Learning new magic spells (?)

[LivingTriskele]

The rules seem a little unclear here. They describe how to cast a spell from another magicians grimoire-- INT x 1 and if you fail said grimoire is useless to you until your relevant Language skill goes up by 5%, after which you can try again.

But under 'Gaining New Spells' it's implied that you get them by "seeking them out, discovering them, and buying or otherwise attaining physical copies of the spell books, scrolls, or some other forms of copies, then transferring the spell into your own grimoire" but no game-rule information is provided, no roll to determine successful transcription. Is it assumed that this process is automatic? If so, and if you've already tried to cast a spell from a magician's grimoire that you want to copy a spell from and failed, what then?

Then the process of studying spell 'principles' is given, but this is different than just copying a spell from another source.

Clearly I'm confused...

[vagabond]

The rules seem a little unclear here. They describe how to cast a spell from another magicians grimoire-- INT x 1 and if you fail said grimoire is useless to you until your relevant Language skill goes up by 5%, after which you can try again.

But under 'Gaining New Spells' it's implied that you get them by "seeking them out, discovering them, and buying or otherwise attaining physical copies of the spell books, scrolls, or some other forms of copies, then transferring the spell into your own grimoire" but no game-rule information is provided, no roll to determine successful transcription. Is it assumed that this process is automatic? If so, and if you've already tried to cast a spell from a magician's grimoire that you want to copy a spell from and failed, what then?

Then the process of studying spell 'principles' is given, but this is different than just copying a spell from another source.

Clearly I'm confused...

The intent of the 'Gaining New Spells' suggestions is that one finds new

spells via roleplay. Locating ancient tomes, buying them from questionable

characters at a bazaar, stealing them from a wizard's tower, etc.

I would say that transcription from one source to another is the same as

casting from another's grimoire - INT%. And, yes, studying the principle of

a spell is different - (INT+POW)% to reflect one month of study versus

instant gratification. And creating new spells requires a minimum of six months,

with six successful (INT+POW)% rolls needed.

-V

[LivingTriskele]

So if you successfully cast a spell from someone's grimoire is it safe to assume that you can then transcribe it into your own spell book? I was separating the idea of casting from a stranger's spell book and transcribing a found spell into your own spell book.

I'm all for the idea of finding spells through role-play but an INT x 1% chance to add them into a spell book is pretty rough--when studying the principles of a spell yields a better chance, even if it does take a month.

I suppose (as an option) you could use a stranger's spell book to study the principles of spell and learn in it in a month (for the better INT + POW roll) if the immediate gratification INT x 1% roll fails.

[vagabond]

So if you successfully cast a spell from someone's grimoire is it safe to assume that you can then transcribe it into your own spell book? I was separating the idea of casting from a stranger's spell book and transcribing a found spell into your own spell book.

I'm all for the idea of finding spells through role-play but an INT x 1% chance to add them into a spell book is pretty rough--when studying the principles of a spell yields a better chance, even if it does take a month.

I suppose (as an option) you could use a stranger's spell book to study the principles of spell and learn in it in a month (for the better INT + POW roll) if the immediate gratification INT x 1% roll fails.

Again, I suspect the premise is trying to cast a spell out of someone else's

grimoire, or transcribing it in the field, is significantly more hazardous than

doing the same from the safe confines of your tower, with other research

tools, spell components, your full attention and a controlled environment at

your disposal.

Your option sounds good - if you cannot do it on the spot, than retreating to

your sanctuary and devoting a full month of uninterrupted study to the

transcription would allow for the INT+POW roll. Not many adventuring

wizards would want to take that month off though ...

-V

[GianniVacca]

I would say that this is heavily setting-dependent: in greedy Glorantha you buy spells for a given amount of Lunars, in my Chinese rolegame you have to seek a master who lives in seclusion, in another setting devised by a friend, you'd have to enrol into a magic school...