Using the system
Greycloak, a 5th level magic-user, is preparing for a several-week expedition to defeat the evil wizard Ashlock, who inhabits an old, evil dungeon in the mountains. Because he must travel light, he has obtained and prepared a travelling spell book (500 gp) with the spells charm person, magic missile, sleep, stinking cloud, forget, and phantasmal force (1000 gp to inscribe). Fortunately, charm person, magic missile, and forget have no material components.
Using the spell descriptions in the Players Handbook and the tables in this article, Greycloak makes the following list:
- Sleep: a pinch of fine sand (Uncommon; 1 gp/oz.), rose petals (Common; 2 sp/ea.), or a live cricket (Uncommon; 1 gp/ea.)
- Stinking cloud: a rotten egg (Uncommon; 1 cp/ea.) or several skunk cabbage leaves (Uncommon; 1 gp/cabbage).
- Phantasmal force: a bit of fleece (Common; 1 gp/lb.)
Greycloak has paid 500 gp to the local magician's guild in dues to use the guild's private magic shop. In order to make sure he has ample supplies for the upcoming
adventure, he wants to buy ten sets of ingredients for each spell. The magic shop is located in a medium sized town (-10%), and is run by a 3rd level magic-user (no adjustment). Sleep is a first level spell, so the base chance to have the most rare item (Uncommon, -10%) is 80%. Greycloak rolls less than 80% ten times, and receives ten packets of fine sand and/or rose petals in a waterproof box, for which he pays 100 gp.
The next item on Greycloak's shopping list is the ingredients for stinking cloud, a second-level spell with Uncommon components. Again, there is an 80% chance that the components will be in stock, but this time Greycloak rolls an 85% on his fifth roll, meaning that he can only buy four sets of components here, for a price of 20 gp each, or 80 gp.
Make sure they're packaged tightly, Greycloak growls.
Last time the party made me stay twenty feet downwind!
Because he still needs six rotten eggs (or skunk cabbage leaves), he decides to visit the local alchemist. He could, of course, visit a farm or a food dealer, but he wants to
make sure that the ingredients are prepackaged. There is a base 40% chance that the local alchemist will sell material spell components; the roll is successful. The chance of the items being in stock is 100% (base) -20% (alchemist) -10% (medium town) -10% (Uncommon component) = 60%. This time, Greycloak succeeds in making six rolls, and finishes his purchase for a price of 15 gp/level x 2 levels x 6 sets = 180 gp. He grumbles at paying the higher price, but likes the odor-proof containers.
The third item on his list, fleece for the phantasmal force spell, would cost 30 gp for each casting. Outrageous, what these magic dealers get away with, Greycloak
mutters. He visits the local fuller, which is 90% likely to sell fleece, a Common item. He buys a pound of fleece for 1 gp, and spends another gold piece to have his Purchase wrapped.
Finally, all the preparation is complete. His horse has been groomed and fed by stableboys, his dagger sharpened, all his magic items carefully checked and ready for use. Now for a good night's sleep, Greycloak says to himself, and yawns. And on the morrow, the adventure begins!
Conclusion
I hope this information will allow the more active use of material spell component rules in your campaign. Properly used, material spell components add to the romance and realism of magic use, and somewhat restrict the power of spell casters. They also provide an interesting method of siphoning off excess cash, and ways for a clever party to obtain extra gold pieces. And, by giving people a reason to visit more stores and shops in your favorite city or town, they will meet more non-player characters, hear more rumors, and become more involved in the day-to-day life of your world.
