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Should a wizard buy fine inks every time he want to copy spells into his spellbook?



Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)Are the “fine inks” a wizard needs to copy a spell the same as the “rare inks” a warlock needs to copy a ritual?What exactly are the sources from which you can copy spells into a Book of Shadows?Can I copy prepared Cleric spells that are also on the Wizard spell list into my spellbook?From what items can a wizard learn his spells?Can a Wizard “reverse-engineer” a magic item to copy the spell into his spellbook?Can an Arcane Trickster copy a Wizard spell from a scroll into their “spellbook”?Can a Wizard identify the spells in another spellbook without copying them into their own?Can a wizard copy arcane spells into his spellbook from other classes?Total time to copy a spell from a spellbook?When a wizard copies a new spell into his spellbook, it costs 50 gp. Where does that money go?





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$begingroup$


PHB says that Wizards should use 'fine inks' for 50 gp for every levels of the spell he want to copy into his spellbook.



The problem is that there are no any 'fine inks' in the PHB goods list, just common 'inks'.



The question is: should a Wizard buy a lot of bottles of these common inks per 50 gp each? Or could he just use any inks (such as from the scholar pack) and drop 50 gp in the forest?



What should a Wizard sitting with common inks and a lot of gold in his bag the middle of the forest do to copy a spell from one spellbook to another? Is it possible?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 3




    $begingroup$
    Do you mean wizard? Sorcerers do not have spellbooks. (Might have a ritual book with a feat.)
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    Sure! Thank you, I fixed it. I am sorry, I am playing to a localized D&D version and that's why I could mix some terms.
    $endgroup$
    – Ohar
    1 hour ago




















3












$begingroup$


PHB says that Wizards should use 'fine inks' for 50 gp for every levels of the spell he want to copy into his spellbook.



The problem is that there are no any 'fine inks' in the PHB goods list, just common 'inks'.



The question is: should a Wizard buy a lot of bottles of these common inks per 50 gp each? Or could he just use any inks (such as from the scholar pack) and drop 50 gp in the forest?



What should a Wizard sitting with common inks and a lot of gold in his bag the middle of the forest do to copy a spell from one spellbook to another? Is it possible?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 3




    $begingroup$
    Do you mean wizard? Sorcerers do not have spellbooks. (Might have a ritual book with a feat.)
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    Sure! Thank you, I fixed it. I am sorry, I am playing to a localized D&D version and that's why I could mix some terms.
    $endgroup$
    – Ohar
    1 hour ago
















3












3








3





$begingroup$


PHB says that Wizards should use 'fine inks' for 50 gp for every levels of the spell he want to copy into his spellbook.



The problem is that there are no any 'fine inks' in the PHB goods list, just common 'inks'.



The question is: should a Wizard buy a lot of bottles of these common inks per 50 gp each? Or could he just use any inks (such as from the scholar pack) and drop 50 gp in the forest?



What should a Wizard sitting with common inks and a lot of gold in his bag the middle of the forest do to copy a spell from one spellbook to another? Is it possible?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$




PHB says that Wizards should use 'fine inks' for 50 gp for every levels of the spell he want to copy into his spellbook.



The problem is that there are no any 'fine inks' in the PHB goods list, just common 'inks'.



The question is: should a Wizard buy a lot of bottles of these common inks per 50 gp each? Or could he just use any inks (such as from the scholar pack) and drop 50 gp in the forest?



What should a Wizard sitting with common inks and a lot of gold in his bag the middle of the forest do to copy a spell from one spellbook to another? Is it possible?







dnd-5e spells wizard






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 1 hour ago









Someone_Evil

2,641626




2,641626










asked 1 hour ago









OharOhar

535




535








  • 3




    $begingroup$
    Do you mean wizard? Sorcerers do not have spellbooks. (Might have a ritual book with a feat.)
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    Sure! Thank you, I fixed it. I am sorry, I am playing to a localized D&D version and that's why I could mix some terms.
    $endgroup$
    – Ohar
    1 hour ago
















