This is a continuation from This Thread , and any and all input/feedback would be appreciated on Either thread!
Everything written below is open for debate, and suggestions are encouraged. Keep in mind this is a Work in Progress.
-=- The Goal: -=-
- Brainstorm a system by which PCs can write and author Books, Poems, and other manuscripts with a calculated Market Value, and that can possibly grant Circumstance bonuses to related skill checks.
Some Notes:
- For the purpose of this thread, we're going to estimate that 1 ounce of black ink is sufficient to write a total of 200 pages of parchment.
- A blank parchment-paged book's cost is roughly 5gp + 5gp per 50 pages. As a safety precaution, one may instead opt to have sets of Volumes, rather than books with over 100 pages.
- We're assuming the Printing Press is not yet invented in this setting (Although recommendations for ways to invent one are welcome).
- Whatever DC is decided upon, Profession(Scribe) should be treated similar to a Crafting skill for the purpose of this thread; It is required to create high-quality books, free of grammar errors, well-copied, etc. To duplicate a book of highly valuable content is similar to attempting to craft a new set of armor: It should have a set DC, a component cost (The price of blank books, ink, etc.), and a final product with a set GP value.
-=- The Procedure So Far: -=-
Authoring a book of valuable content has 3 basic steps:
1) A Skill check for whatever valuable content is within the book (Ex: a Profession(Farmer) check for a book regarding Agricultural Cycles, or a Knowledge(History) check for a book regarding a particular historical subject or era)
2) A Skill check that will ultimately contribute as a Modifier to the book's overall quality (A Bluff check for a fictional poem to determine how engaging and colorful it is; A Diplomacy check to write a non-fiction, but Persuasive, piece of work; A Linguistics check to properly articulate and convey Credibility, when writing an informative non-fictional work)
3) A Profession(Scribe) check to determine the Success in actually Writing the desired content into Book form.
Step One
Select the Skill related to the content of the book you wish to write. Select a subdivision or more specific aspect of that skill: That becomes the book's "Subject".
Example 1: You select Knowledge(engineering), and choose to write a book about building Bridges. The book's subject is then 'bridge building', and may grant bonuses to Knowledge(engineering) checks used for bridge-related affairs.
Example 2: You select Performance(oratory), and choose to write a book containing an Epic tale. This book's subject is thus about performing that particular Epic. The book may grant a bonus to future Performance(Oratory) checks made to recite that Epic for entertainment.
In order to create a new written work about this subject, the player hones all their knowledge and competence in that skill for a total number of hours equal to their Rank. They then perform a skill check at the end of this time, and compare it to the DCs provided below. The highest DC they have surpassed determines the value and effectiveness of the book to be written:
DC 5: Failure. The book, if appraised, is worth Half its material cost.
DC 10 (Cap=n/a): No circumstance bonus; This book allows its user to make an Untrained skill check concerning the book's Subject. The result of this check may never exceed 10. The user must consort this book for at least 1 hour before making this check. If used for a Profession, Performance, or Craft skill check, this book must be accessible at all times, and consorted each day during which those skills are used.
DC 15 (Cap=10): After consorting this book for 1d12 minutes, Make a skill check concerning the book's Subject. If the result is less than its cap, this book grants a +1 circumstance to the result. The result may never be increased past its cap in this way. This book only grants a bonus to creatures trained in the appropriate skill. If used for a Profession, Performance, or Craft skill check, this book must be accessible at all times, and consorted each day during which those skills are used.
DC 20 (Cap=15): After consorting this book for 2d12 minutes, Make a skill check concerning the book's Subject. If the result is less than its cap, this book grants a +2 circumstance to the result. The result may never be increased past its cap in this way. This book only grants a bonus to creatures trained in the appropriate skill. If used for a Profession, Performance, or Craft skill check, this book must be accessible at all times, and consorted each day during which those skills are used.
DC 25 (Cap=20): After consorting this book for 3d12 minutes, Make a skill check concerning the book's Subject. If the result is less than its cap, this book grants a +3 circumstance to the result. The result may never be increased past its cap in this way. This book only grants a bonus to creatures trained in the appropriate skill. If used for a Profession, Performance, or Craft skill check, this book must be accessible at all times, and consorted each day during which those skills are used.
DC 30 (Cap=25): After consorting this book for 4d12 minutes Make a skill check concerning the book's Subject. If the result is less than its cap, this book grants a +4 circumstance to the result. The result may never be increased past its cap in this way. This book only grants a bonus to creatures trained in the appropriate skill. If used for a Profession, Performance, or Craft skill check, this book must be accessible at all times, and consorted each day during which those skills are used.
