Enchantment Expenses in Time and Cost

[tetramorph]

I love the Judges Guild and the Ready Ref Sheets. But they always seem busy to me, too much stuff, too hard to find what I am looking for. And I am realizing that, wherever possible, I prefer formulae to tables. Probably just a taste thing.

So here is my re-do for how to formulate the cost of enchanting magic items. I wanted to make it easy to use, fairly close to the examples in M&M, easy to get the "feel" for it, while at the same time making high-powered items still fairly astronomical in expense (both in time and cost) for the average PC.

Please let me know what you think.

Enchantment Expenses in Time and Cost

A magic-user may work simultaneously on a number of items equivalent to the magic-user's level. A magic-user may inscribe a number of spells on any given scroll equivalent to the magic-user's level. Any given scroll counts as a single project. A scroll may hold up to seven spells. Every two spells inscribed therein count as an additional project. So, a single scroll with only one spell counts as only one project. An eleventh level magic-user could work on one scroll with up to seven spells inscribed together counting as five projects. The magic-user could simultaneously work on six other projects. Work does not have to be continuous. A magic-user could leave a project for adventure and return to it again, not counting the time away. Any time away counts as at least one week. A magic-user may hire and train alchemists to work on one project, each. Alchemist's may continue a magic-user's personal project while the magic user is away.

All costs listed below represent that of hiring the services of a MU. Assuming a basic 100% mark-up, halve all costs for MU personal use or to determine profit for MU from the sale of an enchanted item.

Magic merchandise may retail for an additional mark-up from 50-100%, depending upon what the market will bear.


In all of the below cases, speed in time may be purchased by increase in expenditure, and vice versa.


Scrolls


Time: lvl # = # weeks


Cost: lvl(lvl)(100) = total gp


MU may only produce scrolls from known memorizable spells or for the four protection types: lycanthropes, undead, elementals, magic.

Potions


Time: as per scrolls, above


Cost: lvl(lvl)(250) = total gp


Determine spell level by identity with or clear similarity to a listed spell. When no such similarity exists, assume level 7, or higher, at referee’s discretion, e.g., dice 1d3+6, etc.


Items


Items include any enchanted object, e.g., rings, wands, staves, etc.
In general, per charge, the expense of enchanting an item with a spell of a given level takes time as per scrolls.

Cost:
Lvl(lvl)(500) = total gp


Determine spell level as per potions, above. Characters may choose to invest the equivalent of 10 charges and deploy an item’s affect indefinitely but only once, daily.


Armor and Weapons


+1


Time: 8 weeks (2 months)


Cost: 2,000


+2


Time: 16 weeks (4 months)


Cost: 4,000


+3


Time: 48 weeks (12 months / 1 year)


Cost: 12,000


Magic Swords


To grant a +1 sword an additional bonus against a specific target, add the expense in time and cost for that bonus in addition to the expense of the first bonus. For a flaming sword, calculate additional expense in time and cost as per imbuing a fireball spell into an item. Treat a life-energy-draining sword as a +3 chaotic sword in terms of expense in time and cost. To imbue with wishes, the first 2 cost 10 weeks and 10,000 gp, each additional wish demands double the previous investment, up to 8 total (640 weeks/12 years, 640,000gp).


Sword will always be the alignment of its creator.


Invest in intelligence equivalent to number of weeks at the cost of 1,000 per week. Roll for random abilities and, when applicable, languages. To purchase a specific ability or language add an additional week and 1,000 gp for the first specific choice, each additional choice doubles in expense from the previous in both time and cost. Note: the only way to purchase an extraordinary ability is to grant the sword an intelligence score of 12. Choose a particular extraordinary ability at the cost of reaching an intelligence score of 12, again.


A sword imbued with intelligence eventually develops an ego. From an intelligence score of 7 and upwards, roll 2d6 for ego, -2 for an intelligence score of 7, -1 for 8, no modification for 9, +1 for 10, +2 for 11, +3 for 12. The ego score will never fall below 2 or go above 12.


