Buying Spellbooks. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Buying Spellbooks. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ronyon
03-04-07, 04:51 PM How much is it to buy a "used" spellbook or a single spell out of a spellbook?
The SRD says that players can sell books for half of the cost to scribe it.
Thus one page would sell for 50 gold.
Since most loot can be sold at half price but still costs full price to buy, would this mean that spellbooks and spellbook pages would sell for 100 gold per page?

For the record I am a Cleric with Spell Domain, so I can us any motley collection of pages, with no need to translate anything.
I do need spell books pages so I can keep costs down( scrolls are expended when used with Anyspell). Not being a Wizard, I cant make arcane writing myself, so it might be better to buy a "used" spellbook or it might be better to pay the costs for a party wizard to do it.Since spell copying takes lots of time, and our party is very mercenary, a used book is looking better and better.
SALDAR
03-04-07, 05:08 PM If you are talking about needing a spellbook for your domain spells, you don't. They are divine spells on your spell list and as a divine caster you pray to prepare them you do not study a spellbook to prepare them.
Nightbluejh
03-04-07, 05:19 PM Clerics don't use spell books...
HellflameArcanite
03-04-07, 07:58 PM I think that he is referring to reading an arcane spell to use Anyspell with. Even if you are a cleric with the spell domain, you need an arcane writing to use Anyspell.
ronyon
05-14-07, 10:09 PM So that where i put this thread ;) !
HellflameArcanite is correct, sorry my question was not clearer.
So how much is a spell book per page on the open market?
CryoSilver
05-14-07, 10:15 PM Base cost of the book plus 200 gp per page (since each page costs 100 go to write, this is the crafting cost, which is half of the market price). Unless of course you're using the Craft rules, in which case it's 300 gp per page.

But I think it should be 200.
BlindGuardian
05-15-07, 02:16 AM and how much does it cost an empty spell book? I'm playing a wizard, so I'm going to need another, and as a backup in case of stealing.
ronyon
05-15-07, 06:50 PM Hmm.I guess it is so, though this would mean that a spell book is worth 100 per page when sold as loot...
Might be worth acquiring a scribing minion,since it costs so damn much anyway.
CryoSilver
05-15-07, 07:31 PM and how much does it cost an empty spell book? I'm playing a wizard, so I'm going to need another, and as a backup in case of stealing.

15 gp. You should really consdier consulting your PHB before asking questions like that.
risner
05-15-07, 11:11 PM If you can scribe the page for 100 gp per page, then you sale it for 50 gp per page.
Craft rules do not come into play at all, since scribing pages in a spell book is not a craft check.
Kn1ves
05-16-07, 01:25 AM and how much does it cost an empty spell book? I'm playing a wizard, so I'm going to need another, and as a backup in case of stealing.

15 gp. You should really consdier consulting your PHB before asking questions like that.

Check out Complete Arcane for a more in depth pricing guide for spell books.
ronyon
05-16-07, 09:36 PM If you can scribe the page for 100 gp per page, then you sale it for 50 gp per page.
Craft rules do not come into play at all, since scribing pages in a spell book is not a craft check.

Ok then, how much to buy one, as a Player Character?
Nadaka
05-16-07, 09:52 PM Spellbook pages are not exactly a consumable resource. Anyone buying it needs it only once, when they copy the spell and with any luck he will never need it again.

Likewise, selling a spellbook to a "magic shop", the shop would only pay for spells they do not already have as each spell they buy can be "resold" to dozens of different wizards who wish to scribe.

Spellbooks kinda break the mold for conventional item pricing when you take this into account. This is probably why they did not include the price to sell acquired spellbooks in the core.
Vegepygmy
05-17-07, 11:42 AM Ok then, how much to buy one, as a Player Character?My answer would be 100 gp per page, and you don't get to pick (all of) the spells that are in it.
ronyon
05-17-07, 09:01 PM My answer would be 100 gp per page, and you don't get to pick (all of) the spells that are in it.

I would only buy them by the spell...
Hmm, would it be cheaper to buy scrolls and then hire a wizzy to make copies?
How much does it cost to hire a wizard, if you dont want any spells cast?
A trained hireling is dirt cheap, but most wizards wouldnt work for so little...
Besides I would still have to buy the scribing materials.
The only upside is that I could have them scribe the spells on whatever item I wanted...
tarkin
05-17-07, 10:44 PM It is cheaper to buy a spell in a spellbook than it is to buy a scroll.

Especailly considering that you can buy the spell book, copy the spells you want, then sell it back again at 1/2 price.

