Epic Blessed Book

[shai-hulud]

By popular demand, I will try to create an epic version of the Blessed Book. Post any ideas you have. Let's start with the non-epic version:

Blessed Book

This well-made tome is always of small size, typically no more than 12 inches tall, 8 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. All such books are durable, waterproof, bound with iron overlaid with silver, and locked.

A wizard can fill the 1,000 pages of a blessed book with spells without paying the 100 gp per page material cost. This book is never found as randomly generated treasure with spells already inscribed in it.

Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, secret page; Price 12,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

So, first of all, let's consider size. The Complete Arcane has a special ability called Glamered which allows the spellbook to be disguised as something else. The Epic Blessed Book should likely incorporate that, only it should be a transmutation effect where the book actually becomes something else. In other words, it is animated. This can be a Polymorph Any Object effect.

Next, durability. It should be made of something far more durable than normal paper. Perhaps adamantine foil. This will make it very heavy, so it should also be weightless. This can be a Levitate effect.

It should be waterproofed and immune to energy attacks. Waterproofing is an Endure Elements effect while immunity to energy is a Protection From Energy effect.

It should be immune to magic, so Antimagic Field.

After that, the Blessed Book removes the cost of scribing a spell into it (ordinarily it is 100gp/page, but with the Blessed Book, it is free). The Epic version should keep that ability, but should likely reduce the time required to scribe scrolls into the book to nothing, as well. Consuming spells is a bit more tricky. The only effect I can think would be a Wish effect.

So, here is my idea for the Epic Blessed Book:

Epic Blessed Book

This book creates a bond with its owner. None of its abilities can be used until it is in its owner's possession for at least one week. The owner can prepare any spell in the book without actually reading from it. The normal requirements for rest are still required, but looking at the book is not required for spell preparation, so long as the book remains on the owner's person and on the same plane.

The book may take the form of any inanimate object the owner likes from the size of a small coin to a large table.

Adding spells to the book from a scroll requires the scroll to be placed into the book. The scroll is then consumed and the spell added. If another wizard's spell book has spells to be copied, simply place the book inside the Epic Blessed Book, and all of the spells are copied instantly, leaving the spell book unharmed. A DC 15+Spell Level spellcraft check is required as normal by the owner for each spell added. The normal 24 hour time period and the 100gp per page costs are not needed.

Unlike most spell books, the Epic Blessed Book does not have a certain number of pages. It has as many pages as it needs to store the spells it contains.

The book has hardness 20 and 2,000 hit points. It is immune to energy damage and magic that offers spell resistance. It possesses semi-empathy and can contact its owner telepathically if it is in danger.

Caster Level: 30; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, Polymorph Any Object, Levitate, Endure Elements, Protection From Energy, Antimagic Field, Wish; Market Value: 3,050,000gp.

What does everyone think? Please offer suggestions. The pricing was rather arbitrary, as I have no clue how to price it. If you feel it should be more or less, please give a reason why.

[Catalyst]

I think that's just about as perfect of a write-up as you can get without having to call WotC and asking. The pricing is fair and the abilities are all quite useful for a wizard... I say, don't change anything, leave it how it is and make it an option.

[grepme2001]

I like it, but I think the insta-scribe ability should drive the price up more. At this price its a no brainer, which always makes me think it should cost more.

[fnord]

For balance, I would say it must be within a certain distance of the wizard for the wizard to be able to "prepare any spell in the book without actually reading from it" This is like saying a fighter can use the critical modifier and damage amount of any weapon he owns, whether in hand or not. Otherwise what's to keep the wizard from making the book look like a rock and dropping it into the ocean, a live volcano, the bottom of his nemisis' well? I can see him not needing to actually read from the book, but he should have to be close to it, touching it, telepthically communing with it, etc.

If you are going to make it empathic, might as well make it intelligent, and give it an alignment. If the owner's alignment changes too much, the book might decide to seek a new owner, disguising itself as a normal blessed book, or plain old spell book for some young apprentice...

[grepme2001]

Otherwise what's to keep the wizard from making the book look like a rock and dropping it into the ocean, a live volcano, the bottom of his nemisis' well?

Well, he/she'll still need the book to be accessible so that he/she can add newly discovered uber spells the DM may hand out as loot.

[LinusMundane]

I realize epic level spells can be super kick ass, they also seem incredibly difficult to get a grasp on/make. This is why I stayed melee and didn't touch caster.

[shai-hulud]

I like it, but I think the insta-scribe ability should drive the price up more. At this price its a no brainer, which always makes me think it should cost more.

I agree. I was hoping that would be a jumping-off point, and that others would provide suggestions.

[shai-hulud]

For balance, I would say it must be within a certain distance of the wizard for the wizard to be able to "prepare any spell in the book without actually reading from it" This is like saying a fighter can use the critical modifier and damage amount of any weapon he owns, whether in hand or not. Otherwise what's to keep the wizard from making the book look like a rock and dropping it into the ocean, a live volcano, the bottom of his nemisis' well? I can see him not needing to actually read from the book, but he should have to be close to it, touching it, telepthically communing with it, etc.

If you are going to make it empathic, might as well make it intelligent, and give it an alignment. If the owner's alignment changes too much, the book might decide to seek a new owner, disguising itself as a normal blessed book, or plain old spell book for some young apprentice...

If the wizard is not holding it (or it is not in his backpack), it is not in his possession. That is already included in the description. It spells out that the book must be in the wizard's possession to function.

I did not give it intelligence for just that reason. Having your spell book, that which you have devoted yourself to, have a personality is too dangerous for a wizard. He would be pleased with semi-empathy, but actual intelligence would be out of the question. That was my thought, anyway.

[shai-hulud]

For a slightly less arbitrary value for the book, I took the spell levels for each spell included, multiplied it by the caster level, added it together, multiplied it by 2,000, added 50,000 for the XP used in 2x wish, and it came to 3,050,000gp. How does that sound for a price?

[Benji]

Haha, glad I'm not a Wizard =P

[fnord]

The statement "the presence of the book is not required for preparation, so long as the book remains within the owner's possession." implies that possession does not necessitate the wivard holding it or having it in his backpack.

I read that to mean that if the book is hidden in the botttom of a dungeon the wizard owns, it is in his possession, or that if the wizard hides it someplace, until it is found by another it could be construed as in his possession.

Maybe the line should read "The owner can prepare any spell in the book without actually reading from it, provided the book is in sight or on the person of the owner. The book must be in the same plane as the wizard for the wizard to prepare spells from the book." (No hiding the book in portable holes, pocket dimensions, or other planes.)

now if the book can be polymorphed as an object, can a wizard polymorph it as a tattoo? Seeing as it doesn't radiate magic...

"Wow, Elminster, that's an interesting tattoo you have!"
"Yes, it is a tribute to my slain parents. Now help me find that scroll."