DC 35 (Cap=30): After consorting this book for 5d12 minutes, Make a skill check concerning the book's Subject. If the result is less than its cap, this book grants a +5 circumstance to the result. The result may never be increased past its cap in this way. This book only grants a bonus to creatures trained in the appropriate skill. If used for a Profession, Performance, or Craft skill check, this book must be accessible at all times, and consorted each day during which those skills are used.
Step Two
The Player performs either a Bluff check, Diplomacy check, or Linguistics check (You Select One), which will act as a modifier to both the Cap and Consorting Time of the written work.
This check represents how well the player, as an author, has conveyed their knowledge or competency through their book. These checks can be made Untrained. If the player is trained, they may take 10. Select the appropriate skill check for your book:
Bluff - Used for books regarding Fiction, Poetry, Storytelling, or some Oratory performances. Select this skill if your book is mainly about Appealing to the reader through story or emotions; The better the bluff check, the more convincing the tale.
Diplomacy - Used for books regarding arguments, debates, stances on controversial topics, or the outright need to Convince others. Select this skill if your book is in itself about Diplomacy, intimidation, and even the occasional bluff. It is also useful for certain professions, such as the bartering Merchant or the clever Courtesan. The better your Diplomacy check, the more convincing the book, and thus helping the reader become more assertive, confident, or convinced.
Linguistics - Used for most Knowledge-based books, manuals, or otherwise instructive works. Use this skill when writing something that uses complex instructions and terminology, or otherwise needs to efficiently convey knowledge and logic. The better your linguistics check, the more professional and articulated your work, and readers with even vague understanding will be able to navigate its pages much easier.
You make this skill check Just before the Writing/Recording process, directly after making the skill check for the book's Subject. Compare your results to the DC below, and select the highest DC you've surpassed:
<5: You call yourself literate? (Failure; book is worth half its material cost)
DC 5: User requires the use of a Linguistics check (DC=cap) (or Sense Motive check, if Bluff was used), in order to understand your work. Multiply the book's total value by 3/4.
DC 10: You've managed to convey your point with average efficiency. No modifications are made.
DC 15: The written work you are aiming to make is of better-than-usual quality; your fiction has a compelling line on every page, your persuasive works hold powerful arguments, and your instructions are clear and concise. As a result, increase its cap by +1. The time required to consort your book is determined by d10s instead of d12s.
DC 20: The written work you are aiming to make is of great quality. As a result, increase its cap by +2. The time required to consort your book is determined by d8s instead of d12s.
DC 25: The written work you are aiming to make is of fantastic quality. As a result, increase its cap by +3. The time required to consort your book is determined by d6s instead of d12s.
DC 30: The written work you are aiming to make is of penultimate quality. As a result, increase its cap by +4. The time required to consort your book is determined by d4s instead of d12s.
DC 35: The written work you are aiming to make is of legendary quality. As a result, increase its cap by +5. The time required to consort your book is 1 minute; The pages practically turn themselves!
Step Three
Now comes the time to actually Scribe your work, or Hire a scribe to record it for you. When hiring a scribe, you must pay their wage In Addition to the final cost of your work. You must be with them the entire duration of the project, instructing their every move.
All that's left to do, is to pretend your Profession(Scribe) is the equivalent of a Crafting skill. Calculating the final cost of your work:
((Circumstance Bonus)^2 * Cap * 2) + (Material costs)
Material Costs: 50 pages + 2gp worth of ink per Circumstance Bonus.
If using only Pathfinder provided books, it's 15gp for a 100 page book, and 10gp for a 50 page. Consider a book with more than 100 pages as a "Set" of volumes; All volumes must be present for the book to grant its bonuses.
Comparison:
Skill Bonus | Magic item | Book
+1 | 100gp | 32-52gp
+2 | 400gp | 139-179gp
+3 | 900gp | 391-481gp
+4 | 1,600gp | 838-998gp
+5 | 2,500gp | 1550-1800gp
Consider the number of skills a magic item can be used for that a book can't, and all the restrictions that come with the Book.
Anyhoot... That's my proposed Skillbook makin' system.
Thoughts, folks?
Any feedback at all?
I still need to clear up how the third step works... But suggestions or feedback would be wonderfully appreciated.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Had to create something similar when a player in Kingmaker wanted to create propaganda pamphlets. I ruled using a skill book took 5 minutes per check and gives a Circumstance bonus.
3 or 4 STEPS
1. Write Manuscript
2. Transcribe Manuscript to Book
3. Create Book (optional)
4. Find market value
1. WRITE MANUSCRIPT
Make a skill check and divide by 2 to find the number of pages written in one day {e.g. Profession(soldier) check of 15 or 16 would write 8 pages}. Use Profession checks for profession books, Knowledge checks for non-fiction, and Perform(writer) for fiction. Make a Linguistics check if hidden information needs to be added to the manuscript.
