[DF4:Sages] Weight of Spellbooks

[wmervine4]

In chapter 4, pages 13-14, the rules are described for pricing out books as spellbooks. The table at the top of page 14 specifically shows that an Average spellbook with 3 spells weighs 12 lbs., but the line beneath this for +1 also shows 12 lbs. Does this mean that additional spells beyond 3 do not increase the weight of a spellbook, or that each additional spell increases the weight by an additional 12 lbs. per spell?

If it's 12 lbs. for 3+ spells, it seems a little funny that I could put 30 spells into a spellbook and it still only weighs 12 lbs. On the other hand, if it is 12 additional pounds per spell, a spellbook with 4 spells would weigh 24 lbs, 5 spells would be 36 lbs., and so forth, which seems excessive since the difference between 2 and 3 spells is only 6 lbs. (6 lbs. for 2 spells, 12 lbs. for 3).

I'm just wondering which is the correct way to handle this. The way its written in the table (no "+" before the 12 lbs.) makes me think that only the cost increases for additional spells, not the weight.

This makes me wonder though, especially if the weigh maxes out at 12 lbs., what is the practical upper limit of spells in one book, if any?

[kmunoz]

And on p. 14 the example given is 1 spell at 3 lbs. Two spells, in the table, is 6 lbs. So you would expect 3 spells to be 9 lbs. But it's not - it's 12 lbs. And if that's the case, then maybe 4 spells really should be +12 = 24 lbs (since it seems to double each time). But then 5 spells would be 48 lbs...? Maybe...?

The weights really aren't calibrated to the number of spells, anyway - they're calibrated to skill bonuses based on the text being a primer (3 lbs), a textbook (6 lbs) or a thesis (12 lbs).

Which means, I *think*, that the "number of spells" in the table reflects the number of skill points the text offers, assuming each point is for one spell (the Spellbooks section notwithstanding).

It's....not the clearest section.

[PK]

Spellbooks are nothing more than primers or theses. And the cost of a thesis is given as "$25/point, 12 lbs." The cost varies by how many points are in the book, but the weight does not.

[wmervine4]

Originally Posted by PK

Spellbooks are nothing more than primers or theses. And the cost of a thesis is given as "$25/point, 12 lbs." The cost varies by how many points are in the book, but the weight does not.

Fantastic. This is what I was thinking. So given that a thesis is 12 lbs., is there any practical limit to the number of spells that would fit in one?

[PK]

Originally Posted by wmervine4

Fantastic. This is what I was thinking. So given that a thesis is 12 lbs., is there any practical limit to the number of spells that would fit in one?

Probably, but that's up to the GM. Personally, I think 10-12 spells is a reasonable upper limit. Alternatively, you could do something more complex with the weight, like, "A thesis weighs 12 lbs. up to eight points; past that, weight is (4 + points) lbs."

[wmervine4]

Originally Posted by PK

Probably, but that's up to the GM. Personally, I think 10-12 spells is a reasonable upper limit. Alternatively, you could do something more complex with the weight, like, "A thesis weighs 12 lbs. up to eight points; past that, weight is (4 + points) lbs."

Awesome. Thanks so much! This is very helpful.