DMG: Why are potions of Enlarge Person and Reduce Person listed as 250gp?

Elephant · Jun 3, 2006

The DMG and the SRD agree on this: Most potions/oils containing 1st level spells (Cure Light Wounds, Magic Weapon, etc) cost 50gp each.

They also agree that a Potion of Enlarge (or Reduce) Person, a 1st level spell, costs 250gp.

I'd like to know why. Is this an error in the book, or is there some hidden explanation for why these two spells cost so much extra?

Crothian · Jun 3, 2006

Their caster level would be five instead of one. Price is 50gp time spell level times caster level.

Benimoto · Jun 3, 2006

The most probable cause I've heard is that it's a error. That's what they cost in 3.0, and nobody caught that the table was wrong in 3.5 before it was printed.

Christian · Jun 3, 2006

To elaborate--to get the 50% size reduction/100% size increase effect listed in the item's description in the 3.0 DMG, a CL of 5 was required. That carried over into the 3.5 version, even though the only CL impact on those spells are now in duration ...

Seeten · Jun 3, 2006

They are imba.

nittanytbone · Jun 3, 2006

I always figured it was because Enlarge Person is such an enormously useful spell at low levels -- limiting access to it keeps the raging trip monkey power attacking barbarians in line at lower levels.