  • 3




    $begingroup$
    Do you mean wizard? Sorcerers do not have spellbooks. (Might have a ritual book with a feat.)
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    Sure! Thank you, I fixed it. I am sorry, I am playing to a localized D&D version and that's why I could mix some terms.
    $endgroup$
    – Ohar
    1 hour ago










3




3




$begingroup$
Do you mean wizard? Sorcerers do not have spellbooks. (Might have a ritual book with a feat.)
$endgroup$
– Szega
1 hour ago




$begingroup$
Do you mean wizard? Sorcerers do not have spellbooks. (Might have a ritual book with a feat.)
$endgroup$
– Szega
1 hour ago












$begingroup$
Sure! Thank you, I fixed it. I am sorry, I am playing to a localized D&D version and that's why I could mix some terms.
$endgroup$
– Ohar
1 hour ago






$begingroup$
Sure! Thank you, I fixed it. I am sorry, I am playing to a localized D&D version and that's why I could mix some terms.
$endgroup$
– Ohar
1 hour ago












4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes


















5












$begingroup$

This is an Abstraction your DM is expected to handle



"Fine Inks" is not a proper noun in 5th Edition D&D. You don't see a statblock for an item "Fine Inks" because it's just a colloquial term: "Inks that are of relatively high quality [hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude]".



So if you manage to find a spell scroll or some other printed spell that you intend to copy into your spellbook, you need only say to your DM "I want to copy this spell into my spellbook", they'll say "alright, go to the market and buy the ink/components you need, do you have enough gold pieces?", and depending on what stage of the campaign you're in, the DM might try to throw in a plot hook during this process, or kidnap your Cleric, or some other normal D&D campaign things. Same as mostly anything else that happens when you're not physically navigating your way through a dungeon.



I could perhaps see some DMs get stingy on this process depending on where you're at (maybe the town you're in is especially roughshod and unlikely to have access to the quality of ink you need?) but other than that, there's really not much else to it.



Also, a reminder: the 50gp worth of materials is not solely the inks:




For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.



Spellbook, Player's handbook, pg. 114




So while there's definitely some amount of ink involved in copying the spell, the costs are also implied to be various other material components you might need to properly master the spell/verify its behavior. So in the same breath as above, your DM would probably ask you to visit a Reagent shop to pick up the various components you need.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
    $endgroup$
    – Matthieu M.
    23 mins ago










  • $begingroup$
    @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
    $endgroup$
    – Winterborne
    4 mins ago



















2












$begingroup$

The wizard just needs the gold pieces



The book states (emphasis mine)




For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.




A wizard doesn't actually need to have any components or inks on hand to copy a spell .... other than the spellbook(s); the gold is a standin.



As myself and other have said many times: D&D is a poor reality simulator and its better off not to view it under too fine a lens, lest the frayed (and fantastic) threads beneath be visible.





Personally, I've always imagined that the wizard somehow melts the gold into an ink itself, but that's purely my own interpretation.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 1




    $begingroup$
    So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
    $endgroup$
    – enkryptor
    55 mins ago






  • 2




    $begingroup$
    @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
    $endgroup$
    – MrSpudtastic
    52 mins ago










  • $begingroup$
    @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    50 mins ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
    $endgroup$
    – MrSpudtastic
    29 mins ago



















2












$begingroup$

It depends on how much detail and bookkeeping you want



The cost of copying spells is specified only in value and what they represent. The relevant excerpt from the Player's Handbook (p. 114):




For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and
costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you
expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well
as the fine inks you need to record it.




The simple solution is to say your gold is simply spent upon you copying the spell. One could say that the Wizard is assumed to have bought the relevant ingredients and inks when last they had opportunity. This in most cases gives the smoothest game-play as minimal time has to be dedicated to bookkeeping.



If your table prefers more realism (or accounting) you will need to buy it. At this point DM fiat will come in heavily, but saying you buy X gp worth of 'spell-learning-components and inks' that you can use as you find spells is not unreasonable.



If you want an awful lot of bookkeeping you could be required to track down all of the different stuff and possibly mix the ink yourself, however such an approach is gonna have your DM determining what exactly all of that stuff is and most of us aren't going to do that. If they suddenly do, it's probably being used as a plot hook...






