[3.5] Spellbook thematic redesign.

[taltamir]

Preface:
The magic system in D&D has developed much since the early days of first edition. In the first edition magic was a joke, with spells like “grease: the caster pours a bucket of lard and says whoops”. Since then fantasy has developed much, and the idea of “wizard” is now widespread and well formed. Still there are sections of wizardry in D&D that stand in stark opposition to anything fantastic, contradicting even the images filling the official Player’s Handbook.
I set out in this document to alter the fluff and rules regarding the spellbook. I wish to make it magical instead of silly. The core of the changes will be pure fluff changes, followed by a few suggested mechanic changes that are meant to be cool, but not increase the power of book casters.


This document contains:
1.0 RAW: The Rules as Written.
1.1 Arcane Magical Writings
1.2 Wizard Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
1.3 Adding Spells to a Wizard’s Spellbook
1.4 Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook
1.5 Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
1.6 Selling a Spellbook
1.7 Blessed Book
1.8 Secret Page
2.0: Fluffing
2.1 Spellbooks and Spells
2.2 Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
2.3 Adding Spells to a Spellbook
2.4 Enchanting a New Spell into a Spellbook
2.5 Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
2.6 Selling a Spellbook
3.0 Revising the Rules
3.1.0 Spellbooks and Spells
3.1.1 Spellbook levels
3.1.2 Spellbook Enchantments - TODO
3.2 Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
3.3 Adding Spells to a Spellbook
3.4 Enchanting a New Spell into a Spellbook
3.5 Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
3.6 Selling a Spellbook
3.7 Spellbook teachers
3.8 Attuning Spellbooks
3.9 Subduing Spellbooks
3.10 Inheritance - TODO

PLEASE! Post any suggestions and feedback. As you can see it is obviously not complete. I got much of the legwork done, but I am having trouble with some of the final decisions. Most noteably, I want to encourage the scribing of more spells of current level. That is why I have put the book power rating figure. But it seems to be overly bulky to base the book's level on it, and instead I used the level of the highest spell it contains. Do it you think it is a good idea to power rating to determine level? how about a combination of both? (aka, spellbook level = max is highest spell level contained, min is highest spell level contained - 3. Determined by power rating as long as it is between those two numbers)

I would like to apologize for how hard it is to read. The transition from MS-Word to the forum was not a pretty one, and ruined all formatting. I am working on restoring some formatting to make it more readable.
EDIT: I have done some editing on it, but fairly quickly, let me know if something does not seem right

[taltamir]

1.0 RAW: The Rules as Written
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/arcaneSpells.htm#arcaneMagicalWritings
At this address one can find the bulk of the rules as written, condensed from the sourcebooks into a hyperlinked text and grouped by subject. The following come from the link above.

1.1 Arcane Magical Writings
To record an arcane spell in written form, a character uses complex notation that describes the magical forces involved in the spell. The writer uses the same system no matter what her native language or culture. However, each character uses the system in her own way. Another person’s magical writing remains incomprehensible to even the most powerful wizard until she takes time to study and decipher it.

To decipher an arcane magical writing (such as a single spell in written form in another’s spellbook or on a scroll), a character must make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the spell’s level). If the skill check fails, the character cannot attempt to read that particular spell again until the next day. A read magic spell automatically deciphers a magical writing without a skill check. If the person who created the magical writing is on hand to help the reader, success is also automatic.

Once a character deciphers a particular magical writing, she does not need to decipher it again. Deciphering a magical writing allows the reader to identify the spell and gives some idea of its effects (as explained in the spell description). If the magical writing was a scroll and the reader can cast arcane spells, she can attempt to use the scroll.

1.2 Wizard Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
A wizard can use a borrowed spellbook to prepare a spell she already knows and has recorded in her own spellbook, but preparation success is not assured. First, the wizard must decipher the writing in the book (see Arcane Magical Writings, above).

Once a spell from another spellcaster’s book is deciphered, the reader must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level) to prepare the spell. If the check succeeds, the wizard can prepare the spell. She must repeat the check to prepare the spell again, no matter how many times she has prepared it before. If the check fails, she cannot try to prepare the spell from the same source again until the next day. (However, as explained above, she does not need to repeat a check to decipher the writing.)

1.3 Adding Spells to a Wizard’s Spellbook
Wizards can add new spells to their spellbooks through several methods. If a wizard has chosen to specialize in a school of magic, she can learn spells only from schools whose spells she can cast.

Spells Gained at a New Level
Wizards perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new wizard level, she gains two spells of her choice to add to her spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels she can cast. If she has chosen to specialize in a school of magic, one of the two free spells must be from her specialty school.

Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or a Scroll
A wizard can also add a spell to her book whenever she encounters one on a magic scroll or in another wizard’s spellbook. No matter what the spell’s source, the wizard must first decipher the magical writing (see Arcane Magical Writings, above). Next, she must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, she must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level).

A wizard who has specialized in a school of spells gains a +2 bonus on the Spellcraft check if the new spell is from her specialty school. She cannot, however, learn any spells from her prohibited schools. If the check succeeds, the wizard understands the spell and can copy it into her spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, below). The process leaves a spellbook that was copied from unharmed, but a spell successfully copied from a magic scroll disappears from the parchment.

If the check fails, the wizard cannot understand or copy the spell. She cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until she gains another rank in Spellcraft. A spell that was being copied from a scroll does not vanish from the scroll.

In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to the spell’s level × 50 gp.

Independent Research
A wizard also can research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or creating an entirely new one.

1.4 Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook
Once a wizard understands a new spell, she can record it into her spellbook.

Time
The process takes 24 hours, regardless of the spell’s level.

Space in the Spellbook
A spell takes up one page of the spellbook per spell level. Even a 0-level spell (cantrip) takes one page. A spellbook has one hundred pages.