To imbue a sword with an express purpose, you must invest in intelligence and ego scores of 12, respectively. After investing in a 12 intelligence score, roll for starting ego score (2d6+3). A score of 12 indicates the sword will receive its creator’s commanded express purpose. Any score less than 12 must be increased to 12. This will take a number of weeks equivalent to the necessary raise in score and will cost 1,000 per week.

[Deleted]

Not Trolling or anything, but I've always wondered why it takes a week or more to write down a spell that only takes 8-12 hours to memorize. The MU still has to read the thing to get the effect. It's a fire and forget item, much like the MU's memory of the spell. I could rationalize a day per level of the spell, but a week has always seemed weird to me.

[tetramorph]

JMiskimen, that doesn't come across as trolling to me, just interaction.

Well, in the main, I was just trying to follow previous precedent.

To justify it, I guess, well, writing things out took a long time back then: manuscripts, no printing presses. Perhaps with magic it is very intricate. And getting the enchantment and not just the words into the scroll is the real "trick" that takes the time.

You can make things run faster by investing more money. I think the real point is that such magic items are fairly costly, thus making them possible, but not cheapening their value by making them a dime a dozen.

So, for now, I am going to stick with that precedent.

Thanks for interacting with my post so quickly!

[Deleted]

I've been liberal with scroll usage - especially for the low level MU that has 1 spell per day. If the group is willing to put off going to the dungeon for a week, which most players wont in my experience - not for one measly spell - then perhaps 7 scrolls/spells (providing he could afford the materials) for the MU at least gives him more options and to be of more use to the group. Yeah, I know that a MU at 1-3 levels hits the same as a Fighting Man at 1-3 levels, but the lack of armor for the MU means No combat roll if you wanna keep him alive, so he stands around waiting for the adventure to continue. I don't see scrolls cheapening magic any more than a thief with thieves tools or a cleric with vials of holy water. The MU is still limited by his funds and time as to how many scrolls he can produce. YMMV ... you're the Ref.

[tetramorph]

JMiskimen, yeah, I read you.

Playing a 1st lvl MU can feel like a bummer. Then again, putting in the hard work of staying alive until you can hurl fireballs -- priceless.

The first time new players see what happens when the first level MU drops "sleep" on a bunch of goblins, they learn fast that it is important to "protect the nuke."

So I read you, and I would have fun playing in a game of yours run your style.

[tetramorph]

Just added formula for whole and retail sale of magic items.

[waysoftheearth]

The 3LBBs imply a week-long "campaign turn" in various places, but particurly in U&WA which says (p36) each week of real time equates to one week of game time passing, and each dungeon expedition takes one week of game time from go to woe.

Moreover, the various "non-adventuring" activities described (e.g., attracting mercenary/specialists, constructing magic items, normal healing, etc.) all take weeks of game time to accomplish. So, while the MUs are busy writing scrolls, the fighters are busy resting up and healing their hurts. All at the weekly campaign-turn scale.

So yes, constructing a 1st level spell scroll takes a week (one campaign turn), but the 3LBBs do not explicitly limit the number of 1st level spells that are written on that scroll. In fact, M&M p7 says a Wizard can construct a scroll of spells (note that it is a scroll of plural spells). M&T also supports this position by demonstrating (p24) that spell scrolls typically contain 1-7 spells.

Therefore, I see no reason why a Wizard could not write a single scroll containing seven 1st level spells in one campaign turn (one week). Meanwhile (according to U&WA p35) the injured fighter has recovered just 3 hp!

By the time all the fighters are back to full health, the M-U will likely have had ample time to pen the desired spells onto scrolls.

[tetramorph]

Added rules for simultaneous projects, multiple spells per scroll and alchemists.

Enjoy! (And let me know what you think.)

[tetramorph]

JMiskimen, I just realized that one thing I assume in the above rules I have not made explicit. And that assumption may address your desire to have scrolls, etc., a bit more accessible.

And that is that I assume my "gonzoland" rules (which I am going to publish, soon, as Perilous Realms).

These rules assume that a MU may enchant an item (scroll or potion) with any spell level below the magic-user's current experience level. So, a 2nd lvl MU could begin inscribing or distilling first level spells on scrolls and as potions. An 8th lvl MU may begin to enchant other magic items.

Thanks for the interaction!