Selling a spellbook

[prosfilaes]

Depending on the DM, you might not get anything for the cantrips. You could only sell it to a wizard, and a wizard already knows all of those spells. 'I already have all of those, I leaned 'em before I was even first level. Why would I pay you for 'em?'

Yeah, and I doubt you'd get full value for the higher level spells, either. A person who can buy spells separately as scrolls isn't going to pay full price for a book with spells they may already have or not want.

 

[Asmo]

So use my calculation above.

I´ll do just that!
Thanks all for helping me out!

Asmo

 

[Asmo]

A related question; the wizard is thinking about using the captured spellbook as a backup - a copy, more or less.
So if the wizard prepares the maximum amount of spells from his own spellbook to copy them into the backup spellbook, what would the cost be?
Is it free, or half the writing price or something else?

Asmo

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

As in, he just wants to copy spells from his current spellbook into the new one, so he has two copies of each available (just in case)?

In that case:

Duplicating an existing spellbook uses the same procedure as replacing it, but the task is much easier. The time requirement and cost per page are halved.

So, calculate the cost to write into a spellbook all of his current spells (Spell Level squared times 10, 5gp for a cantrip), and cut it in half.

He gets no benefit for copying from memory rather than from his existing spellbook (in fact, it costs more to do that - normal price, not half price).

 

[Steel_Wind]

As in, he just wants to copy spells from his current spellbook into the new one, so he has two copies of each available (just in case)?

In that case:

You must spread some Experience Points around before giving it to Patryn of Elvenshae again.

 

[Asmo]

As in, he just wants to copy spells from his current spellbook into the new one, so he has two copies of each available (just in case)?

Correct.

On to the final test:

the cost for adding 8 first level and 5 second level spells is 210 gp?

On a related note; is it worth it? We have a new dm, and I´m not sure if he´s even thought of going after a spellbook.
I´ve never encountered that scenario before, if I remember correctly.

Asmo

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

First Level: 8 * (1 * 1) * 10 = 80
Second Level: 5 * (2 * 2) * 10 = 200
-------------------------------------
Total: 280gp

Cost to the player: 140gp

As for whether or not it is worth it, that's a really tough question. A wizard's spellbook is kind of like a giant Achilles' heel. If it's never under threat, then it's not a meaningful weakness. If it's always under threat, it'll be so well protected that it's never really lost. And if it's never under threat except for one time, then it smells kinda like a jerk move on the DM's part (like destroying a fighter's only magic weapon, except even harder to replace).

Whenever I've run games, I've always indicated to the player that, in reality, their spellbook is an important asset that needs to be protected - but, for purposes of actually playing and having fun, it won't be specifically targeted by badguys unless the player does something monumentally stupid with it (e.g., hands it over to the badguys).

I'll still create back-up spellbooks occasionally, just for the flavor of the thing, but in reality I've never needed one.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

As for whether or not it is worth it, that's a really tough question. A wizard's spellbook is kind of like a giant Achilles' heel. If it's never under threat, then it's not a meaningful weakness. If it's always under threat, it'll be so well protected that it's never really lost. And if it's never under threat except for one time, then it smells kinda like a jerk move on the DM's part (like destroying a fighter's only magic weapon, except even harder to replace).

Whenever I've run games, I've always indicated to the player that, in reality, their spellbook is an important asset that needs to be protected - but, for purposes of actually playing and having fun, it won't be specifically targeted by badguys unless the player does something monumentally stupid with it (e.g., hands it over to the badguys).

I'll still create back-up spellbooks occasionally, just for the flavor of the thing, but in reality I've never needed one.

As a general precaution... yeah, worth it, and an actual reason to pay for those cantrips in the book - cheaper than rewriting the whole danged book.

Add your spells, copy the stolen spells... definitely worth it.

There are other 'silly wizard tricks' that you can play:

'You know that flametrap spell that you had on page 5?' 'Yeah?' 'It's gone... no damage to the book, but the flametrap is just gone.'

'Umm, you're leaving a flametrapped spellbook in an inn with the innkeeper's small but curious child?' 'Oh....' (Or you can just surprise them with flame roasted tot when they come back....)

'Someone cut a spell out of your book, but left the book itself....'

'When you pick up your spellbook a hotel key falls out of the binding, with a note saying '7 PM', and a whiff of perfume....'

'Umm, apparently the mice in this building are building a nest... your going to have to redo some of your spells....'

Wizard bragging rights - 'I'll show you mine if you show me... whoa! It's so big! And thick!'

The Auld Grump

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I actually had the destruction of a spellbook come up last Saturday - all the people on a river trading boat were dropped into the river when they lost a battle to a bog squid. The book failed its save, and was lost. The party did manage to kill the squid, though the paladin almost drowned.

Most boatmen just pushed a broken down mule, swayback nag, or some old flyblown sheep into the river, but the party had protested against appeasing a monster.... (Appease nothing, the squid was an animal - feeding the squid kept it busy so that boats could go by. Players are weird....)

Fortunately the wizard does have a spare, but has to wait while it is shipped up river.

The Auld Grump