Below are house rules for magic, mostly to simplify things and make things run faster in a play by post environment.

Some of these are just because they make more sense to me too.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:04, Tue 21 July 2009.

Mages:

Mages have access to any spell in their spellbook.  (They do not have to memorize in advance a particular spell.)

Mages still must spend sufficient time studying each day, per the rules, and still have only the number of spells as limited in the Player's Handbook.  This meditation allows them the internal power to cast their spells.

A spellbook is necessary, but not required to use spells.  It is the meditation, not the spellbook, that gives access to spells.  However, loss of the spellbook will render the mage unable to properly recover his powers over the spells.

For each day without a spellbook, the casting mage has a cumulative 10% chance of failure in casting any spells, but adds 10% for every point over 14.  After 10 to 14 days, he can no longer cast any spells without getting his spellbook back first.

Clerics and druids:

Clerics and druids have access to any cleric spells of that level and do not have to pray for specific spells.  The spells are granted by boons that clerics or druids may ask of their deities (and thus the amount of spells and levels are limited).

There is a chance of failure if the cleric or druid is not upholding the beliefs of his faith -- exact amount up to DM discretion.  Any good aligned priest or druid trying to sell a spell for profit will be considered not upholding the beliefs of his faith, unless the profit is to be used for good (such as donated to a church).
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:26, Tue 19 Sept 2006.

Specific Spells:

Healing Spells:
The Cure Light Wounds will heal 25% of recipient's original hit points (minimum 4, rounded down), the Cure Serious will heal 50% of Original (minimum 9, rounded down), and the Cure Critical heals 75% (minimum 18, rounded UP). The Heal spell stays the same, including all the disease and blindness healing, because it is basically a heal 100%.

The reverse of these spells, as you can see, also just became more powerful.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:08, Thu 06 Jan 2011.

IDENTIFY:
Let me make a judgment/house rule on the identify spell.  I typically use it to just once and for all let you know what an object is without fuss, prep, or partiality.

As you can see, following the rule for this spell takes quite a toll on the mage, might not reveal everything (or anything!), requires hours of preparation, won't disclose the attack/damage bonus, and requires a level advancement to try again upon a failure.

I don't like the rule as written in the PHBK.  Too complicated; too hard on the mage; and you never know what the att/dmg bonus is!  If his constitution dropped 8 points every time he used it, Azaron would never agree to identify any of your items.

So one spell fully identifies one item, including att/dmg bonus.

The one exception to this is truly unique items/artifacts, items with special curses on them, or similar things.

SUPERCEDED:
I do it pretty much according to the description, except I also give you the damage and attack bonuses for convenience.

As for Constitution, I will say you can lose up to 1 constitution point per item, up to 8 items (8 Con) total, until you rest completely for 1 hour for each point.  (This effect does not occur once you reach Level 10...but remind me when you get there.)

We won't use pearls, just a feather.

FIND FAMILIAR:
I'll make it so you can choose an animal, if there's one in the vicinity, that is your primary target.  So, for example, if you choose "hawk," and if there's a hawk in the area, you will get a hawk.  If not, you may get another bird.  If you cast the spell not looking for a hawk, the animal you get will be chosen randomly.

Timing: Rather than once per year, I would say you have to wait 1 month after the death or disenchantment of the familiar before using it again.

Don't worry about components for it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:02, Mon 25 Jan 2010.

DETECT MAGIC
House Rule:
A mage can cast detect magic once per day as a "freebie" spell.  It does not count as one of the spells on the numerical limit he can memorize each day, unless he wants to memorize it for more than one use per day.

When the detect magic spell is cast, the wizard detects magical radiations in a path 10 feet wide and up to 60 feet long, in the direction he is facing. The wizard generally sees these radiations as "glowing" on the object.  Sometimes, the intensity of the magic is more dim or overwhelming, although most items fall into the "moderate" category. A stone wall of 1 foot or more thickness, solid metal of 1 inch thickness, or a yard or more of solid wood blocks the spell. Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may confuse or conceal weaker radiations. Note that this spell does not reveal the presence of good or evil, or reveal alignment. Otherplanar creatures and special items are not necessarily magical.

