This magical quill is a class feature and only does what it says it does. Anything else isn't RAW. The magical quill cannot be used with other inks. Because, as a class feature, it would say if it could.
Then it also doesn't reduce the cost of transcribing spells, "Because, as a class feature, it would say if it could." Correct? Not sure how making ink of any color became making ink that costs 10 gold per level. Surely if transcribing was just based on the color of the ink, wizards would pick something cheaper, or even free like plant pigments. Which is why I assumed the cost reduction was a UA holdover.
it never states you cannot use regular or magical ink. Doesn't require is not the same as, cannot be used.
The Quill is a class feature. It cannot be used in ways it doesn't say it can be used. No class feature can. Not unless you start homebrewing new uses for the feature.
This class feature does not say you can use it to write with purchased magical inks. So RAW, you cannot.
a quill is still a quill. whether magical or mundane it fills with ink when dipped into a ink well.
In this case the quill is a class feature. So it only does what it says it does. And it absolutely doesn't say "it fills with ink when dipped into a ink well".
Nothing of the sort, in fact. It says, instead:
"The quill doesn’t require ink. When you write with it, it produces ink in a color of your choice on the writing surface."
So even if you did dip it in ink, when you wrote with it it would STILL "produce ink in a color of your choice on the writing surface."
Because that's what it says it does.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
The equipment section of the rules lists an item: Ink (1 ounce bottle) 10 gp. This thread has already quoted the rules that show the cost of copying a known spell is directly related to the cost of ink -- 10 gp per spell level. It's a little odd that you'd need a new bottle of ink for each level of the spell being copied but that's the rule. Perhaps each level of the spell requires an additional color of ink? Who knows? So now if you owned a quill that produces its own ink of any color, it's a totally reasonable interpretation to assume that there is now no cost involved in copying text onto a blank page of a book, assuming that you already have the book. The ink is now free. I'm with Ravnodaus on this one for sure. In fact, what is the point of having a feature that has this ability if you cannot use it in this way for this purpose? This is exactly the point of having this quill in the first place. Why are we trying to nerf this character?
So I disagree with Ravnodaus that the quill cannot be used with other inks or whatnot. It is, a quill and can be used like other quills if you wanted. You don't have to use a quill to write with ink - technically you can use anything with a point. The quality of the writing may differ but possible. The feature just means this quill doesn't need ink and produces it's own.
However, I will agree with Ravnodaus that this feature means you don't need to buy ink for scribing and you get to scribe for free.
OMFG I'm agreeing with Ravnodaus on something what is happening to me?!?!
So, anyway:
Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.
This means copying, or "scribing", a spell normally involves:
reproducing the basic form of the spell
deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it
practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required
transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation
Steps 1 to 4 require time and cost, 2 hours per spell level and 50 gold for "experimenting" and "fine inks". Note, it doesn't say "magical" ink. Just 'fine ink' which can really mean anything. There's no specificity as to what constitutes fine ink. Pretty sure the standard bottle in equipment, a whopping 10 gold -- several months of wages -- is probably sufficient. More likely the use of "fine ink" is meant to make you think of the proper writing stuff not just the average basic dye, which, is all ink is: a dye. So the term is to mean proper writing ink not just ink made from squeezing any ol' plant you come across. The proper bottle stuff not just some food dye or crushed flowers (which can be used as an ink, albeit a poor faint one).
So now look at the next bit:
Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell.
So now this cost is 1 hour per level and 10 gp. This tells us that Steps 1-3 were 1 hour per level, and step 4 itself is 1 hour per level because steps 1-3 were the experimenting, Step 4 is just writing it in. And since all you have left is the scribing with ink, that means the cost here, 10 gp, is only for ink. And wouldja lookit that, the standard equipment ink bottle is 10 gp too! So, yeah, fine ink isn't a reference to some special ink you otherwise can't buy outside scribing - it just means a bottle ink not some makeshift basic stuff anybody can make with a few flowers or bugs.
And the magical quill doesn't need any ink - you can write with any ink and even in any colour.
Which, for me, is enough that I would allow free cost for scribing.
Now lets go less by the words and more by the context : the feature also reduces the time from 2 hours per level to 2 minutes, and not just for "replacing" but even for new spells being scribed - so the time reduction isn't just because the quill produces ink. It's a magic unto itself that channeling the feature through the quill is also allowing your experimentation to be faster (10x faster even) - which includes the deciphering and practice. The intent is clear that you are meant to scribe spells - it's Order of the Scribes, after all. There's also a feature for replacing the whole book in a short rest and transforming any book (not even a 'spell book', just any blank book) into a spellbook - into your specific spellbook in fact. It doesn't just scribe the spells from one book to the other but transforms the pages and bindings to your actually spellbook. So, yeah, the RAI is very clear that putting spells into your book and replacing it and having your book be the best spellbook ever, is kinda the point of the subclass.
And then there's the "test" of RAI : would my interpretation of RAW/RAI break the game or be super OP? If yes, I got it wrong. If no: I'm probably right or close enough.
So, would allowing an Order of Scribes Wizard scribe a spell for free break the game or be super OP? No. Not event slightly. As DM I have complete 100% perfect control over how many extra spells they'll have a chance to scribe and which ones they are. So it doesn't matter if it is free it isn't some big benefit. I also control their access to costly components : expensive diamonds, jade statuettes, gilded chests, fine rubies, and so on are not exactly an everyday item you can just go pick up and buy. So scribing being free for any wizard doesn't do a jack thing to game balance at all.
Even at max level a scribes wizard can scribe spells for free: a few hundred gold at most if the DM is nice enough to lay a spell before them to take. Meanwhile a lower level Creation Bard can just turn some music into a giant diamond worth millions in gold several times a day.
