They learn new spells from leveling up as defined in the Spellcasting feature of Wizards, and can also add spells from spell books/scrolls they find in the world they adventure in.
I've always considered the new spells they learn "out of thin air" from leveling up to be the result of study and research in down time between adventures - something I've had players run with, especially those interested in developing custom spells as their "level up" spells.
But yes - fully researched, found, or purchased spells need to be transcribed into their spell-books to be usable on an ongoing basis.
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I've always thought of spells a player learns during the level up process as spells that character has been studying for a long while in down time/throughout their life, but it was not until they reached that strength and knowledge level that they were able to fully master it and output it on a regular basis.
If you're talking about learning spells outside of the level up process, yes, there is a process in learning them. In the PH in the section for the wizard, there is a subsection outlying it all. For copying a spell it reads as follows:
"Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells."
So you can find these new spells in another wizard's spellbook, and a spell scroll that is on the wizards spell list. If it's a level 5 spell, it takes 250gold of the "fine inks" and 10 hours of down time which can be spread out. As a DM, I would waive needing to go procure the ink from a shop and say that the wizard knows "magic" to convert gold into the ink or something along those lines.
Ok I know the rules I just needed confirmation that my interpretation was correct. My players are in a constant combat setting with zero downtime at tge moment. My suggestion was to ask other magic users their spells or for them to look for spells as a way to learn new spells which I thought was reasonable. A wizard can not pull spells out of thin air is my main point! As in a choose school that's the spells they would have studied but have the abilities to learn spells outside their chosen school.
Ok I know the rules I just needed confirmation that my interpretation was correct. My players are in a constant combat setting with zero downtime at tge moment. My suggestion was to ask other magic users their spells or for them to look for spells as a way to learn new spells which I thought was reasonable. A wizard can not pull spells out of thin air is my main point! As in a choose school that's the spells they would have studied but have the abilities to learn spells outside their chosen school.
However, you choose to fluff it is fine ... but the wizard does get to choose ANY two new spells when they level up. You can introduce roleplay elements to account for where they might have learned to use these spells but it doesn't change the fact that they can choose any two spells when they level up as a class feature. Any additional spells that the wizard wants to add to their spellbook beyond those they receive when leveling have to be acquired using the in game rules which include copying spells from scrolls or another wizard's spell book.
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Must be learned and copied in spell book, right? They can't just pull them from thin air, right? Anyone?
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
They learn new spells from leveling up as defined in the Spellcasting feature of Wizards, and can also add spells from spell books/scrolls they find in the world they adventure in.
I've always considered the new spells they learn "out of thin air" from leveling up to be the result of study and research in down time between adventures - something I've had players run with, especially those interested in developing custom spells as their "level up" spells.
But yes - fully researched, found, or purchased spells need to be transcribed into their spell-books to be usable on an ongoing basis.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
I've always thought of spells a player learns during the level up process as spells that character has been studying for a long while in down time/throughout their life, but it was not until they reached that strength and knowledge level that they were able to fully master it and output it on a regular basis.
If you're talking about learning spells outside of the level up process, yes, there is a process in learning them. In the PH in the section for the wizard, there is a subsection outlying it all. For copying a spell it reads as follows:
"Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells."
So you can find these new spells in another wizard's spellbook, and a spell scroll that is on the wizards spell list. If it's a level 5 spell, it takes 250gold of the "fine inks" and 10 hours of down time which can be spread out. As a DM, I would waive needing to go procure the ink from a shop and say that the wizard knows "magic" to convert gold into the ink or something along those lines.
Ok I know the rules I just needed confirmation that my interpretation was correct. My players are in a constant combat setting with zero downtime at tge moment. My suggestion was to ask other magic users their spells or for them to look for spells as a way to learn new spells which I thought was reasonable. A wizard can not pull spells out of thin air is my main point! As in a choose school that's the spells they would have studied but have the abilities to learn spells outside their chosen school.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
However, you choose to fluff it is fine ... but the wizard does get to choose ANY two new spells when they level up. You can introduce roleplay elements to account for where they might have learned to use these spells but it doesn't change the fact that they can choose any two spells when they level up as a class feature. Any additional spells that the wizard wants to add to their spellbook beyond those they receive when leveling have to be acquired using the in game rules which include copying spells from scrolls or another wizard's spell book.