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The price of losing your spellbook??
- Thread starter Dwimmerlied
- Start date
I have not read most of the comments.
The wizards have 2 books for spells usually.
- One is for adventuring, sort of like a notebook.
- And a grimoire, a neat and organized book full of all of the wizards spells, or which ever spells he chooses to copy into the grimoire. The wizard keeps this in a safe location.
This is written in CA I think.
On a personal note, I think it is fair penalty for wizards. Wizard is a very powerful, and if he has lack of protection of his Spell-notebook then well tough excrement, plan better next time.
But game wise, yea its a bit of a pain when the group has to say...."oh alright we will wait weeks for the wizard".
I would use RAW for the situation.
The wizards have 2 books for spells usually.
- One is for adventuring, sort of like a notebook.
- And a grimoire, a neat and organized book full of all of the wizards spells, or which ever spells he chooses to copy into the grimoire. The wizard keeps this in a safe location.
This is written in CA I think.
On a personal note, I think it is fair penalty for wizards. Wizard is a very powerful, and if he has lack of protection of his Spell-notebook then well tough excrement, plan better next time.
But game wise, yea its a bit of a pain when the group has to say...."oh alright we will wait weeks for the wizard".
I would use RAW for the situation.
aglondier
Explorer
The Spell Mastery feat exists for a reason. It allows the mage to keep a small number of favourite spells permanently in his memory, just in case something happens to the spellbook.
I've used various means to avoid this issue while playing, from recording my spell memorisation session onto a memory crystal that I review in place of the book, to storing a backup copy in an extradimensional space tied to a series of tattooes on my character's chest.
As a new character, Spell Mastery containing Charm Person and a couple of sure fire money making spells to help rebuild if I do lose my spellbook.
As for if it is cosher to vapourise the wizards spellbook...sure, if they were dumb enough to put it at risk, they deserve what they get.
I've used various means to avoid this issue while playing, from recording my spell memorisation session onto a memory crystal that I review in place of the book, to storing a backup copy in an extradimensional space tied to a series of tattooes on my character's chest.
As a new character, Spell Mastery containing Charm Person and a couple of sure fire money making spells to help rebuild if I do lose my spellbook.
As for if it is cosher to vapourise the wizards spellbook...sure, if they were dumb enough to put it at risk, they deserve what they get.
Starfox
Hero
How much work does a wizard have to put into protecting their spellbook in your games (not just aglondier's, I mean everyone's)?
IMC, the wizard is generally assumed to be packing their spellbook in the backpack or (later) bag of holding, and then we don't worry more about it unless it is a plot hook. And it never has been.
"Travelling Spellbooks" and other spellbook copies was a 1E - 2E contraption to get around this whole problem. I don't recall exactly, but I believe the spellbook itself was cheaper back then - it was getting the spells into the spellbook that was costly, not making copies. Only in 3E spellbook copies become expensive to make, and that stayed on in 3.5. Notice that Pathfinder has dramatically reduced the cost to scribe spells into your spellbook - 5 gp for a first level spell, rather than 100 gp in 3E. It does get a lot more expensive at higher levels tough.
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
I agree that the wizard protecting his book is one of those things you can assume PCs do. Like tending their armor and going potty.
I did play a wizard where I eventually put an Amazing lock and a symbol of death on it because the rogue kept stealing it from me while I slept. The symbol eventually ... persuaded him to stop. Permanently.
I've never specifically targeted the wizard's spell book and before I did I'd have to think about who was playing the wizard, if they would be okay with that, and maybe talk to them about it first.
aglondier
Explorer
As for a backup of my spellbook...100gp to copy my single 1st level spell...or 12.5gp and 1xp to Scribe Scroll...
At first level, with 19 cantrips and 7 1st level spells...so for 206gp 2sp 5cp and 26xp you have your entire collection of spells saved for a future emergency.
sure, at higher levels it isn't as cost effective, but by then I have better means at my disposal anyway.
At first level, with 19 cantrips and 7 1st level spells...so for 206gp 2sp 5cp and 26xp you have your entire collection of spells saved for a future emergency.
sure, at higher levels it isn't as cost effective, but by then I have better means at my disposal anyway.
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Dwimmerlied
First Post
That's a substantial percentage of assumed wealth at first level, and also assumes a lot of downtime.
Complete Arcane lists some treatments you can get for protecting your spellbook, and even if they are only a guide, adequately safeguarding your spellbook seems tough for first level characters.
I do like the idea of simply assuming that books have "the necessary precautions."