Materials and Costs
Materials for writing the spell cost 100 gp per page.
Note that a wizard does not have to pay these costs in time or gold for the spells she gains for free at each new level.

1.5 Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
A wizard can use the procedure for learning a spell to reconstruct a lost spellbook. If she already has a particular spell prepared, she can write it directly into a new book at a cost of 100 gp per page (as noted in Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, above). The process wipes the prepared spell from her mind, just as casting it would. If she does not have the spell prepared, she can prepare it from a borrowed spellbook and then write it into a new book.

Duplicating an existing spellbook uses the same procedure as replacing it, but the task is much easier. The time requirement and cost per page are halved.

1.6 Selling a Spellbook
Captured spellbooks can be sold for a gp amount equal to one-half the cost of purchasing and inscribing the spells within (that is, one-half of 100 gp per page of spells). A spellbook entirely filled with spells (that is, with one hundred pages of spells inscribed in it) is worth 5,000 gp.

1.7 Blessed Book
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/WondrousItems.htm#blessedBook
This well-made tome is always of small size, typically no more than 12 inches tall, 8 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. All such books are durable, waterproof, bound with iron overlaid with silver, and locked.
A wizard can fill the 1,000 pages of a blessed book with spells without paying the 100 gp per page material cost. This book is never found as randomly generated treasure with spells already inscribed in it.
Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, secret page; Price 12,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

1.8 Secret Page
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/secretPage.htm
Transmutation
Level:
Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3

Components:
V, S, M
Casting Time:
10 minutes
Range:
Touch
Target:
Page touched, up to 3 sq. ft. in size
Duration:
Permanent
Saving Throw:
None
Spell Resistance:
No
Secret page alters the contents of a page so that they appear to be something entirely different. The text of a spell can be changed to show even another spell. Explosive runes or sepia snake sigil can be cast upon the secret page.
A comprehend languages spell alone cannot reveal a secret page’s contents. You are able to reveal the original contents by speaking a special word. You can then peruse the actual page, and return it to its secret page form at will. You can also remove the spell by double repetition of the special word. A detect magic spell reveals dim magic on the page in question but does not reveal its true contents. True seeing reveals the presence of the hidden material but does not reveal the contents unless cast in combination with comprehend languages. A secret page spell can be dispelled, and the hidden writings can be destroyed by means of an erase spell.
Material Component
Powdered herring scales and will-o’-wisp essence.

[taltamir]

2.0: Fluffing

The core changes are meant to be in the fluffing. Changing the way spellbooks work without altering their powers or capabilities in terms gameplay mechanics. This section is meant to entirely replace, not compliment, the content in section 1.

2.1 Spellbooks and Spells
Spellbooks are tomes containing spells. The magical reality bending forces contained within are found in the form of spells and supporting runes. A spell is made out of the language of magic, but is not simply written out; instead Spellbooks are enchanted items, with the spells being the enchantment placed upon them. A spellbook may also includes notes in the language of its creator or more commonly writing in the universal language of magic and magical runes to contain and support the spells; there is more than one way for each spell to be contained and supported within a spellbook.

A caster may prepare a spell from a spellbook. Preparation involves casting the spell up to a specific point, where it is then held in the caster’s mind, but not the caster’s memory. Preparation rips out the spell from pages and into the caster’s mind. The spell specific enchantments on a spellbook regenerate the spell piece by piece as it is being removed from the pages, resulting in the duplication of the spell without harm to the spellbook.

Scrolls contain the energy needed to cast a spell, and are considered prepared. Thus a caster can directly cast a spell from a scroll regardless of their spells per day.

Casting a spell does not cause the caster to forget the magic, but to discharge the energies of the spell. The spell can instead be used to enchant an item, or a spellbook with that very same spell.

A contained spell remains incomprehensible to even the most powerful wizard until s/he takes time to study and decipher it. To decipher a spell (such as a single spell in another’s spellbook, or a scroll created by another caster), a character must make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + the spell’s level). If the skill check fails, the character cannot attempt to decipher that particular spell again until the next day. A read magic spell automatically deciphers a contained spell without a skill check. If the person who created the tome or scroll is on hand to help, success is also automatic.

Once a character deciphers a particular spell, s/he does not need to decipher it again. Deciphering a spell allows one to identify the spell and gives some idea of its effects (as explained in the spell description). Successful deciphering of a spell contained in a scroll allows a caster to cast it.

2.2 Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
A caster can use a borrowed spellbook to prepare a spell s/he already knows and has contained in his/her own spellbook, but preparation success is not assured. First, the wizard must decipher the spell (see Spellbooks and Spells, above).

Once a spell from another spellcaster’s book is deciphered, the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level) to prepare the spell. If the check succeeds, the wizard can prepare the spell. She must repeat the check to prepare the spell again, no matter how many times she has prepared it before. If the check fails, she cannot try to prepare the spell from the same source again until the next day. (However, as explained above, she does not need to repeat a check to decipher the spell.)

2.3 Adding Spells to a Spellbook
Wizards can add new spells to their spellbooks through several methods. If a wizard has chosen to specialize in a school of magic, s/he can learn spells only from schools whose spells s/he can cast.

Spells Gained at a New Level
Spell Tomes are books describing in detail the workings of a specific spell. Commonly known spells (the ones found in books approved by the DM) have such spell tomes available to the character. The character may have also written down descriptions on how to cast a specific spell; and might have even memorized them.

Wizards can slowly and with much effort craft a spell from the information found in such tomes, notes, and their memory. Each time a character attains a new wizard level, s/he gains two common and available spells of his/her choice. This gain of spells represents the slow process of crafting a spell from knowledge about it, and enchanting it into the spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels s/he can cast. If s/he has chosen to specialize in a school of magic, one of the two free spells must be from that specialty school.

