Can I buy spellbooks in Pathfinder Society?

[Ring_of_Gyges]

I'm new to PFS, so forgive if this has been covered somewhere.

I'm trying to work out if I can buy a spellbook in order to teach my wizard more spells.

My impression is I can buy anything legal for PFS play that isn't worth more than my GP limit based on fame, or items up to 750gp by spending prestige.

Presumably spellbooks are legal for PFS play, does that mean I can buy one on the open market? If so, what is a spellbook worth?

The closest answer I've been able to find is that the Core book says a spellbook can be sold for the "half the cost of purchasing and inscribing the spells within". The cost of inscribing the spells is clear (level squared times ten gp). The cost of purchasing spells is mentioned in the FAQ as half the scribing cost.

Does all this mean I can buy spellbooks? Each step in the reasoning seems right, but I'm wondering if there is any official word or conventional wisdom on the subject.

Can I, for example, buy a spellbook with 10 first level spells in it for 100gp (scribing cost) + 50gp (access cost) + 15gp (the book itself) or 165gp?

[BigNorseWolf]

If you're a non wizard the answer is "asked before, damned if I know, no official answer has come in"

As a wizard the answer is its cheaper to rent than to own. The option mentioned in the core rule book Is legal. You pay for access cost in library fees and get to scribe any legal spell you want.

Quote:

Can I, for example, buy a spellbook with 10 first level spells in it for 100gp (scribing cost) + 50gp (access cost) + 15gp (the book itself) or 165gp?

Eyup. As a wizard you even come with a free spellbook with some spells in it, so that will save you some money. (see class description)

[Ring_of_Gyges]

Thanks, it's good to know that buying access to spells is uncontroversial and pretty cheap.

Can I make it even cheaper? Is a spellbook a single item I can spend prestige on if I want to avoid spending my more flexible gold?

I.e. can I spend 2 prestige on a book with 49 1st level spells and use it in conjunction with my starting spellbook and be out no "real" cash?

[BigNorseWolf]

Ring_of_Gyges wrote:

Thanks, it's good to know that buying access to spells is uncontroversial and pretty cheap.

Can I make it even cheaper? Is a spellbook a single item I can spend prestige on if I want to avoid spending my more flexible gold?

I'm not sure but I'm leaning slightly towards no. Whenever pre made spellbooks have come up as items PFS hasn't allowed them in, so there's something pfs doesn't like about them.

Wizard’s Tower (8 PP):

: You have your own wizard’s
tower, alchemical laboratory, or other secluded workshop
where you can research new spells and formulae. When
scribing a spell or formula into a spellbook or formula
book from a scroll or another character, you can reduce
the cost of materials involved by 10% (Pathfinder RPG Core
Rulebook 219). This price reduction doesn’t affect the cost
of gaining access to the spell or formula to be copied.

You'd have to scribe a LOT of spells to get your money back out of that though.

[GM Lamplighter]

I am not sure that spellbooks are PfS legal to buy... It has been stated that the only way to gain more wizard spells is to either buy scrolls or share with another PC wizard. Spellbooks are not available on any price list, they are essentially custom-crafted items, so they are not legal in my reading of it.

[Mark Stratton]

The OP is talking about purchasing a spellbook that already contains spells, correct, as opposed to a blank spellbook (which, if a wizard has enough spells, he or she will eventually need since they have limited pages.)

[chris manning]

its been stated that you can scribe spells from other pathfinder (NPC) wizards (at the grand lodge) for just the spellbook sharing and scribing fee.

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pdst?FAQ-Updated#4

[Sparky Spain]

If you're planning on having a lot of spells as a wizard, don't forget to start saving up for a Blessed Book, then all you have to pay is the NPC rental fee.