Rules Advisory for Scholars, Reminder for Potions

This rule change takes effect immediately.

Scholar Books

There is no minimum size for tome, manuscript, or codex (collectively referred to as "books").

A player can carry as many books as he/she has physreps for. Each physrep may contain one codex, manuscript, or tome.

If a player does not have physreps to represent her books, then the most he/she can carry is 3 book items per belt pouch or pocket and 8 book items per shoulder bag or backpack. There is no limit to the number of books that can be carried in a case, basket, or other unwearable storage device.

The player must choose either the physrep amount or the maximum amount for each pouch, pocket, bag, or pack. If you have 2 physical books in a pouch, you cannot have 3 book items cards in it, in other words. You must choose one of the two limits – obviously the one most to your benefit.

And just a reminder for the rules for carrying alchemy

Alchemy Bottles

There is no minimum size for an alchemy bottle.

A player can carry as many alchemy items as he/she has bottles for.

If a player does not have bottles to represent her alchemy, then the most he/she can carry is 3 alchemy items per belt pouch or pocket and 8 alchemy items per shoulder bag or backpack. There is no limit on the number of alchemy items that can be carried in a case, basket, or other unwearable storage device.

The player must choose either the bottle amount or the maximum amount for each pouch, pocket, bag, or pack. If you have 2 bottle physreps in a pouch, you cannot have 3 items cards in it, in other words. You must choose one of the two limits – obviously the one most to your benefit.

Can I use a spell packet to act as a phys rep for a bottle or does it have to be specifically a bottle? Can I carry as many alchemy spell packets as I can carry? This is taking into account that I designate the spell packets to use specifically alchemy and NOT use them for spells.

Spell packets may not be used to represent the phyrep for bottles. Physreps of this nature must, in fact, be what they represent. (i.e. a bottle must be a bottle, a book must be a book, etc.)

If I remember correctly, drinking a potion is 10 seconds or the time it actually takes to drink a potion of 4oz. Does that still apply?

Correct - that rule has not changed:

www.knightrealms.com/documents/rulebook/...ing__26566_170712503

I've seen people with latex bottle physreps that are, I am assuming, combat safe and are used as "spell packets".
Where does the ruling land on that?

There's nothing special about those physreps - you can carry as many as you have physreps for, and it takes 10 seconds to drink them, per the stated rules (since you can't chug them, OOG). They just happen to be safe as well as pretty.