Ways to protect your spellbook

[JKTrickster]

Hey playgrounders!

Now we all know that the Tier 1 characters are basically unchallenged in DnD. Their sheer versatility and access to their ENTIRE spell list mean they have the answer to every problem.

That's assuming they can hold on to their spell book (for Wizards and Archivists at least anyway).

What ways are there to protect one's spell book? And not from theft either - but outright destruction, etc.

I'm looking as many ways as possible to protect one's spellbook - after all without it, even the almighty God Wizard is just a buffed up commoner.

[Sinfonian]

Standard answers for this include:
1) A spare spellbook (created with Secret Page to save on cost) hidden someplace where it would be safe: Temple of Boccob, friendly NPC's house, demi-plane, etc.

2) The Secret Chest spell.

3a) Reaching an understanding of sorts with the DM, seeing if that's something they really want to threaten a wizard with, when other classes don't suffer the same drawback (clerics/druids most especially).

3b) Bribe the DM to change his opinion on 3a.

[Squiggles]

You can always fireproof and waterproof your spellbook to deal with some of the more mundane threats.

[Legend]

Tattoo your spellbook on your fellow PCs.

[Thurbane]

Dragon Mag ACF - Eidetic Spellcaster (?). You give up your familiar and Scribe Scroll bonus feat, and in return your entire spellbook exists in your memory.

[Divide by Zero]

Gentlemen's agreement with the DM. He doesn't touch my spellbook, I don't actively disrupt the campaign world unless he ok's it.

[gorfnab]

Dragon Mag ACF - Eidetic Spellcaster (?). You give up your familiar and Scribe Scroll bonus feat, and in return your entire spellbook exists in your memory.
Here is my "Easy Bake Wizard" based just on that.


Elf, preferably Gray

Elf Wizard Racial Sub - Races of the Wild
Eidetic Spellcaster ACF - Dragon Magazine #357
Spontaneous Divination ACF - Complete Champion - Optional but great at higher levels
Collegiate Wizard feat - Complete Arcane

1st Level - 7+ Int mod 1st level spells known, all cantrips, 1 extra spell per day of highest level
No Familiar, No Scribe Scroll, No Spellbook

For a little cheese look into Domain Wizard from UA since it does stack with the Elf Wizard Racial Sub.

Note: Every level after 1st that advances wizard spellcasting gets you 5 spells known for free instead of the usual 2

Edit: If you're playing in Eberron, the feat Aerenal Arcanist (Player's Guide to Eberron) will net you an additional spell known per level netting you 8+Int spells at 1st level and 6 additional spells known every level after that.

[Half-orc Bard]

Complete arcane has some nice ones

[Thurbane]

Hmm, nice. Now I'm thinking about an Eideitc Memory Wizard/Unarmed Gish build with VoP. :smallbiggrin:

[gorfnab]

Hmm, nice. Now I'm thinking about an Eideitc Memory Wizard/Unarmed Gish build with VoP. :smallbiggrin:
It does work quite nicely. Levels of Abjurant Champion + Luminous Armor spell + Shield spell + VoP = a fairly decent AC.

[King Atticus]

Take the Skincaster feat (DR359 p117). You may transcribe your spells on to your own skin (via tattoo, scaring, etc.) at the cost of 100 gp per spell
level & a Craft (body modification) or Heal check vs. DC 10. You may then prepare your spells by simply “reading” your skin.

[JeminiZero]

Even without the skincaster feat, Complete Arcane has rules for tattooing spells onto yourself, but there is a limited amount of "page space" on the human body, and it costs twice as much (equivalent to 200 gp per page).

You probably can't fit (or afford) everyting on there, but tattooing a spell from each level is probably the best way to ensure you have at least *some* options should you get seperated from your spellbook. And if you don't have eschew materials, don't forget to tattoo Summon Component. :smallbiggrin:

[TroubleBrewing]

Protect your spellbook by entrusting it to your god and rolling up a Cleric. :smallbiggrin:

[Thurbane]

You could also swap a load of feats for Spell Mastery with Dark Chaos shuffle (warning - cheese ahoy!). Especially worthwhile if you pick up the Uncanny Forethought feat.

[HalfDragonCube]

You could also swap a load of feats for Spell Mastery with Dark Chaos shuffle (warning - cheese ahoy!). Especially worthwhile if you pick up the Uncanny Forethought feat.

Dark chaos shuffle, is that the thing where you get to reselect your feats? What book is it in?

[Thurbane]

Dark chaos shuffle, is that the thing where you get to reselect your feats? What book is it in?
FC1 from memory...there's a spell that allows you to swap out existing feats for Abyssal Heritor feats, and other spell that allows you to swap Abyssal Heritor feats for general feats.

