Druids Vestments

[sithramir]

So I made a 5th level druid. I'm looking through to buy some items for him and I see in minor wondrous items "Vestments, Druids" at the cost of 3750. I say oo an extra wildshape would be a cool thing. Then I think well didn't that used to be 10000? I don't think 3750 is a big deal cause its not anything hugely powerful. I ask the DM if he's ok and he looks it up and says wel its 10000 and you only get 9k! I then realize that in the descriptions it says "Moderate for Detect magic" and that it still says it costs 10k.

Now Which is it? I know it was 10k before but why change it in the table and leave it like that? I don't think lowering it is wrong cause its only a druids item and all. Anyone know for sure? Its amazing how many mistakes they have in this book. You'd think after its basically done they'd hire someone to check things like hmm lets see if the items match the tables, etc.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I don't think lowering it is wrong cause its only a druids item and all.

Only if they lower the cost of the holy avenger too, 'cause it's only a paladin's item and all.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Possibilities:
1) Extra spell slot.

Wildshape is gained at 5th level, so it must be a 3rd level spell for a druid. The base cost is 3*3*1000 = 9000. It fits the appropriate affinity (transformation), and should get a price break of 30% for requiring you to be a druid. That puts it at 6300.

2) Spell
Wildshape is gained at 5th, and is a 3rd level spell. 5*3*2000 = 30,000. You can only use it once per day, so cut that down to 1/5th of that, or 6000. Add in the 30% price break, and you're at 4200.

In short - I don't have any clue where either of their costs come from, but I'd lean towards the 3750 mark.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Possibilities:
1)Wildshape is gained at 5th level, so it must be a 3rd level spell for a druid.

Wildshape isn't a spell, it's a special ability based on a spell, Polymorph, which is a 4th-level spell....for wizard's only.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Wildshape isn't a spell, it's a special ability based on a spell, Polymorph, which is a 4th-level spell....for wizard's only.

Gained at 5th level druid. The closest thing to it would be the domain slots that a cleric gets, and if he gets it at 5th level, then obviously the changed parameters of the spell (medium and small only, animal only, hours per level) make it a 3rd-level spell equivalent.

But, lets do it using the wizards spell, hmm? And bear in mind that it would be for a minute/level version.

1) Extra spell slot: 7x4x1000 = 28,000. I daresay that increasing the spell duration to hours would be even more expensive. I'd be nice and put it at a doubling of the price. Useable by druid only makes it 39,000.

2) Spell: 7*4*2000=56,000. At a guess, multiply by 2 to change it to hours/day, 112,000. 30% discount for druid only, 78,400.

So pendragon. How exactly does that help us? We've ended up at 4 to 8 times the cost of the higher-priced version from the rulebook.

And do you honestly believe that 1 extra wildshape a day is worth 40,000 to 80,000 gp?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Gained at 5th level druid. The closest thing to it would be the domain slots that a cleric gets, and if he gets it at 5th level, then obviously the changed parameters of the spell (medium and small only, animal only, hours per level) make it a 3rd-level spell equivalent.

You're missing my point. My point is that there's nothing "obviously" about your leap of logic. Rogues get Evasion at 2nd-level. That doesn't make it the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. It makes it the equivalent of a 2nd-level rogue special ability, completely unconnected to a 1st-level spell. A ring of evasion costs 20,000gp. Not the price of a 1st-level spell. The same is true of the Druid's Vestments. They allow the druid to use one of his class abilities an extra time per day, they aren't the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell, just because the druid also gains 3rd-level spells at that level as well.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

2Pendragon:
You are right, that special abilities do not always have to be comparable with a spell, most are not.

But in the case of Wild Shape, it might fit to compare it to a Polymorph Spell or similar effect. Unfortunately, it does not fit 100%, as we see her, though we might have figured the base idea behind it...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Lord Pendragon]

But in the case of Wild Shape, it might fit to compare it to a Polymorph Spell or similar effect. Unfortunately, it does not fit 100%, as we see her, though we might have figured the base idea behind it...

True, but the problem is which effect to compare it to? At the level when it is first gained, Wildshape is inferior to Polymorph. But if a high-level druid got a set of Druid's Vestments, he'd be gaining the use of an ability greater than Polymorph. So what do you base the Wildshape ability on, in terms of pricing it? The 5th-level druid's ability? Or the 20th-level druid's ability? Therein lies the problem of trying to compare it to a spell to determine its monetary cost.