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Sourcemaster2
Senior Scribe
USA
361 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 06:31:26
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Why does it cost money to add spells to a spellbook? Except for the free level-up spells, it is already expensive to obtain an extensive spellbook. I understand the cost of buying a scroll or tome containing spells, but why pay just to copy one into another book? There doesn't seem to be any reason rare or exotic inks should be needed just to write down special words, gestures, and necessary components/foci. As far as I can tell, there isn't even a game balance factor to this. Acquiring new spells is difficult enough; why make it pricey to add to your book?
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But what have all the passing years/Done, but breed new angers, fears?/Show me now an equal worth/To innocence I earned at birth. |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2004 : 06:28:44
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Because otherwise wizards would have their spellbooks loaded to bursting with as many spells as possible.
I think the rules on spellbooks are a bit odd, myself, but the cost isn't something I think should be done away with. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Jacinth Greyfox
Acolyte
United Kingdom
35 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2004 : 07:19:14
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| Collecting the wherewithall to scribe new spells into a spellbook; Kraken ink, Griffon feather Quills etc is one of the things i like about DnD. It adds flavour and encourages roleplaying on the part of Wizard pc's. At least thats been my experience. |
The Throne or the Tomb! |
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Yasraena
Senior Scribe
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2004 : 22:22:52
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That's why I love the fact the books are guidelines and not set in stone. 
In my group (strictly 2E BTW), it doesn't cost anything to add spells to an existing spell book, so long as you have the spells, have taken the time to learn them, there is room in the spellbook they're going into and you have the right materials needed (ink, quills, etc.)
The game balance comes from the time it takes to learn spells in general (1 day per level of spell), how many pages each spell takes up in the spell book (level of spell in pages, +1d of the level of spell. 4th lvl spell= 4+1d4 pages), how many pages the spell book has (usually 50 or 100), and how much ink is needed to inscribe the spell (1 vial will do 3-8 levels of spells and cost from 100-300 gp).
The availability of spells and the degree of ease at which they are acquired is also a factor in game balance.
This seems to keep wizards spellbooks from bursting as BW put it. At least until the higher levels, where any wizard worth his salt would have a decent size grimoire at his disposal.
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"Nindyn vel'uss malar verin z'klaen tlu kyone ulu naut doera nindel vel'bolen nind malar."
Yasraena T'Sarran
Harper of Silverymoon |
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Salabasha
Learned Scribe
Portugal
216 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2004 : 22:50:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Yasraena
That's why I love the fact the books are guidelines and not set in stone.
In my group (strictly 2E BTW), it doesn't cost anything to add spells to an existing spell book, so long as you have the spells, have taken the time to learn them, there is room in the spellbook they're going into and you have the right materials needed (ink, quills, etc.)
The game balance comes from the time it takes to learn spells in general (1 day per level of spell), how many pages each spell takes up in the spell book (level of spell in pages, +1d of the level of spell. 4th lvl spell= 4+1d4 pages), how many pages the spell book has (usually 50 or 100), and how much ink is needed to inscribe the spell (1 vial will do 3-8 levels of spells and cost from 100-300 gp).
The availability of spells and the degree of ease at which they are acquired is also a factor in game balance.
This seems to keep wizards spellbooks from bursting as BW put it. At least until the higher levels, where any wizard worth his salt would have a decent size grimoire at his disposal.
I say, haven't seen you for a while Yas! How have you been?  Or did I just miss your posts?  |
Life is like a box of chocolates. Once you eat the poisoned one you die. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2004 : 23:00:58
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I've done something on occasion to alleviate the cost of a spellbook:
I've allowed each spell inscribed into a spellbook to also act as a scroll, for emergencies and such.
Now, mind you, once you've used the spell as a scroll, it does go away...so you'll need to reenscribe it to be able to memorize it again... |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2004 : 06:36:57
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| That's an interesting take, Yas, and I think I like that well enough to want to use it. Not that I'm likely to be able to. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2004 : 08:51:05
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Arivia, I've had that as a houserule for quite some time. Mind you, nobody has made use of it yet, but it's still on the books.
Sarta |
Edited by - Sarta on 20 Apr 2004 08:51:55 |
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SoulLord
Seeker
Mexico
62 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2004 : 19:28:30
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Interesting house rule indeed.
this would alleviate the cost of transcribing to the spellbook
at least a litle bit.
I will definetly add it to my campaign
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Yasraena
Senior Scribe
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2004 : 21:33:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Salabasha
I say, haven't seen you for a while Yas! How have you been? Or did I just miss your posts?
Nice to know someone out there misses me! 
I started a new job in March as an asistant Network admin and have been busy relearning the joys of TCP/IP, subnetting, Cisco routers and wireless networks. Not too much time for fantasy these days sad to say  , but I have found time to post every now and then, just not as prolific as I used to be. |
"Nindyn vel'uss malar verin z'klaen tlu kyone ulu naut doera nindel vel'bolen nind malar."
Yasraena T'Sarran
Harper of Silverymoon |
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 01:53:05
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quote:
Originally posted by SoulLord
Interesting house rule indeed.
this would alleviate the cost of transcribing to the spellbook
at least a litle bit.
I will definetly add it to my campaign
If you do, keep this in mind, it is not a way to get around the cost of spell components. In my houserule, while desperate wizards can burn pages of their spellbooks by using them as scrolls, they still have to provide the spell components -- unlike normal magical scrolls.
Sarta |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 06:00:22
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| By the way, Yasraena, how many pages are in one of your spellbooks? |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Lady Kazandra
Senior Scribe
Australia
921 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 11:23:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Yasraena
quote:
Originally posted by Salabasha
I say, haven't seen you for a while Yas! How have you been? Or did I just miss your posts?
Nice to know someone out there misses me!
I started a new job in March as an asistant Network admin and have been busy relearning the joys of TCP/IP, subnetting, Cisco routers and wireless networks. Not too much time for fantasy these days sad to say , but I have found time to post every now and then, just not as prolific as I used to be.
I sympathize with you Yasraena. Networking Admin, like Biotechnology, is a harsh master indeed. The need for repetitive learning can become rather tiresome  .
Or, as the Sage likes to say . . . "Just be glad you're not a programmer" . . . 
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"Once upon a time the plural of 'wizard' was 'war'." -- The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett |
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Yasraena
Senior Scribe
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 22:51:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
By the way, Yasraena, how many pages are in one of your spellbooks?
Depends on what type it is. Regular spellbooks (which are large cofee table like books) are 100 pages. Traveling spellbooks (half the size and weight of regular spellbooks) only have 50 pages.
Yasraena has 11 traveling and 9 regular spellbooks. Two of the regular ones aren't completely full yet.
Needless to say, my Bag of Holding is not a luxury anymore, but a neccessity. |
"Nindyn vel'uss malar verin z'klaen tlu kyone ulu naut doera nindel vel'bolen nind malar."
Yasraena T'Sarran
Harper of Silverymoon |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2004 : 05:32:52
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Sounds like it!
I figured you were using the standard 2e spellbooks, but I wasn't sure.
Sounds like if I ever join a game with that rule as a wizard, I'll be needing to set some money aside for at least a handy haversack. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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Spellbooks