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$





















    -3












    $begingroup$

    You need to buy special inks



    The equipment list and table in the PHB are not exhaustive. If you cannot find something there, it does not mean that it does not exist or that it cannot be purchased.



    The fine inks in the wizard feature are a special item necessary for copying spells. You have to purchase them somewhere. If you do not have it (or the other necessary components) on hand, you cannot copy spells into your book.






    share|improve this answer









    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
      $endgroup$
      – Silverclaw
      1 hour ago










    • $begingroup$
      @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      1 hour ago










    • $begingroup$
      This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      46 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      40 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      34 mins ago














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    4 Answers
    4






    active

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    4 Answers
    4






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    5












    $begingroup$

    This is an Abstraction your DM is expected to handle



    "Fine Inks" is not a proper noun in 5th Edition D&D. You don't see a statblock for an item "Fine Inks" because it's just a colloquial term: "Inks that are of relatively high quality [hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude]".



    So if you manage to find a spell scroll or some other printed spell that you intend to copy into your spellbook, you need only say to your DM "I want to copy this spell into my spellbook", they'll say "alright, go to the market and buy the ink/components you need, do you have enough gold pieces?", and depending on what stage of the campaign you're in, the DM might try to throw in a plot hook during this process, or kidnap your Cleric, or some other normal D&D campaign things. Same as mostly anything else that happens when you're not physically navigating your way through a dungeon.



    I could perhaps see some DMs get stingy on this process depending on where you're at (maybe the town you're in is especially roughshod and unlikely to have access to the quality of ink you need?) but other than that, there's really not much else to it.



    Also, a reminder: the 50gp worth of materials is not solely the inks:




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.



    Spellbook, Player's handbook, pg. 114




    So while there's definitely some amount of ink involved in copying the spell, the costs are also implied to be various other material components you might need to properly master the spell/verify its behavior. So in the same breath as above, your DM would probably ask you to visit a Reagent shop to pick up the various components you need.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
      $endgroup$
      – Matthieu M.
      23 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
      $endgroup$
      – Winterborne
      4 mins ago
















    5












    $begingroup$

    This is an Abstraction your DM is expected to handle



    "Fine Inks" is not a proper noun in 5th Edition D&D. You don't see a statblock for an item "Fine Inks" because it's just a colloquial term: "Inks that are of relatively high quality [hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude]".



    So if you manage to find a spell scroll or some other printed spell that you intend to copy into your spellbook, you need only say to your DM "I want to copy this spell into my spellbook", they'll say "alright, go to the market and buy the ink/components you need, do you have enough gold pieces?", and depending on what stage of the campaign you're in, the DM might try to throw in a plot hook during this process, or kidnap your Cleric, or some other normal D&D campaign things. Same as mostly anything else that happens when you're not physically navigating your way through a dungeon.



    I could perhaps see some DMs get stingy on this process depending on where you're at (maybe the town you're in is especially roughshod and unlikely to have access to the quality of ink you need?) but other than that, there's really not much else to it.



    Also, a reminder: the 50gp worth of materials is not solely the inks:




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.



    Spellbook, Player's handbook, pg. 114




    So while there's definitely some amount of ink involved in copying the spell, the costs are also implied to be various other material components you might need to properly master the spell/verify its behavior. So in the same breath as above, your DM would probably ask you to visit a Reagent shop to pick up the various components you need.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$













    • $begingroup$
      hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
      $endgroup$
      – Matthieu M.
      23 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
      $endgroup$
      – Winterborne
      4 mins ago














    5












    5








    5





    $begingroup$

    This is an Abstraction your DM is expected to handle



    "Fine Inks" is not a proper noun in 5th Edition D&D. You don't see a statblock for an item "Fine Inks" because it's just a colloquial term: "Inks that are of relatively high quality [hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude]".



    So if you manage to find a spell scroll or some other printed spell that you intend to copy into your spellbook, you need only say to your DM "I want to copy this spell into my spellbook", they'll say "alright, go to the market and buy the ink/components you need, do you have enough gold pieces?", and depending on what stage of the campaign you're in, the DM might try to throw in a plot hook during this process, or kidnap your Cleric, or some other normal D&D campaign things. Same as mostly anything else that happens when you're not physically navigating your way through a dungeon.



