Post by geoffrey on Apr 12, 2010 11:22:38 GMT -6
Back in 1981 when I was 11 years old, one of my friends bought Best of The Dragon. Therein, reprinted from The Dragon #7 (June 1977), is an article entitled, “Gary Gygax on Dungeons & Dragons: Origins of the Game”. Therein Gary wrote, “Although D&D was not Dave [Arneson]’s game system by any form or measure, he was given co-billing as author for his valuable idea kernels. He complained bitterly that the game wasn’t right…” Ever since reading that, I wondered what Dave’s game was like.
In the last several years, I often wondered why someone didn’t pick the brains of Dave and of the Blackmoor players who go back to 1970-71. After all, they were active on message boards. Why not collate everything they said, ask them clarifying questions, and re-create “D&D” the way it was played before Gary got involved in 1972?
Voila! Dan H. Boggs has done precisely that, and the result is a 60-page game with the appropriate title of “Dragons at Dawn”. I don’t think Dan would mind me saying that Dragons at Dawn tries to be Dave Arneson’s game rather than Dan’s game, and that’s as it should be. (Let me note that Dan is even now working on a supplement to this game, entitled Dragons at Twilight, which will build upon Dragons at Dawn and consist of Dan’s [rather than Dave’s] ideas.) To quote Dan’s introduction: “My goal in writing Dragons at Dawn was to produce a gaming system that, unlike the rules originally published in 1974, is entirely consistent with Arneson’s original, largely forgotten methods of play developed roughly in the period 1970-1973; an imaginative foray into what might have been if Dave Arneson had published his game as he played it…the oldest of the old school.”
Now let’s walk through the rulebook together.
VOCABULARY AND DICE
We start with vocabulary. Please keep firmly in mind that, while the vocabulary of DaD is very similar to that of D&D, some meanings are considerably different. For example, hit points have nothing to do with hit dice! Hit dice in DaD measure how much damage you do with an attack. If, for example, you have 5 hit dice, then when you hit a monster with your sword, you do 5 dice of damage.
Ah, yes. “Dice”. DaD basically requires only six-sided dice. The only exception is when rolling percentile dice for spell failure.
CHARACTERS
Next is a note explaining that DaD contains two games, the Basic and the Expanded. The Basic game recreates Dave’s rules in the summer of 1971. The Expanded rules recreate Dave’s rules from 1971-1975 (with emphasis on 1972). The two games are not hermetically sealed. One can mix-and-match quite easily. The biggest differences are that all Basic characters are warriors (of three levels: Flunky, Hero, and Superhero) or wizards (of five levels: Seer, Magi, Spellbinder, Sorcerer, and High Wizard). Expanded characters have ten levels each, and several character classes are added: elf mage, merchant, priest/monk, sage, and thief assassin.
Here’s where things get interesting. Many old-schoolers argue that D&D first took a wrong turn in 1975 with the introduction of the thief character class. Ha! It can be argued that the wrong turn occurred three years earlier in 1972 with the introduction of the priest/monk (or cleric). Look at R. E. Howard’s Conan stories. There is no proof therein that the gods are real. People worship all kinds of deities, but none of their worshippers have cleric spells or can turn undead. For all we know, there are no real gods in Conan’s milieu. But as soon as clerics got added into the mix of D&D, a big decision was already made for your campaign: Divine forces exist, and they grant special powers to their special followers. But isn’t it odd that radically different gods grant basically the same spells to their followers? The spell-list of a cleric of the demon-god Juiblex is pretty much the same as the spell-list of a cleric of Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy and child bearing. And many of the clerical spells are something that Moses (sticks to snakes and part water, I’m looking at you) or Jesus did in the Bible. Juiblex, Kuan Yin, Moses, and Jesus? Ummm…
So I’ll let someone else review the 5 pages of the Expanded game’s “new” character classes. While these classes belong in the rulebook, I have to admit that these 5 pages don’t excite me as do the other 55 pages. We need some enthusiasm here!
Simple rules are given for multi-classing. Basically you can use the abilities of both classes, but you are subject to the limitations of both classes. Thus I’m looking at an Arnesonian campaign with three types of PCs: warriors, wizards, and wizard-warriors. (I should mention here that plain ol’ wizards can wear any armor and use any weapon, just as can warriors. No penalties.)
Character races are the typical human, elf, dwarf, and halfling, with a note saying that anything is fair game as a PC race. Vampire, balrog, dragon, ochre jelly? Go for it!
