Post/Author/DateTime	Post
bhale187 01-20-07, 04:34 PM	The PHB pg 57 says a wizard starts with a spellbook, and the equipment portion lists a blank spell book as costing 15 gp. So my question is this..............Does the wizard get the first spellbook free or does he/she have to pay the 15 gp for it. I know it may sound a bit trivial, but if you start play with a famaliar, spellbook, and component pouch you would be broke and naked outside of those 3 things-if however, the book is free you would have 15 gp to buy cloths and such.
Howie23 01-20-07, 05:19 PM	The PHB pg 57 says a wizard starts with a spellbook, and the equipment portion lists a blank spell book as costing 15 gp. So my question is this..............Does the wizard get the first spellbook free or does he/she have to pay the 15 gp for it. I know it may sound a bit trivial, but if you start play with a famaliar, spellbook, and component pouch you would be broke and naked outside of those 3 things-if however, the book is free you would have 15 gp to buy cloths and such. I pay the 15gp for the spellbook and don't get a familiar to start. A single suit of clothing is free. David
Iswald 01-21-07, 02:46 AM	I've always assumed that you started with a spellbook for free. I don't get a familiar.
Japangirl 01-21-07, 04:03 AM	You unfortunately do have to pay for the spellbook out of starting gold.
_m_ 01-22-07, 10:26 PM	its fairly rare to start with a familiar at lvl 1 tho.
DarkKnight 01-23-07, 01:51 AM	My wizard is 5th level and still doesn't have a familiar. I just can't decide what to get or if I should go for the improved familiar feat. As for the spell book I paid 15gp for it at creation.
clannagh 01-23-07, 01:54 AM	My wizard is 5th level and still doesn't have a familiar. I just can't decide what to get or if I should go for the improved familiar feat. Seems to me the more interesting improved familars do not turn up to level 7 or so.
denny1824 01-23-07, 12:56 PM	The starting spellbook of a wizard (from page 57 PHB) is not blank. It has all the 0-level spells of the PHB (except for forbidden schools if you are a specialized wizard) plus at least 3 1st level spells. The cost for this spellbook is alot more than a wizards starting gold. In short, no, you do not have to pay the over 2,000 gp cost of your starting spellbook.
trollbill 01-23-07, 01:15 PM	From the SRD: A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells (except those from her prohibited school or schools, if any; see School Specialization, below) plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. Seems pretty simple to me. You begin play with a spellbook, i.e. you don't have to pay for it. Having a spell book is a class feature. The reason blank spellbooks are listed in the equipment section is in case you run out of room in your original one, want to make backups or need to make replacements.
bhale187 01-23-07, 04:11 PM	I guess this is going to have some table variation, hmmmmm Anyway, I was starting with a toad because it just seemed to me that spending 100gp for 3 HP at level 1 is a pretty good deal.
trollbill 01-23-07, 04:36 PM	I guess this is going to have some table variation, hmmmmm Anyway, I was starting with a toad because it just seemed to me that spending 100gp for 3 HP at level 1 is a pretty good deal. I can't see why there would be table variation. The rules are very clear. How can you equate "begins play with" with "has to buy?" If you had to buy it then you didn't begin play with it. This is like saying a Druid has to buy his animal companion because the rules say he can begin play with one.
clannagh 01-23-07, 06:17 PM	I guess this is going to have some table variation, hmmmmm Anyway, I was starting with a toad because it just seemed to me that spending 100gp for 3 HP at level 1 is a pretty good deal. if you just paid for the book but not for scribing the starting spells its not a big issue the reason why many wizards do not take a familiar until level 2 is simple .. if it dies when you are level one it has a very serious permanent effect on you .. death of a familiar at level 2 and up is just annoying rather than disastrous
ranagrande 01-24-07, 02:28 PM	if you just paid for the book but not for scribing the starting spells its not a big issue the reason why many wizards do not take a familiar until level 2 is simple .. if it dies when you are level one it has a very serious permanent effect on you .. death of a familiar at level 2 and up is just annoying rather than disastrous What permanent effect? The worst that could happen at level one is that the wizard would lose 200 xp, and it even specifies that the loss can't put the character below zero. On the contrary, I think familiars are most valuable at level one and become less important the higher level you get. Three extra hitpoints will be insignificant later on, but having a toad familiar is the only reason my wizard survived to level two.
bhale187 01-24-07, 04:15 PM	I can't see why there would be table variation. The rules are very clear. How can you equate "begins play with" with "has to buy?" If you had to buy it then you didn't begin play with it. This is like saying a Druid has to buy his animal companion because the rules say he can begin play with one. I agree, but there have been responses above, and PMed rsponses to me stating both ways. If DMs online see it both ways then there will certainly be variations at the table as well, and I planned on debutting the character at an upcoming con where I do not know who the DM will be.
trollbill 01-24-07, 04:21 PM	I agree, but there have been responses above, and PMed rsponses to me stating both ways. If DMs online see it both ways then there will certainly be variations at the table as well, and I planned on debutting the character at an upcoming con where I do not know who the DM will be. In this case, I would recommend having that little blurb in the rules handy to show DMs who may claim otherwise. It could just be a case of, "that's the way we've always done it because that's what we were told and we never really questioned it." Just point it out to them politely, and if they still say, "No," well, 15 GP isn't worth making a fuss about even if they are violating the rules.
clannagh 01-24-07, 05:37 PM	What permanent effect? The worst that could happen at level one is that the wizard would lose 200 xp, and it even specifies that the loss can't put the character below zero. On the contrary, I think familiars are most valuable at level one and become less important the higher level you get. Three extra hitpoints will be insignificant later on, but having a toad familiar is the only reason my wizard survived to level two. interesting ... i literally had not noticed the CON loss for familiar death at level one disappeared somewhere over the past 3 or 4 years
paigeoliver 01-25-07, 11:59 PM	I really doubt you are going to see much table variation on this. How many times has the beginning equipment of your character been checked over by a DM? I don't know about you guys, but for me it has been zero. The campaign doesn't even properly track starting equipment. After losing character sheets and otherwise forgetting my starting equipment several times I now always buy all my starting equipment on my first AR, rather than buying it prior to the AR. That way I can't ever forget what I bought. The fact that familiars cost money to summon is something much more important to stress to players. A LOT of people create wizards with familiars and never pay for them.
bhale187 01-26-07, 05:54 PM	Well, like I said, I plan on first using the character at a con, and you never know who the DM is going to be. It is an intro module and they give time for new players to make a character so I figured if I went pre-made the DM may have more time to look at my sheet and say "how'd you afford a familiar already?" My 2 regular DMs and I agreed I was correct in the assumption the book is free, but I just wanted to hear some more opinions.