Spellbooks, Spells, and the Number of Pages

LordEntrails · Nov 15, 2018

In previous editions, spells in a spellbook took 1 page for each level of the spell. I can't find anything in 5E that indicates this.

I do find that a spellbook contains 100 pages. And the cost to transcribe and copy spells, but not how many pages they take.

Anyone know a source/reference? Is is still 1 page per level and cantrips take no pages?

Satyrn · Nov 15, 2018

I can't find anything either, except hints that there is no standard. For example, Xanathar's offers up these possibilities as alternative spellbooks: "Long straps of leather on which spells are written, wrapped around a staff for ease of transport" or "Small stones inscribed with spells and kept in a cloth bag."

That'd be a lot stones for even one spell if it couldn't be condensed from 1 page per spell level. But I guess if you went with 1 page/level for a spell book you could do something comparable with the stones by requiring they weigh 1 ounce/level.

But no, I don't know what the right answer is.

Azzy · Nov 15, 2018

LordEntrails said:
In previous editions, spells in a spellbook took 1 page for each level of the spell. I can't find anything in 5E that indicates this.

I do find that a spellbook contains 100 pages. And the cost to transcribe and copy spells, but not how many pages they take.

Anyone know a source/reference? Is is still 1 page per level and cantrips take no pages?

I don't think there are rules for that anymore, so you can use the older method if you wish or just assume that a wizard has enough room in their spellbook to accomodate them.

LordEntrails · Nov 16, 2018

Thanks to both of you. The reason I'm wondering is because I'm putting some bookworms into the Ultimate Undermountain. I want to give some reasonable guidance to the DMs on how if the bookworms getting into a spellbook, how quickly they destroy the spells within.

Unless someone comes up with something else, I'll go with the 1 page per spell level.

Fluerdemal · Nov 16, 2018

I hadn't realized that 5E didn't have rules for this, but I'm surprised. I've been using the 1 page per level of the spell and it's worked out fine.

D.

Satyrn · Nov 17, 2018

LordEntrails said:
Thanks to both of you. The reason I'm wondering is because I'm putting some bookworms into the Ultimate Undermountain. I want to give some reasonable guidance to the DMs on how if the bookworms getting into a spellbook, how quickly they destroy the spells within.

Unless someone comes up with something else, I'll go with the 1 page per spell level.

I don't know what pace you have in mind, whether it's minutes, hours or days you're thinking of, so I'm just gonna talk in hours (and you can sub in minutes or days as you prefer). Would it work if you went more abstract, and said the worms fed on a spell for a number of hours equal to the spell level, then moved onto the next spell?

You could even allow it down by saying it took a number of hours equal to the spell's level for the worm to destroy the spell, and an additional, equal amount of feeding time for the worm to devour the remnants before moving on to the next spell.

This kinda changes the "book worm" into a "spell eater" which might not work for you, but it has the benefit of working regardless of how a table handles page count and for those alternate spellbooks like leather straps or stones.

LordEntrails · Nov 17, 2018

Yea that works. Thanks

What I've said (and is from the 2E version) is that they prefer arcane books/parchment to non-magical.

For reference, I've said minutes because when an infested item is opened, they visible jump up to 10 feet. So players should know they are infected, and just have to get rid of them before too much damage is done.

All that said, I think the way you've laid it out works well, thanks again

not-so-newguy · Nov 18, 2018

LordEntrails said:
Thanks to both of you. The reason I'm wondering is because I'm putting some bookworms into the Ultimate Undermountain. I want to give some reasonable guidance to the DMs on how if the bookworms getting into a spellbook, how quickly they destroy the spells within.

Unless someone comes up with something else, I'll go with the 1 page per spell level.

Do you have stats for the bookworm? Just curious, it might be useful for me at some point.

aco175 · Nov 18, 2018

What level do you need to be to fill up a 100 page book if it is 1 page per spell.

LordEntrails · Nov 18, 2018

not-so-newguy said:
Do you have stats for the bookworm? Just curious, it might be useful for me at some point.

I did not stat them out as an NPC. If I did, it would be 1hp and AC 12. Stats maybe around 6's except for a Dex of ~14? No real attack...

Here's what I wrote (Note yet updated with Satyrn's ideas;
Bookworms
Bookworms are akin to a highly contagious disease for books and parchment and are greatly feared by wizards and sages. The worms are about 1/4 inch long and much smaller in diameter. They are able to jump up to 10 feet once per minute and can sense paper and parchment at 20 ft.
When an infected book or parchment is opened, numerous worms will jump to the largest collection of paper and parchment within range, taking 1d4+2 turns to burrow into backpacks and clothes to find the target books or scrolls. Bookworms will attack/infest magical books and scrolls before mundane ones.
Bookworms destroy one page per minute of infestation. Any spell that uses that page is destroyed and must be re-copied or transcribed completely. Any scroll is effectively destroyed in one minute. An infestation will linger on a single scroll or page of a book for 1d4 minutes before moving to a new one.
Bookworms are best destroyed with fire. Removing them from an infested book (or backpack) is tedious and takes 3d8 minutes (during which the bookworms continue to destroy pages).

aco175 said:
What level do you need to be to fill up a 100 page book if it is 1 page per spell.

Yea, probably never?

Spellbooks, Spells, and the Number of Pages

LordEntrails

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Satyrn

First Post

Azzy

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LordEntrails

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Fluerdemal

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Satyrn

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LordEntrails

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not-so-newguy

I'm the Straw Man in your argument

aco175

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LordEntrails

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