Spell Purchasing for Wizards Created Above 1st Level

[dcollins]

From SRD:

A wizard can fill the 1,000 pages of a blessed book with spells without paying the 100 gp per page material cost.

 

[diaglo]

And just another reason why I dislike starting out as high level characters.

this is a PC being added to an existing campaign with the other PCs at level 13 or 14.
diaglo "who is also in this campaign (the story hour in my sig) " Ooi

 

[howandwhy99]

I agree most people are going to use the "Borrowed" costs. But at least one person here posted for "Scroll" costs.

Yes! The (errata'd) Blessed Book is a huge money saver.

And making Spellcraft rolls using the equation isn't too hard. I agree most DM's are probably just going to assume a successful roll. So, the player simply chooses spells, then get them approved before paying the cost.

Does anyone use the NPC Research Rules from DMG 198? What about Independent Research costs on the same page? These seem particularly prohibitive.

 

[diaglo]

Does anyone use the NPC Research Rules from DMG 198? What about Independent Research costs on the same page? These seem particularly prohibitive.

you know me. i use them from OD&D(1974)

 

[Scion]

It is a bit of a strange rule situation.. but it does lead to the question: When you have a higher level wizard do you count spells in their spellbook against their accumulated wealth? If so, is it literally possible for a character to have no other items aside from his spellbook? Does anyone think that is actually balanced?

I look at it as a temporary cost that happens along with play.. the bigger part of the cost is 'time', but that is hard to measure when starting above a certain level.

Counting spells placed in a spellbook against total wealth seems to me to be much like counting the cure light wounds potion that they drank 8 levels ago against their wealth, although not quite as bad.

For my own games I generally just assume that they have placed a few spells in here and there along the road and some of the wealth might still be missing.

As such, I let them place in double the normal amount that they would have for the level for 'free' and then pay half scroll cost + half writing cost for any additional spells that they want.

It still limits the character to how many they can have, but it doesnt unduly punish them and it allows the wizard to actually thrive in the area that he is supposed to thrive.. number of spell choices.

It is a houserule of course, but I think it fits the bill much better than the normal 'doing it right now' effects.. After all, why would it hurt your wealth 'now' to have placed that spell in your spellbook 10 levels ago? (especially when 10 levels ago might be 20 years ago in game time)

 

[howandwhy99]

Another question. Copying from Borrowed Spellbooks mentions sharing equivalent level spells for free.

So a wizard could swap spells with another to cut costs? I would think this has to be done with DM's consent when building a high level wizard.

The reminder that PC wizards should be able share spells freely between themselves when they want to, seems more a common sense reminder. Not something that enters character creation.
EDIT: (meaning PC wizards in the same party)

 

[diaglo]

It is a bit of a strange rule situation.. but it does lead to the question: When you have a higher level wizard do you count spells in their spellbook against their accumulated wealth? If so, is it literally possible for a character to have no other items aside from his spellbook? Does anyone think that is actually balanced?

that's why they get 2 free spells per level now.

 

[diaglo]

After all, why would it hurt your wealth 'now' to have placed that spell in your spellbook 10 levels ago? (especially when 10 levels ago might be 20 years ago in game time)

or it could be 10 days ago. YMMV.

 

[Mistwell]

150 per level makes some sense, but in actualy play it seems I get about half my spells from spellbooks aquired from enemy wizards we have defeated.

Perhaps 125 per level would account for this? I'd suggest this as a house rule.

But the books you acquire from opponants are treasure as much as anything else is treasure.

 

[Scion]

that's why they get 2 free spells per level now.

That does not answer the question nor provide any insight into the problem.

or it could be 10 days ago. YMMV.

And this is immaterial to the point.

One way or another, either you are deciding that spells copied do count against the wealth by level guidelines or they do not.