I noticed this when I found that only the 2014 version of the Spellbook was available in D&D Beyond. I checked in the Wizard entry in the 2024 PHB, and sure enough, you start with a Spellbook. But what IS a spellbook? How much does it cost if you lose your original or are multiclassing? You won't find that in the equipment section. I think this is an oversight. Where do we report such errors? This is the best place I could find.
Under the Wizard class (no page number because I am using my online copy)
Spellbook. Your wizardly apprenticeship culminated in the creation of a unique book: your spellbook. It is a Tiny object that weighs 3 pounds, contains 100 pages, and can be read only by you or someone casting Identify. You determine the book’s appearance and materials, such as a gilt-edged tome or a collection of vellum bound with twine.
There is no cost listed for an empty spellbook, but nearly all your expense is going to be in copying the spells (10 gp per level for spells to already know, 50 gp per level for spells you don't).
The value of a spellbook would be wildly subjective. Wizards can't directly use someone else's spellbook, so the entire value of the book is in the spells that can be copied out. This means that any spells contained in the book are practically useless to a mage that already knows them. They aren't even very good as a backup since they cost 5 times as much to copy as making a proper backup.
It's an interesting decision; the sidebar still discusses losing the spellbook, so clearly they don't intend for it to be magically tethered to you so it can't be lost. I guess you could always say a new spellbook uses the same 25 gp cost as other books in '24.
Regarding the "value" of a spellbook, I assume the '14 price was for a blank one, not that you could go buy some archmage's grimoire for the same price as a greatsword.
I would not worry about the cost unless a player tried to do something crazy, like buy 100 blank spell books. The cost of writing pretty much anything into a spell book will overtake any initial cost rapidly.
If you put a gun to my head and said that I had to produce a cost for a blank spell book (such as a character wanting to buy 100 of them), I would probably say that it is 10 GP. I reason that the 25 gp books have writing in them. That means a blank version would be half the value if we think of writing the book as 'crafting.' However, that's for a 5-pound book, and a spell book is only 3 pounds. 3/5ths of 12.5 gp is 7.5 GP. I would tack on the extra 2.5 GP to round out the number because, in the real world, things don't scale linearly and because I would assume a spell book would probably use better-than-average material.
How do I keep track of my spellbook and backup spellbook since there is no 2024 item? What do I put on my character sheet? 2014 Spellbook? What is the cost of an Enduring Spellbook?
How do I keep track of my spellbook and backup spellbook since there is no 2024 item? What do I put on my character sheet? 2014 Spellbook? What is the cost of an Enduring Spellbook?
You can either enable the 2014 rules and use the 2014 one, or add a custom item from the "Manage Inventory" sidebar on the character sheet.
An Enduring Spellbook is a common-tier magic item, which (per the table in chapter 7 of the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide) means it's worth 100 gp.
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I noticed this when I found that only the 2014 version of the Spellbook was available in D&D Beyond. I checked in the Wizard entry in the 2024 PHB, and sure enough, you start with a Spellbook. But what IS a spellbook? How much does it cost if you lose your original or are multiclassing? You won't find that in the equipment section. I think this is an oversight. Where do we report such errors? This is the best place I could find.
Yes, it's not included in the Adventuring Gear in the 2024 PHB.
I remember it was pointed out by @ShaneTheStrange in this thread: PHB2024 Potential Errata
Under the Wizard class (no page number because I am using my online copy)
There is no cost listed for an empty spellbook, but nearly all your expense is going to be in copying the spells (10 gp per level for spells to already know, 50 gp per level for spells you don't).
The value of a spellbook would be wildly subjective. Wizards can't directly use someone else's spellbook, so the entire value of the book is in the spells that can be copied out. This means that any spells contained in the book are practically useless to a mage that already knows them. They aren't even very good as a backup since they cost 5 times as much to copy as making a proper backup.
It's an interesting decision; the sidebar still discusses losing the spellbook, so clearly they don't intend for it to be magically tethered to you so it can't be lost. I guess you could always say a new spellbook uses the same 25 gp cost as other books in '24.
Regarding the "value" of a spellbook, I assume the '14 price was for a blank one, not that you could go buy some archmage's grimoire for the same price as a greatsword.
I would not worry about the cost unless a player tried to do something crazy, like buy 100 blank spell books. The cost of writing pretty much anything into a spell book will overtake any initial cost rapidly.
If you put a gun to my head and said that I had to produce a cost for a blank spell book (such as a character wanting to buy 100 of them), I would probably say that it is 10 GP. I reason that the 25 gp books have writing in them. That means a blank version would be half the value if we think of writing the book as 'crafting.' However, that's for a 5-pound book, and a spell book is only 3 pounds. 3/5ths of 12.5 gp is 7.5 GP. I would tack on the extra 2.5 GP to round out the number because, in the real world, things don't scale linearly and because I would assume a spell book would probably use better-than-average material.
How do I keep track of my spellbook and backup spellbook since there is no 2024 item? What do I put on my character sheet? 2014 Spellbook? What is the cost of an Enduring Spellbook?
You can either enable the 2014 rules and use the 2014 one, or add a custom item from the "Manage Inventory" sidebar on the character sheet.
An Enduring Spellbook is a common-tier magic item, which (per the table in chapter 7 of the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide) means it's worth 100 gp.
pronouns: he/she/they