ABILITY SCORES
The six ability scores (appearance, brains, constitution, dexterity, strength, and wisdom) are rolled 2d6-2, thus generating numbers between 1 and 10 (re-roll snake eyes). Most saving throws are based on these abilities. If you need to make, for example, a dexterity saving throw, you roll 2d6-2 and compare that to your dexterity. If you roll less than your dexterity, you saved. If the roll is equal or higher, then you failed.
CLASS PROGRESSION TABLES
Now we get into the class progression tables. I prefer the Expanded game’s 10-level tables. At each level is listed a set number of hit points (called HPV, for Hit Point Value). In this game, nothing has more than a 100 HPV. The biggest, baddest monster imaginable will have a 100 HPV. With that in mind, we see that a 1st-level warrior has a 7 HPV, while a 1st-level wizard has a 4 HPV. A 10th-level (highest level attainable, remember?) warrior has a 28 HPV, and a 10th-level wizard has a 21 HPV.
That’s right. You don’t roll for your hit points. You have an unvarying number at each level. Fourth edition D&D didn’t start this! Dave Arneson started it back in 1970-71.
ALIGNMENT
Three alignments: Lawful, chaotic, and selfish. Lawful is basically good, chaotic is basically evil, and selfish is whimsically evil. In AD&D terms, I’d classify the alignments thus:
Lawful = lawful good
Chaotic = lawful evil
Selfish = chaotic evil
Selfish beings are so bad that both lawfuls and chaotics tend to exterminate them on sight.
ARMOR CLASS
There are eight basic armor classes. It is an ascending armor class system. Third edition D&D didn’t invent that! Dave Arneson did back in 1970-71. No armor is AC 1. Leather is AC 2. Plate and shield are AC 8. An armor class of 9 or 10 is barely possible, but only for materials that are stronger than plate and shield! (Hard to think of any, isn’t it?) Then there are the negative AC ratings. These are for creatures that can be hit only by magic weapons. It takes a +1 or better weapon to hit AC -1. It takes a +4 or better weapon to hit AC -4. Etc. Such armor classes are typically for non-corporeal entities.
COMBAT
Combat makes significant use of morale, which determines who strikes first in a round, with the side with better morale going first. To hit rolls are made with 2d6 (and you want to roll low), and then a consultation of the single Combat Matrix. You cross reference the attacker’s Attack Value against the defender’s Defense Value to see what you need to roll to hit. Both Attack Value and Defense Value are typically equal to Hit Dice (plus optional modifiers).
If a hit is scored, the target gets to roll a saving throw on 2d6-2. If he rolls under his own armor class, then the hit harmlessly bounces off his armor. If he fails the throw, then he takes damage according to the attacker’s HD. If, for example, the attacker has 7 HD, then the defender takes 7d6 points of damage.
A warrior can be pretty fearsome. If his attack kills an opponent, he gets another free attack. If that attack kills an opponent, he gets yet another free attack. Etc. Conceivably, a warrior could slay 20 opponents in a single round that way. This really gives the feel of some of the Conan stories in which Conan slays scores of men before being captured by an entire army.
MAGIC
The magic system is quite different than what we’re used to. All wizards (even neophyte 1st-level ones) can cast an unlimited number of fireballs, lightning bolts, and light spells. Fourth edition D&D didn’t make that up. Dave Arneson did back in 1970-71.
“But, but, but… No way! That would make wizards too powerful!”
Ah, but there are some serious restrictions in place. First, each time they cast one of these three spells, they have to make a saving throw or fall unconscious for 2d6 turns (with each turn lasting 10 minutes). Second, we must remember that the target gets TWO saving throws vs. the spell. He gets to make a saving throw to see if he dodges the spell. Then he gets to make an armor saving throw to see if his armor deflects the spell. He doesn’t need to make both saving throws. He only needs to make one. If he makes it, then he takes no HPV damage.
Then there is a list of 47 spells, divided into six levels. DaD makes it easy. A 3rd-level spell can be cast by a 3rd-level wizard. A 5th-level spell can be cast by a 5th-level wizard. Etc. Spells are NOT cast by waving your arms and chanting. Instead, to quote from the book, “spells are tied to physical things made of special ingredients, not magic energy or enchanted words. Spells are often found in the form of potions in bottles or vials, gasses trapped in delicate glass balls, powders in paper tubes, and the like, including spell scrolls written with magical ink made from distilled superberries.” This is yet another way that DaD is like Howard’s Conan stories. The wizards of the Hyborian Age typically cast spells in precisely that way. The Hyborian sorcerers were armed with powders, potions, vials, etc.
