From: Loball@cup.portal.com (Bill - Vitro)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Re: Scribing from a Spell Book
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 08:40:36 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

cs106b16@umbc5.umbc.edu (cs106b16) writes:
> I am well aware that scribing a scroll destroys it, but have always believed
> that scribing from another mage's spell book was perfectly safe and both 
copies
> of the spell (original and copy) are intact. In a campaign I played in at a
> convention our party killed a mage and he had a travelling spell book with 
him.
> A few of his lower level spells all of us were able to use and everyone 
wanted
> to scribe it. The DM said we either had to take turns studing the book or
> only one person could scribe the spell into his book because it would be
> destroyed. I said it's a book, not a scroll so we all should be able to 
scribe
> it. The DM refused to look it up and I only had my PH with me. I can't seem 
to
> find anything on it in the books, but would swear I read it somewhere.
> Anyone more knowledgeable on this than I am please enlighten me!

The DMG2 states: (p3)  "Take the time to have fun with the AD&D rules.  Add, 
create, expand, and extrapolate.  Don't just let the game sit there, and DON'T
BECOME A RULES LAWYER WORRYING ABOUT EACH PIDDLY LITTLE DETAIL. (Emphasis mine)
If you can't figure out the answer, MAKE IT UP. (Emphasis thiers)  And whatever
you do, don't fall into the trap of believing these rules are complete.  They
are not.  You cannot sit back and let the rule book do everything for you....
   At conventions, in letters, and over the phone I'm often asked for the 
instant answer to a fine point of the game rules.  More often than not, I come 
back with a question -- what fo _you_ feel is right?  And the people asking 
the questions discover that not only can they create an answer, but that answer
is as good as anyone else's.  THE RULES ARE ONLY GUIDLINES.  (Emphasis mine)

   In answer to your question, the only _correct_ answer is:  The GM makes the
rules.  It is _his_ responsibility to direct the play.  If he decides that a 
spell from a spell book is destroyed by transcription, that _that is the final
answer._  If he is willing to listen to other suggestions, to make you feel
better, he may, but he is under no such obligation.
   In answer to the implied question:  What are some alternatives to this 
ruling?  1) Find another, more accomodating GM.  2) Ask the GM, POLITELY, if
he would consider changing the ruling, and if he is so willing, give him some
of the myriad (probably excellent) options the other GM's on the net will give
you over the next couple of days.

   Sorry to everyone for the rather long-winded reply, but I just had
to get it off my chest.
                                        Billy
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