The Tome of All Knowledge [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Tome of All Knowledge [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Westbound
04-23-07, 10:10 PM I've been running a rather long campaign of my own design, and for the most part it's been going pretty well. A large facet of it involves an incredible artifact known as the Tome of All Knowledge. It looks as though within one or two more sessions that my players may yet get their hands on this thing, and I need actual stats for it.

The Tome of All Knowledge is a large, exquisitely crafted leather-bound book (complete with a lock that requires a magical, indestructible key - The Key to All Knowledge) that weighs approximately 50lbs. The pages are gold leafed, and they are made of very fine paper made from the pulp of trees from the Forbidden Forest. The tome has three silken bookmarks in red, blue, and green. The pages are written in Common (human), and presents information only in this language.

The Tome is intelligent (Int 14, Wis 25) and is Neutral in alignment.

The Tome can tell you anything you need to know about a particular topic that pertains to the Prime Material Plane. You merely speak to the Tome about the topic you want to know, and it automatically opens to the page that you need. It will reveal any and all present information about the topic, but will not discuss what will happen in the future. It can even impart spell knowledge to the reader, of any nature be it arcane, druidic, or divine. However, it can exact a toll on the reader. The more you read from the book, the more it deprives you of your sanity.

I'm looking for some help in giving this thing stats that will satisfy my rules lawyers.
EvilDeathBee
04-23-07, 11:16 PM This is a lot like the book of Vecna from the Complete Divine, only a bit more powerful.
You could probably base it off of the stats for said Vecna artifact easily.
Westbound
04-24-07, 01:48 AM I'll look into that, thanks. (I knew I should've picked that book up, but I keep passing it by for other books.)

My players are running through a number of options about what they do when they acquire this thing, one of which is finding a hidden city. They're told to destroy it by an archmage, but he didn't know exactly how, but the Tome might tell them.

I'm trying to come up with something interesting on how to destroy the Tome. I've also considered that the Tome might have a survival instinct and refuse such information unless a condition is met. Got any ideas? And no, don't say throw it in the fires of Mount Doom.
Fireclave
04-24-07, 03:31 AM I'm looking for some help in giving this thing stats that will satisfy my rules lawyers.
Hmmm...
How about treating it as if it had massive boosts to its knowledge checks and giving it spell-like abilities that would aid it in updating itself (by stealing knowledge from the high-level characters it would most likely be in contact with):

All Knowledgeable (EX): The Tome of All Knowledge contains information on almost any subject regarding the material plane. Concerning topics dealing with the material plane, the Tome of All Knowledge receives a +35 racial bonus on all knowledge skills and can use any of those skills as if it were trained.

Spell-like Abilities: At Will - Detect Thoughts, 1/day Augury, Probe Thoughts, 1/week Vision

Impart Spell Knowledge: A spellcaster can learn any spell from the Tome of All Knowledge. The spells can be of any nature, be they arcane or divine. The tome imparts this knowledge directly into the mind of the reader. The imparted spell must be on the character's class list, and the character must be able to cast that level of spell. A wizard automatically replaces a prepare spellslot with the imparted spell and can later inscribe the spell into their spellbooks. Spontaneous casters can immediately replace one of their spells known with the new spell as long as it is of the same level. Divine spellcasters, such as clerics and druids, can prepare the imparted spells as normal. However, learning spells from the Tome of All Knowledge takes a toll on the sanity of the user. Each time a spellcaster learns a spell from the Tomb of All Knowledge, he must make a will save (DC 17 + each previous attempt to learn a spell) suffer 2 points of ability drain to their primary caster stat. If the caster fails that save, he must make another will save against the same DC or suffer from permanent Insanity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/insanity.htm). Insanity acquired in this manner can only be removed with a wish or miracle.

The Tome Of All Knowledge can only impart spell knowledge once every 24 hours.

Immunity: No form of attack deals damage to the Tome of All Knowledge. It's pages are waterproof and immune to all forms of wear and tear. The Tome can only be destroyed by... ... ...

*the rest of the pages are blank*

Sorry, I'm out of ideas right now. Perhaps I'll think of some more after I've had some sleep.
taradusis
04-25-07, 08:52 AM Have the book be incrusted with gems and made with silver pages.A half orc can steal it and destroy it for the gems,only somebody with an INT of less than 8 can damage it.RANDOM THOUGHTS
Phantom Llama
04-25-07, 04:24 PM I'm trying to come up with something interesting on how to destroy the Tome. I've also considered that the Tome might have a survival instinct and refuse such information unless a condition is met. Got any ideas? And no, don't say throw it in the fires of Mount Doom.
The Tome can only be destroyed by filling a page with falsehoods. Of course, all the pages appear to be already full of writing, so the prospective vandal will have to devise a question they can ask the Tome that will cause it to open to a blank page.

