D&D 5E Buying New Spells

[Zardnaar]

In last night's session the wizard wanted to go buy some spell scrolls. They got a larger than expected hall via a converted Pathfinder adventure and had around 4000 go at level 3. Oops. I scaled back the magical treasure but didn't pay much attention to the price of grave goods.

Anyway I let him buy a couple of scrolls 1 level 1 and another lvl 2.

So basically not running it as buy everything you want but you can aquire some. If you want more make an effort to locate the right places or join organizations or get in good with things like wizard guilds and magic God priesthoods.

 

[Beleriphon]

Assuming 5E, Xanathar's has some downtime activities relating to buying and selling magical loot/gear.

 

[Zardnaar]

Assuming 5E, Xanathar's has some downtime activities relating to buying and selling magical loot/gear.

Thanks didn't have it on me last night, I'll check them out.

 

[DND_Reborn]

My general base-line rule of thumb is the level of the spell squared x 100 gp.

Ex. a 5th-level spell would be 2500 gp base. Depending on rarity, haggling, etc. it could be about 2000-7500, but general around 2500.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

There could also be rules and restrictions around spells with potentially dangerous effects such as fireball or lightning bolt, based on local laws. One could compare such controls to background checks for firearms.

Invisibility type spells might also be restricted, due to a past incident during which a peeping pervert snuck into the public baths...

 

[Coroc]

I use the following rule for spell scrolls if they are available:
Take your base coin unit for the setting whether it is gold or in my case silver lets call it 1 $.
Empty scroll: 25 $ (Papyrus or whatever is expensive)
Scroll of level n:

n^2*100$

means level 1: 100$ level 2: 400$ level 3: 900 $ .. ....... ......... level 9 : 8100$

That works quite well, depletes resources and prevents power creep.

My houserule is that arcane casting classes have to buy the scrolls they need to learn new spells when they level up.
e.g. Fizban got his 5th class level so he better get 900$ together to buy that fireball scroll (3rd spell level) at the mage guild

It is to balance things out a bit with fighters and others who also have to pay for their gear.

Also I can control what spells are available it that way

 

[DND_Reborn]

My general base-line rule of thumb is the level of the spell squared x 100 gp.

Ex. a 5th-level spell would be 2500 gp base. Depending on rarity, haggling, etc. it could be about 2000-7500, but general around 2500.

Scroll of level n:

n^2*100$

means level 1: 100$ level 2: 400$ level 3: 900 $ .. ....... ......... level 9 : 8100$

I see great minds think alike.

I would also add that for something like Wish, making it a scroll carries the 1/3 chance of never being able to cast it again, so few Wizards would scribe a wish scroll considering the risk.

Further, in our game we equate 1 gp = $100 (USD since we play in the states), so my aforementioned level 5 spells for 2500 gp would be equal in cost to $250,000, or the cost of a nice house in many parts of the country!

Our current party has about a combined 50,000 gp in accumulated, stored wealth, which is about $5 million USD IRL-terms. They are considering retiring, or some of them anyway.

 

[Coroc]

I see great minds think alike.

I would also add that for something like Wish, making it a scroll carries the 1/3 chance of never being able to cast it again, so few Wizards would scribe a wish scroll considering the risk.

I swear I did not thoroughly calculate the numbers from your post before posting mine, it really is coincidence ah, but to give you some relation what other things in my campaign cost here some examples (I would post the whole table but it is in german so I would have to translate):

Padded armor 20$
Full plate 800$

Lantern shield 30$

Dagger 10$
Great sword 100$

Horse 200$-1000$

War machine (Canon if you play with gunpowder else scorpion or blide) 5000$ - 80000$

Ship 200$ - 500000$

Poket watch 300$-3000§