There is no limit to the number of spells a wizard can cast in a day. “Wha…?”
The catch is that spells are expensive and time-consuming to concoct. A spell costs 100 g.p. per level of the spell. Thus a 3rd-level spell will cost the wizard 300 g.p. for the ingredients to brew the spell. Second, it takes forever and a day to brew spells. First level spells take one week. Second level spells take a month. Third and higher level spells take a year! Sure you can summon an elemental. Just spend the next year in your laboratory making the spell.
And even then the spell might not work. It might be a dud! (Just think of fireworks.) A 1st-level spell has a base 35% chance of being a dud, a 2nd-level spell has a 45% chance, a 3rd-level spell has a 55% chance, etc. This chance is reduced by 5% for each level of the wizard preparing the spell. And, just like fireworks, you don’t know if any given one is a dud or not until you light it. So your bad-ass 10th-level wizard who spent the last year brewing an elemental conjuration spell has to carry the thing (powder, potion, or whatnot) around. Careful you don’t drop it! Careful you don’t get it wet! You just got hit by a fireball spell? I wonder what that did to your precious spell? Anyway, our hypothetical wizard’s elemental spell has a 35% chance of being inert junk. There’s no way to test it. You just have to wait until your fat’s in the fire and you cast the spell. Cross your fingers! Hope that you didn’t spend an entire year making a spell that has all the powers of a Snickers bar.
“Hey, I know! I’ll kill an evil wizard and steal all his spells!” Think again. Each brewed spell has the alignment of its creator. If you try to cast a spell made by someone of a different alignment than yourself, it could kill you.
There is also another system of magic for priests (powers acquired as the priest rises in level, rather like a paladin), and another for elf mages (a spell point system). I’ll let someone else review those. I’m sure they are fine systems, but (since they are not what I’m looking for in a game right now) I’m not excited about them, and all parts of this game deserve an engaged review.
MAGIC ITEMS
Sixteen sample magic items are briefly described, as well as rules for intelligent magic swords. These are more by way of example than anything. As the rulebook says, “Various and sundry magical items and artifacts can exist and the limit is really the imagination of the players.” I’m thankful for this. I really don’t need a big laundry list of magic items. If I’m going to include magic items in my campaign, I’ll make them up myself, thank you very much. (I must hasten to add that I’m glad for the inclusion of these 16 items, as they give us a glimpse of the type of magic item used by Arneson.)
MONSTERS
Then we are given nine sample monsters. These, too, are given as samples of the type of monster that Arneson used in his campaign. Included are balrogs, robots, and Gorean tarns. Each has only AC, HPV, HD, and movement listed for stats. Again, I’m glad that we’re not given a huge catalog of monsters. I prefer to throw unique, unknown beasties against the PCs rather than using old standbys. A quote from Arneson is given: ‘I had a big argument way back when about dragons because they came out with all these different color dragons and to me they are just cookie cutter dragons. I always thought that dragons should be huge blusterous things that, each of them, are unique. Too often you sit there and the player says, “well, we’ll just assume that its 2 hit dice and armor class 8 etc.”’
GAINING EXPERIENCE
Wizards gain experience points only from brewing spells. Priests gain experience points only from donating treasure to their religion. All other characters gain experience from spending treasure in accordance with their nature.
Three pages are devoted to standard equipment lists with prices.
SPELLS
The last nine pages of the book describe the 47 spells. Each has a duration and range listed in addition to a paragraph describing what the spell does. The spells are much more oriented towards detection and concealment than are D&D’s spell lists. Of the 47 spells, only 3 do hit point damage. And of these, the decay spell causes a slow decay of HPV rather than a blast of damage. That leaves fireball and lightning bolt, and that makes sense to me. How many spells do we need that basically say, “This spell causes a ball/beam/ray/arrow/streak/bolt/shock/etc. that causes X amount of damage”? I also like that the illusion spell does not cause real damage or pain. It looks, sounds, and smells real, but your hand will pass right through it. The only spell I don’t like is Evil Detection. I’ve long hated all spells that detect alignment. But I like the other 46 spells. 46 out of 47 isn’t bad at all.
SUMMARY
This is a very cool, VERY old-school game. It’s as close as you can come to playing the game the way it was played when NOBODY in the whole world played it except for Dave Arneson and his buddies back in 1970-72. To my way of thinking, this game is 38 years overdue. We owe Dan Boggs a great debt of gratitude for all the hard work and research he devoted to re-creating the original role-playing game.