Once the deed is done the tome will shudder and slam shut. If reopened it appears to function as normal, but all the information it contains is false. Contacting the Tome's mind provides nothing but the mutterings of a madman. From this point forwards the Tome can be destroyed as if it were a normal, nonmagical book.

Season with magical ink requirements if questing is desired.
Glak
04-25-07, 08:19 PM Since this is the big artifact in your campaign you need to break the rules. It can't give a bonus to knowledge checks, other items do that (though on a smaller scale). Here's what I am thinking for abilities:

get knowledge: with the tome you automatically succeed on every knowledge check. Lose some sanity. I'm thinking that maybe the character should roll the knowledge check anyway, and lose sanity if he fails. He still gets the knowledge though.

get magic: Add any spell to your known spells. If the spell is on your spell list lose a little sanity, if the spell isn't lose a lot. If the spell is of a higher level than you can cast you are able to prepare/spontaneously cast it in your highest level slot. However you lose sanity based on the level difference every time you prepare/spontaneously cast it.

So basically the only limit to the book's power should be your sanity. That shows that it is a powerful item beyond the mundane. You know I might be using something similar in my campaign.
Araes
04-25-07, 10:03 PM For powers, I'm a supporter of Fireclave's suggestion, as they represent what it's supposed to do quite well, and they're powerful enough to be well beyond the scope of normal characters. Any player with a +35 to checks, many good spells at will, and any spell in a pinch would be rather happy.

Since it is a Tome of All Knowledge, it seems natural that it would contain all of the other Tome's of X (Clear Thought, Leadership, Understanding, ect...). I can't say that this would be fair to give to players, but it does seem like something likely it would have. And if I was a player I would check for it. You might want to limit it so that it only contains mundane knowledge or something like that.

Another metagame thing to watch out for would be access to technology. If I were a crafty player, I would ask it some questions that would help me build an economic or military empire based upon domination of tech in the world. Even if it doesn't have access to future tech, the players would have knowledge of the very best of the best.

One suggestion is that you swap the Int and Wis stats you have, so that it is Int 25, Wis 14. All knowledge based checks are Int checks, while things like perception of your surroundings is Wis. You might want to make it slightly more wise though, so that it is perceptive of things like tricks and treachery.