Prepared spells
A caster may also add a prepared spell to a spellbook. Or a spell found in another’s spellbook or a scroll. If using a scroll or spellbook, the caster must first decipher the spell. Next, the caster must spend a day preparing the enchantment processes, the spellbook to receive it, and the various supporting and containing enchantment which must be customized for each particular spell. At the end of the day the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell’s level). A caster who has specialized in a school of spells gains a +2 bonus on the spellcraft check if the new spell is of the specialization school.

If the Spellcraft check succeeds, the spell enters the book and activates the enchantments prepared during the day, and is successfully contained and supported. The spell is removed from the scroll, or the mind of the caster as a result. The source spellbook naturally regenerates the spell as it is removed, resulting in duplication of the spell with no harm to the original.

If the Spellcraft check fails, the spellbook was incapable of holding the spell; the containment spells fizzle and the spell is released from the spellbook. Contingency magics send the spell back to its source to prevent damaging the spellbook. Thus a scroll or a prepared spell are not consumed on a failed attempt, neither is a spellbook source harmed. If the Spellcraft check fails, the caster cannot attempt to enchant it into his/her spellbook again until gaining another rank in Spellcraft.

In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to the spell’s level × 50 gp.

Independent Research
A caster also can research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or creating an entirely new one. In either case the caster first creates a tome containing the notes and gathered information about the spell, then slowly prepares and enchants it into their spellbook.

2.4 Enchanting a New Spell into a Spellbook
When enchanting a new spell into a Spellbook, the caster must prepare it to store the spell, relating notes, and the magics to both contain it, and replenish it when it is prepared. Enchanting a new spell into a spellbook has the following caveats:

Time
The process takes 24 hours, regardless of the spell’s level.

Space in the Spellbook
A spell takes up one page of the spellbook per spell level. Even a 0-level spell (cantrip) takes one page. A spellbook has one hundred pages.

Materials and Costs
Materials for enchanting the spell cost 100 gp per page.
Note that a caster does not have to pay these costs in time or gold for the spells gained for free at each new level.

2.5 Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
A caster can reconstruct a lost spellbook as per the procedures above. Either from Prepared spells, or by preparing known spells from a borrowed book.
Duplicating an existing spellbook uses the same procedure as replacing it, but the task is much easier. The time requirement and cost per page are halved.

2.6 Selling a Spellbook
Captured spellbooks can be sold for a gp amount equal to one-half the cost of purchasing and enchanting the spells within (that is, one-half of 100 gp per page of spells). A spellbook entirely filled with spells (that is, with one hundred pages of spells inscribed in it) is worth 5,000 gp.

[taltamir]

3.0 Revising the Rules
Revising the rules of magic is a daunting task; the philosophy I have chosen is to make magic more magical without unbalancing the game, and while maintaining internal consistency while avoiding stupid metagamish explanations.

While you will notice a lot of "powers" listed, they are almost all based on cantrips and almost all 100% RP powers with no combat use, or even out of combat "use". I cut out all things such as "durability: gives damage resistance" and moved those to "book enchantments", which are enchantments you have to buy using gold and XP like any other enchantment... only for your book.

A big issue is the blessed book enchantment, listed in section 1.8. it gives two functions: 1. Free to scribe spells into. 2. has 1000 pages instead of 100.
This has several major affects: 1. book enchantment (from supplementary sourcebooks) can be cast less times, on one big book only. 2. More devastating if lost. 3. potential to damage economy, you spend 12,500 to make the book, but then it can store 100,000 gp worth of spells... for free. and sold for at least 62,500gp. It can be a full time job for someone to make such duplicated books and sell them. 4. Save money on spell scribing...

There are several factors balancing out the blessed book enchantment. You simply do not have it, instead it is broken up into its components, only some of which are available. You get infinite pages in your one and only book for free. But scribing in non primary (attuned) book costs extra, and there is no "free scribing". Although a DM may choose to allow such an enchantment as an extra enchantment, see section 3.1.2

As an alternative, casters may be required to “upgrade” their spellbook to the next level every time they level it using gold and XP.

3.1.0 Spellbooks and Spells
Section 2.1 applies in its entirety. Also of note:
A caster may also prepare a spell from a scroll. Preparing a spell from a scroll will transfer the spell into the caster’s mind, but waste the energy for casting contains. It is generally wasteful to prepare a spell from a scroll.

Spellbooks are enchanted items of great power. And as spells are added to them, they gain powers. Casters also often choose to add specific empowering enchantments to a spellbook.

Every spellbook has a level which is determined by the highest level spell it contains. EX: fireball is a level 3 spell; a spellbook containing only cantrips and the fireball spell will be level 3.

Spellbooks of level 1 may be attuned to a caster. Spellbooks containing only cantrips are level 0 and cannot be attuned. Attuning will be explained in a later portion of this document. For a spellbook to be considered as “your spellbook” you must first attune that spellbook. Students which have yet to master a single level 1 spell cannot attune their spellbooks, and must consider them borrowed books for purpose of casting.

Enchant Spellbook
All casters who use a spellbook gain the ability to enchant their spellbook. They use this ability to enchant it to contain spells, and with wondrous enchantments.

3.1.1 Spellbook levels
As spellbooks increase in level, they gain special powers and abilities. Of special note is the level 3 ability blank. It effectively makes the book capable of storing an infinite amount of spells; this is because every spell added increases a spellbook’s power, thus increasing the amount of spells it can store.

DMs may choose to simply set it at 1000 pages instead of unlimited; at some point forcing the use of non-attuned spellbooks, or the erasing of spells to make room for new ones. However, setting it at unlimited is recommended as it removes another point of micro management. DM’s may also require an enchantment cost for this ability. While blessed book is 12,500gp, blessed book allows adding as many spells as you want for free. Adding up to 100,000gp worth of spells to the book at no cost; also after copying their entire existing spellbooks into the blessed book, a character would sell his old books for thousands of gp, covering the majority of the blessed book expense. Since both of those no longer occur, charging 12,500gp or any other amount of gold for this ability is not necessary. In fact in the long run it costs MORE money to fill a book, not less.