In the last several years, I often wondered why someone didn’t pick the brains of Dave and of the Blackmoor players who go back to 1970-71. After all, they were active on message boards. Why not collate everything they said, ask them clarifying questions, and re-create “D&D” the way it was played before Gary got involved in 1972?
Voila! Dan H. Boggs has done precisely that, and the result is a 60-page game with the appropriate title of “Dragons at Dawn”. I don’t think Dan would mind me saying that Dragons at Dawn tries to be Dave Arneson’s game rather than Dan’s game, and that’s as it should be. (Let me note that Dan is even now working on a supplement to this game, entitled Dragons at Twilight, which will build upon Dragons at Dawn and consist of Dan’s [rather than Dave’s] ideas.) To quote Dan’s introduction: “My goal in writing Dragons at Dawn was to produce a gaming system that, unlike the rules originally published in 1974, is entirely consistent with Arneson’s original, largely forgotten methods of play developed roughly in the period 1970-1973; an imaginative foray into what might have been if Dave Arneson had published his game as he played it…the oldest of the old school.”
Now let’s walk through the rulebook together.
VOCABULARY AND DICE
We start with vocabulary. Please keep firmly in mind that, while the vocabulary of DaD is very similar to that of D&D, some meanings are considerably different. For example, hit points have nothing to do with hit dice! Hit dice in DaD measure how much damage you do with an attack. If, for example, you have 5 hit dice, then when you hit a monster with your sword, you do 5 dice of damage.
Ah, yes. “Dice”. DaD basically requires only six-sided dice. The only exception is when rolling percentile dice for spell failure.
CHARACTERS
Next is a note explaining that DaD contains two games, the Basic and the Expanded. The Basic game recreates Dave’s rules in the summer of 1971. The Expanded rules recreate Dave’s rules from 1971-1975 (with emphasis on 1972). The two games are not hermetically sealed. One can mix-and-match quite easily. The biggest differences are that all Basic characters are warriors (of three levels: Flunky, Hero, and Superhero) or wizards (of five levels: Seer, Magi, Spellbinder, Sorcerer, and High Wizard). Expanded characters have ten levels each, and several character classes are added: elf mage, merchant, priest/monk, sage, and thief assassin.
Here’s where things get interesting. Many old-schoolers argue that D&D first took a wrong turn in 1975 with the introduction of the thief character class. Ha! It can be argued that the wrong turn occurred three years earlier in 1972 with the introduction of the priest/monk (or cleric). Look at R. E. Howard’s Conan stories. There is no proof therein that the gods are real. People worship all kinds of deities, but none of their worshippers have cleric spells or can turn undead. For all we know, there are no real gods in Conan’s milieu. But as soon as clerics got added into the mix of D&D, a big decision was already made for your campaign: Divine forces exist, and they grant special powers to their special followers. But isn’t it odd that radically different gods grant basically the same spells to their followers? The spell-list of a cleric of the demon-god Juiblex is pretty much the same as the spell-list of a cleric of Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy and child bearing. And many of the clerical spells are something that Moses (sticks to snakes and part water, I’m looking at you) or Jesus did in the Bible. Juiblex, Kuan Yin, Moses, and Jesus? Ummm…
So I’ll let someone else review the 5 pages of the Expanded game’s “new” character classes. While these classes belong in the rulebook, I have to admit that these 5 pages don’t excite me as do the other 55 pages. We need some enthusiasm here!
Simple rules are given for multi-classing. Basically you can use the abilities of both classes, but you are subject to the limitations of both classes. Thus I’m looking at an Arnesonian campaign with three types of PCs: warriors, wizards, and wizard-warriors. (I should mention here that plain ol’ wizards can wear any armor and use any weapon, just as can warriors. No penalties.)
Character races are the typical human, elf, dwarf, and halfling, with a note saying that anything is fair game as a PC race. Vampire, balrog, dragon, ochre jelly? Go for it!
ABILITY SCORES
The six ability scores (appearance, brains, constitution, dexterity, strength, and wisdom) are rolled 2d6-2, thus generating numbers between 1 and 10 (re-roll snake eyes). Most saving throws are based on these abilities. If you need to make, for example, a dexterity saving throw, you roll 2d6-2 and compare that to your dexterity. If you roll less than your dexterity, you saved. If the roll is equal or higher, then you failed.
