Dying Earth style magic

[Whitewings]

From what I remember, and it’s been long and long since I read any of the original stories, wizards in the setting had to learn spells catch-as-catch-can. There used to be great libraries with thousands of spells available, but in these latter days, a wizard is doing well to have more than perhaps two dozen in his library.

I’m thinking that in addition to the use of spell slots, there should be no need for spell prerequisites to other spells, just very strict GM oversight of what spells wizard PCs start with and gain access to during play. Opinions, feedback, corrections of misrememberings?

[Astromancer]

What you've said fits with my memory of the book. I also remember some other things.

Different spells were harder or easier to remember. There were ranks of spells implied but not described. These ranks would involve difficulty of memorization not a power ranking.

Spells had to be rememorized after each use. It took practice to remember spells and training to remember higher numbers. The progression of spell slots in D&D comes from this.

Spells were somehow technological. Using spells was based on connecting with a bizarre technology. Most magic items were actually technology no longer understood. Demons and the like were extradimensional creatures brought to our reality.

I hope that helped.

[Cornelius]

It should be something along modular abilities with super-memorization and only spells as limitation.

Basically, in dying earth universe, spell were semi sentient beings that a wizard could commit to memory and "free" with the right words and gesture. I remember a short tale of Rhialto the marvelous that worked in this way... maybe... too many years

Anyway it's the system that Gygax adapted for D&D

[ajardoor]

Thaumatology had an entire side box about this kind of system, if memory serves.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Whitewings

From what I remember, and it’s been long and long since I read any of the original stories, wizards in the setting had to learn spells catch-as-catch-can. There used to be great libraries with thousands of spells available, but in these latter days, a wizard is doing well to have more than perhaps two dozen in his library.

[One] of the magic systems in Dying Earth stories works that way - there are several others in different stories, which isn't actually unreasonably in a setting where this stuff is the random bits and pieces surviving from a much more advanced era that might (or might not) have unified them.

Note the spells of this sort (with the exception of the Excellent Prismatic Spray, which does seem to be a one shot thing) mostly do not work much like GURPS spells. They tend to give you flexible controllable and fairly long term capabilities rather than one off effects - more like granting an advantage for a number of hours than producing a specific spell effect.