Systems of Magic The spell point rules described in the previous section basically duplicate the normal spell progression, casting, and recovery system of the AD&D game. Spell points provide more flexibility and some interesting options such as free magicks and the ability to cast spells of higher level, but the traditional trappings of magic remain the same—spells are learned through long, tedious study and forgotten once they are cast.

In this section, we’ll take a look at several variant magic systems that use the spell point mechanics to create entirely different methods of using arcane powers. For example, many books in fantasy literature assume that channelling magical power through a character’s mind and body is a dangerous and exhausting exercise; a character can cast spells as long as his stamina holds out. With these optional systems, a magic system that mirrors this traditional approach can be integrated into an AD&D campaign.

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