My Life As A Gamer: Reviewing The Mechanics Of Magic Use In AD&D 1st Edition

Foreword

This week I will write about the four spell-casting classes in the Player's Handbook (PHB) for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition (AD&D1e): Cleric, Druid, Magic-User, Illusionist. The second and the fourth are sub-classes, respectively, of the first and the third.

For those of you more familiar with later editions, you will see what became the formal "Divine" and "Arcane" spilt here.

All of these classes share the feature that they are subject to the rules governing spell acquisition and spell-casting. This post will run down those shared rules, some of which are scattered about the entire ruleset for this edition. Do not be surprised if I hit upon something that's been depreciated, ignored, or misunderstood for decades- much like the Fighter's ability to command hirelings was.

Acquisition

All spell-casters must rest for at least eight hours before engaging in spell memorization. Each spell must be memorized separately; the time required varies by spell level, at a rate of 15 minutes per spell level (DMG p. 40).

All spell-casters must fulfill the required Components of the spell to cast it. Verbal Components must be spoken loud and clear. Somatic Components must be done by free range of movement. Material Components are consumed at the time of casting unless specified otherwise. Failure to fulfill a Component spoils the spell. (This is why grappling a caster is a viable tactic, as is picking his pockets or shutting him up.) Spells, once cast, are wiped from the caster's memory (PHB p.40, DMG p.40).

Clerics and Druids may cast spells because that is bestowed upon them by the gods (PHB p. 40). Clerics and Druids must serve a specific god (DMG p. 38). Through the formal training required to become a 1st level Cleric/Druid, they gain the means to memorize and cast 1st level spells. This remains the case for 2nd level spells.

3rd through 5th spells are bestowed upon the Cleric/Druid by their god's servants, whereas 6th and 7th are bestowed by that god directly (DMG p. 38). The consequence of this scheme is that Clerics/Druids automatically acquire all spells on their class lists in the PHB, in that players can select those spells without question and declare memorizations of them. It also means that higher-level spells can be denied to the Cleric/Druid. Those spells can be left unfulfilled, or swapped for something else, at the Referee's discretion.

(Note: The PHB and the DMG do not use identical language about this, leading to misunderstandings. The DMG's language is confirmed in Deities & Demigods so it is the correct version of the explanation.)

Additional Cleric/Druid spells are presumed to be a form of treasure, a secret and rarely-granted power by the god, or something that a Cleric/Druid could create via spell research.

Magic-Users/Illusionists must maintain spellbooks. Magic-Users get read magic automatically; Illusionists do not (DMG p.39). Magic-Users get three random 1st level MU spells, as per DMG p.39; Illusionists roll 1d12 on the 1st level IL spell list until they get three specific spells.

Magic-Users/Illusionists get one spell upon leveling up; this is abstracted into their Training time. All additional acquisitions are from treasure, spell research, or negotiation with others of their kind. (ibid)

Spell memorization requires access to the spellbook, in addition to procuring all necessary Material Components. For spells that are reversable, the normal or reverse version is chosen at the time of memorization (DMG p.47).

Spell Research is a downtime action open to all spell-casters. Spell-casters that desire a spell that otherwise is unobtainable should pursue this option to remedy that lack. No minimum class level requirement exists for this option; the player collaborates with the Referee on the specifics of the spell. This is not fast or cheap; it is a treasure sink as well as a time commitment. The full procedure is in the DMG, pp.115-116.

Casting

Spell-casters must declare that they are casting a spell, as well as what spell and the intended target(s) before Initiative is rolled. Casters lose their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class while casting; if they apply it anyway, the spell automatically fails. Any attack that hits or Saving Throw that fails also forces the spell to fail. (DMG p. 65)

Spell-casting cannot be done while violently moving; they cannot be cast while crouching or prone if a Somatic Component is required. (ibid)

Notes

Spell-casting attempts, only to fail the fulfillment of a Component, results in automatic failure. Therefore this includes a missing Material Component. They are to be tracked as if they were arrows, food, or other consumables and not to be handwaived; this is part of the power balancing mechanism for spell-casters. Thieves, Assassins, Monks: this is why you Pick Pockets on a hostile spell-caster before you throw down- to yoink his Material Components.

Spell Research exists, in part, to allow players to find ways to make spell-casting multi-class or dual-class characters find synergies between their separate classes; this also extends to Item Creation. The procedure governing this creates an Opportunity Cost for such characters.

Do I spend my treasure on research, do I use it to expand my item creation capacity, my temple/grove/tower, or do I sock away treasure for my next Training to level up? That is not a trivial factor, especially when spell acquisition via treasure or trades are lacking.

Players that want to cast in combat should cater their spell selection to mitigate their vulnerabilities. Avoiding one or more Components is a good thing, when practical to do so, which is why the DMG advises the preference of using items over spell-casting in combat.

"Violently moving" explicitly includes running. The logic of that prohibition is based on concentration first and foremost, not the need to project like a theater actor (Verbal), move one's body about (Somatic), or manipulate objects (Material), and as such one can rule out casting while mounted upon or riding in an insufficiently stable creature (e.g. a horse) or vehicle (e.g. a chariot) in combat or pursuit.

Rulings should also focus on the emphasis upon concentration, not the fulfillment of Components, as the primary driver for spell-casting (i.e. the denial of Dexterity bonuses to Armor Class).

Player-created spells need to be a collaborative effort with the Referee; he is free to deny a proposed spell for the good of the campaign.

The end result is that spell-casting is not risk-free as it is in later editions. Successful spell-casters will know when to cast, and when to use other means; this will be easier for the Magic-Users and Illusionists as they gain items that can substitute for their own spell-casting, while Clerics and Druids have other abilities (as well as armor, weapons, and Hit Points) to compensate.

This is before accounting for specific class roles. Adding those in changes things.

Finally, I'm going in this order: Cleric, Druid, Magic-User, Illusionist. The base class for the type, as with the Fighter and Thief, sets norms that sub-classes vary from and those need to be set up to establish context for later commentary.

("Aren't you missing a class?" No, Bard is this weekend, and it's last for reasons that are obvious to those familiar with it.)