direction.

Marvyn the Magic-User: [to the others] Oh this is so not good, something is coming this way! Lets get out of here! I told you we shouldn’t have come down this far!

Korvath the Barbarian: No pain no gain wizard! [To Lucious and the DM] Lets shoulder this chest and go before the Troll gets here. [I only have 4 Hit points left.]

They hoist the heavy chest onto their shoulders using the poles.

Dungeon Master: Which way?

Light Fingered Lucious: Back the way we came, North, as fast as we can go. [To Marvyn] Can you buy us some time?

Marvyn the Magic-User: [To DM] After we go through the north door I’ll shut it behind us and cast Wizard Lock on it from the scroll. How long will it last?

Dungeon Master: [chuckling] It lasts indefinitely, however that isn’t to say it can’t be opened with magic, or [suggestively] there might be another way around.

Korvath the Barbarian: Ok, we’re going back the way we came as fast as we can go carrying this load, I’m first, Lucious is second, and Marvyn brings up the rear.

Dungeon Master: All right then, you trace your steps backwards uneventfully before finally reaching the antechamber containing the stairwell which leads upwards from this level, something is wrong though, for where the portal to the stairway was there is now only the outline of the portal and a flat wall.

Korvath the Barbarian: What trick is this!

Dungeon Master: [chuckling sinisterly]

Light Fingered Lucious: All right, calm down Korvath, this looks like a job for a Thief. Lets put the chest down so I can search the wall.

Korvath the Barbarian: That makes sense, and lets have our pointy hat friend here take a turn checking for secret doors too.

Marvyn the Magic-User: Does no one care what could be coming behind us? I’m going to keep a look out, looking and listening in case that Troll is able to follow us past the Wizard Lock.

Dungeon Master: [fictionally rolling to determine if Lucious can spot a secret door, there’s nothing there for Lucious to spot since the magic stairway only appears intermittently, or when called with a Knock spell, but the player’s don’t know this of course] Hmm, [players look worried] Lucious can’t find a secret door.

Korvath the Barbarian: I’ll search.

Dungeon Master: [fictionally rolling] Search as you might there is nothing there.

Korvath the Barbarian: I’ll trade places with Marvyn.

Dungeon Master: [rolling] By the way Marvyn you saw nothing and heard nothing but the drip of water from the ceiling.

Marvyn the Magic-User: If we’re really lucky the Troll couldn’t follow us past the Wizard Lock. I’ll check the wall for a secret door.

Dungeon Master: [fictionally rolling] Your search fares no better than the others, the wall is smooth, a stone slab.

Marvyn the Magic-User: Ok, there is something going on here, either we can’t find a switch to the secret door, or there isn’t one. Now I wish I had chosen Detect Magic.

Light Fingered Lucious: Lets think on it and in the meantime see what’s in this chest. [to the DM] I’m going to try to attempt to quietly pry the hinges of this chest apart with my dagger, I’ll dig at the wood.

Dungeon Master: That could take quite a while.

Light Fingered Lucious: We’re not going anywhere fast by the looks of things.

Korvath the Barbarian: Forget that. [to the DM] I smash the lock off with my sword.

Dungeon Master: I’ll allow that, but its noisy. The lock falls away, broken.

Marvyn the Magic-User: That was not a good idea Korvath! We’re supposed to discuss what we’re going to do before we do it, remember! [to the DM] I’ll go to the open portal and listen – lets hope nothing heard that!

Korvath the Barbarian: I am a barbarian feeble wizard, no pain no gain.

Light Fingered Lucious: It saved me a job, lets see what’s in the chest. [to the DM] I open the chest.

Dungeon Master: As you lift off the lid a golden glow fills the room for within the chest is a glowing sword. Its light shines off of the golden coins which also partially fill it, and there is something else, a scroll and a potion.

Korvath the Barbarian: Dibs, the sword’s mine!

Light Fingered Lucious: [rolls eyes] [to the DM] I hand the sword to the Barbarian, happy now Korvath?

Korvath the Barbarian: [to the DM] I swing the blade, does it feel magical?

Dungeon Master: Almost certainly, it is glowing after all.

Marvyn the Magic-User: Pass me the scroll if you would Lucious!

Light Fingered Lucious: [to the DM] I’ll hand our wizard the scroll and content myself with this potion and money, kaff kaff, I’ll stuff this loot into my sack.

Marvyn the Magic-User: [to the DM] I’ll unroll the scroll and take a look at it.

Dungeon Master: When you open the scroll you see that the writing on it is illegible.

Marvyn the Magic-User: [to the DM] I have my own personal spell memorized, Read Magic, and I have a scroll with two spells left, Read Magic and Magic Missile. I will cast Read Magic from my first scroll to reveal what spells are on this new second scroll and make it ready for use. What does it reveal?

Dungeon Master: As you read the spell from your first scroll the magic words lift from the page erasing the spell, as you do so the illegible writing on the scroll is transformed by your magic, and becomes readable but only by you, There are three spells on the scroll, Read Magic, Detect Magic, and Knock.

Marvyn the Magic-User: Awesome! Ok so now my spells are [taking a tally]; personally – Read Magic, Scroll 1 – Magic Missile, Scroll 2 – Read Magic, Detect Magic, and Knock.

Dungeon Master: As delighted as you all are with your new found trinkets there is a screech in the far darkness that sounds very familiar…

Marvyn the Magic-User: The Troll! This portal must be magic. I will take a chance and cast the Knock spell from the scroll on the flat wall where the entrance to the stair should be!

Dungeon Master: You’re in luck! With a grinding sound the stone wall which blocks the portal slowly rises upward revealing the stairway which leads upward to the dungeon level above.

Conclusion

I hope the reader has enjoyed the article. The above is perfectly within the scope of the rules, of course much depends upon the Dungeon Master and Players.

Update – Additional Information

Use of Spell Books

I found some additional research which may be of interest, in the Strategic Review Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1975) there was a paragraph addressed to spell usage, most interestingly it allowed the use of magic books in dungeons, I refer the reader to the following:

A magic-user can use a given spell but once during any given day, even if he is carrying his books with him.

And later in the same paragraph:

If he had no books with him there would be no renewal of spells on the next day, as the game assumes that the magic-use gains spells by preparations such as memorizing incantations, and once the spell is spoken that particular memory pattern is gone completely. ln a similar manner spells are inscribed on a scroll, and as the words are uttered they vanish from the scroll.

What is interesting about this aside from the clear suggestion that it is perfectly permissible to carry spellbooks, is that the vanishing from memory is equated to the vanishing of a spell from the page of a scroll.

Later the carrying of spellbooks is prohibited. Such as in Holmes Basic:

Magic-users can not bring their magic books into the dungeon with them.

It is not specifically mentioned in Moldvay Basic but the books are described as “large”:

These spells are stored in large spell books.

Memorizing Spells

The time to memorize a spell

• Arneson/Gygax D&D:
  • From the strategic review: …the game assumes that the magic-use gains spells by preparations such as memorizing incantations.
    • Author Note – We always played this as the next day spells were simply available because Men & Magic was not specific about exactly how this was to occur.
• Holmes:
  • More important, as the spell is recited it fades from the spell-caster’s mind and he can not use it again! He must go back to his study and re-learn the spell. This takes at least 1 day.
• Moldvay:
  • First the character must be well-rested, usually an uninterrupted full night’s sleep. Then by spending an hour of “character time” un- disturbed, a spell caster of levels 1-3 may memorize all of his or her “erased” spells.