Does a Wizard's Spellbook Count Towards Standard Wealth?

[MarkB]

Do you also require new 8th level characters to pay for every potion they drank from 1st through 7th level?

How about used charges on wands?

100gp*SL is plenty expensive for new Wizard characters. Requiring them to pay for used scrolls is just mean.

This isn't "every scroll he ever used", it's "every scroll he gained a permanent benefit from".

Would you allow a character to show up in your game with a free +5 Inherent bonus to his primary ability score, if he justified it by saying that the scrolls of Wish he used to obtain it were expendable items and shouldn't count against his starting wealth?

 

[frankthedm]

100gp*SL is plenty expensive for new Wizard characters. Requiring them to pay for used scrolls is just mean.

Yes its expensive. That is why PS's wizards won't let someone alone with thier book for 24 hours.

 

[frankthedm]

So how does it work in your game?

If I am keeping the costs of 100gp a page, I ban Boccob's blessed book. It's too cost efficent.

how much it costs to copy a cantrip.

100gp for the one page. Wizards start off knowing all cantrips as a default.

That useless 1900gp worth of cantrips in every book is probably why the market for used spellbooks is so small in Planesailing’s game.

 

[IanB]

If I am keeping the costs of 100gp a page, I ban Boccob's blessed book. It's too cost efficent.
100gp for the one page. Wizards start off knowing all cantrips as a default.

That useless 1900gp worth of cantrips in every book is probably why the market for used spellbooks is so small in Planesailing’s game.

Out of curiosity, how do you various other DMs handle knowledge of cantrips added outside the PHB? Automatic or not?

 

[frankthedm]

Out of curiosity, how do you various other DMs handle knowledge of cantrips added outside the PHB? Automatic or not?

If it is not just PHB cantrips, then a wizards spellbook is going to fill up fast.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I'd say that is about right, except that I'd require you to purchase the additional spells on scrolls first too.

You wouldn't consider it possible that a Wizard traded spells with another Wizard?

Wizard A: "Hey, you don't happpen to know Fly do you?"
Wizard B: "I sure do. I'll let you copy it if you let me copy Haste."
Wizard A: "Deal."

Both Wizards end up better off and the only thing that it has cost them is the 100gp/page to copy it into their spellbooks.

Another way they could have found it is as part of treasure. They could have simply found a spellbook in a monster's treasure hoard or they could have defeated a Wizard in combat and copied his spellbook. The same applies for scrolls too.

Wizards also sometimes belong to Wizards Guilds. Part of the deal of belonging to the guild may be that you get access to spells or you have a greater access to other Wizards to trade spells with. One condition may be that you have to open your spellbook up to other members. I don't think too many Wizards would have a problem with that if they benefited from it as well.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Christian]

Wizard A: "Hey, you don't happpen to know Fly do you?"
Wizard B: "I sure do. I'll let you copy it if you let me copy Haste."

Wizard A: "Sure. But it's the v. 3.5 version of Haste, not the 3.0."
Wizard B: "Ahh, never mind."

 

[Plane Sailing]

You wouldn't consider it possible that a Wizard traded spells with another Wizard?

Wizard A: "Hey, you don't happpen to know Fly do you?"
Wizard B: "I sure do. I'll let you copy it if you let me copy Haste."
Wizard A: "Deal."

In game? Perhaps. I see it happen between PC wizards and that is fine as they are relying upon each other for their lives on a regular basis anyway.

I wouldn't allow it in preparing a character though. The conversation might go something like

Wizard A: "Hey, you don't happen to know Fly do you?"
Wizard B: "Why do you want to know? (thinks: he wants cheap access to my secret research, does he?)"
Wizard A:

or

Wizard A: "Hey, you don't happen to know Fly do you?"
Wizard B: "I sure do. I'll let you copy it if you let me copy one of yours. What have you got?"
Wizard A: < lists spells >
Wizard B: "Ah, that's just all the basics everyone has. Of course I've got those in my spellbook already. Come back when you've found 'Sepia Serpent Sigil' and we might have a deal"

Cheers!

 

[Plane Sailing]

To clarify my position - I feel that the limited number of spells automatically known is an important balancing factor of the wizard vis a vis the sorcerer. To allow almost unfettered increase in the spells in their starting spell book, for a nominal cost, would be to give the wizard an 'unfair advantage'.

 

[schporto]

Wizards in my game do have to account for spell books. Purchasing of spells beyond the 2 per level does count against your character wealth. Arguments about it being 'found' are kinda silly I think. The fighter could've found the armor he's wearing, and you'd make him count that.
I think that's part of why scrolls are such a huge chunk of the random treasure tables.
As for the starting cantrips, and extra source books. That is an issue I haven't answered well. While it is awkward with core & complete (our allowed sources), it is not unmanageable. Adding everything we figured at one point that you'd fill 2 spells books at first level. That was beyond what we considered normal.
-cpd