Boccob's Blessed Book and Cost per Page

[UltimaGabe]

Personlly, I only make characters pay for items that they are still useing somehow, but I do not count scrolls copied as this. Just like I dont count the scroll of fireball that the character used 10 levels ago against some goblins.

So, in other words, a character in your campaign could theoretically start with every single spell in the Player's Handbook in their spellbook (including higher-level spells that they can't cast) because it was money they spent a long time ago? If it were a scroll they used and that was it, I'd feel the same as you- but by scribing them into their spellbook, they're getting that spell FOREVER. (Unless they lose their spellbooks, but I'm sure we all know how well Wizards hold onto their spellbooks.) Scrolls copied into a spellbook are not only still being used, but doing so effectively gives them an unlimited scroll of it- assuming they're willing to spend a spell slot, that is. (Meaning, if there's every a day in the future they want to cast it, they can- an unlimited number of times, over the course of the rest of their life.) It's far from used up, and doing so is a bad move, in my opinion. (No offense, of course, but I suggest you at least make a Wizard pay SOMETHING for the hundreds of spells they could have in your campaigns.)

 

[Scion]

So, in other words, a character in your campaign could theoretically start with every single spell in the Player's Handbook in their spellbook

So you are saying that since there are several different costs, and I specifically say that one of them I feel shoudnt be charged, and from this you get 'free of all costs'?

Unless of course you are commenting about someone else but accidentally quoted me.

The scroll is merely a single use item, once it is gone we dont charge for that anymore in any other place, why here? There are still other costs in evidence, why ignore those?

Does anyone make the player roll for each spell? If not then which are rolled for? If none why?

Check out felix's numbers. Also, having the spell in your spellbook has basically nothing in common with having an unlimited number of scrolls of that spell. Completely different things.

 

[smootrk]

I agree somewhat with Scion. I would think a great many spells contained within any given spellbook came from single use items found during the aspiring wizard's career, not as items bought by the wizard. I liken this to all the little healing potions that a fighter may have used during his career. Do you think that deductions should be made to a fighter's (built at level 19) funds for every potion he 'may have used'.... no it does not make sense.

Allowance for the wizard's slow buildup of spells into his/her repritoir must be made. Having the 19th level wizard pay scroll costs for the contents of his/her spellbook is silly. At the very least, a liberal allotment of spellbook slots should be given to represent the wizard's life before level 19.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I would think a great many spells contained within any given spellbook came from single use items found during the aspiring wizard's career, not as items bought by the wizard. I liken this to all the little healing potions that a fighter may have used during his career.

How is it so different to a single use Tome of Leadership and Influence +5 found during the aspiring sorcerer's career?

The scroll scribed into the spellbook has a lasting impact on the effectiveness of the wizard, much as the Tome has a lasting impact on the effectiveness of the sorcerer. The healing potion doesn't provide any permanent improvement to the fighter; he'd have got the same effect by going to bed for a couple of days.

-Hyp.

 

[Thanee]

Although I very much agree with you (I think Boccob's Blessed Book is a great item, and I have no problems with it whatsoever), I would just like to point out that there's no item, anywhere, whatsoever, that gives a Sorcerer any benefit to their Spells Known. At all. Maybe in osme third-party book there may be an item somewhere, but in the Core Books especially, there's absolutely nothing you can do to increase their Spells Known, for ANY cost.

There's the ring of theurgy in Complete Arcane. It only lets them add to their Spells Known temporarily, tho.

Truely adding to Spells Known would grant them too much power, tho.

The biggest 'slap' (if you do not let prepared casters use metamagic rods spontaneously, that is, otherwise it's only second to those) is, that there is no comparable item like the pearl of power for spontaneous casters.

Besides, I'm of the opinion, that the scribing costs for wizard spells are way too high to begin with. They are also unreasonable, there is nothing, except for some supposed and IMHO false balance reason, that would justify the costs. Spellbooks aren't even magical, what is that gold spent on, anyways?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Glyfair]

And that 12,500 is only the market price. If you can craft it yourself it only costs 6,250 (plus XP, of course) and it has no requirements other than Craft Wondrous Item.

Sweet. In a magic heavy world you could make a good living just cranking these things out for profit.

I'll note Eberron has a magic item (that must be made from an Eberron Dragonshard) called "Aureon's Spellshard" that is exactly a "half Boccob's Blessed Book." It costs half as much, holds half as much and weighs half as much.

 

[Thanee]

So it's like twice as good?

Bye
Thanee

 

[MerakSpielman]

A high level wizard will have even fewer funds available than you realize to scribe spells into his BBB. Think about it. He will have spent a good portion of his career without the BBB, scribing spells for full cost into his regular spellbook. Once he finally manages to scrape together enough cash to purchase/craft a brand new, blank BBB, he already has a book or three full of spells. So only the spells he acquired AFTER he got the BBB will be at half cost.

This is why a character who has been played since 1st level will always look a lot different from a character created at 20th level. People creating a 20th level character conveniently ignore things like this, and end up with a more effecient character than the one who was leveled up from 1st. Strictly speaking, though, a character created at 20th level should be created one level at a time, as though he were actually being played.

 

[Glyfair]

So it's like twice as good?

Maybe not twice as good, but twice as useful

I've been debating about my 5th level feat for my halfling wizard (my regular feats have been focusing on his Dragonmark/House). I'm torn between Craft Wonderous Item and Craft Wand. The main reason I'm focusing on Craft Wonderous Item is to be sure to be able to create this item.

 

[ARandomGod]

Just as point of interest, in a recent dragon, they did spellgems, which contain one spell, and allow the soreceror to use the spell as if it were in their spells known as long as they carry the gem. Priced the same as a pearl of power.

As a point of curiosity, what did they price those spellgems or knowstones?

I agree that they're much needed, and I've contemplated various methods of incorporating such an item into my game, along with possible prices (I normally use wands as a carrying vessel... that that's immaterial).