THE ABOVE RULE ALSO APPLIES TO READ MAGIC

Both are considered Level 0 spells.
This message was last edited by the user at 16:14, Tue 19 Aug 2014.

CLERIC SPELLS

As a clarification for cleric spell "memorization," the cleric should select desired spells before a rest.  These are the "prepped" spells that can be used at a moment's notice.

A cleric can sub out a prepped spell for any other spell of that level, but doing so takes more time because it is not ready.  As such, a substituted spell automatically adds 1 round and puts the cleric's initiative as the last person in the last round of time to cast the spell (e.g., for a spell that takes two rounds to cast, it will be complete at the end of the third round; for a spell that takes one round, it completes at the end of the second round).  (As needed, exceptions to this rule may be made.)

Obviously, initiative is primarily a key factor in combat and situations where quick response time is needed.

CAVEAT:  The above substitution rules only apply to the spells in the Player's Handbook.  These are the "core" spells clerics have access to.  Using a spell from another source (an options book, Dragon magazine, etc.) always requires prepping that spell before a rest (but can still be substituted with a core spell).


NOTE: I'm trying out this rule.  My obvious concern is that a cleric will just pick combat spells, but substituting some spells may also have dire effects.  Examples:  cure poison or disease when it is rapidly progressing, healing when the person is unconscious and losing hit points each round, etc.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:42, Tue 08 June 2010.

REPOSTING THIS HOUSE RULE ON MAGIC SINCE IT WAS LOST IN THE RULES CLARIFICATION THREAD:

HOUSE RULE:  The AD&D Rules restrict use of magic items and scrolls to specifically priests or mages (not rangers, etc.).

The house rule is that any character who can cast spells of a certain type can use these items and scrolls.  They also, contrary to the printed rules, get wisdom bonuses.

Further, a magic using character of any type can use scroll spells higher than the level he can actually cast, with a 25% chance of failure per level above, minus 10% per point of wisdom over 12.  (This does not apply unless the person can actually cast spells: for example, a 7th level ranger cannot use any scrolls, but an 8th level ranger could.)

For example, Rath is a 1st level cleric who can only cast 1st level spells, and he has a 14 Wisdom.  He has a scroll with a 4th level spell.  He attempts to cast it:  The spell has a 75% chance of failure minus 20% for his wisdom bonus, equalling a 55% chance of failure.


BONUS SPELLS:  Contrary to the printed rules, spellcasters of any type can get the wisdom bonus for extra spells, including mages.

There have been a couple of questions about the bonus spells for wisdom.  There is a column under "wisdom" in the Player's Handbook that allows clerics with wisdom of that level to gain one or two extra spells.  I have expanded this to apply to anyone using magic.  Here is the chart (see third column):

Wisdom

Ability	Defense	 Bonus	of Spell	Spell
Score	Adjust	Spells	Failure	Immunity
1	 -6	--	80%		--
2	 -4	--	60%		--
3	 -3	--	50%		--
4	 -2	--	45%		--
5	 -1	--	40%		--
6	 -1	--	35%		--
7	 -1	--	30%		--
8	  0	--	25%		--
9	  0	0	20%		--
10 	  0	0	15%		--
11	  0	0	10%		--
12	  0	0	  5%		--
13	  0	1st	  0%		--
14	  0	1st	  0%		--
15	+1	2nd	  0%		--
16	+2	2nd	  0%		--
17	+3	3rd	  0%		--
18	+4	4th	  0%		--

So any apellcaster with an 18 wisdom gets an additional: 2 1st level spells, 2 second level spells, 1 3rd level spell, and 1 4th level spell.  (The spells cannot be gained until the spellcaster is high enough level to use that level spell.)

This includes how many of these may be cast "per day" (or spell cycle or however you think about it), as well as how many may be scribed onto a spellbook (for a mage/bard).

