Feature Suggestion: Enhanced Spellbook Functionality

[frumple]

Sounds awesome Aaron!

[Silveras]

Originally Posted by Aaron

If a user knows the same spell for two different classes, add two copies to the pool, and move each to a different association pool (this might throw off value/page calculations for the book? Need a "duplicate" checkbox maybe? Ugh, hate multiple checkboxes, I'll think on it).

I don't know that you'd have to worry about that, except in order to accommodate house rules.

As I understand it, if a character has two spellcasting classes, the spell slots and what spells are known are handled separately (except for abilities like some Sorcerer bloodline abilities that modify spells when cast). As such, a Magus/Wizard would have separate spellbooks for each class, anyway (and so there would be no need to have a section that allowed mixing, either), and would have to scribe the spell separately in each.

The intention behind the request was to match the core functionality, for cases such as when a Wizard makes multiple copies of the spellbooks for safety, and when spellbooks are captured.

While a Magus or Alchemist can learn a spell from a Wizard's spellbook, I don't recall anything supporting (or prohibiting) mixed spellbooks. I think the default is that a Magus/Wizard or Alchemist/Wizard would need to carry multiple "sets" of spellbooks in that case (again, barring support for houserules)... which should simplify things a bit.

As for Witches, I was reviewing the class recently. They can't have an "extra" familiar "backup copy" like other spellbook-using classes can. Their "free scribes" are 2 per level + patron spells (+ a small number based on Int modifier at 1st level to start). If they lose their familiar and need to replace it, the new familiar starts with the 2-per-level + patron spells only.

Use Case Example
Fergus is a Wizard 1 with Int bonus of +3

His Wizard spellbook contains all cantrips (something like 20, so 20 pages there) + 6 1st-level spells of his choice for 26 pages of 100 used, cost 0 gp.

Being a little cautious, he purchases a traveling spellbook (50 page capacity), and scribes second copies of most of his spells into it (leaving out Read Magic, which all Wizards can prepare from memory without a book).. for 25 spells, 25 pages used, 155 gp cost (6x10 gp + 19x5 gp)

When Fergus reaches 2nd level, he decides to become a Wizard 1/Alchemist 1. He gains a Formula Book (100 page capacity) with 5 1st-level Extracts in it (2 base +3 for Int), for 5 pages of the 100 used. He tries not to overlap his formulae selections with his Wizard spells, because he wants to spend time learning his Wizard spells as formulae to increase his adaptability.

Fergus spends time learning his Wizard spells as Formulae, adding 10 of them to his Formula book as 1st level extracts (10 pages and 100 gp cost to scribe). Unfortunately, Wizards can't learn spells from Formulae, so be can't reverse that to learn the 1st level extracts as spells.

At this point, Fergus has 3 "spellbooks"

• 1 standard spellbook with 26 of 100 pages used holding 20 cantrips + 6 1st-level spells; sell value 80 gp (1/2 the cost to scribe the spells)
• 1 traveling spellbook with 25 out of 50 pages used holding 19 cantrips + 6 1st-level spells (a not quite complete copy of the contents of his standard spellbook); sell value 77.5 gp
• 1 Formula book with 15 out of 100 pages used holding 15 1st-level formulae; sell value 37.5 gp

Does that help?

EDIT:
It just occurred to me in looking at the sell prices I added; captured spellbooks should probably count against Wealth-by-Level, but the Wizard's own (and copies of them?) should not.

[Aaron]

I was hoping to provide you all with some screenshots, but alas, the UI gods are fickle and I've got to re-arrange a bunch of stuff. Just a progress report though, I have most of the UI framework built, and the underlying mechanics (purchasing spells, recording what spells are understood, free from advancement, complaining if you understand a spell in a spellbook associated with a class, but that class doesn't have the spell on their spell list, etc) is 95% as well.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Aaron

I was hoping to provide you all with some screenshots, but alas, the UI gods are fickle and I've got to re-arrange a bunch of stuff.

I give you props for this Aaron. I spent well over 6 hours trying to get a Deity selection added to d20 yesterday. One simple selection. With all the features you are mentioning its insane.

Great job. Can't wait to see this...

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

I give you props for this Aaron. I spent well over 6 hours trying to get a Deity selection added to d20 yesterday. One simple selection. With all the features you are mentioning its insane.

Great job. Can't wait to see this...

At least you're not having to set things up twice, once for the desktop and differently for the Ipad app. Thanks for the kind words, helps keep me motivated.

[Enforcer84]

Somebody get this man more kind words!

No really, Aaron you've been a huge help on all the custom stuff I've done, between Shadow, Mathias, Yourself and a few others I'm proud to say I've done some stuff and crying in the fetal position has been at a minimum.

[Silveras]

That's fantastic progress, Aaron. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you've come up with.

[Cards77]

I wanted to voice my support for this and thank Aaron and the others for their hard work on what's currently being proposed. I think this adds a very nice dimension for spellbooks, something that is usually overlooked or glossed over in a game.

I have to admit though I clicked on the title hoping that this thread was more directed at how HL handles spells and spell books in general.

Not all of us can or would use HL at the table, so a way to print every spell known in a table with all it's pertinent information is absolutely ESSENTIAL to our use of this software.

I'm frustrated that I paid for this software (which is incredible don't get me wrong), and this critical core component is missing, and I have to use a clunky old Excel sheet from a project that was abandoned over a year ago to get a sheet with all my spells known, and the pertinent spell information so that I can choose what to memorize throughout the session.

I LOVE many things about HL but the assumption that everyone is using it on a screen at the gaming table is starting to be a real issue for me.

I can think of a quick fix really: A button that says "ADD ALL SPELLS TO SPELLBOOK" so we don't have to manually click every spell when a divine spellcaster has access to everything more or less. Then it would be much easier to just remove prohibited domains and/or schools, rather than add every spell allowed for a given PC.

[thedarkelf007]

This sounds awesome, just what I need for dealing with divine casters having a limited spell list. Getting every spell in the game, which grows with a new supplement has caused some games to grind to a halt with spell selection. I ended up giving prepared divine casters 6+Wis spells at first level and 4 spells per level after that free and that has worked out well.

I also like the idea of spellbooks as items with set spells so players can have a treasure item instead of having to read through a printout of what was in the book.

Extra items on the spells included, as mentioned, also sounds great, wish I could help

[Enforcer84]

Well done, Aaron wanted to find the old thread and thank you personally.