Magic Users Spell Chance(Greyhawk)

[sonicracer100]

How would you incorporate Greyhawk's Magic User MIN/MAX spells based on Int? Like the percentage chance and what not?

[Red Baron]

If I was playing with Greyhawk rules:

-Min spells is used as the minimum that henchmen, npcs, etc will possess when generating a magic-user.
-Max spells applies to everyone.
-Offer a way to increase the max (IOUN Stones?)

[talysman]

MAX: I believe the intended use in Greyhawk is the same as in AD&D. Roll for each new spell found to see if the M-U can learn it until the maximum number of spells are known.

MIN: AD&D suggests that if all spells of a given level have been checked, but the M-U hasn't reached the minimum number of spells, then the M-U gets to check spells again. However, if I were to use the Greyhawk rules, I would probably let players select spells from a new spell level (or randomly assign spells from that level list) up to the minimum number for their intelligence.

[aldarron]

There's a discussion HERE where Zenopus cites Holmes p10 that you might find useful: Here is the quote:

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 below.
Let us suppose that old Malchor the first level magicuser is planning on going on a dangerous quest. His intelligence is only 10 (equal to maybe an IQ of 100!) and he can not have studied and copied into his books all the spells listed under Book of First Level Spells (this list is given later). The most he can have available is 6 and the least 4 (maximum and minimum from the table above). The game player would like to give him the Sleep Spell. His chance to "know" this spell — have it available in his books is 50% (from the table) — so two 20-sided dice are rolled to give a percentage, using the system described earlier. A roll of anything less than 51 means the spell is available, 51 or above, it is not, and poor Malchor must try tor another spell. Incidentally, if he goes through the entire list without getting his minimum of 4 spells, he gets to try again. Once the spell is in his magic books, Malchor can memorize it for use, but being a first level magic-user, he can only memorize one spell. Further study and experience with magic expands his ability and when he reaches second level he can carry two spells in his head!

Recently, Gamedaddy made some comments on my blog HERE where he describeded how he utilized the chance to know method and mentioned he allowed players to reroll when they leveled up.

[clownboss]

^ Oh yes, that Holmes book captured my sentiments word-for-word. That's how I understood them the first time I read "Greyhawk".