Sprucery wrote:Every character should be able to list all the spells they've seen in one screen for convenience. Sif could grant the ability to memorize spells straight from that screen.
I was idly thinking of a possible Sif-replacement deity (note: not saying that Sif needs to be replaced) that works something like that.
This deity - let us call her Sil Runa the Archivist - appreciates sacrificing spellbooks (to add to her archives). In return, Sil Runa offers you spells with a total spell level equal to the total spell level of the sacrificed spellbook, minus spells in the book you've already memorized. The spells are weighted toward schools you have trained, but with a significant (20%? 40%?) chance to be completely random spells. Sil Runa aims to keep your "spell library" balanced in terms of spell level; the fewer spells you have at a given spell level, the more likely it is that a spell will be granted at that level.
A use case scenario: you roll up a human Venom Mage. After memorizing Mephitic Cloud, you find an early Sil Runa altar, and choose to follow her. You sacrifice your Young Poisoner's Handbook. There are 15 spell levels worth of spells in the book, but you've already memorized 4 (Sting and Mephitic Cloud). In return, you are granted 11 spell levels' worth of spells, that you may memorize at any time:
[*] First spell generated. Roll a die; it's a completely random spell. Roll another die, with the proper weighting; it will be a SL 2 spell. Randomly pick a SL 2 spell; Sure Blade is entered into your spell library.
[*] Second spell generated, 9 levels left. Roll a die; it's a spell that uses one or more of the schools you have skill in (at this point, let's say Poison Magic and Conjurations). Roll another die; it will be a SL 6 spell. Randomly pick from eligible spells: Conjure Ball Lightning is entered into your spell library.
[*] Third spell generated. Yada yada, it's useful, it's SL 2. Cure Poison is entered into your spell library. But you just sacrificed Cure Poison! Oh well. Hope you still want it.
[*] Fourth spell generated. There's only one spell level left. Should there be a failure rate, so you aren't virtually guaranteed every SL 1 and SL 2 spell in the game, just by the way the algorithm works? In any case, if there is failure, you pass, and you get Magic Dart.
Obviously this is a very rough start, and it's more of a thought experiment than anything. Lots of rough edges to smooth out, even with the core mechanic. I'm thinking that Sil Runa
demands that spellbooks be added to her archives; each spellbook that you know of (i.e. can find via Ctrl-F) and don't sacrifice lowers your piety cap by some amount - so you can't reserve books for use after you abandon her (or if you do, you have to choose carefully). Piety gain has to be worked out; obviously 1dX piety per spellbook doesn't work. I'm thinking piety is awarded by the number of un-memorized spell levels offered, but that presents its own problems - if you're a Conjurer and you find a transmutations book on Dungeon:4, should you be rewarded with a massive chunk of piety because the rand was kind to you? And then in the late game, piety gain slows down - what to do about that?
I'm thinking that Sil Runa should be attractive to hybrid characters, not just pure spellcasters. (Yeah, everyone except for a Troglodyte should be a hybrid, but you know what I mean.) I'm not quite sure how to accomplish that, but I have ideas. Gifts of scrolls from her archives? Maybe unique evocables too?
Sorry for the derail - just thinking out loud!