Some free scribin' ain't nothin' at all. Why be mean to the scribe whose features aren't anywhere near as grand or impressive as many others?
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Then it also doesn't reduce the cost of transcribing spells, "Because, as a class feature, it would say if it could." Correct? Not sure how making ink of any color became making ink that costs 10 gold per level. Surely if transcribing was just based on the color of the ink, wizards would pick something cheaper, or even free like plant pigments. Which is why I assumed the cost reduction was a UA holdover.
it never states you cannot use regular or magical ink. Doesn't require is not the same as, cannot be used.
Doesnt require meaning, it has its own source to do said task. But can bring versitility and use other things to also do said task.
cannot be used is stating that it only has one possible way to accomplish said task.
a quill is still a quill. whether magical or mundane it fills with ink when dipped into a ink well.
The Quill is a class feature. It cannot be used in ways it doesn't say it can be used. No class feature can. Not unless you start homebrewing new uses for the feature.
This class feature does not say you can use it to write with purchased magical inks. So RAW, you cannot.
In this case the quill is a class feature. So it only does what it says it does. And it absolutely doesn't say "it fills with ink when dipped into a ink well".
Nothing of the sort, in fact. It says, instead:
So even if you did dip it in ink, when you wrote with it it would STILL "produce ink in a color of your choice on the writing surface."
Because that's what it says it does.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
The equipment section of the rules lists an item: Ink (1 ounce bottle) 10 gp. This thread has already quoted the rules that show the cost of copying a known spell is directly related to the cost of ink -- 10 gp per spell level. It's a little odd that you'd need a new bottle of ink for each level of the spell being copied but that's the rule. Perhaps each level of the spell requires an additional color of ink? Who knows? So now if you owned a quill that produces its own ink of any color, it's a totally reasonable interpretation to assume that there is now no cost involved in copying text onto a blank page of a book, assuming that you already have the book. The ink is now free. I'm with Ravnodaus on this one for sure. In fact, what is the point of having a feature that has this ability if you cannot use it in this way for this purpose? This is exactly the point of having this quill in the first place. Why are we trying to nerf this character?
So I disagree with Ravnodaus that the quill cannot be used with other inks or whatnot. It is, a quill and can be used like other quills if you wanted. You don't have to use a quill to write with ink - technically you can use anything with a point. The quality of the writing may differ but possible. The feature just means this quill doesn't need ink and produces it's own.
However, I will agree with Ravnodaus that this feature means you don't need to buy ink for scribing and you get to scribe for free.
OMFG I'm agreeing with Ravnodaus on something what is happening to me?!?!
So, anyway:
This means copying, or "scribing", a spell normally involves:
Steps 1 to 4 require time and cost, 2 hours per spell level and 50 gold for "experimenting" and "fine inks". Note, it doesn't say "magical" ink. Just 'fine ink' which can really mean anything. There's no specificity as to what constitutes fine ink. Pretty sure the standard bottle in equipment, a whopping 10 gold -- several months of wages -- is probably sufficient. More likely the use of "fine ink" is meant to make you think of the proper writing stuff not just the average basic dye, which, is all ink is: a dye. So the term is to mean proper writing ink not just ink made from squeezing any ol' plant you come across. The proper bottle stuff not just some food dye or crushed flowers (which can be used as an ink, albeit a poor faint one).
So now look at the next bit:
So now this cost is 1 hour per level and 10 gp. This tells us that Steps 1-3 were 1 hour per level, and step 4 itself is 1 hour per level because steps 1-3 were the experimenting, Step 4 is just writing it in. And since all you have left is the scribing with ink, that means the cost here, 10 gp, is only for ink. And wouldja lookit that, the standard equipment ink bottle is 10 gp too! So, yeah, fine ink isn't a reference to some special ink you otherwise can't buy outside scribing - it just means a bottle ink not some makeshift basic stuff anybody can make with a few flowers or bugs.
And the magical quill doesn't need any ink - you can write with any ink and even in any colour.
Which, for me, is enough that I would allow free cost for scribing.
Now lets go less by the words and more by the context : the feature also reduces the time from 2 hours per level to 2 minutes, and not just for "replacing" but even for new spells being scribed - so the time reduction isn't just because the quill produces ink. It's a magic unto itself that channeling the feature through the quill is also allowing your experimentation to be faster (10x faster even) - which includes the deciphering and practice. The intent is clear that you are meant to scribe spells - it's Order of the Scribes, after all. There's also a feature for replacing the whole book in a short rest and transforming any book (not even a 'spell book', just any blank book) into a spellbook - into your specific spellbook in fact. It doesn't just scribe the spells from one book to the other but transforms the pages and bindings to your actually spellbook. So, yeah, the RAI is very clear that putting spells into your book and replacing it and having your book be the best spellbook ever, is kinda the point of the subclass.
And then there's the "test" of RAI : would my interpretation of RAW/RAI break the game or be super OP? If yes, I got it wrong. If no: I'm probably right or close enough.
So, would allowing an Order of Scribes Wizard scribe a spell for free break the game or be super OP? No. Not event slightly. As DM I have complete 100% perfect control over how many extra spells they'll have a chance to scribe and which ones they are. So it doesn't matter if it is free it isn't some big benefit. I also control their access to costly components : expensive diamonds, jade statuettes, gilded chests, fine rubies, and so on are not exactly an everyday item you can just go pick up and buy. So scribing being free for any wizard doesn't do a jack thing to game balance at all.
Even at max level a scribes wizard can scribe spells for free: a few hundred gold at most if the DM is nice enough to lay a spell before them to take. Meanwhile a lower level Creation Bard can just turn some music into a giant diamond worth millions in gold several times a day.
Some free scribin' ain't nothin' at all. Why be mean to the scribe whose features aren't anywhere near as grand or impressive as many others?
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.