Spellstitching

[moritheil]

How much should it cost for someone to be spellstitched with spells that have expensive material components?

Oh, I think I figured out why Ryfte had the cost of Spellstitching so much cheaper than I did. And I think he's right.

Despite what the writeup on Crystalkeep says, I believe the cost is intended to be n*(Wis -10) instead of n*(Wis).

11000gp and 5500xp seems a little out-of-line to give an undead four daily uses of 2 1st level SLA's. 1000gp and 500xp seems more reasonable. It also resolves the oddity that a full set through 6th level spells only costs twice what a base set of 1st level spells would cost at n*(Wis).

Thoughts?

 

[Pyrex]

To clarify, there are two seperate questions we're trying to resolve:

1)How much does it cost to Spellstitch an undead with 19 Wisdom?
--a) 19*1000gp + 19*500xp
--b) 9*1000gp + 9*500xp

2) How much extra does it cost to Spellstich an undead with a spell with costly material components?

Unfortunately I don't currently have access to my copy of Complete Arcane (I just moved, it's in a box somewhere... :\)

 

[Douane]

Here's what "Complete Arcane" has to say on this (or not):


- Cost: 1000 GP + Wis x 500 Exp (ie. 9500 Exp in this case)

- no mention in regard to material components of spells chosen (or possible extra costs)

 

[moritheil]

Here's what "Complete Arcane" has to say on this (or not):


- Cost: 1000 GP + Wis x 500 Exp (ie. 9500 Exp in this case)

- no mention in regard to material components of spells chosen (or possible extra costs)

So 1000 gp + 9500 xp * 5 gp per xp = 48500 gp if paying an arcanist to do it. Plus the going rate of an arcanist of that level for a single nonthreatening activity, I suppose.

IIRC it cost quite a bit to make NPC spellstitched back when I drew them up a while back and this is in the right neighborhood (it cost over 60k gp, but my impression is that I was trying to build off something with a higher wis score or level.) It's a little strange when you compare it to Craft Wondrous Item (which it seems to be a free extension of) but I do see the argument that RAW there is no other cost listed for unusual material components.

EDIT: Or is that (1000 gp + 500 xp) per Wis point? Does anyone argue for that interpretation?

1000 gp for materials as well as 500 XP for every point of wisdom

 

[Douane]

EDIT: Or is that (1000 gp + 500 xp) per Wis point? Does anyone argue for that interpretation?

Here's the exact wording form CA, p. 161, which, to my mind, makes it clear it's a flat 1000 GP:

"The creation process takes a number of days equal to the Wisdom score of the undead reature being spellstitched (so a minimum of 10 days) and requires the expenditure of 1,000 gp for carving or tattooing materials in addition to 500 XP × the undead creature’s Wisdom score."

 

[moritheil]

Here's the exact wording form CA, p. 161, which, to my mind, makes it clear it's a flat 1000 GP:

"The creation process takes a number of days equal to the Wisdom score of the undead reature being spellstitched (so a minimum of 10 days) and requires the expenditure of 1,000 gp for carving or tattooing materials in addition to 500 XP × the undead creature’s Wisdom score."

Thank you. That is less ambiguous than MM2.

 

[moritheil]

So has anyone ever had issues with players abusing this? Any problems foreseen with giving something like free animate dead to players?

 

[Lutesic]

I believe you should go with the cost of making a permanent magic item with use per day abilities. I believe that is 50x the material or xp cost no matter how many times per day you can use it. Spellstitched is like making an unliving magic item with uses per day. That is what I would do so it shouldn't be broken as easily, but you aren't just denying access to those spells either. And it's not even that bad in most cases, if someone wants magic tattoo 3/day it would cost an additional 5k gp (100 gp x 50).