OD&D Magic-Users

Magic-Users in Chainmail have five levels of proficiency: Seers (added in the 3rd edition), Magicians, Warlocks, Sorcerers, and Wizards (corresponding to the 2nd, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th levels of experience in OD&D).  The greater their proficiency, the more spells they can use.

Spells in Chainmail have six levels of complexity, similar to Men & Magic.  Magic-users in Chainmail can attempt to cast spells of any complexity, regardless of their level, but with mixed chances of success (determined by a roll of 2d6).

It is also possible for magic-users to cast counter-spells, in order to negate each others magic.  Chainmail further states that "In order to cast and maintain any spell, a Wizard must be both stationary and undisturbed by attack upon his person".

"Wizards Fighting", from Men & Magic (1974)

In The Battle of Brown Hills (1971), the Lawful Magician of the Cairn could use lightning bolts, wizard light, and circle of protection, while the Chaotic Warlock Huldor ap Skree could use fire balls, phantasmal forces, spell of darkness, and conjuration of elementals.

In Dave Arneson's Blackmoor campaign, Pete Gaylord played the first magic-user, "The Wizard of the Wood", as documented in The Worlds First Wizard (2016).  Arneson used an alchemical-based magic system, as described in The First Fantasy Campaign (1977).

The sample character "Xylarthen" (Str 8, Int 11, Wis 13, Con 12, Dex 9, Cha 8)* in Men & Magic was the first "published" OD&D magic-user.  Gary Gygax favored a Vancian magic system, in which spells were "memorized" daily, and forgotten once cast.

*Rob Kuntz described "The Four Stones of Xylarthen" in his article "The Three Artifacts of the Demon Senders" published in Wargaming #2 (1977)


It's interesting to note which spells from Men & Magic derive from Chainmail (representing spells useful in large scale combat):

1st Level Spells:
1. Detect Magic - from "Detection" (II), Chainmail 1e
2. Hold Portal
3. Read Magic
4. Read Languages
5. Protection/Evil - from "Protection from Evil" (III), Chainmail 2e
6. Light - from "Wizard Light" (I), Chainmail 1e
7. Charm Person
8. Sleep

2nd Level Spells:
1. Detect Invisible - from "Detection" (II), Chainmail 1e
2. Levitate - "Levitate" (II), Chainmail 3e
3. Phantasmal Forces - from "Phantasmal Forces" (II), Chainmail 1e
4. Locate Object
5. Invisibility - a special ability of Wizards, from Chainmail
6. Wizard Lock
7. Detect Evil - from "Detection" (II), Chainmail 1e
8. ESP
9. Continual Light - from "Wizard Light" (I), Chainmail 1e
10. Knock

3rd Level Spells:
1. Fly
2. Hold Person
3. Dispell Magic - from the ability to cast a counter-spell, in Chainmail
4. Clairvoyance
5. Clairaudience
6. Fire Ball - missile equivalent to a large catapult, from Chainmail 1e
7. Lightning Bolt - missile equivalent to a heavy field gun, from Chainmail 1e
8. Protection/Evil, 10' r. - from "Protection from Evil" (III), Chainmail 2e
9. Invisibility, 10' r.
10. Infravision - a special ability of Wizards, from Chainmail
11. Slow Spell - "Slowness" (III), Chainmail 3e
12. Haste Spell - "Haste" (III), Chainmail 3e
13. Protection/Normal Missiles - a special ability of Wizards, from Chainmail
14. Water Breathing

4th Level Spells:
1. Polymorph Self - "Polymorph" (IV), Chainmail 3e
2. Polymorph Others
3. Remove Curse
4. Wall of Fire
5. Wall of Ice
6. Confusion - "Confusion" (IV), Chainmail 3e
7. Charm Monster
8. Growth/Plant
9. Dimension Door
10. Wizard Eye
11. Massmorph - from "Concealment" (III), Chainmail 1e
12. Hallucinatory Terrain - "Hallucinatory Terrain" (IV), Chainmail 3e

5th Level Spells:
1. Teleport - possibly inspired by the "Transference" spell, from Dungeon!
2. Hold Monster
3. Conjure Elemental - from "Conjuration of an Elemental" (V), Chainmail 1e
4. Telekinesis
5. Transmute Rock-Mud
6. Wall of Stone
7. Wall of Iron
8. Animate Dead
9. Magic Jar
10. Contact Higher Plane
11. Pass-Wall
12. Cloudkill - "Cloudkill" (V), Chainmail 3e
13. Feeblemind
14. Growth/Animal

6th Level Spells:
1. Stone-Flesh
2. Reincarnation
3. Invisible Stalker
4. Lower Water
5. Part Water
6. Projected Image
7. Anti-Magic Shell - "Anti-Magic Shell" (VI), Chainmail 3e
8. Death Spell
9. Geas
10. Disintegrate
11. Move Earth - from "Moving Terrain" (VI), Chainmail 2e
12. Control Weather

*Chainmail 1e (Guidon Games, 1971), 2e (Guidon Games, 1972), 3e (TSR, 1975 - after the publication of OD&D)


The final section in Men & Magic is "Books of Spells":

Characters who employ spells are assumed to acquire books containing the spells they can use, one book for each level.

The Holmes rulebook actually lists spells under "Book of First Level Spells", etc.  OD&D magic-users therefore possess a set of magical encyclopedias, which they use to study their spells, not a single customized spell book.

I prefer this system, starting PC magic-users with a single Book of First Level Spells.  Higher level Books of Spells can be found while adventuring, such as those used by enemy magic-users.  In fact, the thaumaturgist from the sample adventure in Holmes possesses two such books.