Yup, you got it right. Ive been playing this way since the beta and it works great. It especially fits the flavor of the game where magic is unpredictable and dangerous. I love it, and believe it or not, it's still Vancian
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Reverend Dakota Jesus Ultimak, S.S.M.o.t.S.M.S., D.M.(Dungeon) Master In Chief of Crawl! fanzine. - http://www.crawlfanzine.com/"[...] there is no doubt that Dungeons and Dragons and its imitators are right out of the pit of hell." - William Schnoebelen,
Straight talk on Dungeons & Dragons