The perfect base spellbook

[Trandir]

Let's assume that your wizard has lost his spellbook and now he as to buy a new one but the shop has only the "basic manuals".

This means that they have only one for every odd level from 1 to 17 and can contain any spell a wizard would have learned by advancing his class levels but are also as limited.

ex:
A 1st level spellbook contains all the cantrips and 3 lv 1 spells
A 5th level spellbook contains all the cantrips, 5 lv1 spells, 4 lv 2 spells and 2 lv 2 spells
A 11th level spellbook contains all the cantrips, 5 lv1 spells, 4 lv 2 spells, 4 lv 3 spells, 4 lv 4 spells, 4 lv 5 spells and 2 lv 6 spells
A 17th level spellbook contains all the cantrips, 5 lv1 spells, 4 lv 2 spells, 4 lv 3 spells, 4 lv 4 spells, 4 lv 5 spells, 4 lv 6 spells, 4 lv 7 spells, 4 lv 8 spells and 2 lv 9 spells.


What wouldbe the best temporary spellbook to buy?




For the sake of the thread assume that the wizard either does not have another spellbook somewhere or that for a couple of adventuring days a spell blocks all forms of far travel, extraplanar included. Also there is no way to add more spells, like asking with a wish a new spellbook or summoning a wizard and stealing from him. You can do this but let's assume you don't.
All books of a certain level contain the same spells, a 5th level spellbook is identical to another 5th level one
The higher level books contain the same spells as the lower ones so even if you were to buy multiple books you end up with multiple copies of the same spells.
All 3.5 spells could be in the books.
The books can also contain a lower level spell instead of a higher one but doing so limits the access to more powerfull spells so it isn't optimal, usually.

[Kayblis]

What's the perfect size of pants? That's very similar to your question, in the sense that it depends entirely on you.

A blaster wizard will love blasting spells in most slots, while a summoner will fill over half the slots with summoning spells. A generalist will find both of these books mostly useless, depending on what feats they have and what classes he intends on advancing. Wizards are not Barbarians, you can't just say "pick Power Attack and Extra Rage and you're good". At the very least you'll end up with one "perfect" base spellbook for each general playstyle, and that's hardly optimal in most cases.

We can help more if you specify what your wizard does. What's the style you want to support? Is he a generalist or a specialist? What PrCs are invoved? The Wizard is easily one of the most complex classes because his floor is zero - a wizard with no useful spells is a commoner. What counts as useful is very dependent on build and situation.

[Trandir]

What's the perfect size of pants? That's very similar to your question, in the sense that it depends entirely on you.

A blaster wizard will love blasting spells in most slots, while a summoner will fill over half the slots with summoning spells. A generalist will find both of these books mostly useless, depending on what feats they have and what classes he intends on advancing. Wizards are not Barbarians, you can't just say "pick Power Attack and Extra Rage and you're good". At the very least you'll end up with one "perfect" base spellbook for each general playstyle, and that's hardly optimal in most cases.

We can help more if you specify what your wizard does. What's the style you want to support? Is he a generalist or a specialist? What PrCs are invoved? The Wizard is easily one of the most complex classes because his floor is zero - a wizard with no useful spells is a commoner. What counts as useful is very dependent on build and situation.
Yes but everyone, I hope, knows the size of pants he wants to buy when he enters a shop.

If I wanted help for my wizard I would have sayed so.
No this is just about what your wizard, and by that I mean the kind that you like to use the most or that you are currently playing, would want.

If he is a blaster then all blast spells and a couple utility in the lower level spell slots.

If he is a summoner summon monster, monolith, army what have you.

And so forth for every kind of wizard that are out there.

[Jack_Simth]

For the "short term" perspective, a wizard wants exactly enough to make use of their powers. That'll be the Wizard's current "step", or the next one up.

For the "long term" perspective, a wizard wants as many spells as possible. Even if the Wizard can't cast a spell now, the wizard likely plans to advance, which means the spells contained in the 17th level book are best.

[Mike Miller]

Basic spellbook? I don't think a spellbook with 9th level spells is basic. Also, you have over 100 pages in at least one of those times. That isn't basic, either. Ignoring these questions and the "where did these books come from?" leads to what others have said. There is no perfect answer. There have been many lists of best and most useful arcane spells over the years. I would start there and ask questions about specific spells if necessary.

[tiercel]

The perfect replacement spellbook would be one containing one or more spells allowing the wizard to get back to wherever his or her backup spellbook is stashed and retrieve it.

...there was a backup right? (Backing up spells is kind of like backing up important software, really.)

[Trandir]

The perfect replacement spellbook would be one containing one or more spells allowing the wizard to get back to wherever his or her backup spellbook is stashed and retrieve it.

...there was a backup right? (Backing up spells is kind of like backing up important software, really.)

Yes. Obv.
But why do I even wrote this?

For the sake of the thread assume that the wizard either does not have another spellbook somewhere or that for a couple of adventuring days a spell blocks all forms of far travel, extraplanar included. Also there is no way to add more spells, like asking with a wish a new spellbook or summoning a wizard and stealing from him. You can do this but let's assume you don't.




Basic spellbook? I don't think a spellbook with 9th level spells is basic. Also, you have over 100 pages in at least one of those times. That isn't basic, either. Ignoring these questions and the "where did these books come from?" leads to what others have said. There is no perfect answer. There have been many lists of best and most useful arcane spells over the years. I would start there and ask questions about specific spells if necessary.

First a 17th level "basic" spellbook is probably comparable in game to great relics containing immesurable power. But apparently they sell those too.
Yes the 100 pages limit, weird thing really. The cantrips alone would take probably one or 2 books by themselves. But to solve that the higher level ones are composed of two tomes and not one once they surpass the 100 pages mark


Also somebody knows if it is possible to delete a thread?

