Quill of Scribing (complete Mage)

[Herzog]

Some questions about this magic item:

-Can you also use the Quill to write spells in your spellbook?
(if not by RAW, would you allow it?)
-Could you write scrolls using this skill while camping in the wild?
-Scribing a scroll takes '1 day' per 1000 gp. How much time does it take the Quill to scribe a scroll ( assuming a cost of less than 1000 gp) and could you take the scroll and quill along while traveling while it is writing?

I am planning to buy this item because my DM has warned me there will not be a lot of downtime and I am trying to find ways to scribe scrolls and write spells in my spellbook that don't take up a lot of time.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Judging by the Quill's text, "Beloved by wizards everywhere, this magical quill can scribe a scroll for you, leaving you free to pursue other activities." I'd say The answer to your 2nd question is Yes.

Now, to address scribing while camping in the wild and how long it would take, the item also states, "Treat this just as if you were scribing it, including gp cost, XP cost, time, and all other construction requirements." Taking the general rules for Creating Magic Items, the rule state, in part, "The creator also needs a fairly quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in which to work. Any place suitable for preparing spells is suitable for making items. Creating an item requires one day per 1,000 gp in the item’s base price, with a minimum of at least one day." This means You can scribe while adventuring, as long as the setting is satisfactory and it will take a minimum of 1 day (which is 8 crafting hours) to do so.

As for your first question, the process of putting a spell into a spellbook is different than scribing a scroll. I don't believe by RAW the item is intended for this purpose and I don't think I as a DM would permit it. To add a spell into a spellbook you must decipher it, study it, make a spellcraft check all before writing.

 

[Herzog]

Ok, I get that I should decipher the spell first. Read magic should take care of that. Spellcraft check shouldn't be a problem. But would you allow the scribing into the spellbook part be done by the Quill?

 

[WaroftheSendros]

I'd say that as long as the wizard has done everything to understand how to write that spell in the spell book then using the quill is fine. Saying that being quite a nasty DM I might make the quill take a check (Say only fails on a 1) to write the spell and if it fails the spell is witten wrongly and causes the wizards face to melt slightly.

War of the Sendros

 

[Jacob]

Some questions about this magic item:

-Can you also use the Quill to write spells in your spellbook?
(if not by RAW, would you allow it?)
-Could you write scrolls using this skill while camping in the wild?
-Scribing a scroll takes '1 day' per 1000 gp. How much time does it take the Quill to scribe a scroll ( assuming a cost of less than 1000 gp) and could you take the scroll and quill along while traveling while it is writing?

I am planning to buy this item because my DM has warned me there will not be a lot of downtime and I am trying to find ways to scribe scrolls and write spells in my spellbook that don't take up a lot of time.

The magic item description specifically states the quill will only work for those with the Scribe Scroll feat. As such, no, you cannot use it to scribe your magical knowledge into a spellbook. What you're looking for is something a lot more powerful in terms of magic item generation and broken game design.

Magic creation really isn't that troublesome, when you get down to the numbers. A full one day of travel is effectively 8 hours of time, and with another 8 hours being given to rest, you have the other 8 to craft magic. The circumstances of crafting are no different than the setting you need in order to even memorize spells from your book. The quill pretty much just gives you the time to go drinking with bros I mean...spend extra hours in the dungeon.

That your DM is allowing you to play a Wizard yet not give you any sort of downtime between adventures is beyond me, because I've been there. Nothing ruins a game more than having to wait for the party to get done with the day while you are busy writing a spell into your book. Important spells so that you can even play the game, and when you're the only arcane magic user in the party...

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I'd suggest acquiring a Ring of Sustenance if there is very little down time. One of the benefits of 8 hours of sleep is renewing your spells for the day. Use the extra 6 hours you're not sleeping to accomplish more important things.