It's reeks of Gorgonzola, IMHO. I think WotC should have put a clause in to prevent the spells from being used with each other this way...

[Coidzor]

I like storing it inside something inside of an undead inside of a construct(using haunt shift to put the undead in the construct)

[SPoilaaja]

My old PC used to keep his spellbook inside himself, with the spell Hoardgullet. It's a bit nasty vomiting it out every time you need it.. but it works. I had softcovered spellbook which I would roll up and swallow down.

[HalfDragonCube]

My old PC used to keep his spellbook inside himself, with the spell Hoardgullet. It's a bit nasty vomiting it out every time you need it.. but it works. I had softcovered spellbook which I would roll up and swallow down.

'Excuse me while I prepare my spells for the day.'

*Hglorf!*

[ShiningStarling]

You are its best protection. Period. Carry it with you or have a contingent telepotation spell to take you and your party to it if it is tampered with. If you can't defeat whatever is trying to take it, then hiding/warding wouldn't have been much help anyway, though a Symbol or two over it wouldn't hurt (they can be made permanent).

[Divide by Zero]

FC1 from memory...there's a spell that allows you to swap out existing feats for Abyssal Heritor feats, and other spell that allows you to swap Abyssal Heritor feats for general feats.

It's reeks of Gorgonzola, IMHO. I think WotC should have put a clause in to prevent the spells from being used with each other this way...

If you only use it with normal feats, it's not that cheesy. It's just like feat retraining but using money/XP instead of time. When it really gets cheesy is when you start using it on stuff like elf weapon proficiencies.

[HalfDragonCube]

Contingent Gate. Gate in Cthulhu set to when somebody that isn't me tries to read my spellbook.

I'm not sure if that actually works, but if you were to change the cover from leather to human skin and wrote Necronomicon in blood on the front then it would be so awesome nobody would dare touch it.

[Godskook]

Geometer combines with most of the above to make them more efficient, but especially the tattoo idea, since with only 56 'pages', that's the difference on a mid-level wizard between knowing 11 ~5th level spells or 56 5th levels spells.

[myancey]

Take the Skincaster feat (DR359 p117). You may transcribe your spells on to your own skin (via tattoo, scaring, etc.) at the cost of 100 gp per spell
level & a Craft (body modification) or Heal check vs. DC 10. You may then prepare your spells by simply “reading” your skin.

Yeah, what he said.

[elonin]

Fire trap works for your traveling spell book. Or maybe a Gaes ordering whomever took the book to give the book back to the wizard and do what ever he says. I'd keep the main in a leomonds chest.

[Crow]

Secret Chest has problems. Unless you plan on keister-stashing the little replica everywhere you go.

[ericgrau]

Besides the fact that there are spells specifically for protecting your spellbook, dozens of other spells for stopping casters and that the stolen spellbook is practically a fantasy staple... it's more fun when you have to protect it. I don't agree with the notion that the DM should go easy to the squishy that can shatter the world with a few funny sounding words. You backstab the sniper, rocket the artillery, and send fighters against the heavy bomber. You don't stand there out in the open, exchange shots with your rifle and say "pretty please don't use your strongest attacks." That's not just dumb of the monsters, it's a boring game when they act like that.

[El Dorado]

Keep bulky permanent spellbooks at home. "Home" isn't always an option but when it is: trusted retainers, guards and wards, multiple copies shared with your cohort and in the local library.

Keep traveling spellbooks with the caster. Familiar guards it. Couple of glyphs. An occasional friendly reminder to the DM that you takes steps to guard your book, so he knows if his thieves go after it, that's fine, but they're not going to have any easy time getting it. :smallsmile:

[Dvandemon]

There's the Ethereal Spellbook. If you can read draconian you can learn how to make it follow you etherically and send it back and forth. You just hope you don't have any encounters with etheric creatures. Another option, if you're high level is the Iron Book of Al'ldan, it follows and can be used to attack as an Ever-dancing weapon with it's razor sharp pages, it even deals fire damage if it gets caught in a blaze.

[Ozreth]

Bummed on people who say players should talk their DM out of their spellbook being able to be lost.

Thats half the fun of playing a Wizard. As a PC It would take away some of the immersion if I knew my spellbook was permanently bound to me simply by the DM's words. Where is the fun in that?

And who cares if Druids/Clerics don't have that darwback? They have other drawbacks, and besides its a co-op game, not competitive, all of the classes don't need to feel perfectly equal in all aspects. Some should shine where others are weak and vice versa.

If your spellbook is stolen, well, its just another quest ahead of your party : )

[HalfDragonCube]

'I prepared Explosive Runes this morning.'