    I could perhaps see some DMs get stingy on this process depending on where you're at (maybe the town you're in is especially roughshod and unlikely to have access to the quality of ink you need?) but other than that, there's really not much else to it.



    Also, a reminder: the 50gp worth of materials is not solely the inks:




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.



    Spellbook, Player's handbook, pg. 114




    So while there's definitely some amount of ink involved in copying the spell, the costs are also implied to be various other material components you might need to properly master the spell/verify its behavior. So in the same breath as above, your DM would probably ask you to visit a Reagent shop to pick up the various components you need.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$



    This is an Abstraction your DM is expected to handle



    "Fine Inks" is not a proper noun in 5th Edition D&D. You don't see a statblock for an item "Fine Inks" because it's just a colloquial term: "Inks that are of relatively high quality [hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude]".



    So if you manage to find a spell scroll or some other printed spell that you intend to copy into your spellbook, you need only say to your DM "I want to copy this spell into my spellbook", they'll say "alright, go to the market and buy the ink/components you need, do you have enough gold pieces?", and depending on what stage of the campaign you're in, the DM might try to throw in a plot hook during this process, or kidnap your Cleric, or some other normal D&D campaign things. Same as mostly anything else that happens when you're not physically navigating your way through a dungeon.



    I could perhaps see some DMs get stingy on this process depending on where you're at (maybe the town you're in is especially roughshod and unlikely to have access to the quality of ink you need?) but other than that, there's really not much else to it.



    Also, a reminder: the 50gp worth of materials is not solely the inks:




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.



    Spellbook, Player's handbook, pg. 114




    So while there's definitely some amount of ink involved in copying the spell, the costs are also implied to be various other material components you might need to properly master the spell/verify its behavior. So in the same breath as above, your DM would probably ask you to visit a Reagent shop to pick up the various components you need.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 37 mins ago

























    answered 1 hour ago









    XiremaXirema

    24.5k269144




    24.5k269144












    • $begingroup$
      hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
      $endgroup$
      – Matthieu M.
      23 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
      $endgroup$
      – Winterborne
      4 mins ago


















    • $begingroup$
      hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
      $endgroup$
      – Matthieu M.
      23 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
      $endgroup$
      – Winterborne
      4 mins ago
















    $begingroup$
    hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
    $endgroup$
    – Matthieu M.
    23 mins ago




    $begingroup$
    hence why they cost 50gp, which eclipses the annual salary of a regular peasant by an order of magnitude => This seems hard to reconcile with the fact that a "Modest Lifestyle", which given its definition seems to match that of regular peasant or regular worker, costs 1 gp/day; or do regular peasants and workers live in a "Poor Lifestyle" (without the comforts available in a stable community)?
    $endgroup$
    – Matthieu M.
    23 mins ago












    $begingroup$
    @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
    $endgroup$
    – Winterborne
    4 mins ago




    $begingroup$
    @MatthieuM. Probably due to the fact that it's a modest lifestyle for a traveler/adventurer. To compare it to our world, if would be like going on a trip, and having to eat at restaurants and pay for a hotel. You can certainly chose the cheaper options, but you're still paying more than if you bought a bag of rice and cooked it yourself.
    $endgroup$
    – Winterborne
    4 mins ago













    2












    $begingroup$

    The wizard just needs the gold pieces



    The book states (emphasis mine)




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.




    A wizard doesn't actually need to have any components or inks on hand to copy a spell .... other than the spellbook(s); the gold is a standin.



    As myself and other have said many times: D&D is a poor reality simulator and its better off not to view it under too fine a lens, lest the frayed (and fantastic) threads beneath be visible.





    Personally, I've always imagined that the wizard somehow melts the gold into an ink itself, but that's purely my own interpretation.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$









    • 1




      $begingroup$
      So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      1 hour ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
      $endgroup$
      – enkryptor
      55 mins ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      52 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      50 mins ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      29 mins ago
















    2












    $begingroup$

    The wizard just needs the gold pieces



    The book states (emphasis mine)




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.




