Spellbook copying clarification

Pauper · Apr 25, 2016

The Adventurers League FAQ notes that player can copy spells from other player's spellbooks; the FAQ allows this to be done either using in-game time or downtime.

Obviously, players can only use in-game time to copy spellbooks if their characters are playing the same adventure; otherwise they wouldn't have in-game time to share. Does this mean that only characters who have played an adventure together can share spellbooks using downtime?

If yes, does this mean that the downtime expenditure has to be done following (or prior to) the shared adventure? (So if I adventure with another wizard in DDEX 1-3 back in December of 2015, I needed to share my book with him then or no longer have the chance to do so today?)

If no, does this mean that different wizards run by the same player can share spellbooks simply by 'arranging to meet' and spending the appropriate downtime and gold?

My own feeling would be that characters need to have adventured together in order to be able to share spellbooks, and if a DM notes that spells have been shared outside of such a shared adventure, she can (as allowed in the ALPG) disallow the use of those shared spells in her game as being the result of an illegal player activity. Would be nice to know if I am mistaken about this before it becomes an issue for a player.

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Pauper

RulesJD · Apr 25, 2016

You also need to spend gold when writing spells, so Wizards (or Warlocks/Ritual Caster feat) would have to share the spell during or immediately before or after the adventure, because they wouldn't be able to use gold gained in later adventures to write the spells.

kalani · Apr 26, 2016

Pauper said:
The Adventurers League FAQ notes that player can copy spells from other player's spellbooks; the FAQ allows this to be done either using in-game time or downtime.

Obviously, players can only use in-game time to copy spellbooks if their characters are playing the same adventure; otherwise they wouldn't have in-game time to share. Does this mean that only characters who have played an adventure together can share spellbooks using downtime?

Correct - only characters who play at the same table can copy spells from each other.

If yes, does this mean that the downtime expenditure has to be done following (or prior to) the shared adventure? (So if I adventure with another wizard in DDEX 1-3 back in December of 2015, I needed to share my book with him then or no longer have the chance to do so today?)

Downtime copying of spells happens after the adventure / session is completed but prior to your next game session (or adventure).

IOWs, you record the transaction in your notes section for the game session. For more information, please see my advanced logsheet tutorial, specifically - the following section.

[h=3]Copying Spells into a Spellbook / Ritual Book[/h]Characters can copy up to 8hrs of spells for each Downtime Day spent. When copying spells into your spellbook, you should record the transaction in the “Adventure Notes” of your log entry. Remember that you must also spend GP equal to your lifestyle in addition to the DT and GP spent for copying the spell(s) themselves.If you copy the spells from a scroll, you should record the transaction as follows:

Copy [spell name] from Scroll (Xhrs, -Y DT, -Z GP)

If you copy the spells from another character’s spellbook, only the character copying spells must spend Downtime. To avoid accusations of cheating, I recommend writing the character name, and the player’s name and DCI number on your log entry as follows:

Copy [spell name(s)] from [character’s] Spellbook (Xhrs, -Y DT, -Z GP); [player name] [player DCI]

Please be aware, that the above is just an example of how you can record the transaction on your logsheet (it is by no means the only way )

Enevhar Aldarion · Apr 26, 2016

Weird. I just went and read the FAQ over on the other website and I could swear I remembered it specifically saying if using downtime that the spell copying had to be done at the end of the adventure before leaving the table. Meaning only characters that were together for the adventure could trade spells. Either the wording was changed when the FAQ and website were upgraded to the current look or I am remembering official replies from the old WotC forums instead.

kalani · Apr 26, 2016

Technically you are correct (since you need to record the transaction in your characters log entry for the session) - however, the campaign staff realizes that sometimes time constraints do not permit the players the time to engage in this activity at the end of the session.

As such, providing you have a copy of their spell list - you can copy the spells into your spellbook (and make the necessary changes to your character and logsheet) before the start of your next session.

kalani · Apr 26, 2016

double post

RCanine · Apr 26, 2016

Enevhar Aldarion said:
I just went and read the FAQ over on the other website and I could swear I remembered it specifically saying if using downtime that the spell copying had to be done at the end of the adventure before leaving the table.

How could it be a reasonable expectation for PCs to do this during a 4-hour convention slot without either going over time or disrupting the table? Usually DMs are hard-pressed to get through the content in time, let alone a bunch of PC downtime administrivia.

Pauper · Apr 26, 2016

So the characters do need to have participated in the same adventure to copy spells from one another; thus having a player copy spells between his own two wizard characters is not legal.

Correct?

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Pauper

Pauper · Apr 26, 2016

RCanine said:
How could it be a reasonable expectation for PCs to do this during a 4-hour convention slot without either going over time or disrupting the table? Usually DMs are hard-pressed to get through the content in time, let alone a bunch of PC downtime administrivia.

I'm guessing it's a compromise -- yes, you sometimes have very little time between sessions to get to your next event at a convention, but at the same time, the admins don't want to open up a giant loophole that says 'Hey, remember that game we played last year? Do you remember what your spellbook looked like after that adventure so I can copy spells from you?'

Since it's a benefit to the player to copy spells from another character, the player is thus motivated to conclude the transaction quickly. If the other player is too busy to help, then find another player in an adventure you played together to copy spells from.

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Pauper

kalani · Apr 26, 2016

Pauper said:
So the characters do need to have participated in the same adventure to copy spells from one another; thus having a player copy spells between his own two wizard characters is not legal.

Correct?

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Pauper

Correct, you can only copy spells between two characters who participated in the same adventure and you only have until the start of your next session to copy said spells using downtime (assuming of course that you just completed an episode/chapter/adventure, as you cannot normally spend downtime during an episode/adventure except as stated within the adventure itself, spellcasting services being the only exception I am aware of). There is no way to copy spells between two of your own characters at this time.

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