Material Components & Spellbooks

Rules
#1

Hello all!

I’m gearing up to start a Dark Sun campaign using AD&D 2nd Edition, beginning with the classic “A Little Knowledge” adventure from the first boxed set. I’ve run into a bit of a snag while preparing, specifically regarding how magic-user and priest classes handle material components and spellbooks. As many of you know, the PCs start out enslaved in this adventure and have virtually nothing besides a breech cloth.

This raises a few questions for spellcasting classes:

  • Material Components: I’m considering allowing characters to gather necessary components from their surroundings once they’re free, but I’m unsure if this feels too hand-wavy considering it’s a literal desert and some things may be hard to find
  • Spellbooks: Without any spellbooks, it’s challenging to figure out how mages can prepare and cast spells effectively. I’m thinking of having them find a spellbook in the caravan wreckage and just letting them pick what’s in it (essentially giving them their starting spellbook)

How do you all handle these issues in your campaigns? Do you ignore them, find creative workarounds, or stick strictly to the rules?

#2

You’ll more or less have to create a reason for one to be around, you could of course give them a full selection of memorized spells and there are some places one could stash some selection of spells or a reason from character background. Something else to consider is of course the “character tree” concept of Dark Sun, so if anyone wants to play a wizard they could be introduced after the initial situation. (Maybe the player wanting to main a wizard starts off with an elf who is a member of the Jura-Dai and more or less immediately swaps characters, or just gets introduced later, or maybe a dwarf from Kled and they stay there after the party sorts that situation.) Mages have certain advantages and disadvantages and I think it’s important to reflect that in the setting, and of course everyone can have some starting psionics. As for spell components it is a case-by-case basis imo. Anyway, welcome to The Arena!

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