READ MAGIC

Read Magic counts as a Level 0 spell:

Read Magic
Divination

Level:
Brd 0, Clr 0, Drd 0, Pal 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 0

Components:
V, S, F

Casting time:
1 standard action

Range:
Personal

Target: You

Duration: 10 min./level

By means of read magic, you can decipher magical inscriptions on objects—books, scrolls, weapons, and the like—that would otherwise be unintelligible. This deciphering does not normally invoke the magic contained in the writing, although it may do so in the case of a cursed scroll. Furthermore, once the spell is cast and you have read the magical inscription, you are thereafter able to read that particular writing without recourse to the use of read magic. You can read at the rate of one page (250 words) per minute. The spell allows you to identify a glyph of warding with a DC 13 Spellcraft check, a greater glyph of warding with a DC 16 Spellcraft check, or any symbol spell with a Spellcraft check (DC 10 + spell level).

Read magic can be made permanent with a permanency spell.

HERE ARE THE WIZARD LEVEL 0 SPELLS:  (The House Rules provide 1 free Detect Magic and 1 free Read Magic per day for the Mage.)


0-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spells (Cantrips)

Abjur
 Resistance: Subject gains +1 on saving throws.

Conj
 Acid Splash: Orb deals 1d3 acid damage.

Div
 Detect Poison: Detects poison in one creature or small object.
Detect Magic: Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.
Read Magic: Read scrolls and spellbooks.

Ench
 Daze: Humanoid creature of 4 HD or less loses next action.

Evoc
 Dancing Lights: Creates torches or other lights.
Flare: Dazzles one creature (-1 on attack rolls).
Light: Object shines like a torch.
Ray of Frost: Ray deals 1d3 cold damage.

Illus
 Ghost Sound: Figment sounds.

Necro
 Disrupt Undead: Deals 1d6 damage to one undead.
Touch of Fatigue: Touch attack fatigues target.

Trans
 Mage Hand: 5-pound telekinesis.
Mending: Makes minor repairs on an object.
Message: Whispered conversation at distance.
Open/Close: Opens or closes small or light things.

Univ
 Arcane Mark: Inscribes a personal rune (visible or invisible).
Prestidigitation: Performs minor tricks.


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:47, Tue 19 Aug 2014.

For clarity, here are the house rules regarding Level 0 spells:

1) Mages get all Level 0 spells automatically written in their spellbooks.

2) Mages can use one Identify (1st level), one Detect Magic, and one Read Magic Level 0 spell per day as a "freebie" in addition to any other spells.

3) Mages get the same number of Level 0 spells as they get Level 1 spells.

4) Level 0 spells do not count against the Level 1 spells for daily use, and the two are not interchangeable.  (In other words, a mage who gets 4 Level 1 spells per day will get 4 Level 1 spells PLUS 4 Level 0 spells per day.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:46, Tue 19 Aug 2014.

LEVEL 0 SPELLS FOR CLERICS:

0-Level Cleric Spells:

*Create Water: Creates 2 gallons/level of pure water.
Cure Minor Wounds: Cures 1 point of damage.
Detect Magic: Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.
Detect Poison: Detects poison in one creature or object.
Guidance: +1 on one attack roll, saving throw, or skill check.
Inflict Minor Wounds: Touch attack, 1 point of damage.
*Light: Object shines like a torch.
Mending: Makes minor repairs on an object.
*Purify Food and Drink: Purifies 1 cu. ft./level of food or water.
Read Magic: Read scrolls and spellbooks.
Resistance: Subject gains +1 on saving throws.
Virtue: Subject gains 1 temporary hp.

House Rule: As with mages, clerics get Level 0 rules according to the same guidelines above.  Also:

1) Cure Minor Wounds can be combined with NWP skills.
2) Read Magic is, like mages, a freebie spell for one free use a day that does not count against other level 0 spells.
3) Clerics do not get the "Identify" spell.
BUT...
4) Items with an asterisk * count against Level One spells and Level Zero spells for the day.  (The normal rule is that all level 0 spells count against level 1 spells, so this just makes these like they are normally supposed to operate.)
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 16:38, Tue 19 Aug 2014.