D&D 5E Teleportation circles costs *how* much?!

[Lehrbuch]

How much does a noble's estate cost to build?

You can build a noble's estate with just a sword and attitude!

 

[Lehrbuch]

No, the richest people are the people who bankroll wizards, just like in the real world.

I have a feeling that there's an explanation other than "wizards", for the acquisition of wealth in the real world.

 

[Jester David]

It could easily multiply the cost by infinity. Doubling it is effectively paying the guy 5 aristocratic lifestyles for 10 minutes of work a day, which seems silly to do.

The PHB gives the cost of casting a 1st or 2nd level spell at 10 to 50 gp. The cost a 3rd or 4th level wizard commands could very well be 50 gp. A wizard twice that level and even more rare is likely to command an even higher rate.
There are hundreds of plumbers and auto mechanics in the world and anyone can become one. In a fantasy world, wizards are potentially ten times as rare and not everyone can master their skills, let alone to 5th level of potency.

Wizards can ask whatever rate they want.

 

[Illithidbix]

Suppose the material cost was zero, but it still took a wizard a year to create a permanent circle. How would it change the world?

Well that very much depends upon how common 9th+ level Bards, Sorcerers and Wizards are/were in the world!

On a similar note, it does question whether spells were cheaper in ancient times because precious gems were more plentiful. Rather than the idea that the spell *requires 50gp of current market value of inks and chalks infused with precious gems*
I tend to think diamonds are valuable in D&D worlds due to their use in raise dead and resurrection spells. Or the Gods keep a really upto date track of gem prices.

18K is a lot from the standpoint of an individual, but it's probably not that much by the standards of a functioning government. Rather like $1 million in real life, and in fact "1 gold = $50 to $100" is generally a pretty good conversion rate judging by listed prices.

Taking a very literal translation based upon gold price.

50gp = 1 lb of gold.
Gold pieces are worth literally their weight in gold, unsurprisingly. 1 gp = 9 grams. (Which is almost as much as a £1 coin.)
goldprice.org informs me that a pound of gold is currently worth about $16338 and so 1gp = $327 (or there aboust)
So 365 lb of gold (aka 50gp per day for a year) = £5,963,370

This of course is of dubious use of the value of gold in D&D worlds vs our bizarre economies and the pig standard based on 3gp per pig is arguably just as valid as gold value.
Teleportation circle cost 16 pigs and some ham per day.
So overall 6083 pigs + some bacon.

Sadly pigprice.org apparently is not a valid url. Making it trickier to work out the average dollar value of a pig.
It is afterall, a bear and bull market.

 

[Sunseeker]

Considering the utility and power of the gate spell, a well placed permanent ring in a safe location would allow you to easily pop out of even the most dangerous places. The perma-gate is essentially the Mage's tower.

This is also a great spell for more ultra-high magic settings. Imagine a magic metropolis, with gates like bus-stops. It's a piddling 2 gold to use one, but since everyone uses them (thanks to those Sentients for the Ethical Treatment of Horses and the Carriage Drivers Union making other forms of travel nearly impossible) That pays off having even a dozen of these things in the city quite quickly. Assume a population of say, 50k, with at least half the population using the gates daily, that's 50k/day, you'd pay for two gates a day, and have leftovers!

In short: the Gate spell isn't really designed to be used everywhere by the players. It is a great tool for a robust, high-magic society though.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

Gotta go with Shidaku.

I mean, does anyone really think the nobility of Waterdeep can't afford to install a circle or two? Or the Lords of Thay, who, not to put too fine a point on it, literally run a massive despotic wizard nation?

 

[Chaosmancer]

How much does a noble's estate cost to build?

As per the rules in the DMG building a noble's estate costs 25,000 gold and 150 days

A Palace or Large castle costs 500,000 gold, it also takes approximately 4 years (book lists 1200 days)

Even an outpost or a fortified tower costs 15,000 gold

Edit: Reading more closely there is also a charge for the paperwork needed to own the land. Anywhere from 100 for a small plot to 5,000 for larger tracts of land.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

As per the rules in the DMG building a noble's estate costs 25,000 gold and 150 days

A Palace or Large castle costs 500,000 gold, it also takes approximately 4 years (book lists 1200 days)

Wow, that's kind of ridiculous. I wish that wasn't in the book. I was hoping to avoid the weird economy issues in this edition, since they'd removed prices on magical items.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

Wow, that's kind of ridiculous. I wish that wasn't in the book. I was hoping to avoid the weird economy issues in this edition, since they'd removed prices on magical items.

Pshhh. A castle is worth one hostage: the previous owner.

I never get why people say the prices are ridiculous. Of course they are! ECONOMICS IS CRAZYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! Money has no inherent value! Prices are only logical in perfect theoretical markets! Infinite gold results in a lack of scarcity, driving down the value of gold as a substance! The more you own, the less everything is worth to you! Where does money even come from, and who's backing it anyways? Why don't we price everything in SHEEP POOP!

 

[MonsterEnvy]

A person needs 1 gold piece a day to live averagely.