Cost of Spell Book w/ Certain Spells In It?

[Aluvial]

I have given out a set of 30 spell books, that have within them, all of the 1st and 2nd level Wizard/Sorcerer spells of 1st and 2nd level.

I indicated (foolishly) that the books themselves had numerous places of overlap, but to have the complete set of spells, they would have to transport all 30 of the books.

Now, the group wants to sell these books...

What do you think the price should be for this set?

Aluvial

EDIT: So a blank spellbook is 15 gp. (15x30=450)

Selling a Spellbook
Captured spellbooks can be sold for a gp amount equal to one-half the cost of purchasing and inscribing the spells within (that is, one-half of 100 gp per page of spells). A spellbook entirely filled with spells (that is, with one hundred pages of spells inscribed in it) is worth 5,000 gp.

So, I don't want all 30 of the books to be full.... I need more research into this... how many 1st and 2nd level spells to start...

Aluvial

EDIT 2: Ok, so there are 19 - 0 Lvl, 39 - 1st Lvl, and 50 2nd Lvl spells. IF, I consider that each of the 30 books was an apprentice book, say 3rd level apprentice, then each book would have a minimum of 19 - 0 Lvl, 6 - 1st Lvl (4 at 1st, 2 at 2nd), and 2 - 2nd Lvl (3rd level picks). That's a total of 29 pages... ouch...

That would be, 29 x 100 = 2,900 x 30 = 87,000gp / 2 = 43,500Gp!!! Well, I'm not giving that away!

So, scratch the 0 lvl spells. That gives me 10 pages x 50 gp x 30 books which = 15,000gp + 225 for the books themselves... is 15,225!!! Still a lot, but it could be a LOT worse if I was going to be fair about my mistake!

Aluvial

 

[krupintupple]

hmm, you've kinda painted yourself into a corner on this one, eh?

maybe say that at one time it was every 1st and 2nd level book (an odd treasure, to say the least), but many of the books have extensive water damage and really, only part of one of the tomes made it, but can be pawned for $2000? however, maybe there's an eccentric collector who's willing to buy the entire set for $3000, even though the damaged onces may never see any actual use?

if they balk at this, explain you fudged your math prior to the game and forgot there was an extra '0' at the end of your original $1500? typically, when most players here something too good to be true, they become guarded, or might suspect you erred, and probably won't go too hard on you.

ie: you basically handed out a +3 greatsword to some level 5 PC's when it should've been a +1 longsword. they'll cringe, but understand when they have to re-mark it upon their character sheet.

 

[Sigurd]

You can always explain that the books are quite obviously from one particularly powerful Arcane Order. The order will pay one price (a low one) and makes it clear they will kill anyone else who buys them.

Personally, I'd say "I was trying to make things easier for you guys. I'd appreciate you not making me regret that act by taking advantage of this now."


Sigurd

 

[AddizAbeba]

Noone will be around to cough up 43,500gp at one time? They'll have to lug around these books a long time, slowing them down considerably.
In the meantime, anything can happen to them (theft, battledamage, etc)...

 

[frankthedm]

Just say the majority of the spells have no market value, being commonly available. The players can get offers of meager coins from those looking into apprentice wizardy, but no one is interested in buying the books at supposed street value.

Don't forget, you still have to scribe a book into you OWN book to use it, payiing the huge costs. that meant the spell has to be unusual to have value.

 

[Aluvial]

Noone will be around to cough up 43,500gp at one time? They'll have to lug around these books a long time, slowing them down considerably.
In the meantime, anything can happen to them (theft, battledamage, etc)...

So... I tried this approach last night... and attempted to burn the books.

What I did was this, I picked out the Fire Lizard out of the Tome of Horrors, then advanced it and its breath weapon. Then... ambush while they were travelling. Since they generally needed to dismount to fight, I thought that I would send the lizard after the horses... and "randomly" roll for the horse with the books.

They put the books on the Paladin's horse for safe keeping... when the lizard attacked, he banished his horse... and the books...

I did toast the halfling bard for good measure though!!!!

Aluvial

 

[Jhaelen]

That would be, 29 x 100 = 2,900 x 30 = 87,000gp / 2 = 43,500Gp!!! Well, I'm not giving that away!

So, scratch the 0 lvl spells. That gives me 10 pages x 50 gp x 30 books which = 15,000gp + 225 for the books themselves... is 15,225!!! Still a lot, but it could be a LOT worse if I was going to be fair about my mistake!

Did you mention the level of the party?
- It's hard to judge just how inappropriate that amount of treasure would be. Wouldn't it be possible to just reduce the amount of treasure they'll find for the next couple of encounters?

What campaign setting/region are you playing in?
- If they're in a frontier region without any large cities, it will be difficult for them to find a buyer for the books and even harder to buy something interesting for the cash they'll get.

- If they're trying to sell all of the books in one place, someone might buy one of the books, get greedy and try to steal the rest from them.

- Depending on where the books came from, they might be wizard-marked or otherwise recognizable as having a rightful owner, somewhere.

- Did they already make sure none of the books had protective spells on them? Like explosive runes, or something?

- Earlier editions had a nasty kind of bookworms that were quite efficient to reduce spellbooks to dust in no time...

 

[nathreet]

Two possibilites:
1. You gave out too much treasure for the party's level. Apologize and fix the problem outside of the game world

2. You accidentally gave out too much treasure, but it's not unreasonable for the party's level. The party must still find buyers and transport the books safely. Even in a large town, it might just be that nobody wants them. Even major centers of wizardry will already have those spells in their library and won't care. More likely, they might eventually find private buyers for a couple of the books. In time, more might be sold, though a few might have a selection of spells that aren't popular enough. And publicly advertising them for sale might attract thieves. EDIT: But note that if they do sell to a private party, they might get more. Maybe 75% instead of 50% (so it's a better deal both for buyer and seller, just like real life). Or if they're lucky enough to find an unusual (and exceedingly rich) book store then they would get the usual 50%.

Now the PCs found the books, transported the books and (slowly) found buyers. At this point just give them the gold. They earned it. Though it is not at all unreasonable for the books to be only partly full. I'm sure the PC's spellbooks are the the same way.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

OK, you goofed.

Think of this as an opportunity for growth as a DM and a chance to drive the campaign in a different direction.

Somewhere in those 30 books is a specific book that is far more valuable than any other. Due to its own magics, it just looks like an ordinary spellbook with 1st/2nd lvl spells.

Its a book worth killing for.

As the campaign progresses, more and more enemies of increasing power go after the books.

This gives you a chance to do what few DMs actually do- a "mirror match" or two. Design a PC-esque party of NPCs that is sent after the PCs to retrieve The Book.