    A wizard doesn't actually need to have any components or inks on hand to copy a spell .... other than the spellbook(s); the gold is a standin.



    As myself and other have said many times: D&D is a poor reality simulator and its better off not to view it under too fine a lens, lest the frayed (and fantastic) threads beneath be visible.





    Personally, I've always imagined that the wizard somehow melts the gold into an ink itself, but that's purely my own interpretation.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$









    • 1




      $begingroup$
      So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      1 hour ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
      $endgroup$
      – enkryptor
      55 mins ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      52 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      50 mins ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      29 mins ago














    2












    2








    2





    $begingroup$

    The wizard just needs the gold pieces



    The book states (emphasis mine)




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.




    A wizard doesn't actually need to have any components or inks on hand to copy a spell .... other than the spellbook(s); the gold is a standin.



    As myself and other have said many times: D&D is a poor reality simulator and its better off not to view it under too fine a lens, lest the frayed (and fantastic) threads beneath be visible.





    Personally, I've always imagined that the wizard somehow melts the gold into an ink itself, but that's purely my own interpretation.






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$



    The wizard just needs the gold pieces



    The book states (emphasis mine)




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.




    A wizard doesn't actually need to have any components or inks on hand to copy a spell .... other than the spellbook(s); the gold is a standin.



    As myself and other have said many times: D&D is a poor reality simulator and its better off not to view it under too fine a lens, lest the frayed (and fantastic) threads beneath be visible.





    Personally, I've always imagined that the wizard somehow melts the gold into an ink itself, but that's purely my own interpretation.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 45 mins ago

























    answered 1 hour ago









    goodguy5goodguy5

    10.3k23879




    10.3k23879








    • 1




      $begingroup$
      So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      1 hour ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
      $endgroup$
      – enkryptor
      55 mins ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      52 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      50 mins ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      29 mins ago














    • 1




      $begingroup$
      So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      1 hour ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
      $endgroup$
      – enkryptor
      55 mins ago






    • 2




      $begingroup$
      @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      52 mins ago










    • $begingroup$
      @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
      $endgroup$
      – Szega
      50 mins ago






    • 1




      $begingroup$
      To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
      $endgroup$
      – MrSpudtastic
      29 mins ago








    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago




    $begingroup$
    So wizards learn a procedure to transmute gold pieces into fine inks and reagents as necessary? Something that is not mentioned anywhere in any books?
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    1 hour ago




    2




    2




    $begingroup$
    To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
    $endgroup$
    – enkryptor
    55 mins ago




    $begingroup$
    To my knowledge, "the cost represents material components" means you still need these material components..
    $endgroup$
    – enkryptor
    55 mins ago




    2




    2




    $begingroup$
    @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
    $endgroup$
    – MrSpudtastic
    52 mins ago




    $begingroup$
    @Szega It's possible, but as goodguy5 said, "that's purely [goodguy5's] own interpretation." By a strict reading of the rule, all you have to do is spend two hours and the 50gp to represent the materials used, with no mention of when, where, or how those materials are obtained. This leaves the player and DM a lot of leeway in how those materials got there and whether the wizard just happened to already have the materials on hand instead of that 50 gp.
    $endgroup$
    – MrSpudtastic
    52 mins ago












    $begingroup$
    @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    50 mins ago




    $begingroup$
    @MrSpudtastic So if the wizard has 50gp and wants to buy a potion of healing, then he has the coins, but if he wants to copy a spell, he retroactively already spent them? Quantum money? TBH this sounds ridiculous.
    $endgroup$
    – Szega
    50 mins ago




    1




    1




    $begingroup$
    To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
    $endgroup$
    – MrSpudtastic
    29 mins ago




    $begingroup$
    To be fair, rogues also don't have a rule that says "Spend 50 gp to acquire a dagger. The gold represents the materials that go into forging a dagger." Plus, wizards and other magic users often do just pay things to the aether, whether that be gold or anything else. That is literally what material components are for after all.
    $endgroup$
    – MrSpudtastic
    29 mins ago











    2












    $begingroup$

    It depends on how much detail and bookkeeping you want



    The cost of copying spells is specified only in value and what they represent. The relevant excerpt from the Player's Handbook (p. 114):




    For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and
    costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you
    expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well
    as the fine inks you need to record it.




