Corpsetaker
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I love using books to introduce side quests where PC's can find items, lore, etc...
D&D 5E Purpose of books in D&D
- Thread starter Bladecoder
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lowkey13
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pdzoch
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I use books are several things in my game. They are not necessarily rare, but they do have specific purposes, all related to information.
In the generic sense, I will describe the books and their content to be related to the interests of their owners. This helps flesh out the NPC (or villain) and occasionally assists in world building.
Histories: Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks if read and related to the topic.
Genealogy: Generally, Family History, but specifically lineage of families or royalty. Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks and diplomacy type checks. Sometimes, insight checks depending on the situation.
Field Studies: These can range a number of topics, but typically they are mathematics, sciences, astrology, biology (plant or animal). Each of these might provide an advantage on a related skill check. A subset of the Animal Field Study may address taming and raising certain animals, which affects animal handling. These will show up when a potential mount creature or companion animal will be an encounter. Medicine can also get advantage on certain biology books (e.g. herbs for healing). Depending on the book, may aid in survival. I also have no problem slipping in a clue to solve a puzzle or trap in these books (or forewarn a type of poison).
Foreign Language Books: These are a catch all for “undecipherable” (and sometimes for DM get out of jail card when I can not make something up in a hurry). I occasionally use these to provide some key words the adventuring party can use when encountering foreign speaking creatures.
Religious Tomes: Books of the various faiths. Used to provide advantage to religious checks to matching pantheon/religious topics. Can be used to assist in History and persuasion/diplomacy type checks in certain situations.
Arcane: Self-evident. These books can provide advantages to checks of related schools of magic or specific situation that will occur in the campaign.
Spell Books, Ritual Books: contains spells to learn and transfer.
Literature: Generally stories and poems. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Songs: These are more rare (almost as rare as spell books). Like the poetry books, but will contain actual notes for an instrument. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Clearly, books can be a MacGuffin for an adventure. Acquire, find, retrieve, deliver, protect, or destroy the book. These books are clearly valuable, either because of the good or of the evil they hold and represent.
Some books have associations (stigma or reputation, maybe even alignments). Being seen with some books will convey influence in some situations, maybe even respect, while other books, or in other situations, the book causes negative reactions, maybe even an attack. A book of Evil is too obvious. It is the unobvious associations the party finds most memorable. Such as walking into town with a copy of a deposed ruler’s (or historic enemy’s) genealogy in hand, or singing the ballad of a hero learned from a local book only to discover that it is the wrong hero. (sort of like wearing the visiting jersey and walking into a bar after the home team losses a big match).
But like any good seasoning, these affects are applied sparingly. It does excite the group when some of these bonuses, penalties, or general world revealing events happen, but I do not fear “Chekov’s Gun.” The book is relevant to the owner, but that does not have to be revealed to the players, and any potential effects of perusing and studying the book may not come to being for the characters as the situation simply did not present itself. Most often, the book provided tidbits and useless trivia, and the rare “Cliff Clavin” gross inaccuracy. So my players never got so rewarded by reading a book that they starting sacking libraries. They began to pick and choose.I use books are several things in my game. They are not necessarily rare, but they do have specific purposes, all related to information.
In the generic sense, I will describe the books and their content to be related to the interests of their owners. This helps flesh out the NPC (or villain) and occasionally assists in world building.
Histories: Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks if read and related to the topic.
Genealogy: Generally, Family History, but specifically lineage of families or royalty. Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks and diplomacy type checks. Sometimes, insight checks depending on the situation.
Field Studies: These can range a number of topics, but typically they are mathematics, sciences, astrology, biology (plant or animal). Each of these might provide an advantage on a related skill check. A subset of the Animal Field Study may address taming and raising certain animals, which affects animal handling. These will show up when a potential mount creature or companion animal will be an encounter. Medicine can also get advantage on certain biology books (e.g. herbs for healing). Depending on the book, may aid in survival. I also have no problem slipping in a clue to solve a puzzle or trap in these books (or forewarn a type of poison).