You can't do that with a scroll because they get used up when you copy them.
ronyon
05-17-07, 11:10 PM Yep.Only I wont need to make a copy at all...
So Tarkin , does 100 gold per page sound right to you?
ronyon
05-21-07, 04:18 PM Bump...
SALDAR
05-21-07, 08:44 PM According to the PHB, pg 179, Selling a Spellbook gets you 50gp per page used, a full spellbook is 5000gp. This follows the half price rules for selling things so buying at 100gp per page for a spellbook that already has spells in it sounds good.

If this is to gain spells that you do not know it isn't as simple as it sounds. If you do not know a spell in the book then you still have to learn the spell and copy it into your own spellbook, at an additional 100gp per page. You can use your purchased spellbook as a borrowed spellbook, but only for those spells you already have in your own spellbook (PHB 178). So in order to prepare spells out of the purchased book you still have learn them and pay to copy them to your book first.

Your other option for gaining spells beyond those you gain at each level is copying them. Paying to copy a spell from another wizard's spellbook is 50gp per spell level, usually much more for higher level spells, if at all possible (PHB 179). Add the 100gp per page then it will cost 150gp per level to copy from another wizard's spellbook, more for higher level spells. A price comparison to scrolls shows that the scroll cost added to the 100gp per level writing expense is higher than the 150gp per level to copy a spell for spells 2nd level and up.

Either way it is expensive to learn spells beyond those found in the form of captured scrolls and spellbooks in a treasure hoard. That's why we are adventurers.

I know gaining new spells can be tough for wizards no matter how you go about it. At the present time my group is playing a campaign in the High Forest in the Forgotten Realms setting. I'm playing a human female Evoker that just made 10th level at our last session. In the 8 months of game time we have yet to set foot anyplace that even resembles a village (I would like to sleep in a warm, soft bed again, AND I NEED A LONG HOT BATH!!!). In that time we have acquired a handful of arcane scrolls (gained 3 spells) and one spellbook (all 1st level spells and only 2 I could use that I didn't have!).
ronyon
05-24-07, 04:41 PM Thanks for weighing in on this!
I feel your pain, my Spell Domain cleric has been on the run for a long while, currently escaping a battle between the Red Wizards and some Anti -Slaver Pirates. Need time to Scribe, Inscribe , and Research.