[ben-zayb]

If your party is on the general southern position of the alignment chart and the shop NPCs look like pushovers, you could just buy the one with the 9ths, then plan with your party how to murderhobo the shop to get back all your spent gold (and then some).

You could even abuse the "no teleportation" in-game etfect, so the shop NPCs would have no easy way to escape.

[zlefin]

Yes. Obv.
But why do I even wrote this?



First a 17th level "basic" spellbook is probably comparable in game to great relics containing immesurable power. But apparently they sell those too.
Yes the 100 pages limit, weird thing really. The cantrips alone would take probably one or 2 books by themselves. But to solve that the higher level ones are composed of two tomes and not one once they surpass the 100 pages mark


Also somebody knows if it is possible to delete a thread?
I don't think it's possible to delete a thread; I mean, the mods could, but iirc they don't do it if a thread has content, even if the question is no longer needed.

As to the underlying question: I don't see why they'd even have basic spellbooks; because a) there's no apparent market for such, and moreover b) given the pricing model, it makes more sense to just have a small booklet for each individual spell, and let people pick and choose.

[Gauntlet]

Given that as mentioned above, the requirements of a spellbook would vary from wizard to wizard, a 'standard' one would likely need to contain spells which are versatile. Given that the question hasn't actually been answered by anyone yet, here's a few ideas.

You get all 0-level spells for free, but they still take up physical space and pages in the book, so I've cut down to just a selection of ones that are likely to actually be useful.

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Wall of Smoke
Sleep

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Sleep

2:
Invisibility
Glitterdust

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Color Spray

2:
Invisibility
Alter Self
Glitterdust
Scorching Ray

3:
Suggestion
Haste

Spellbook IV
0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Alter Self
Glitterdust
Rope Trick

3:
Dispel Magic
Suggestion
Haste
Lightning Bolt

4:
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Dispel Magic
Anticipate Teleportation
Haste
Lightning Bolt

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

5:
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

5:
Summon Monster V
Wall of Force
Draconic Polymorph
Cloudkill

6:
Disintegrate
Greater Dispel Magic

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Create Magic Tattoo
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

5:
Teleport
Wall of Force
Draconic Polymorph
Cloudkill

6:
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Greater Dispel Magic
Planar Binding

7:
Greater Shadow Conjuration
Reverse Gravity

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Create Magic Tattoo
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Celerity
Dimension Door

5:
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force
Cloudkill
Break Enchantment

6:
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Greater Dispel Magic
Planar Binding

7:
Plane Shift
Greater Teleport
Forcecage
Reverse Gravity

8:
Polymorph Any Object
Superior Invisibility

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Create Magic Tattoo
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Celerity
Dimension Door

5:
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force
Cloudkill
Break Enchantment

6:
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Greater Dispel Magic
Planar Binding

7:
Plane Shift
Greater Teleport
Forcecage
Reverse Gravity

8:
Polymorph Any Object
Superior Invisibility
Moment of Prescience
Mind Blank

9:
Shapechange
Time Stop

[Trandir]

Given that as mentioned above, the requirements of a spellbook would vary from wizard to wizard, a 'standard' one would likely need to contain spells which are versatile. Given that the question hasn't actually been answered by anyone yet, here's a few ideas.

You get all 0-level spells for free, but they still take up physical space and pages in the book, so I've cut down to just a selection of ones that are likely to actually be useful.

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Wall of Smoke
Sleep

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Sleep

2:
Invisibility
Glitterdust

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Color Spray

2:
Invisibility
Alter Self
Glitterdust
Scorching Ray

3:
Suggestion
Haste

Spellbook IV
0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Alter Self
Glitterdust
Rope Trick

3:
Dispel Magic
Suggestion
Haste
Lightning Bolt

4:
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Dispel Magic
Anticipate Teleportation
Haste
Lightning Bolt

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

5:
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Mirror Image
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

5:
Summon Monster V
Wall of Force
Draconic Polymorph
Cloudkill

6:
Disintegrate
Greater Dispel Magic

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Create Magic Tattoo
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Black Tentacles
Dimension Door

5:
Teleport
Wall of Force
Draconic Polymorph
Cloudkill

6:
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Greater Dispel Magic
Planar Binding

7:
Greater Shadow Conjuration
Reverse Gravity

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Create Magic Tattoo
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Celerity
Dimension Door

5:
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force
Cloudkill
Break Enchantment

6:
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Greater Dispel Magic
Planar Binding

7:
Plane Shift
Greater Teleport
Forcecage
Reverse Gravity

8:
Polymorph Any Object
Superior Invisibility

0:
Detect Magic
Guidance
Prestidigitation
Mage Hand
Message
Arcane Mark
Caltrops
Launch Item

1:
Silent Image
Nerveskitter
Wall of Smoke
Benign Transposition
Charm Person

2:
Invisibility
Create Magic Tattoo
Chain of Eyes
Rope Trick

3:
Anticipate Teleportation
Heart of Water
Haste
Slow

4:
Assay Spell Resistance
Voice of the Dragon
Celerity
Dimension Door

5:
Draconic Polymorph
Wall of Force
Cloudkill
Break Enchantment

6:
Disintegrate
Flesh to Stone
Greater Dispel Magic
Planar Binding

7:
Plane Shift
Greater Teleport
Forcecage
Reverse Gravity

8:
Polymorph Any Object
Superior Invisibility
Moment of Prescience
Mind Blank

9:
Shapechange
Time Stop

Wait
Wait
Wait
Wait

Is this an actual answer for the OP's question?
Thank you so much Gauntlet, I was beginning to lose hope that someone would do it. And you have built a generalist's spellbook decent at worst in almost any situation.