Wizard - alternative to gold for copying spell scrolls into spellbook.

[Snig]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently playing a divination wizard in a long-running curse of strahd campaign. We are currently level 6, and there's been an ongoing minor issue that I'm struggling with so I thought perhaps you all might have some suggestions.

My character currently has I believe 5 to 6 scrolls that I've been collecting ever since level 1. The problem is that there has been very little gold that we've come across so far in the campaign and I understand that that is part of the module? In fact I haven't come across enough gold to scribe even a single scroll. I did manage to make a trade for the counter spell scroll, and between the entire group of 4, We managed to scrounge together the last of our gold so that I could copy it into my spellbook.

1st of all I'm wondering if wizards are balanced against other classes with the expectation that they will come across spell scrolls during their adventures to add to their arsenal?

I'm looking at other classes like the Cleric and Druid with their "always prepared" subclass specific spells plus access to their entire spell list, and sorcerers with their metamagic and even some of them with their subclass specific set of always prepared spells. Compared to the wizard, they are able to prepare more spells (16 for a cleric / druid at level 6 vs 10 for a wizard assuming 18 in primary stat). I understand that wizard's spell list has some more potent options, but with only 2 selections per level, I'm left feeling a bit wanting.

Are my concerns valid, or am I missing something?

Finally has anyone come up with any alternative methods for a wizard to acquire the necessary ink to copy a scroll other than gold? Perhaps alchemy or herbalism? My DM mentioned something about using my blood and having a cost associated with that?

We're spitballing some ideas right now but I could use some inspiration!

[KorvinStarmast]

I'm currently playing a divination wizard in a long-running curse of strahd campaign. We are currently level 6, and there's been an ongoing minor issue that I'm struggling with so I thought perhaps you all might have some suggestions. Welcome to Barovia. That is part of how this setting is harder than FR.
We have found ourselves being careful with expenditures of coin for a similar reason.
We are at level six.

I did manage to make a trade for the counter spell scroll, and between the entire group of 4, We managed to scrounge together the last of our gold so that I could copy it into my spellbook. Great job by your party/team! That's smart party play. :smallsmile:

[PhoenixPhyre]

1st of all I'm wondering if wizards are balanced against other classes with the expectation that they will come across spell scrolls during their adventures to add to their arsenal?


Wizards are more than balanced assuming they never get any spells outside their free level up ones. Scribing in new spells is a nice boon, not a system expectation.

[Sigreid]

This is a DM thing, but I would let a wizard that is an alchemist make their own inks. In essence, you'd be trading time to hunt for the materials and make the inks for the gold cost.

[TurboGhast]

You might be able to find the ink needed for spell scribing as loot, but this is another solution that's more of a DM thing than a player thing (I actually hesitated to bring it up because it's a far better solution for a DM wanting to give out wizard-specific loot than your issue). Still, if you're searching a location where you might find that ink, stating that you'd consider it to be loot would be worth doing.

[thoroughlyS]

1st of all I'm wondering if wizards are balanced against other classes with the expectation that they will come across spell scrolls during their adventures to add to their arsenal?
No, a wizard can keep up just fine, assuming they only add the spells they get through levelling up.

I'm looking at other classes like the Cleric and Druid with their "always prepared" subclass specific spells plus access to their entire spell list, and sorcerers with their metamagic and even some of them with their subclass specific set of always prepared spells. Compared to the wizard, they are able to prepare more spells (16 for a cleric / druid at level 6 vs 10 for a wizard assuming 18 in primary stat). I understand that wizard's spell list has some more potent options, but with only 2 selections per level, I'm left feeling a bit wanting.
While all cleric domains get domain spells, only land, spores, and wildfire druids get circle spells... but that's beside the point. While the cleric does get 16 spells prepared, any rituals they want eat into that number, unlike you. As a wizard, as long as you have your spellbook with you, you can cast any of the ritual spells in there without needing to prepare them. So you don't just have 10 spells. You have those 10, plus detect magic, find familiar, alarm... The wizard spell list has the best set of rituals in the game.

Finally has anyone come up with any alternative methods for a wizard to acquire the necessary ink to copy a scroll other than gold? Perhaps alchemy or herbalism? My DM mentioned something about using my blood and having a cost associated with that?
As someone running Curse of Strahd, there are a few treasure piles scattered throughout the book, enough that the party should stumble into at least a thousand gp. How much treasure have y'all come across, and how much do you think you need?