Cost of a crystal ball to cast scry on instead of making the magic item

[Kershek]

Is it possible to use a crystal ball as a component for the scry spell without making it into the 42,000 gold magic item? If so, what part of that 42,000 gold magic item makes up the crystal ball itself?

 

[Geoff Watson]

Use the crystal ball as the focus instead of the mirror. I'd give them the same price.

Geoff.

 

[Kershek]

You think a 6" ball of crystal weighing 7 lbs., which is much more convenient to carry and much less fragile, should be the same price as a 2x4' mirror?

 

[AuraSeer]

I'd think a big ball of crystal would be more fragile, not less. According to the spell description, the mirror focus is made of polished silver; it won't shatter as easily as a modern glass mirror.

 

[Sanackranib]

think again! I saw the worlds largest clear crystal ball on loan from the smithsonian at the L.A Natural History Museum and the sucker weighs 65 lbs. pure quartz baby!