CLASS PROGRESSION TABLES
Now we get into the class progression tables. I prefer the Expanded game’s 10-level tables. At each level is listed a set number of hit points (called HPV, for Hit Point Value). In this game, nothing has more than a 100 HPV. The biggest, baddest monster imaginable will have a 100 HPV. With that in mind, we see that a 1st-level warrior has a 7 HPV, while a 1st-level wizard has a 4 HPV. A 10th-level (highest level attainable, remember?) warrior has a 28 HPV, and a 10th-level wizard has a 21 HPV.
That’s right. You don’t roll for your hit points. You have an unvarying number at each level. Fourth edition D&D didn’t start this! Dave Arneson started it back in 1970-71.
ALIGNMENT
Three alignments: Lawful, chaotic, and selfish. Lawful is basically good, chaotic is basically evil, and selfish is whimsically evil. In AD&D terms, I’d classify the alignments thus:
Lawful = lawful good
Chaotic = lawful evil
Selfish = chaotic evil
Selfish beings are so bad that both lawfuls and chaotics tend to exterminate them on sight.
ARMOR CLASS
There are eight basic armor classes. It is an ascending armor class system. Third edition D&D didn’t invent that! Dave Arneson did back in 1970-71. No armor is AC 1. Leather is AC 2. Plate and shield are AC 8. An armor class of 9 or 10 is barely possible, but only for materials that are stronger than plate and shield! (Hard to think of any, isn’t it?) Then there are the negative AC ratings. These are for creatures that can be hit only by magic weapons. It takes a +1 or better weapon to hit AC -1. It takes a +4 or better weapon to hit AC -4. Etc. Such armor classes are typically for non-corporeal entities.
COMBAT
Combat makes significant use of morale, which determines who strikes first in a round, with the side with better morale going first. To hit rolls are made with 2d6 (and you want to roll low), and then a consultation of the single Combat Matrix. You cross reference the attacker’s Attack Value against the defender’s Defense Value to see what you need to roll to hit. Both Attack Value and Defense Value are typically equal to Hit Dice (plus optional modifiers).
If a hit is scored, the target gets to roll a saving throw on 2d6-2. If he rolls under his own armor class, then the hit harmlessly bounces off his armor. If he fails the throw, then he takes damage according to the attacker’s HD. If, for example, the attacker has 7 HD, then the defender takes 7d6 points of damage.
A warrior can be pretty fearsome. If his attack kills an opponent, he gets another free attack. If that attack kills an opponent, he gets yet another free attack. Etc. Conceivably, a warrior could slay 20 opponents in a single round that way. This really gives the feel of some of the Conan stories in which Conan slays scores of men before being captured by an entire army.
MAGIC
The magic system is quite different than what we’re used to. All wizards (even neophyte 1st-level ones) can cast an unlimited number of fireballs, lightning bolts, and light spells. Fourth edition D&D didn’t make that up. Dave Arneson did back in 1970-71.
“But, but, but… No way! That would make wizards too powerful!”
Ah, but there are some serious restrictions in place. First, each time they cast one of these three spells, they have to make a saving throw or fall unconscious for 2d6 turns (with each turn lasting 10 minutes). Second, we must remember that the target gets TWO saving throws vs. the spell. He gets to make a saving throw to see if he dodges the spell. Then he gets to make an armor saving throw to see if his armor deflects the spell. He doesn’t need to make both saving throws. He only needs to make one. If he makes it, then he takes no HPV damage.
Then there is a list of 47 spells, divided into six levels. DaD makes it easy. A 3rd-level spell can be cast by a 3rd-level wizard. A 5th-level spell can be cast by a 5th-level wizard. Etc. Spells are NOT cast by waving your arms and chanting. Instead, to quote from the book, “spells are tied to physical things made of special ingredients, not magic energy or enchanted words. Spells are often found in the form of potions in bottles or vials, gasses trapped in delicate glass balls, powders in paper tubes, and the like, including spell scrolls written with magical ink made from distilled superberries.” This is yet another way that DaD is like Howard’s Conan stories. The wizards of the Hyborian Age typically cast spells in precisely that way. The Hyborian sorcerers were armed with powders, potions, vials, etc.
There is no limit to the number of spells a wizard can cast in a day. “Wha…?”
The catch is that spells are expensive and time-consuming to concoct. A spell costs 100 g.p. per level of the spell. Thus a 3rd-level spell will cost the wizard 300 g.p. for the ingredients to brew the spell. Second, it takes forever and a day to brew spells. First level spells take one week. Second level spells take a month. Third and higher level spells take a year! Sure you can summon an elemental. Just spend the next year in your laboratory making the spell.