DMs are encouraged to allow creative application of cantrips to a spell book to create a custom but harmless effect desired by a player.

Level 0: A level 0 spellbook is just a book that contains spells. It has very little magic, and it cannot be attuned and never needs to be suppressed. It feels magical to those who can sense it, and might produce minor visible effects such as glow, glitter, faint shadows, etc.

Level 1: Attunement & Temperament.
Attunement: Spellbook may be attuned.
Temperament: spellbook may be hostile or friendly towards someone. The spellbook develops a preference towards its owner’s current temperament. A spellbook will be hostile and impossible to attune by anyone of an incompatible temperament, even a direct descendant of its owner and even if bequeathed. However, as its owner’s temperament changes or it gains new owners over the years, it becomes more flexible. For example, a spellbook created a pious scholar who succumbs to temptations and becomes violent and greedy would accept both a pious and a wicked master in the future.

Level 2: Hover, Flip page, minor mending and clean.
Hover: The book feels weightless to its owner; it no longer counts towards encumbrance. It will hover in place in midair in a relative location to its owner (thus it must always be within reach). It is held in place against wind and any attempt to grab it with a str score equal to 5 plus its level.
Flip page: The book will close, open, or flip pages via mental commands from its master.
Minor mending: the book recovers its durability at a rate of 1 hp per day.
Clean: The book will clean itself, as per the spell Prestidigitation. This can be use to shield it completely from mundane water or non corrosive liquids even while open. (Spellbooks are made to be watertight when closed)

Level 3: Mage’s Hand, Blank, and Teacher
Mage’s Hand: As long as the spellbook is within short range of the owner, it will be affected by a special mage hand spell that can only affect it. If it goes outside of the range, the book falls down. It can hold weight up to a combined weight of 5 lbs for itself and what is placed on it. If it is within arm length of the caster it can use its hover ability to hold much more weight, but not to push it in any direction.
Blank: The book may read, write, and erase writings within itself. The book is not self aware, this is primarily used to communicate with a student. At this point all notes, writing, and spells in the book subsume and the book appears completely blank unless it is displaying a spell at its master’s command, or has been subdued and forced to display a spell. It is now able to store an effectively unlimited amount of spells, since every spell added increases its power to store spells. It can also store 10 pages per level worth of notes and journal entries (ex: A level 4 spellbook can store 10 + 20 + 30 + 40 = 100 pages of mundane writing).
Teacher: The spellbook may be a teacher as explained in section 3.7

Level 4: Greater hover, and Cover face
Greater Hover: The book is always weightlessly hovering. If outside the range of its master, it will hover at the face level of its master or last master if it has none. It will resist being moved with a str of 5 plus its level. At will a master in short range of the book may suppress this ability, it will manifest again if separated from its master
Cover face: The cover of the book may freely change its color, pattern, and texture. It will likely show a stylized drawing of a face. This face can change expressions.

Level 5: Speak, and Mending
Speak: The spellbook may speak, however it is not self aware. It is primarily used for speaking with a student.
Mending: The book recovers its durability at a rate of 1 hp per hour as long as it is not destroyed.

Level 6: 3D face, Sense master, Volition
3D face: the cover of the book can change freely in 3D, the face is now 3 dimensional, and ornamentations appear to match the current persona of the owner.
Sense: A lost book will sense the relative direction of its master and its successors (typically offspring) if on the same plane.
Volition: A lost book will use whatever means it has to reach its master or a suitable successor if the master is dead or undetectable. If there is no successor, it will do nothing. It is not self aware or very intelligent, and can easily fall into traps or be tricked.

Level 7: Greater Mending
Greater Mending: The book recovers its durability at a rate of 1 hp 10 minutes as long as it is not destroyed.

Level 8: Fly
Fly: The book gains a flight speed of 60 feet and it has average maneuverability.

Level 9: Rapid mending
Rapid Mending: The book recovers its durability at a rate of 1 hp per round as long as it is not destroyed.

Level 10 (Epic): Awareness: The book becomes aware; however it does not have the same sentience of a hominid, and is content to serve a master or his/her successors.

3.1.2 Spellbook Enchantments
All casters who use spellbooks have the ability to enchant to contain spells. They can also enchant them with many other wondrous abilities. Common enchantments include protective enchantments, transformations (turn the book into another object, such as a ring of power), the granting and improving of abilities, such as the ability to cast suggestion or to turn invisible.

TODO: flesh out those abilities.

3.2 Spells and Borrowed Spellbooks
Section 2.2 applies in its entirety. Also of note:
A level 0 spellbook cannot be either hostile or friendly.
A caster gets a +3 circumstance bonus to preparing a spell from a borrowed spellbook if the spellbook is friendly, such as a non attuned inherited spellbook or preparing a spell from your master’s spellbook with his explicit permission. The bonus increases to +5 if the owner of the book assists the caster in preparing the spell.

A spellbook may be neutral towards you, neither hampering not assisting you in preparing a spell.

A caster gets a -3 circumstance penalty if the book is hostile, such as a stolen spellbook or preparing a spell from your master’s spellbook which he explicitly forbade. The penalty increases to -5 if the owner of the book was killed or greatly harmed by the character.

A +2 bonus is applied if the spell being prepared is in the specialization school of the caster.

A hostile book must be subdued before any spells within it are available for preparation or copying; subduing will be explained in a later portion of this document.

Long preparation
A caster may use tomes or other sources of knowledge about a spell to slowly prepare it over the course of weeks or months. The caster must have sufficient knowledge of the spell in question, and take 1 week per level of the spell, with a minimum of one week. If the spell is rare, does not currently exist, or there is no source of knowledge available to the caster than it must first be researched. The result of researching a spell successfully includes the enchanting of a spell into a spellbook, as well as the creation of tomes of that spell, allowing a caster to slowly prepare it. This can be used for replacing a destroyed spellbook.