Foreign Language Books: These are a catch all for “undecipherable” (and sometimes for DM get out of jail card when I can not make something up in a hurry). I occasionally use these to provide some key words the adventuring party can use when encountering foreign speaking creatures.
Religious Tomes: Books of the various faiths. Used to provide advantage to religious checks to matching pantheon/religious topics. Can be used to assist in History and persuasion/diplomacy type checks in certain situations.
Arcane: Self-evident. These books can provide advantages to checks of related schools of magic or specific situation that will occur in the campaign.
Spell Books, Ritual Books: contains spells to learn and transfer.
Literature: Generally stories and poems. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Songs: These are more rare (almost as rare as spell books). Like the poetry books, but will contain actual notes for an instrument. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Clearly, books can be a MacGuffin for an adventure. Acquire, find, retrieve, deliver, protect, or destroy the book. These books are clearly valuable, either because of the good or of the evil they hold and represent.
Some books have associations (stigma or reputation, maybe even alignments). Being seen with some books will convey influence in some situations, maybe even respect, while other books, or in other situations, the book causes negative reactions, maybe even an attack. A book of Evil is too obvious. It is the unobvious associations the party finds most memorable. Such as walking into town with a copy of a deposed ruler’s (or historic enemy’s) genealogy in hand, or singing the ballad of a hero learned from a local book only to discover that it is the wrong hero. (sort of like wearing the visiting jersey and walking into a bar after the home team losses a big match).
But like any good seasoning, these affects are applied sparingly. It does excite the group when some of these bonuses, penalties, or general world revealing events happen, but I do not fear “Chekov’s Gun.” The book is relevant to the owner, but that does not have to be revealed to the players, and any potential effects of perusing and studying the book may not come to being for the characters as the situation simply did not present itself. Most often, the book provided tidbits and useless trivia, and the rare “Cliff Clavin” gross inaccuracy. So my players never got so rewarded by reading a book that they starting sacking libraries. They began to pick and choose.
In the generic sense, I will describe the books and their content to be related to the interests of their owners. This helps flesh out the NPC (or villain) and occasionally assists in world building.
Histories: Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks if read and related to the topic.
Genealogy: Generally, Family History, but specifically lineage of families or royalty. Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks and diplomacy type checks. Sometimes, insight checks depending on the situation.
Field Studies: These can range a number of topics, but typically they are mathematics, sciences, astrology, biology (plant or animal). Each of these might provide an advantage on a related skill check. A subset of the Animal Field Study may address taming and raising certain animals, which affects animal handling. These will show up when a potential mount creature or companion animal will be an encounter. Medicine can also get advantage on certain biology books (e.g. herbs for healing). Depending on the book, may aid in survival. I also have no problem slipping in a clue to solve a puzzle or trap in these books (or forewarn a type of poison).
Foreign Language Books: These are a catch all for “undecipherable” (and sometimes for DM get out of jail card when I can not make something up in a hurry). I occasionally use these to provide some key words the adventuring party can use when encountering foreign speaking creatures.
Religious Tomes: Books of the various faiths. Used to provide advantage to religious checks to matching pantheon/religious topics. Can be used to assist in History and persuasion/diplomacy type checks in certain situations.
Arcane: Self-evident. These books can provide advantages to checks of related schools of magic or specific situation that will occur in the campaign.
Spell Books, Ritual Books: contains spells to learn and transfer.
Literature: Generally stories and poems. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Songs: These are more rare (almost as rare as spell books). Like the poetry books, but will contain actual notes for an instrument. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Clearly, books can be a MacGuffin for an adventure. Acquire, find, retrieve, deliver, protect, or destroy the book. These books are clearly valuable, either because of the good or of the evil they hold and represent.
