My character, for reasons, would like to make a copy of an in-game book. PC has relevant skills, it will offer no mechanical benefit. What reasonable components would this consume?
The basic unit of ink says it is enough for 500 pages of writing, so one bottle of ink, a quill, and a blank book should be all that’s required physically. Timewise I’d say just go with whatever fits your campaign’s timescale.
Cribbing from Xanathar's rules for Downtime a book (25 GP in the 2024 PHB) would require 12.5 Gold and 2.5 days of work to create. I'm sure there are other sources that have different ways to do it (and mine could be a little off). This works quick though.
The 12.5 gp and 2.5 days is not the cost and time to hand copy the contents of a book, it is the cost and time to craft a blank book. Assuming the PC will be purchasing a blank book (and not binding one themself), 25gp for the blank book, 10gp for one vial of ink, and multiple quills.
Handwriting hundreds of pages using ink and quill will take a very long time. It could take a scribe several hours per page depending on the complexity of the text and whether there is artwork included.
I would say that if the goal is to make as close to an exact copy as possible, no more than 2 pages per day per scribe. Then at the end, the pages are assembled and bound together (otherwise only 1 scribe can do that work if writing into a prebound book).
It’s a question of where on the “realism/expediency” spectrum a DM wants this to fall. Taking an extended period is more realistic- though I’m skeptical about only doing 2 pages a day- while running off the crafting system is a good basis for letting them put this together mid-adventure.
The 12.5 gp and 2.5 days is not the cost and time to hand copy the contents of a book, it is the cost and time to craft a blank book. Assuming the PC will be purchasing a blank book (and not binding one themself), 25gp for the blank book, 10gp for one vial of ink, and multiple quills.
25 GP is the cost of a fully printed book. There is, unfortunately, no price for a blank book, only for a printed book.
Alternatively, Xanathar's and the PHB 2024 have guidelines for crafting time. Xanathar's says it would take half a work week (2.5 days of a modern work week, 3 days of a historical work week.) to complete it. The PHB says it would take 2.5 days. See Crafting Nonmagical Items.
(EDIT: using the 2024 PHB rules) 3 days then, am I right? Divide its purchase cost in GP by 10 (round a fraction up to a day).
Yes, but it's a little weird between editions (Also, I see your edit in my quote, but it hasn't updated on my screen). The PHB rounds per day (which I am not a fan of) and Xanathar's is expressed in weeks (which I am less a fan of) but doesn't really have inherent rounding. The PHB says it takes 1 day to make one backpack, while Xanathar's (Xanathar?) says you can make 25 in a work week.
XGtE crafting was written in the context of crafting over several weeks of downtime to fill space between adventures. For creating a single simple mundane item like this, I’d look at the PHB.
(EDIT: using the 2024 PHB rules) 3 days then, am I right? Divide its purchase cost in GP by 10 (round a fraction up to a day).
Yes, but it's a little weird between editions (Also, I see your edit in my quote, but it hasn't updated on my screen). The PHB rounds per day (which I am not a fan of) and Xanathar's is expressed in weeks (which I am less a fan of) but doesn't really have inherent rounding. The PHB says it takes 1 day to make one backpack, while Xanathar's (Xanathar?) says you can make 25 in a work week.
Xanathar is less strict when it comes to crafting, but more demanding when it comes to criminal work.
PS. We're using the 2024 PHB crafting rules in our games.
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My character, for reasons, would like to make a copy of an in-game book. PC has relevant skills, it will offer no mechanical benefit. What reasonable components would this consume?
The basic unit of ink says it is enough for 500 pages of writing, so one bottle of ink, a quill, and a blank book should be all that’s required physically. Timewise I’d say just go with whatever fits your campaign’s timescale.
Cribbing from Xanathar's rules for Downtime a book (25 GP in the 2024 PHB) would require 12.5 Gold and 2.5 days of work to create. I'm sure there are other sources that have different ways to do it (and mine could be a little off). This works quick though.
That’s probably more efficient, yeah.
The 12.5 gp and 2.5 days is not the cost and time to hand copy the contents of a book, it is the cost and time to craft a blank book. Assuming the PC will be purchasing a blank book (and not binding one themself), 25gp for the blank book, 10gp for one vial of ink, and multiple quills.
Handwriting hundreds of pages using ink and quill will take a very long time. It could take a scribe several hours per page depending on the complexity of the text and whether there is artwork included.
I would say that if the goal is to make as close to an exact copy as possible, no more than 2 pages per day per scribe. Then at the end, the pages are assembled and bound together (otherwise only 1 scribe can do that work if writing into a prebound book).
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (original Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
It’s a question of where on the “realism/expediency” spectrum a DM wants this to fall. Taking an extended period is more realistic- though I’m skeptical about only doing 2 pages a day- while running off the crafting system is a good basis for letting them put this together mid-adventure.
25 GP is the cost of a fully printed book. There is, unfortunately, no price for a blank book, only for a printed book.
Depending on the realism desired, this seems to be a useful starting point: How Long Did It Take to Copy a Book in Medieval Times?
Alternatively, Xanathar's and the PHB 2024 have guidelines for crafting time. Xanathar's says it would take half a work week (2.5 days of a modern work week, 3 days of a historical work week.) to complete it. The PHB says it would take 2.5 days. See Crafting Nonmagical Items.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
(EDIT: using the 2024 PHB rules) 3 days then, am I right? "Divide its purchase cost in GP by 10 (round a fraction up to a day)."
Yes, but it's a little weird between editions (Also, I see your edit in my quote, but it hasn't updated on my screen). The PHB rounds per day (which I am not a fan of) and Xanathar's is expressed in weeks (which I am less a fan of) but doesn't really have inherent rounding. The PHB says it takes 1 day to make one backpack, while Xanathar's (Xanathar?) says you can make 25 in a work week.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
XGtE crafting was written in the context of crafting over several weeks of downtime to fill space between adventures. For creating a single simple mundane item like this, I’d look at the PHB.
Xanathar is less strict when it comes to crafting, but more demanding when it comes to criminal work.
PS. We're using the 2024 PHB crafting rules in our games.