I used 50 pages per +1 on Profession checks and 100 pages per +1 on Knowledge checks. Writing fiction works depend on GM discretion on pricing and length. I maxed book length at 200 pages. So a few books are needed for +5 Knowledge checks.
Perform(writer) check to change the quality of the completed work. A Perform check is made after the manuscript is complete.
0-9 = -50% value (puts reader to sleep {fort DC 12} or difficult to follow {Wis check DC 10})
10-19 = +0% value (average writing)
20-29 = +50% value (great writing)
30-39 = +150% value (masterful writing)
40+ = = +500% value (godlike writing - DC 15 will save to stop reading)
2. TRANSCRIPTION
A scribe can be hired as a trained hireling per the Core Rulebook and do 10 pages a day or...
Hireling, untrained = 1 sp/day, 5 pages/day, many errors
Hireling, trained(scribe) = 3 sp/day, 10 pages/day, average errors
Scribe, great = 1 gp/day, 15 pages/day, few errors
Scribe, master = 3 gp/day, 20 pages/day, rare errors
PC Scribe
Pages/Day: roll 2d4+8 to find pages transcribed in 1 day
Profession(scribe) check: 40 - check result = errors that day
When manuscript has been fully transcribed, add all errors and divide by days to get average amount of errors (total daily errors/days=average errors).
0-9 = rare errors
10-19 = few errors
20-29 = average errors
30+ = many errors
Many errors: -25% value
Average errors: +0% value
Few errors: +25% value
Rare errors: +50% value
3. CREATE BOOK (Optional) transcribed pages are bound together
a. Ink = 1 ounce (8 gp) per 100 pages
b. Number of pages = Paper (2 sp) or parchment (1 sp) per page (1 sheet = 2 pages)
c. Binding = 2 gp per 50 pages (goblin snot glue, roper vine string, dwarven bolts, gnomish staples, etc)
d. Cover = cost varies, Craft check to determine covers appearance (calligraphy, cloth, glass, jewelry, leather, paintings)
e. Lock(optional)
f. Add a-e to get the book production cost
MARKET VALUE - I kept skill bonus price as equal to a magic item.
Simple Rules: skill bonus squared x 100 gp, then add the scribe salary
Optional Rules: (book cost + scribe fee) + {(bonus squared x 100 gp) x (writing quality + error %)= value} oh noes... MATH!!!
Siege Engineer's Handbook +1(FM 3-34)
This cheaply made, mass produced manual is great for an army on the move. Not for casual reading! Waterproof cover made from orc hide, bound with goblin snot glue and a simple lock to keep pages from being stolen for bum wipes.
50 page manual on constructing fortifications, +1 on Profession(siege engineer) checks
Book cost = 38 gp
- 1/2 ounce of ink = 4 gp
- 50 pieces of parchment = 10 gp
- binding = 2 gp (50 pages)
- leather cover, waterproof = 2 gp
- simple lock = 20 gp
Untrained hireling scribe: 10days @ 1 sp/day = 1 gp
puts reader to sleep = -50%
Untrained Hireling (scribe) many errors = -25%
(book + scribe) + {(skill bonus squared x 100) x (quality x errors)}
(38 gp + 1 gp) + {+1 x 100 x (-50% + -25%)}
(39 gp) + {100 x (-75%)}
39 gp + 25 gp
Market value = 64 gp
I had to rule 1 sheet of paper created 2 pages just to make the spellbook cost work out correctly.
TOME (Optional)
1 sheet paper/parchment = 1 page, double price accordingly
binding = 5 gp per 50 pages, due to heavier binding reuirements
max length = 500 pages
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Almost forgot the propaganda part.
Easy System: (best for commoners or low level NPCs)
1. Player makes a Bluff, Intimidate, or Diplomacy check for the work.
2. Player buys the materials per pamphlet = 3 sp
- 2 sp per sheet of parchement (cut in 1/4 to make pamphlet)
- 8 cp for the ink
- 2 cp glue or string to bind pieces of parchment together
3. Write the article
Craft(calligraphy) DC 10
or get a scribe (trained hireling 3 sp/day) who turns out 10 pamphlets/day
Hard System: (high level NPCs)
Use the system in previous post with optional rules and add the Bluff, Intimidate, or Diplomacy check after the Manuscript Quality. Instead of a book, use expensive paper, sealing wax and maybe a ribbon and some decorations to make the treatise or note seem more impressive.