Some books have associations (stigma or reputation, maybe even alignments). Being seen with some books will convey influence in some situations, maybe even respect, while other books, or in other situations, the book causes negative reactions, maybe even an attack. A book of Evil is too obvious. It is the unobvious associations the party finds most memorable. Such as walking into town with a copy of a deposed ruler’s (or historic enemy’s) genealogy in hand, or singing the ballad of a hero learned from a local book only to discover that it is the wrong hero. (sort of like wearing the visiting jersey and walking into a bar after the home team losses a big match).
But like any good seasoning, these affects are applied sparingly. It does excite the group when some of these bonuses, penalties, or general world revealing events happen, but I do not fear “Chekov’s Gun.” The book is relevant to the owner, but that does not have to be revealed to the players, and any potential effects of perusing and studying the book may not come to being for the characters as the situation simply did not present itself. Most often, the book provided tidbits and useless trivia, and the rare “Cliff Clavin” gross inaccuracy. So my players never got so rewarded by reading a book that they starting sacking libraries. They began to pick and choose.I use books are several things in my game. They are not necessarily rare, but they do have specific purposes, all related to information.
In the generic sense, I will describe the books and their content to be related to the interests of their owners. This helps flesh out the NPC (or villain) and occasionally assists in world building.
Histories: Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks if read and related to the topic.
Genealogy: Generally, Family History, but specifically lineage of families or royalty. Details the world. Can provided advantages on History Checks and diplomacy type checks. Sometimes, insight checks depending on the situation.
Field Studies: These can range a number of topics, but typically they are mathematics, sciences, astrology, biology (plant or animal). Each of these might provide an advantage on a related skill check. A subset of the Animal Field Study may address taming and raising certain animals, which affects animal handling. These will show up when a potential mount creature or companion animal will be an encounter. Medicine can also get advantage on certain biology books (e.g. herbs for healing). Depending on the book, may aid in survival. I also have no problem slipping in a clue to solve a puzzle or trap in these books (or forewarn a type of poison).
Foreign Language Books: These are a catch all for “undecipherable” (and sometimes for DM get out of jail card when I can not make something up in a hurry). I occasionally use these to provide some key words the adventuring party can use when encountering foreign speaking creatures.
Religious Tomes: Books of the various faiths. Used to provide advantage to religious checks to matching pantheon/religious topics. Can be used to assist in History and persuasion/diplomacy type checks in certain situations.
Arcane: Self-evident. These books can provide advantages to checks of related schools of magic or specific situation that will occur in the campaign.
Spell Books, Ritual Books: contains spells to learn and transfer.
Literature: Generally stories and poems. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Songs: These are more rare (almost as rare as spell books). Like the poetry books, but will contain actual notes for an instrument. Mostly useful in performance to recite a popular local tale.
Clearly, books can be a MacGuffin for an adventure. Acquire, find, retrieve, deliver, protect, or destroy the book. These books are clearly valuable, either because of the good or of the evil they hold and represent.
Some books have associations (stigma or reputation, maybe even alignments). Being seen with some books will convey influence in some situations, maybe even respect, while other books, or in other situations, the book causes negative reactions, maybe even an attack. A book of Evil is too obvious. It is the unobvious associations the party finds most memorable. Such as walking into town with a copy of a deposed ruler’s (or historic enemy’s) genealogy in hand, or singing the ballad of a hero learned from a local book only to discover that it is the wrong hero. (sort of like wearing the visiting jersey and walking into a bar after the home team losses a big match).
But like any good seasoning, these affects are applied sparingly. It does excite the group when some of these bonuses, penalties, or general world revealing events happen, but I do not fear “Chekov’s Gun.” The book is relevant to the owner, but that does not have to be revealed to the players, and any potential effects of perusing and studying the book may not come to being for the characters as the situation simply did not present itself. Most often, the book provided tidbits and useless trivia, and the rare “Cliff Clavin” gross inaccuracy. So my players never got so rewarded by reading a book that they starting sacking libraries. They began to pick and choose.
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