Good rule of thumb or at least suggestions for a NPC's spellbook

[just__al]

The group is going to encounter bandits lead by a 6th level wizard. Obviously in his past he's had the ability and opportunity to add to his spell book beyond his starting spells and the two he gets a level.

I was maybe thinking of an extra 2 3rd level spells, 4 extra second level spells and either 6 or 8 first level spells.

Too much? Too little? How do any of you handle this..

 

[Felix]

This thread in the Rules Forum discussed a similar topic, although it was regarding a 15th level mage, and not a 6th. Still, I think that ~25% of his wealth would be focused in his book. Just for kicks, I'd put a 4th level spell or two in the spellbook; it'll give your wizard something to look forward to.

 

[lukelightning]

In the past I've given double the "spells/day" a wizard gets in his spellbook; i.e. if he can cast 4 1st level spells, he has 8 1st levels in his book. If he can cast 3 5th level spells, then he has 6 in his book.

I hope that in 4e they change the spellbook mechanic entirely. Instead of a physical spellbook, wizards just have an inherent repetoire of spells known they can prepare (so the "spellbook" is a virtual thing, not an actual concrete book), and the amount of spells is based entirely on class levels and stat bonus, not money and the whims of the DM; wizards would still have more spell options than sorcerers but less spells/day they can cast.

This would avoid the problems of a wizard being useless if he somehow loses his spellbook, and the incredible variance in power two wizards can have if one DM just happens to give out more spellbooks as treasure than another. And it avoids tiresome "how much is the spellbook worth and how do I balance it against a wizard's equipment total..." problems.

 

[frankthedm]

The group is going to encounter bandits lead by a 6th level wizard. Obviously in his past he's had the ability and opportunity to add to his spell book beyond his starting spells and the two he gets a level.

I was maybe thinking of an extra 2 3rd level spells, 4 extra second level spells and either 6 or 8 first level spells.

Too much? Too little? How do any of you handle this..

Scribing spells does cost money. That battery of spells is 1700 GP -1900 GP worth scribing costs, but since the wizard can't use them all at once, taking the extra out of the encounter's treasure is not unreasonable.

Just subtact the value of the wizard's book from the bandit hoard, the DMG has the note on this in the treasure section. A 6th level wizard's book is usually retail value 4600gp / sells for 2300gp if the caster's INT was 15 at first level. that one would be about 6400gp retail / sells for 3200gp.

 

[Ciaran]

Don't forget that you can balance things by giving the NPC some of the same spells as the PC wizard. Figure out how many new spells you want the PC to acquire first, and then flesh out the NPC's spell selection with spells the PC already knows.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I go with another approach: Include spells that it makes me nuts (as DM) that the players don't have access to, if there are any, and at least one fun spell, like Glitterdust or the like. I also like to change up the flavor of an existing spell as appropriate for the spellcaster and put that custom spell in instead of a PHB or other standard one. (A spray of acid from the mouth instead of a Cone of Cold, etc.)

I'm always worried that spellbooks will just be paper treasure chests otherwise.

 

[Steverooo]

The group is going to encounter bandits lead by a 6th level wizard. Obviously in his past he's had the ability and opportunity to add to his spell book beyond his starting spells and the two he gets a level.

I was maybe thinking of an extra 2 3rd level spells, 4 extra second level spells and either 6 or 8 first level spells.

Too much? Too little? How do any of you handle this..

Well, ALL the Cantrips, plus 12 or more spells is the MINIMUM for a 6th level PC (and the same for an NPC, as far as I know), so that sounds okay, to me.