Why do people want them to destroy it btw? Does it cause great harm wherever it goes, or is it just greed on the archmage's part? If it doesn't, and I was a player, I think I might tell your archmage to go bugger himself. Or even better, not tell him, and then hide it in a place that only the party knows about and put every anti-divination spell possible to guard its location.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Westbound 04-23-07, 10:10 PM	I've been running a rather long campaign of my own design, and for the most part it's been going pretty well. A large facet of it involves an incredible artifact known as the Tome of All Knowledge. It looks as though within one or two more sessions that my players may yet get their hands on this thing, and I need actual stats for it. The Tome of All Knowledge is a large, exquisitely crafted leather-bound book (complete with a lock that requires a magical, indestructible key - The Key to All Knowledge) that weighs approximately 50lbs. The pages are gold leafed, and they are made of very fine paper made from the pulp of trees from the Forbidden Forest. The tome has three silken bookmarks in red, blue, and green. The pages are written in Common (human), and presents information only in this language. The Tome is intelligent (Int 14, Wis 25) and is Neutral in alignment. The Tome can tell you anything you need to know about a particular topic that pertains to the Prime Material Plane. You merely speak to the Tome about the topic you want to know, and it automatically opens to the page that you need. It will reveal any and all present information about the topic, but will not discuss what will happen in the future. It can even impart spell knowledge to the reader, of any nature be it arcane, druidic, or divine. However, it can exact a toll on the reader. The more you read from the book, the more it deprives you of your sanity. I'm looking for some help in giving this thing stats that will satisfy my rules lawyers.
EvilDeathBee 04-23-07, 11:16 PM	This is a lot like the book of Vecna from the Complete Divine, only a bit more powerful. You could probably base it off of the stats for said Vecna artifact easily.
Westbound 04-24-07, 01:48 AM	I'll look into that, thanks. (I knew I should've picked that book up, but I keep passing it by for other books.) My players are running through a number of options about what they do when they acquire this thing, one of which is finding a hidden city. They're told to destroy it by an archmage, but he didn't know exactly how, but the Tome might tell them. I'm trying to come up with something interesting on how to destroy the Tome. I've also considered that the Tome might have a survival instinct and refuse such information unless a condition is met. Got any ideas? And no, don't say throw it in the fires of Mount Doom.
Fireclave 04-24-07, 03:31 AM	I'm looking for some help in giving this thing stats that will satisfy my rules lawyers. Hmmm... How about treating it as if it had massive boosts to its knowledge checks and giving it spell-like abilities that would aid it in updating itself (by stealing knowledge from the high-level characters it would most likely be in contact with): All Knowledgeable (EX): The Tome of All Knowledge contains information on almost any subject regarding the material plane. Concerning topics dealing with the material plane, the Tome of All Knowledge receives a +35 racial bonus on all knowledge skills and can use any of those skills as if it were trained. Spell-like Abilities: At Will - Detect Thoughts, 1/day Augury, Probe Thoughts, 1/week Vision Impart Spell Knowledge: A spellcaster can learn any spell from the Tome of All Knowledge. The spells can be of any nature, be they arcane or divine. The tome imparts this knowledge directly into the mind of the reader. The imparted spell must be on the character's class list, and the character must be able to cast that level of spell. A wizard automatically replaces a prepare spellslot with the imparted spell and can later inscribe the spell into their spellbooks. Spontaneous casters can immediately replace one of their spells known with the new spell as long as it is of the same level. Divine spellcasters, such as clerics and druids, can prepare the imparted spells as normal. However, learning spells from the Tome of All Knowledge takes a toll on the sanity of the user. Each time a spellcaster learns a spell from the Tomb of All Knowledge, he must make a will save (DC 17 + each previous attempt to learn a spell) suffer 2 points of ability drain to their primary caster stat. If the caster fails that save, he must make another will save against the same DC or suffer from permanent Insanity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/insanity.htm). Insanity acquired in this manner can only be removed with a wish or miracle. The Tome Of All Knowledge can only impart spell knowledge once every 24 hours. Immunity: No form of attack deals damage to the Tome of All Knowledge. It's pages are waterproof and immune to all forms of wear and tear. The Tome can only be destroyed by... ... ... the rest of the pages are blank Sorry, I'm out of ideas right now. Perhaps I'll think of some more after I've had some sleep.
taradusis 04-25-07, 08:52 AM	Have the book be incrusted with gems and made with silver pages.A half orc can steal it and destroy it for the gems,only somebody with an INT of less than 8 can damage it.RANDOM THOUGHTS
Phantom Llama 04-25-07, 04:24 PM	I'm trying to come up with something interesting on how to destroy the Tome. I've also considered that the Tome might have a survival instinct and refuse such information unless a condition is met. Got any ideas? And no, don't say throw it in the fires of Mount Doom. The Tome can only be destroyed by filling a page with falsehoods. Of course, all the pages appear to be already full of writing, so the prospective vandal will have to devise a question they can ask the Tome that will cause it to open to a blank page. Once the deed is done the tome will shudder and slam shut. If reopened it appears to function as normal, but all the information it contains is false. Contacting the Tome's mind provides nothing but the mutterings of a madman. From this point forwards the Tome can be destroyed as if it were a normal, nonmagical book. Season with magical ink requirements if questing is desired.
Glak 04-25-07, 08:19 PM	Since this is the big artifact in your campaign you need to break the rules. It can't give a bonus to knowledge checks, other items do that (though on a smaller scale). Here's what I am thinking for abilities: get knowledge: with the tome you automatically succeed on every knowledge check. Lose some sanity. I'm thinking that maybe the character should roll the knowledge check anyway, and lose sanity if he fails. He still gets the knowledge though. get magic: Add any spell to your known spells. If the spell is on your spell list lose a little sanity, if the spell isn't lose a lot. If the spell is of a higher level than you can cast you are able to prepare/spontaneously cast it in your highest level slot. However you lose sanity based on the level difference every time you prepare/spontaneously cast it. So basically the only limit to the book's power should be your sanity. That shows that it is a powerful item beyond the mundane. You know I might be using something similar in my campaign.
Araes 04-25-07, 10:03 PM	For powers, I'm a supporter of Fireclave's suggestion, as they represent what it's supposed to do quite well, and they're powerful enough to be well beyond the scope of normal characters. Any player with a +35 to checks, many good spells at will, and any spell in a pinch would be rather happy. Since it is a Tome of All Knowledge, it seems natural that it would contain all of the other Tome's of X (Clear Thought, Leadership, Understanding, ect...). I can't say that this would be fair to give to players, but it does seem like something likely it would have. And if I was a player I would check for it. You might want to limit it so that it only contains mundane knowledge or something like that. Another metagame thing to watch out for would be access to technology. If I were a crafty player, I would ask it some questions that would help me build an economic or military empire based upon domination of tech in the world. Even if it doesn't have access to future tech, the players would have knowledge of the very best of the best. One suggestion is that you swap the Int and Wis stats you have, so that it is Int 25, Wis 14. All knowledge based checks are Int checks, while things like perception of your surroundings is Wis. You might want to make it slightly more wise though, so that it is perceptive of things like tricks and treachery. Why do people want them to destroy it btw? Does it cause great harm wherever it goes, or is it just greed on the archmage's part? If it doesn't, and I was a player, I think I might tell your archmage to go bugger himself. Or even better, not tell him, and then hide it in a place that only the party knows about and put every anti-divination spell possible to guard its location.