good rules for Boccob's Book?

[radferth]

house book rule

If you don't like the listed version, try this: (I don't have my books here, so someone will do the math). Figure out the cost of a wondrous item that has endure elements (1st level caster) and reduce (? level caster) as permanent effects. This book has the dimensions and durability of Boccob's Book listed above, and works otherwise as a normal spell book (50 spell levels, pay to inscribe). You could up the price and charge nothing for inscribing the spells, but that seems pointless, though not unbalancing.

 

[Dark Dragon]

Just to clarify the the blessed book can hold 45 spells of any level... so in theory 45 - 9th level spells = 405 spell levels.

You see my problem?

 

[Zenon]

Also, mike, keep in mind that a standard spellbook only holds 50 spell levels, so it's not like BBB holds too many. It just removes the cost of writing the spells into it.

Incorrect.

From the SRD:

Spellbook, Wizard’s (Blank): A large, leatherbound book that serves as a wizard’s reference. A spellbook has 100 pages of parchment, and each spell takes up two pages per level (one page for 0-level spells).

[Edit: Clarification - You might have less than 50 spell levels (or more) if the spells include 0 level spells]

I'll just have to chime in as the wizard that I play that I am relieved to finally have created a BBB for myself to 8th (almost 9th) level. After spending 10,000 gp to fill my first spellbook(over time gents, not all at once) and seeing the horrible prospect of increasing cost as I get 4th level spells (a 4th level spell will cost 800 gp and 8 pages to write in a spellbook!). That means 12 spells (96 pages) per book. I don't like carrying a library with me!!!

 

[Tiberius]

Sure? "Freely" may indicate that you don't need money (or expensive ink) to write a spell into the book. Otherwise it would be too expensive for a book with just a high durability.

kreynolds, possibility B seems to be unlikely, right, but it is not clear and some players may insist on their own interpretation. I know that DM's word is law in the last instance but ruleslawyers won't be satisfied with that (I prefer to play not strictly following the rules, but others do, so a handy rule would help).

Well, try this one. The act of understanding a spell for the purposes of scribing is completely divorced from the act of putting ink to parchment. The B^3 removes the costs associated with the actual scribing. Why would the book facilitate the understanding of a scroll? You can hit them if they say "It's magic!"

-Tiberius

[EDIT: Periods come at the ends of sentences, not question marks, moron! I don't know where some of these mistakes come from. <sigh>]

 

[Dark Dragon]

Zenon:
The wizz could add another 33 spells into that book - without costs! Too cheap, IMO. If the book would reduce the costs for a copy or would hold only 45 spell levels, I'd perhaps accept it.

 

[mikebr99]

You see my problem?

Kinda... Dark Dragon.

But that is what I am proposing be the only benifit of this book. I am proposing that the "freely" in the description is mearly trying to say that there isn't any other hoops (then normal scribing costs) to jump through to get spells into the blessed book.

It is simply a bag of holding for spells...

 

[Zenon]

It is meant to offset the immense cost of the spellbook, otherwise the wizard get shafted, needing to funnel tons of gold into fragile, standard spellbooks.

Understand, I'm not saying you're wrong. If you wish to change it, go ahead.

I'm just pointing out some things like the following:

A wizard only receives two spells when they get a level (these are free, no cost to put in books). Unless the high level wizard in shopping at Scrolls-R-Us, I doubt he's going to be rolling in spells to transfer into his book, and passing out those spells in the domain of the DM.

An 8th level scroll cost between 3-4.5k gold (if the DM has it available). If you getting charged to scribe it into your spellbook also, that will run another 1600gp, fo a total of around 4.6-6k per spell you have the ability to memorize.

I think it's pretty steep to do it that way.

A better recommendation is that BBB's are never sold, but only made by the wiz who uses them. That'll make your PC invest some XP to offset the benefit he's getting.

 

[kreynolds]

Just to clarify the the blessed book can hold 45 spells of any level... so in theory 45 - 9th level spells = 405 spell levels.

Thanks, mike. That damn book always messes me up. It's like its cursed whenever I try to call it from memory or something.

 

[kreynolds]

Incorrect.

Uhhh...redundant much?

Hey, you can't blame that whole mess on me...

The wizard can write freely 45 levels of different spells into it

See?

 

[Zenon]

Uhhh...redundant much?

Hey, you can't blame that whole mess on me...



See?

Uhhh...wise*ss much?

I'm not blaming anything on anyone...

Just trying to present a viewpoint that says it's not that bad, certainly not enough to go out of the way to change it, IMO.

However, I did point out that the poster could do as he wished