3.3 Adding Spells to a Spellbook
Section 2.3 applies with the following exception:
If the Spellcraft check fails, the caster cannot attempt to enchant it into his/her spellbook again until gaining another rank in Spellcraft, finding more specific information about that spell (such as in tomes), or instruction from a caster who already posses said spell.
A spell cannot be directly enchanted into a target spellbook using a hostile spellbook as a source. To acquire a spell from a hostile spellbook the caster must first prepare that spell from the hostile spellbook, and then enchant it into his/her own spellbook, using the prepared spell as the source.

3.4 Enchanting a New Spell into a Spellbook
Section 2.4 applies in its entirety. Also of note:
Enchanting a spell of level 1 or higher into a spellbook without first attuning it increases the time and cost by 50%.

3.5 Replacing and Copying Spellbooks
A caster can reconstruct a lost spellbook one spell at a time as per the procedures above. From prepared spells, by preparing known spells from a borrowed or captured spellbook, and by slowly preparing them from tomes and other sources of knowledge using long preparation.

Duplicating an existing spellbook uses the same procedure as replacing it. However, due to the limits of attuning (only one spellbook can be attuned at a time) the task becomes more arduous, cost and time requirements are increased by 50% for all spells of level 1 or above.

Such duplicates can be kept as a spare, but are more commonly bequeathed to an offspring or made for a very wealthy student. The extra cost involved in duplication compared to having students enchant spells themselves prevents all but the wealthiest from taking this approach. Thus most wizards enchant their own spells.

A spell can be enchanted into a spellbook attuned to another caster at twice the cost and time. This requires a great deal of trust, and funds. A hostile spellbook cannot be enchanted into.

3.6 Selling a Spellbook
Section 2.6 applies in its entirety.

3.7 Spellbook teachers
A spellbook of sufficient power can act as a teacher, educating a person about the ways of magic. If the circumstances fit, a person may inherent their ancestor’s spellbook, learn magic from it without any other teacher, and attune to it instead of creating their own spellbook. . A duplicated spellbook can be made specifically to teach someone, or to be given to a student for attunement. However, it is cheaper and simpler to teach a student directly and have the student create his/her own spellbook than it is to make a duplicate. Inheriting a spellbook is the cheapest option, and is very common in families with a history of wizardry.

3.8 Attuning Spellbooks
Spellbook bond is a powerful bond between a caster and their spellbook. A caster can only have such a bond to a single spellbook, and the only known way to break such a bond is to destroy the book, or kill the caster.
The process of forming such a bond is called Attuning. Only spellbooks of level 1 or above can be attuned.
Attuning is a magical process that takes a week, and is considered a rite of passage in most formal magical schools. Characters that can cast level 1 spells at level 1 are considered to have already attuned their spellbook.

3.9 Subduing Spellbooks
A hostile spellbook is typically stolen or taken by force. It could also be an inherited spellbook of great power whose alignment fundamentally differs from yours.

Before such a book can be used it must be subdued. A subdual check is an opposing check of caster level vs twice the spellbook’s level.
Initial subdual

You cannot open a hostile spellbook before initially subduing it. Make a subdual checks against the spellbook until you succeed, fail, or give up. Success drains power from the book, giving you a cumulative +1 to subsequent attempts. Failure leads to the book siphoning some of your power, and gives you a cumulative -1 to subsequent attempts.

A critical success, or success by 10 or more, means that you have been successful in subduing this spellbook, it will remain subdued until it gains levels or is recovered by its master who then posses it for at least 24 hours. A critical failure or a failure by 10 or more results in the spellbook casting the most powerful or appropriate hostile spell which it contains at you and a cumulative -3 to subsequent attempts.

A second caster may assist you by counterspell this hostile spell should you fail in subduing the book.

You may choose to stop your subdual attempts at any time; cumulative bonuses and penalties to subdual of a book will subside at a rate of +5 or -5 per 24 hours until it reaches 0.

Determine Spells
Once you have subdued a hostile spellbook, you may open it freely. You may then make further subdual checks in order to discover the spells contained within. These checks do not decipher spells, but inform you of their existence and their level.

Make a subdual check, on critical failure or failure by 10 or more points you are blasted for 1d6 random elemental damage and cannot try again for a day. On failure you unlock no new spells. On success you discover the spells of the next undiscovered level; whether there are still more undiscovered levels, and may perform an additional attempt. On critical success you gain complete access to all the spells in the spellbook.

Once you have gained access to spells of a specific level, you may decipher them, prepare them, and enchant them into your own spellbook.

3.10 Inheritance
TODO: write out rules for a character being taught magic by a spellbook.

[taltamir]

reserved for future additions

[Set]

This is some pretty darn impressive stuff!

Any thoughts on different types of spell storing mechanism, such as containers (such as lamps) holding bound genies (or demonic, or celestial) spirits that recite the stored information (or psychic crystals that hold the mental impressions) or rune-inscribed tablets or strings of knotwork or something?

Some, such as the knotwork or tattoos all over the wizards body, could be mundane, while others, such as a bag full of rune-inscribed stones that are spilled out onto a surface and arrange themselves into the 'page' requested, would be magical.

[taltamir]

This is some pretty darn impressive stuff!
Thank you... I worked on it from 4 am to 1pm without even a bathroom break :). But that doesn't mean I am overly "attached" to something... criticize away. I revised it many times, throwing away bad ideas often. And I have a feeling there are plenty of bad ideas that need improving upon left in here.


Any thoughts on different types of spell storing mechanism
Fancy looking scrolls


such as containers (such as lamps) holding bound genies (or demonic, or celestial) spirits that recite the stored information
This sounds to me like a magic item binds an entity, not a spell.


