Spellbooks & Research
How Magic-Users expand their arcane repertoire.
The Spellbook
A Magic-User’s spellbook is the center of their world. It holds all the arcane knowledge they’ve collected and must be studied daily to prepare spells.
Starting Spellbook: At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing Read Magic plus (1 + INT) 1st-tier spells.
Capacity: A standard spellbook holds 20 spells. Cost: 200 gp.
Without Your Spellbook: You cannot prepare new spells. You can only cast spells you already have prepared.
Adding Spells
There are three ways to add spells to your spellbook:
1. Copying from a Found Source
When you acquire another Magic-User’s spellbook or a spell scroll, you can copy spells into your own book.
Requirements:
- Cast Read Magic to decipher the notation
- The spell must be of a tier you can cast (you cannot comprehend magic beyond your current ability)
Time: 1 day per spell tier
Cost: 100 gp per spell tier (inks and materials)
Scrolls are consumed when copied. Spellbooks are not.
Note: This is different from casting a scroll. Casting uses the scroll’s magic immediately. Copying transfers the knowledge to your book.
2. Learning from a Mentor
A more experienced Magic-User can teach you spells they know.
The Catch: Mentors don’t give away their secrets for free. They may demand payment, favors, quests, or rare components. The Referee adjudicates what a mentor requires.
Once a mentor agrees to teach you: Copy the spell as normal (1 day/tier, 100 gp/tier). The adventure to earn their trust IS the real cost.
3. Spell Research
Creating a new spell or independently discovering an existing one requires extended study and experimentation. This is the slowest and most expensive path, but requires no luck or negotiation.
Requirements:
- Access to a library, laboratory, or arcane workshop
- Rare materials appropriate to the spell’s nature
- Uninterrupted time for study
- The spell must be of a tier you can cast
Time: 1 week per spell tier
Cost: 700 gp per week (materials, texts)
Check: At the end of the research period, make an INT check to finalise the spell:
- Tier 1-2: Easy (DC 8)
- Tier 3-4: Normal (DC 12)
- Tier 5-6: Hard (DC 16)
Success: The spell is added to your spellbook.
Failure: The spell doesn’t hold. It will take another week of work (700 gp) before you’re ready to attempt finalisation again.
Backup Spellbook
Because spellbooks are irreplaceable, wise Magic-Users create backups.
Copying Your Own Spellbook:
- Since these spells are already in your notation, it’s much faster
- Time: 1 hour per spell tier
- Cost: 50 gp per spell tier
Scrolls
Scrolls are single-use magical items containing one spell.
Casting from a Scroll
Magic-User scrolls are written in arcane notation. Only Magic-Users can use them:
- If the spell is a tier you can cast: automatic success
- If the spell is a higher tier: make an INT check (DC 10 + spell tier). Failure wastes the scroll.
Cleric scrolls contain divine blessings that anyone can attempt to invoke:
- Clerics: automatic success for spells on their oath’s list
- Everyone else: make a WIS check (DC 10 + spell tier)
Casting from a scroll does not expend a spell slot. The scroll is consumed whether you succeed or fail.
Rituals
Some spells can be cast as rituals - cast without preparing them first, but taking longer.
Ritual Casting:
- Cast directly from your spellbook (Magic-Users) or prayer (Clerics)
- Add 10 minutes to the casting time
- Still consumes a spell slot
- Only spells marked as {Ritual} can be cast this way
Ritual casting gives flexibility - you can cast spells you didn’t prepare that day, but it costs time.
Quick Reference
| Activity | Time | Cost | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy from source | 1 day/tier | 100 gp/tier | No |
| Learn from mentor | 1 day/tier | 100 gp/tier + quest | No |
| Research | 1 week/tier | 700 gp/week | INT (DC 8/12/16) to finalise |
| Backup own spell | 1 hr/tier | 50 gp/tier | No |
Spellbook (blank, 20 capacity): 200 gp
Research Cost Examples
| Tier | Weeks | Base Cost | With Failures (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 700 gp | 800-1,000 gp |
| 2 | 2 | 1,400 gp | 1,600-2,000 gp |
| 3 | 3 | 2,100 gp | 2,500-3,000 gp |
| 4 | 4 | 2,800 gp | 3,500-4,500 gp |
| 5 | 5 | 3,500 gp | 5,000-7,000 gp |
| 6 | 6 | 4,200 gp | 6,000-8,500 gp |
Design Notes
Three paths, different trade-offs:
- Find it: Cheapest and fastest, but requires adventure and luck
- Mentor: Mid-cost, but requires roleplay and earning trust
- Research: Most expensive and slowest, but always available
Research is intentionally harsh: Failure at the final check costs another week and 700 gp before you can try again. This encourages players to hunt for spells in the world rather than defaulting to research. The world is the better deal.
The 100 gp/day principle: Magic costs 100 gp per day of work. Copying takes days, so 100 gp/tier. Research takes weeks (7 days), so 700 gp/week. This makes costs easy to remember and calculate.