D&D 5E Market price for a spell book?

[tetrasodium]

you need to read more

Value of spell books
A standard spell book has an Experience Point Value of 1,000 points per spell level contained therein (considering cantrips as first level spells for this purpose), and a Gold Piece Sale Value of 200 gp per spell level (but only 150 gold pieces for each cantrip, if the book is of that sort). A travelling spell book has an Experience Point Value of 500 points per spell level contained therein (again, considering cantrips as first level spells), and a Gold Piece Sale Value of 1,000 gp per spell level (applies to all spells, including cantrips).
As with any other magical items, spell books must either be sold immediately or else the X.P. value taken. This holds true regardless of whether or not any tome is eventually sold. Thus, a spell book cannot be kept while a particular spell or spells are transcribed, and then the work be sold for G.P. Sale Value and
the proceeds taken toward experience points dragon mag, article by gary

uhh... I'm pretty sure we are talking about 5e, pricing in old editions doesn't mean much to 5e & certainly is not capable of holding the weight you give it. You know that the issue of dragon mag is pretty important right? It looks like you were quoting

Spoiler: dragon 062 page 15

from 1982.

 

[Charlaquin]

you need to read more

Value of spell books
A standard spell book has an Experience Point Value of 1,000 points per spell level contained therein (considering cantrips as first level spells for this purpose), and a Gold Piece Sale Value of 200 gp per spell level (but only 150 gold pieces for each cantrip, if the book is of that sort). A travelling spell book has an Experience Point Value of 500 points per spell level contained therein (again, considering cantrips as first level spells), and a Gold Piece Sale Value of 1,000 gp per spell level (applies to all spells, including cantrips).
As with any other magical items, spell books must either be sold immediately or else the X.P. value taken. This holds true regardless of whether or not any tome is eventually sold. Thus, a spell book cannot be kept while a particular spell or spells are transcribed, and then the work be sold for G.P. Sale Value and
the proceeds taken toward experience points dragon mag, article by gary

What on earth are you talking about?

 

[R_J_K75]

What on earth are you talking about?

That what I was thinking too.

 

[R_J_K75]

uhh... I'm pretty sure we are talking about 5e, pricing in old editions doesn't mean much to 5e & certainly is not capable of holding the weight you give it. You know that the issue of dragon mag is pretty important right? It looks like you were quoting

Spoiler: dragon 062 page 15

View attachment 119903

from 1982.

Agreed at best its suggestion as to how to possibly pricing spellbook and what may factor into that cost. Earlier editions layed things out a bit better but it certainly isnt gospel by any means.

 

[lordxaviar]

didnt understand? again i say you need to read more, guess ill stick to FB.

 

[lordxaviar]

well the more i read the less i like 5e, like everything else, being dumbed down. Still dont understand why things written by the games creators have no "weight". New isnt better. but I leave you to your Hasbro cleansed game.

 

[Charlaquin]

well the more i read the less i like 5e, like everything else, being dumbed down. Still dont understand why things written by the games creators have no "weight".

Gygax wasn’t the creator of 5e.

New isnt better. but I leave you to your Hasbro cleansed game.

New isn’t better. Old isn’t better. Better is better.

 

[R_J_K75]

the more i read the less i like 5e, like everything else, being dumbed down

Still dont understand why things written by the games creators have no "weight"

IMO, there were parts of 1E and 2E that were too "weighted" to the point of being restrictive. It made things almost impossible at times. In the dragon article you posted the player either needed to take the XP and sell the book or keep the and use the book. Even then if the player took the XP and sold the book it states something to the effect that its irrelevant if the book is actually ever sold, meaning the PC may be stuck with a "weighted" paper weight. What purpose does any of this serve? The player adventured and gained XP and also was rewarded by finding a spellbook, why cant he get both? Clearly this was an attempt at balancing the game but it was unreasonably restrictive and in game terms doesn't make any sense. That's why things were changed in the editions that came after. Just because a rule doesn't appear in 5E doesn't mean you cant introduce and use it, which is kind of the whole philosophy this edition is built on. In comparison, even though house ruling was common place since day one, 1E and 2E were written to be played by the book for the most part. As I recall the rules were pretty firm and heavy handed at points making it difficult for players to realize a character concept or perform tasks that should be rather common for adventurers, like selling a spellbook.

New isn’t better. Old isn’t better. Better is better.

Nothing could be truer when talking about music fads over the last couple centuries, but I digress. Even though each successive edition of the game may not be for everyone and has its pros and cons, I do believe that the designers are trying to improve the game for the better. Coming back to the OP, that's why they've left the price of a spellbook on the open market up to the DM and players as opposed to having a strict set rules for pricing quantified. As a DM in this situation I would ask myself based on the player/party level how much gold am I willing to give them and base any sale negotiations from there, and that's what's its worth in my game.

 

[aco175]

I tend to value it based on a similar magic item of level and level of party and spells inside. I also tend to value the actual spell. Say a group of 5th level PCs find a book with up to 3rd level spells inside and a +1 sword. The rest of the party tends to say the mage gets the book and everyone else roll for the sword. Does the mage get stuck, maybe, depends on the players and such.

Now the mage PC looks at the spells and sees just some basic spells like read magic and magic missile. Nothing big inside so he can sell it for something like a magic item, but I would tend to undervalue it and pay him 500gp or 300 and a scroll he could use or something. Say there was a new spell named fiery death that nobody has heard of and I wanted this as a reward or hook to use, then the book value would be 1000gp.

Another thing to think about is that 5e tends to assign the number of spells that casters can get. Mages automatically get more spells at certain points and this is assumed to be from non-play things like training or getting to copy spells from other books. DMs are free to give out more spells, but now this makes the wizard a bit more powerful, but really not more than the fighter that got the +1 sword.

My players tend to keep these things to trade more than to sell. Prior editions had them copying the spells into their book and holding the other in case theirs was lost or they needed to bribe someone. The actual cash was not needed as much.

 

[lordxaviar]

Gygax wasn’t the creator of 5e. no kidding... he is spinning in his grave. He lost control of dnd fairly early. long story. agree with the better is better, shame very little has been made better, just different for the sake of the mighty profit margin.