(or psychic crystals that hold the mental impressions) or rune-inscribed tablets or strings of knotwork or something?
Fancy looking scrolls or spellbooks.


Some, such as the knotwork or tattoos all over the wizards body, could be mundane, while others, such as a bag full of rune-inscribed stones that are spilled out onto a surface and arrange themselves into the 'page' requested, would be magical.
This really depends on the specifics... One of the enchantments I DEFINITELY want to allow, is the ability to permanently transform (once, not give it the ability to change shape) the spellbook into a creative item. Like an amulet or a network of tatoos or whatever.

And allow "creative scrolls"... aka, almost anything can be a scroll... but it might cost a bit more due to not being as "efficient" at storing the magic. Unless the caster specialized in it to begin with, then they have problems with regular scrolls and can use "knotwork scrolls" natively.

[arguskos]

Hello tal, good to see you here. Note: I am your DM. :smalltongue:

I'll give some more constructive feedback later, when I'm awake and more capable of doing so. :smallsmile:

[taltamir]

oh cool. :)
Yea I have been a fan of GITP for a while and its cool to have IRL friends on its forums.

Anyways. If you wish to import something to your world, feel free to completely modify or discard large segments this.
As it is I am not even sure it will fit without modification into the setting. For one thing, you don't have wizards or XP :).
So it will need at least some revising before being compatible.

mmm... although... Actually I think most of the stuff about XP and wizard specific stuff is on the "TODO" sections and thus has yet to be written. I am not sure if I wrote those down yet. So maybe it will fit. eh, I need to go to sleep. I will look over it tommorow. I slept from 12:30am to 3:30am or so and its already 10:30 pm.

Let me know what you think though.
Oh a little guide:
sections with a 1 in front of them are copy pated from SRD.
sections with a 2 in front are rewritten from section 1 to change the fluff without changing the mechanics.
sections with a 3 in front have new mechanics. But maintaining the balance (if anything, maybe making it slightly HARDER on wizards; i erred on caution).

In regards to section 2. I did merge and move around a few subsections for ease of reading... I also made 1 little change. You can prepare a spell from a scroll, consuming the scroll and gaining the spell and the energy to cast it even if you had already used up your spells per day, but cannot go OVER your max. This has generally no effect since casting from scroll vs prepared spell takes same amount of time. although, in retrospect, I guess failing the check to read the scroll OUT of combat is better than failing it IN combat; but you waste a scroll if you prepare a spell in such a manner and don't cast it the very same day.
It is also kinda needed to make everything FIT. I didn't think of the scroll casting check at the time, ugh. No wait, I think you need to know the spell already so it doesn't matter.
Ok can some help me figure that one out? is that a "fluff" or can it be used to alter the way magic works? Maybe I should move it to section 3.

[arguskos]

Hmm.

Looking this over, I like the idea of the spellbook "levelling up" along with it's master, but I dislike the power rating idea. It seems easier to simply say that a spellbook's level is contingent on it's master's caster level, and do away with the power rating silly bookkeeping madness.

To whit, here's what I would probably say: A spellbook's level is equal to half the caster level of any one it is attuned to, rounded down.

Concerning temperament of the book, is it not easier to say that the item becomes akin to a familiar? It's semi-sentient, shares a mental link with the master, and is ultimately subservient to them alone. Seems like saying that would be easy to help others understand what it'd be like to have a spellbook in this system.

The rest of the level powers are fine. Note that Blank can be altered to just permit the book to function as a blessed book, so that such an item not longer is relevant for casters to purchase (and frankly, it makes more sense to roll such an item into the spellbook itself rather than have the issue of the secondary economy that you noticed).

I need some clarification on "Long Preparation". What does this actually do? Where's the use in preparing a spell over the length of a week?

I'll come back later with suggestions and ideas. Oh, did you want me to work out a Bookcaster PrC for you?

[taltamir]

It seems easier to simply say that a spellbook's level is contingent on it's master's caster level, and do away with the power rating silly bookkeeping madness.

To whit, here's what I would probably say: A spellbook's level is equal to half the caster level of any one it is attuned to, rounded down.

Point, it was a rather bad idea. I originally wanted to organize it so that you would have to get 10 spells of a previous level to unlock the next one. To account for books gaining power from the amount of enchantments on them (aka, enchantment power); because spells are now enchantments, a book with a value of 5000 is not a mundane item with 5000gp worth of magical ink written spells in it, but a magical item with an enchantment power of 5000gp.

Then I modified it to try to include the level of the highest spell in (one level 9 spell is better than 9 level 1 spells). But that kinda broke down and I ended up with a MESS. I also tried to keep it simple, instead of just awarding XP to the book, it just makes for obscene bookkeeping.

Only thing is, thematically the idea of the power coming from spells makes sense. by making it equal to the level of the most powerful spell it IS the caster level divided by half rounded down... unless you take a power class (PrC) which gets rid of the useless (for combat, and godly in RP) familar, and the free spells at level up (just a little gold to replace) to give you massive real ultimate power TM. For a case like that, the caster gains power but not the book, I wanted it to be less "link based" and more "power of magic contained therein" based. So if you take a PrC the book levels when you scribe a higher level spell into it, not just when YOU level. If you neglect to enchant spells into it you can end up with a lagging book.


Concerning temperament of the book, is it not easier to say that the item becomes akin to a familiar? It's semi-sentient, shares a mental link with the master, and is ultimately subservient to them alone. Seems like saying that would be easy to help others understand what it'd be like to have a spellbook in this system.
A familiar is a lot more active, a familiar is truly sentient... only epic spellbooks are. But yes I was somewhat inspired by the idea of familiar. Mostly however it was fantasy stories. In almost every fantasy story books get "tempermental" and you need to level of strength to wrest the magic from them... the whole "temperment" thing was meant more along the lines of "alignment". A book of an evil master full of dark magics is not gonna fit a daisies and flowers wizard very well. And this is ONLY EVER an issue if someone inherits a book from their ancestor. A book of a necromancer is not just gonna picked up by his son who hates necromancy... but if it stays in the attic for 3 generations just the right offspring would appear ready to pick up the mantle of the undead lord.