    The simple solution is to say your gold is simply spent upon you copying the spell. One could say that the Wizard is assumed to have bought the relevant ingredients and inks when last they had opportunity. This in most cases gives the smoothest game-play as minimal time has to be dedicated to bookkeeping.



    If your table prefers more realism (or accounting) you will need to buy it. At this point DM fiat will come in heavily, but saying you buy X gp worth of 'spell-learning-components and inks' that you can use as you find spells is not unreasonable.



    If you want an awful lot of bookkeeping you could be required to track down all of the different stuff and possibly mix the ink yourself, however such an approach is gonna have your DM determining what exactly all of that stuff is and most of us aren't going to do that. If they suddenly do, it's probably being used as a plot hook...






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$


















      2












      $begingroup$

      It depends on how much detail and bookkeeping you want



      The cost of copying spells is specified only in value and what they represent. The relevant excerpt from the Player's Handbook (p. 114):




      For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and
      costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you
      expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well
      as the fine inks you need to record it.




      The simple solution is to say your gold is simply spent upon you copying the spell. One could say that the Wizard is assumed to have bought the relevant ingredients and inks when last they had opportunity. This in most cases gives the smoothest game-play as minimal time has to be dedicated to bookkeeping.



      If your table prefers more realism (or accounting) you will need to buy it. At this point DM fiat will come in heavily, but saying you buy X gp worth of 'spell-learning-components and inks' that you can use as you find spells is not unreasonable.



      If you want an awful lot of bookkeeping you could be required to track down all of the different stuff and possibly mix the ink yourself, however such an approach is gonna have your DM determining what exactly all of that stuff is and most of us aren't going to do that. If they suddenly do, it's probably being used as a plot hook...






      share|improve this answer











      $endgroup$
















        2












        2








        2





        $begingroup$

        It depends on how much detail and bookkeeping you want



        The cost of copying spells is specified only in value and what they represent. The relevant excerpt from the Player's Handbook (p. 114):




        For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and
        costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you
        expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well
        as the fine inks you need to record it.




        The simple solution is to say your gold is simply spent upon you copying the spell. One could say that the Wizard is assumed to have bought the relevant ingredients and inks when last they had opportunity. This in most cases gives the smoothest game-play as minimal time has to be dedicated to bookkeeping.



        If your table prefers more realism (or accounting) you will need to buy it. At this point DM fiat will come in heavily, but saying you buy X gp worth of 'spell-learning-components and inks' that you can use as you find spells is not unreasonable.



        If you want an awful lot of bookkeeping you could be required to track down all of the different stuff and possibly mix the ink yourself, however such an approach is gonna have your DM determining what exactly all of that stuff is and most of us aren't going to do that. If they suddenly do, it's probably being used as a plot hook...






        share|improve this answer











        $endgroup$



        It depends on how much detail and bookkeeping you want



        The cost of copying spells is specified only in value and what they represent. The relevant excerpt from the Player's Handbook (p. 114):




        For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and
        costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you
        expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well
        as the fine inks you need to record it.




        The simple solution is to say your gold is simply spent upon you copying the spell. One could say that the Wizard is assumed to have bought the relevant ingredients and inks when last they had opportunity. This in most cases gives the smoothest game-play as minimal time has to be dedicated to bookkeeping.



        If your table prefers more realism (or accounting) you will need to buy it. At this point DM fiat will come in heavily, but saying you buy X gp worth of 'spell-learning-components and inks' that you can use as you find spells is not unreasonable.



        If you want an awful lot of bookkeeping you could be required to track down all of the different stuff and possibly mix the ink yourself, however such an approach is gonna have your DM determining what exactly all of that stuff is and most of us aren't going to do that. If they suddenly do, it's probably being used as a plot hook...