No loot yet, but at least the Spell Compendium Anyspell doesnt,need any translation to be used. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ronyon 03-04-07, 04:51 PM	How much is it to buy a "used" spellbook or a single spell out of a spellbook? The SRD says that players can sell books for half of the cost to scribe it. Thus one page would sell for 50 gold. Since most loot can be sold at half price but still costs full price to buy, would this mean that spellbooks and spellbook pages would sell for 100 gold per page? For the record I am a Cleric with Spell Domain, so I can us any motley collection of pages, with no need to translate anything. I do need spell books pages so I can keep costs down( scrolls are expended when used with Anyspell). Not being a Wizard, I cant make arcane writing myself, so it might be better to buy a "used" spellbook or it might be better to pay the costs for a party wizard to do it.Since spell copying takes lots of time, and our party is very mercenary, a used book is looking better and better.
SALDAR 03-04-07, 05:08 PM	If you are talking about needing a spellbook for your domain spells, you don't. They are divine spells on your spell list and as a divine caster you pray to prepare them you do not study a spellbook to prepare them.
Nightbluejh 03-04-07, 05:19 PM	Clerics don't use spell books...
HellflameArcanite 03-04-07, 07:58 PM	I think that he is referring to reading an arcane spell to use Anyspell with. Even if you are a cleric with the spell domain, you need an arcane writing to use Anyspell.
ronyon 05-14-07, 10:09 PM	So that where i put this thread ;) ! HellflameArcanite is correct, sorry my question was not clearer. So how much is a spell book per page on the open market?
CryoSilver 05-14-07, 10:15 PM	Base cost of the book plus 200 gp per page (since each page costs 100 go to write, this is the crafting cost, which is half of the market price). Unless of course you're using the Craft rules, in which case it's 300 gp per page. But I think it should be 200.
BlindGuardian 05-15-07, 02:16 AM	and how much does it cost an empty spell book? I'm playing a wizard, so I'm going to need another, and as a backup in case of stealing.
ronyon 05-15-07, 06:50 PM	Hmm.I guess it is so, though this would mean that a spell book is worth 100 per page when sold as loot... Might be worth acquiring a scribing minion,since it costs so damn much anyway.
CryoSilver 05-15-07, 07:31 PM	and how much does it cost an empty spell book? I'm playing a wizard, so I'm going to need another, and as a backup in case of stealing. 15 gp. You should really consdier consulting your PHB before asking questions like that.
risner 05-15-07, 11:11 PM	If you can scribe the page for 100 gp per page, then you sale it for 50 gp per page. Craft rules do not come into play at all, since scribing pages in a spell book is not a craft check.
Kn1ves 05-16-07, 01:25 AM	and how much does it cost an empty spell book? I'm playing a wizard, so I'm going to need another, and as a backup in case of stealing. 15 gp. You should really consdier consulting your PHB before asking questions like that. Check out Complete Arcane for a more in depth pricing guide for spell books.
ronyon 05-16-07, 09:36 PM	If you can scribe the page for 100 gp per page, then you sale it for 50 gp per page. Craft rules do not come into play at all, since scribing pages in a spell book is not a craft check. Ok then, how much to buy one, as a Player Character?
Nadaka 05-16-07, 09:52 PM	Spellbook pages are not exactly a consumable resource. Anyone buying it needs it only once, when they copy the spell and with any luck he will never need it again. Likewise, selling a spellbook to a "magic shop", the shop would only pay for spells they do not already have as each spell they buy can be "resold" to dozens of different wizards who wish to scribe. Spellbooks kinda break the mold for conventional item pricing when you take this into account. This is probably why they did not include the price to sell acquired spellbooks in the core.
Vegepygmy 05-17-07, 11:42 AM	Ok then, how much to buy one, as a Player Character?My answer would be 100 gp per page, and you don't get to pick (all of) the spells that are in it.
ronyon 05-17-07, 09:01 PM	My answer would be 100 gp per page, and you don't get to pick (all of) the spells that are in it. I would only buy them by the spell... Hmm, would it be cheaper to buy scrolls and then hire a wizzy to make copies? How much does it cost to hire a wizard, if you dont want any spells cast? A trained hireling is dirt cheap, but most wizards wouldnt work for so little... Besides I would still have to buy the scribing materials. The only upside is that I could have them scribe the spells on whatever item I wanted...
tarkin 05-17-07, 10:44 PM	It is cheaper to buy a spell in a spellbook than it is to buy a scroll. Especailly considering that you can buy the spell book, copy the spells you want, then sell it back again at 1/2 price. You can't do that with a scroll because they get used up when you copy them.
ronyon 05-17-07, 11:10 PM	Yep.Only I wont need to make a copy at all... So Tarkin , does 100 gold per page sound right to you?
ronyon 05-21-07, 04:18 PM	Bump...
SALDAR 05-21-07, 08:44 PM	According to the PHB, pg 179, Selling a Spellbook gets you 50gp per page used, a full spellbook is 5000gp. This follows the half price rules for selling things so buying at 100gp per page for a spellbook that already has spells in it sounds good. If this is to gain spells that you do not know it isn't as simple as it sounds. If you do not know a spell in the book then you still have to learn the spell and copy it into your own spellbook, at an additional 100gp per page. You can use your purchased spellbook as a borrowed spellbook, but only for those spells you already have in your own spellbook (PHB 178). So in order to prepare spells out of the purchased book you still have learn them and pay to copy them to your book first. Your other option for gaining spells beyond those you gain at each level is copying them. Paying to copy a spell from another wizard's spellbook is 50gp per spell level, usually much more for higher level spells, if at all possible (PHB 179). Add the 100gp per page then it will cost 150gp per level to copy from another wizard's spellbook, more for higher level spells. A price comparison to scrolls shows that the scroll cost added to the 100gp per level writing expense is higher than the 150gp per level to copy a spell for spells 2nd level and up. Either way it is expensive to learn spells beyond those found in the form of captured scrolls and spellbooks in a treasure hoard. That's why we are adventurers. I know gaining new spells can be tough for wizards no matter how you go about it. At the present time my group is playing a campaign in the High Forest in the Forgotten Realms setting. I'm playing a human female Evoker that just made 10th level at our last session. In the 8 months of game time we have yet to set foot anyplace that even resembles a village (I would like to sleep in a warm, soft bed again, AND I NEED A LONG HOT BATH!!!). In that time we have acquired a handful of arcane scrolls (gained 3 spells) and one spellbook (all 1st level spells and only 2 I could use that I didn't have!).
ronyon 05-24-07, 04:41 PM	Thanks for weighing in on this! I feel your pain, my Spell Domain cleric has been on the run for a long while, currently escaping a battle between the Red Wizards and some Anti -Slaver Pirates. Need time to Scribe, Inscribe , and Research. No loot yet, but at least the Spell Compendium Anyspell doesnt,need any translation to be used. :)