So the idea is, it is not a second familiar, it is JUST willful enough to find and teach your heir, or wait for one who is suitable in terms of alignment. But not enough to be a "companion" to a wizard. in the end it is just a book. Valuable book, but not a person like a familiar is. It is expendable if you have the wealth to replace it.
Although, get it epic, enchant it a permanent tranformation into a ring, and enchant it with the power to cast "suggestion" and "invisibility", and you got yourself sauron's ring :)

I might have gotten carried away though with the sentience based abilities...


The rest of the level powers are fine. Note that Blank can be altered to just permit the book to function as a blessed book, so that such an item not longer is relevant for casters to purchase (and frankly, it makes more sense to roll such an item into the spellbook itself rather than have the issue of the secondary economy that you noticed).
Yea. That would work... but it also imposes an absolute limit on spells known of 1000 pages. With the limit to one and ONLY one book this can become a problem eventually.
Although, it CAN be overcome with the use of erase spell... you got a 1000 spell pages? delete a few useless ones if you want more...


I need some clarification on "Long Preparation". What does this actually do? Where's the use in preparing a spell over the length of a week?

It, along with tomes, help explain the following questions:
1. why some spells need to be researched while others can be acquired at levelup.
2. some how researching actually works.
3. how training a level 0 wizard works.
4. solving the chicken and the egg. If spells are always copied from someone, how did the original spells occur?
5. What happens when you write down a spell in NON magical ink?
6. Wizards have no libraries, a few books can contain all the spells they need

There IS NO USE to doing a long preparing of a spell you already OWN. This is done on purpose.

Its primary effect is splitting spells into "common" and "uncommon". A spell you have intimate knowledge of and tomes of (aka, have all the info about it written down in non magic ink from your time at the academy), but do NOT have in the spellbook, you can "long prepare" and then scribe into your book, rather than find a fellow wizard to copy from his spell book. In fact when you get "free spells" on "level up" what actually happen was your wizard pored over his tomes and class notes from his days at magic college, and spent months or weeks "long preparing" a spell and scribing/enchanting it into his book.

This gives the following effects though:
1. if a character loses a spellbook, s/he can spend 1 week per spell level to recover a spell he has previously known. Assuming it was a spell s/he cast often and remembers well
2. IF THE DM ALLOWS IT, the character may long prepare an EXTREMELY COMMON spell that he DOES NOT have in his spell book, and enchant it into his spellbook (at 100 gp per page) WITHOUT having to find someone to copy it from. This is SPELL SPECIFIC. If the DM rules that the character has no way of knowing enough about said spell, OR if the spell is too "rare", then the character has to first research it.
3. When researching, characters USUALLY create a tome of a spell. If they give it to someone, or if the tome is stolen, that someone can spend 1 week per spell level to long prepare and enchant that same spell into their book, thus exclusivity about it is lost (unless ALL research notes are explicitly destroyed)
4. Wizards actually have LIBRARIES. Libraries of tomes. it can even be an adventure... find all 14 volumes describing in detail the wish spell, than take 9 weeks to long prepare it for the first time and enchant it into your book.
5 the DM may choose to give as loot a <tome of custom spell> instead of a scroll of said spell. The character will need to take the time to long prepare it so that he may scribe it... or if they feel like it long prepare it and then CAST it if they feel they would only ever need to cast that spell once...
6. If a caster spent the last 5 weeks long preparing a spell. He now has it in his mind, ready to cast or enchant into a book, Today he must spend 24 hours to enchant it into a book. IF he is attacked during that time, he might be FORCED to cast it OR DIE. And by doing so must long prepare it again, before being able to store it.
7. If a caster spent weeks long preparing a spell (instead of paying someone to let him copy it from a spellbook), tries to enchant it into book and FAILS the spellcraft check. he is now stuck with a prepared spell that he cannot enchant into a book until he levels up. Although he might be able to enchant it into a scroll, or just hold it until he CAN, or (with the alternate rules i set out), find someone who has succcessfully stored this spell in their book and convince that someone to share his method. (there are many "correct" ways to store it in the book, kinda like how in calculus there are many correct ways to solve an equation... part of why a spellcraft is still needed to decipher it, just like knowledge of calculus is needed to understand the different ways the same person has solved something)


I'll come back later with suggestions and ideas. Oh, did you want me to work out a Bookcaster PrC for you?

keep them coming. well, I think we need to flesh it out a bit more before it is ready for prime time...

[taltamir]

rewrote section 2.1 and section 3.1 to:
1. Move the ability to prepare a spell from a scroll from 2.1 to 3.1, it is a mechanics change (albeit a minor one), not a fluff change.
2. Changed the prepare from scroll ability to WASTE the energy contained in the scroll. So it can only be done when preparing spells, and it uses up a daily spell slot...
3. removed power rating of spellbook.
4. clarified that spellbooks level = the level of the highest spell they contain. EX: a spellbook containing cantrips and a fireball spell (level 3 spell) will be a level 3 spellbook.

changed section 3.1.1:
1. revised blank ability
2. added explanation about reasoning behind blank, changes to blessed book, and a DM suggestion for alternative rules (1000 pages limit)
3. Revised clean.