And even then the spell might not work. It might be a dud! (Just think of fireworks.) A 1st-level spell has a base 35% chance of being a dud, a 2nd-level spell has a 45% chance, a 3rd-level spell has a 55% chance, etc. This chance is reduced by 5% for each level of the wizard preparing the spell. And, just like fireworks, you don’t know if any given one is a dud or not until you light it. So your bad-ass 10th-level wizard who spent the last year brewing an elemental conjuration spell has to carry the thing (powder, potion, or whatnot) around. Careful you don’t drop it! Careful you don’t get it wet! You just got hit by a fireball spell? I wonder what that did to your precious spell? Anyway, our hypothetical wizard’s elemental spell has a 35% chance of being inert junk. There’s no way to test it. You just have to wait until your fat’s in the fire and you cast the spell. Cross your fingers! Hope that you didn’t spend an entire year making a spell that has all the powers of a Snickers bar.
“Hey, I know! I’ll kill an evil wizard and steal all his spells!” Think again. Each brewed spell has the alignment of its creator. If you try to cast a spell made by someone of a different alignment than yourself, it could kill you.
There is also another system of magic for priests (powers acquired as the priest rises in level, rather like a paladin), and another for elf mages (a spell point system). I’ll let someone else review those. I’m sure they are fine systems, but (since they are not what I’m looking for in a game right now) I’m not excited about them, and all parts of this game deserve an engaged review.
MAGIC ITEMS
Sixteen sample magic items are briefly described, as well as rules for intelligent magic swords. These are more by way of example than anything. As the rulebook says, “Various and sundry magical items and artifacts can exist and the limit is really the imagination of the players.” I’m thankful for this. I really don’t need a big laundry list of magic items. If I’m going to include magic items in my campaign, I’ll make them up myself, thank you very much. (I must hasten to add that I’m glad for the inclusion of these 16 items, as they give us a glimpse of the type of magic item used by Arneson.)
MONSTERS
Then we are given nine sample monsters. These, too, are given as samples of the type of monster that Arneson used in his campaign. Included are balrogs, robots, and Gorean tarns. Each has only AC, HPV, HD, and movement listed for stats. Again, I’m glad that we’re not given a huge catalog of monsters. I prefer to throw unique, unknown beasties against the PCs rather than using old standbys. A quote from Arneson is given: ‘I had a big argument way back when about dragons because they came out with all these different color dragons and to me they are just cookie cutter dragons. I always thought that dragons should be huge blusterous things that, each of them, are unique. Too often you sit there and the player says, “well, we’ll just assume that its 2 hit dice and armor class 8 etc.”’
GAINING EXPERIENCE
Wizards gain experience points only from brewing spells. Priests gain experience points only from donating treasure to their religion. All other characters gain experience from spending treasure in accordance with their nature.
Three pages are devoted to standard equipment lists with prices.
SPELLS
The last nine pages of the book describe the 47 spells. Each has a duration and range listed in addition to a paragraph describing what the spell does. The spells are much more oriented towards detection and concealment than are D&D’s spell lists. Of the 47 spells, only 3 do hit point damage. And of these, the decay spell causes a slow decay of HPV rather than a blast of damage. That leaves fireball and lightning bolt, and that makes sense to me. How many spells do we need that basically say, “This spell causes a ball/beam/ray/arrow/streak/bolt/shock/etc. that causes X amount of damage”? I also like that the illusion spell does not cause real damage or pain. It looks, sounds, and smells real, but your hand will pass right through it. The only spell I don’t like is Evil Detection. I’ve long hated all spells that detect alignment. But I like the other 46 spells. 46 out of 47 isn’t bad at all.
SUMMARY
This is a very cool, VERY old-school game. It’s as close as you can come to playing the game the way it was played when NOBODY in the whole world played it except for Dave Arneson and his buddies back in 1970-72. To my way of thinking, this game is 38 years overdue. We owe Dan Boggs a great debt of gratitude for all the hard work and research he devoted to re-creating the original role-playing game.
Length of time to make spells is in part a means of limiting thier commonness. it is entirely likely that Wizards will often resort to buying ready made spells from established sources with known (or claimed) failure rates when a particular spell is needed, others may be found when adventuring, although there's a certain risk inovolved with spells of unknown provenience. So wealth, not time, is really the Wizards biggest obstacle. Keep in mind also that spells are a kind of supplemental magic to their at will abilities of fireball, lightning, wizard light and see in darkness. 
