(TFT) TFT: Learning Spells

["Dave Seagraves" <dseagraves@austin.rr.com>]

Dan writes . . .

>Another thing you might try is forcing non-Guild members
>to go through the spell-research process each time they
>want to learn a new spell.

   Yuck!  That is very time consuming and expensive just to learn a spell
that already exists, even after first watching someone else cast it and then
reverse-engineering it.  Time to join the Wizards' Guild.
   So in this case the Guild has a monopoly on teaching new spells to
others?  I take it a non-Guild wizard /could/ teach a student a spell (using
the normal rules on AW10) but not /legally/, right?  If so, the huge cost
difference between learning and half-researching a spell would create an
instant black market in spell tutoring and spellbooks.
   So before no characters ever joined the Wizard's Guild.  Now we have
/all/ experienced wizards joining in order to keep up as they gain
experience.
   Actually it's even worse.  Consider the same wizard in your example who
wants to learn Reverse Missiles.  The most efficient way to do this is:

   1. Join the Guild.
   2. Use option 2 or 3 (in LEARNING NEW SPELLS) to learn
      the spell.  Since he may do nothing else during this
      time, he has no income.  Since he has no income, his
      dues are nothing (see ITL29).
   3. After learning the spell, quit the Guild.  The wizard
      has just learned a spell without paying the Guild a
      dime (except perhaps indirectly through the /instructor's/
      dues).

   So the only way this would be meaningful (other that roleplaying
considerations) is the existence of a law (or some other requirement) that
forces practicing wizards to be members of the Guild.
   I admit that what you propose is somewhat interesting, but does this
really add anything to a campaign?  I imagine this would just be annoying to
players who play wizards.  To me the added complication is not worth it,
either as a player or GM.


>>   Of course this could be extended to apply to all
>>other types of guild memberships.  Now characters would
>>have a decent reason to join a guild.
>
>Except perhaps some kind of warriors guild.  There are
>two ways of acquiring talent with a blade: a) lots of
>practice (drilling) or b) actual combat.  Warriors joining
>a guild (or army) may get some ability to learn combat
>skills in a non-lethal environment.

   So how would this keep warriors from learning weapon talents faster
because of Warriors' Guild membership?  Wouldn't help and advice from
seasoned veterans at the Guildhall be just as good as the same from
experienced wizards at the Wizards' Guildhall?

Dave Seagraves
Seagraves Mutual Fund   dseagraves@austin.rr.com   1 (512) 255-2760
Current fund value: $1.86 per share.


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