[taltamir]

Spellbook revisions and the world of small gods:
Section 1 is just RAW, section 2 is fluff without ANY changes to raw and can be included as is FOR ALL casters, retroactively.
Section 3 is where magic revisions occurs. The question is, what can be included as is, what shouldn’t be included, what needs revision, and what should be limited to a “bookcaster” PrC. This requires analysis of what actual changes it does.
Changes:
1. Subdual of spellbooks – makes it more interesting when capturing enemy spellbooks, takes a little longer to unlock them. Makes things more difficult to PCs which often capture books of slain enemies. NPCs rarely if ever capture a spellbook of a PC.
This is a penalty to PC casters.
2. Book teachers – make a book a potential teacher for a child with magic talents… has plenty of RP benefit with no increase in power. How would it affect ragorn? If he gets to level 5 at least, retires from party to go start a family in a very remote area, gets killed by a bear leaving the book on his corpse, found by fellow farmers who give his affects to his late wife who gives it to his child, who uses it to learn magic without a wizardry college. Or if he gets to level 15, enchants his book with special abilities like the ability to cast “charm” spell, has a bastard child, and dies, the book will seek out the bastard child on its own by charming people to teach him magic…
conclusion: Either one of those is pure awesome from RP perspective… but not worth it for a PC to willingly waste his effort persuing.
3. Most spellbook abilities: reproduced by mage hand / prestigititation. Very neat in faurn. But in the world of small gods cantrips are at will unlimited per day castings. So actually he would have access to those abilities ANYWAYS, and at a much earlier level, for free. So does no apply in the world of small gods.
4. The ability of the book to hover within arm distance resisting moving at a strength of 5 + its level… It replicates being HELD BY HAND. At book level 9 (CL 17+) it will have a str of 14… same as ragorn; at any lower level it is lower str… meaning he is better off holding it by hand than by magic. This is a cool thematic effect but actually not useful. Only reason it has strength is to resist wind and the like. If you use it as a tool to hold stuff you will lose your spellbook. Ragorn will probably never use it outside of his home.
5. Mending abilities… actually worthwile, but only duplicate a level 1 spell for ragorn as he is a rearrenger. It will be useful to other types of casters in the world of small gods who do not have the spells to repair a books durability; but only a little since they can always get someone else to repair it for them… also it is much less useful if you keep your spells in multiple books.
6. Unlimited spell holding. Counters the money made on the blessed book spell since it includes banning it. If blessed book doesn’t exist anyways, it still makes more sense to just carry multiple books together than to use a PrC for it.
7. Attunating – couples with book copying costing x1.5 instead of x0.5, and a non attuned book being considered a copy at the 1.5x rate for scribing. This is a penalty, not a boon.
8. Book gains sentience (albeit an alien passive one) at epic levels. Ok that is a benefit; it is like a second familiar. But familiars rather suck.
9. Hostile vs friendly books – vast majority of books acquired will be hostile, since they were looted off of the corpse of the wizard who owned them. Another penalty to casters.

changes can all be split up as usless to everyone, useless only to ragorn and slightly useful to other player classes, or actually penalties to all player character casters


Level by level analysis of powers gained at spellbook leveling:
Level 0: cantrips: dancing lights, ghost sound… both crippled.

Level 1: Attunement & Temperament.
Attunement: penalty to PCs
Temperament: Penalty to PCs

Level 2: Hover, Flip page, minor mending and clean.
Hover: hold by hand + cantrip: mage hand
Flip page: cantrip: mage hand
Minor mending: is this a lvl0 mending spell? Or a clreric level2: make whole spell? Is this even possible? How much damage can spellbooks take before being destroyed? Wait… before my changes spellbooks were not even magical, they just contained PAGES. Which had spells WRITTEN on them.
Clean: cantrip: prestidigitation, and waterproofing?

Level 3: Mage’s Hand, Blank, and Teacher
Mage’s Hand: cantrip: mage’s hand

Blank: some cantrips, like erase, prestigititation, mage’s hand, etc. Also part of the abilities of a blessed book, while banning the others. Overall this is a downgrade for PCs. Unless they put a lot of really strong enchantments on the book (would have had to enchant multiple times, once per book)
Teacher: pure RP.

Level 4: Greater hover, and Cover face
Greater Hover: nice for RP. Makes a spellbook obviously magical and thus a target.
Cover face: prestigititation

Level 5: Speak, and Mending
Speak: lvl 2 spell, magic mouth
Mending: same as minor mending

Level 6: 3D face, Sense master, Volition
3D face: some very minor transformations… level 0 or 1 at most. useless.
Sense: limited scry / familiar sense. Goes one way (Book sense master, not other way around). Useful for finding successor, or master.

Volition: somewhat powerful effect, but mainly RP. Not practical without giving the books powers via enchantments (if allowed)… so as “automatically cast suggestion at holder to make him give book back” type of enchantment. Or until level 8 when you get fly.

Level 7: Greater Mending
Greater Mending: same as minor mending

Level 8: Fly
Fly: book gains an always on level 3 spell… which it can only use for volition effect.

Level 9: Rapid mending
Rapid Mending: fast enough self healing to matter (slightly) in combat. Still, would just duplicate a level0 or level2 spell which instantly and FULLY heal the book.

Level 10 (Epic): partially duplicate familiar, or awaken spell (level 5 druid).

[taltamir]

maybe it was unclear... temperment of a book is basically ALIGNMENT; meaning books will be hostile if their master is an opposite alignment, or if taken by force

it does two things:
1. RP-wise, children cannot inherit the book of their parents if the parents were evil and they are good, or vice versa. (but a neutral child can, and by doing so will increase the number of allowed alignments for that particular book).
2. gameplay wise - with revised mechanics it means that player characters need to subdue practically every single book that they capture, and then will take a penalty to prepare spells from it.

[taltamir]

added the following to section 3.3:

A spell cannot be directly enchanted into a target spellbook using a hostile spellbook as a source. To acquire a spell from a hostile spellbook the caster must first prepare that spell from the hostile spellbook, and then enchant it into his/her own spellbook, using the prepared spell as the source.