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 23 mins ago

























        answered 1 hour ago









        Someone_EvilSomeone_Evil

        2,641626




        2,641626























            -3












            $begingroup$

            You need to buy special inks



            The equipment list and table in the PHB are not exhaustive. If you cannot find something there, it does not mean that it does not exist or that it cannot be purchased.



            The fine inks in the wizard feature are a special item necessary for copying spells. You have to purchase them somewhere. If you do not have it (or the other necessary components) on hand, you cannot copy spells into your book.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$













            • $begingroup$
              As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
              $endgroup$
              – Silverclaw
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              46 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              40 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              34 mins ago


















            -3












            $begingroup$

            You need to buy special inks



            The equipment list and table in the PHB are not exhaustive. If you cannot find something there, it does not mean that it does not exist or that it cannot be purchased.



            The fine inks in the wizard feature are a special item necessary for copying spells. You have to purchase them somewhere. If you do not have it (or the other necessary components) on hand, you cannot copy spells into your book.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$













            • $begingroup$
              As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
              $endgroup$
              – Silverclaw
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              46 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              40 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              34 mins ago
















            -3












            -3








            -3





            $begingroup$

            You need to buy special inks



            The equipment list and table in the PHB are not exhaustive. If you cannot find something there, it does not mean that it does not exist or that it cannot be purchased.



            The fine inks in the wizard feature are a special item necessary for copying spells. You have to purchase them somewhere. If you do not have it (or the other necessary components) on hand, you cannot copy spells into your book.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$



            You need to buy special inks



            The equipment list and table in the PHB are not exhaustive. If you cannot find something there, it does not mean that it does not exist or that it cannot be purchased.



            The fine inks in the wizard feature are a special item necessary for copying spells. You have to purchase them somewhere. If you do not have it (or the other necessary components) on hand, you cannot copy spells into your book.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 1 hour ago









            SzegaSzega

            40.2k4165200




            40.2k4165200












            • $begingroup$
              As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
              $endgroup$
              – Silverclaw
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              46 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              40 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              34 mins ago




















            • $begingroup$
              As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
              $endgroup$
              – Silverclaw
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              1 hour ago










            • $begingroup$
              This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              46 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
              $endgroup$
              – Szega
              40 mins ago










            • $begingroup$
              "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
              $endgroup$
              – MrSpudtastic
              34 mins ago


















            $begingroup$
            As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
            $endgroup$
            – Silverclaw
            1 hour ago




            $begingroup$
            As the other answers explain, this just wouldn't make any sense. Why should an essential item for a class feature be missing from the equipment list?
            $endgroup$
            – Silverclaw
            1 hour ago












            $begingroup$
            @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
            $endgroup$
            – Szega
            1 hour ago




            $begingroup$
            @Silverclaw There is no need for it to be there. No other class has any interest in it, and the price is presented in the feature description.
            $endgroup$
            – Szega
            1 hour ago












            $begingroup$
            This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
            $endgroup$
            – MrSpudtastic
            46 mins ago




            $begingroup$
            This interpretation, while it makes sense, is not strictly supported by the rules. A DM or player can freely interpret it this way, but the rules as they are written do not state that the wizard must explicitly purchase the relevant materials. I believe that if they were meant to do so, then the PHB would have listed the materials themselves and their associated costs, rather than abstracting it into "two hours and 50 gp."
            $endgroup$
            – MrSpudtastic
            46 mins ago












            $begingroup$
            @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
            $endgroup$
            – Szega
            40 mins ago




            $begingroup$
            @MrSpudtastic How is "costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components" not an explicit rule stating the necessity to have those material components?
            $endgroup$
            – Szega
            40 mins ago












            $begingroup$
            "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
            $endgroup$
            – MrSpudtastic
            34 mins ago






            $begingroup$
            "The cost represents..." is a logically separate statement from the sentence before it. It describes what the gold represents, but does not explicitly say that you must go purchase the materials. One could just as easily say the wizard spends 50 gp as part of a ritual to literally conjure the materials out of thin air.
            $endgroup$
            – MrSpudtastic
            34 mins ago




















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