D&D 5E A few questions

[Fuchi Miller]

1. Why would you choose a Handy Haversack of a Bag of Holding?
2. Why does copying a spell into a wizard spell book cost 50 gp?
3. If the GP is used for the material cost of learning the spell, can i just my Arcane Focus for that?
4. If i am multiclass of a Wizard and Tomelock, can i use my Book of Shadows as my Wizard Spellbook?

 

[Ed Laprade]

1. Why would you choose a Handy Haversack of a Bag of Holding?
2. Why does copying a spell into a wizard spell book cost 50 gp?
3. If the GP is used for the material cost of learning the spell, can i just my Arcane Focus for that?
4. If i am multiclass of a Wizard and Tomelock, can i use my Book of Shadows as my Wizard Spellbook?

I'm no expert, so you'll have to wait until one shows up to get all the answers you want. But I can offer a few words that might help.
1. HH over BoH? Well, you might not have a choice, or the money. Also, you can grab something out of the haversack right away, but you'd need to open the bag to retrieve something.
2. Special inks and such are usually given as the reason for this.
3. Nope, see above.
4. Sorry, I don't know about that one. Being a 'say yes' kind of DM I'd probably allow it in my game, but I'm not your GM, and he might have other ideas.

 

[jaelis]

Regarding copying spells, at least you don't need to provide any expensive material components.

As for book of shadows, I'd also let it work but it's a DM call.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

The Handy Haversack is odd, as it actually requires more effort to pull something out of it than out of a regular backpack!

"Interacting With Objects Around You
Here are a few examples of the sorts of things you can do in tandem* with your movement and action:
...
-withdraw a potion from your backpack" - PHB p.190

*In context, this means it doesn't take you an action to do, but you can only do it once per turn (if you do it twice, it requires an action).


"Heward's Handy Haversack
...
Placing an object in the haversack follows the normal rules for interacting with objects. Retrieving an item from the haversack requires you to use an action. When you reach into the haversack for a specific item, the item is always magically on top." - DMG p. 174

I really don't get that. I thought this item was supposed to be a replacement for a mundane backpack, but it's actually harder to use (even though the text implies is it supposed to be easier), and it isn't that much bigger. I'm not sure if the designers forgot what the PHB had said, or if they are treating the potion removing differently (ie, maybe they meant that to refer to a potion in an easily accessible side pocket, contrasted with taking a minute digging around for stuff inside of it.)


Using your Book of Shadows as a wizard spellbook is a DM call, but I'd definitely allow it, and I think the majority of DMs probably would also.

 

[Ed Laprade]

The Handy Haversack is odd, as it actually requires more effort to pull something out of it than out of a regular backpack!

"Interacting With Objects Around You
Here are a few examples of the sorts of things you can do in tandem* with your movement and action:
...
-withdraw a potion from your backpack" - PHB p.190

*In context, this means it doesn't take you an action to do, but you can only do it once per turn (if you do it twice, it requires an action).


"Heward's Handy Haversack
...
Placing an object in the haversack follows the normal rules for interacting with objects. Retrieving an item from the haversack requires you to use an action. When you reach into the haversack for a specific item, the item is always magically on top." - DMG p. 174

I really don't get that. I thought this item was supposed to be a replacement for a mundane backpack, but it's actually harder to use (even though the text implies is it supposed to be easier), and it isn't that much bigger. I'm not sure if the designers forgot what the PHB had said, or if they are treating the potion removing differently (ie, maybe they meant that to refer to a potion in an easily accessible side pocket, contrasted with taking a minute digging around for stuff inside of it.)


Using your Book of Shadows as a wizard spellbook is a DM call, but I'd definitely allow it, and I think the majority of DMs probably would also.

Yeah, that is weird, and I'd forgotten all about it.

 

[Caliban]

The Handy Haversack is less handy in this edition than in previous editions. In 3e it used to be that rummaging through a Bag of Holding was a full round action (same as getting something out of your backpack), while a Handy Haversack required only a move action.

In 5e, getting something out of your backpack is a free objection interaction, but a Haversack takes an Action. I may house rule this in my home game.

 

[Harzel]

1. Why would you choose a Handy Haversack of a Bag of Holding?

Although at many tables encumbrance is ignored, the HH is lighter than the BoH - 5 lbs vs 15 lbs.

 

[ccs]

1. Why would you choose a Handy Haversack of a Bag of Holding?
2. Why does copying a spell into a wizard spell book cost 50 gp?
3. If the GP is used for the material cost of learning the spell, can i just my Arcane Focus for that?
4. If i am multiclass of a Wizard and Tomelock, can i use my Book of Shadows as my Wizard Spellbook?

1) Cost? Features? Time it takes to craft? The harversack is a backpack, so both hands are free....
Personally my own decision would also be based on the mini I was using.
But very often I don't get a choice between the two in the games/groups I play in. It's whatever the DM puts into the adventures, followed by negotiations with the other players.

2) Because that's the cost of the special inks, etc used in the process. Exact details vary by edition.

3) Because your focus can't be used as a substitute for $ related costs of spells. Bat poop, string, feathers, etc sure. But if it's something you've actually got to pay for, no.

4) Probably not. Because you can re-summon your book if it's lost. Wizards books on the other hand represent valuable investments that can be lost/stolen. And the penalty for such is loss of spells & the hefty cost of replacement. The train of thought your having just handwaves away the risk/penalties.
But for this you need to talk to your DM.

 

[Oofta]

A bag of holding is a magical device so your DM could rule (not that I do) that using a magic device takes an action, or that it may take an action depending on how much you have (think of searching through a steamer trunk full of stuff). I think this is something they just missed in the rules.

 

[thethain]

1. Weight, 5 vs 15 lbs. Separation of items. The items in Bag are all in one space, if you are putting something that might interact with something else, the haversack actually allows you to split up items, so for example, a jar of brown mold freezing your to death every time you reach into it. Very situational on all accounts.

2. It is supposed to represent the costs of the rare arcane inks used in transcribing magic, as well as consuming materials in practicing the magic.

3. RP you can probably assume that using a focus is more difficult than using the actual material components (for example magic initiate doesn't grant the ability to use a focus) so for practicing to learn a spell, a focus is out of the question.

4. RAW no. Your DM might allow you to make an exception, especially if you wanted to just consider it for the ritual spells in the book. (so you don't have to learn them twice) However keep in mind your Book of Shadows is limited to spell levels available to your warlock level, and your wizard spellbook is limited by your wizard level.