Harvesting Components

[BASHMAN]

So in the description for rituals, it says that you can use special rare materials harvested from magical creatures for Arcana based rituals (including making magic items).

Is there any rules for GP value that a magical creature would be worth as components? Like how much would the teeth of a Hydra be worth for example? It HAS to be worth something in components.

If there are no rules for it, let's make one that works well.

Here is my idea:

1. THe creature has to be something special. You cannot harvest reagents from every goblin, etc. It has to be some inherently magical thing-- and even then, not of the garden variety. Thus it must be an Elite, Solo, or Leader*.

2. The reagent's value = the 2*XP value of the creature it came from. You must use all of a specific reagent. So no portioning out the Hydra-- use it all at once.

3. The Reagent must be used for something thematically appropriate. Hydra reagents for making Hydra Scale Armor or a Flaming weapon (assuming the hydra spat fire). The DM will decide if it is thematically appropriate.

*I suppose you could use non-magical parts as reagents then-- like "the hand of a warrior fallen" for a cursed item by taking the hand of an enemy leader who was a fighter. I'm not sure how this would work out though.

 

[JDillard]

I think the suggested rule would be something like "Make it part of their treasure parcel"

So instead of just saying "You kill the hydra and find 1000 gold", you can say "you kill the hydra and find 750 gold, and then from its body you can scavenge 250 gold in arcane ritual components".

 

[WyzardWhately]

You could also, as a slightly-alternate option, make it the GP pay-off to match the XP from a skill challenge - the skill challenge being "do the research to find out good sources of arcane reagents."

 

[Byronic]

I say let it them use a skill to salvage the item (perhaps Heal or Arcane), but leave it outside of the usual treasure parcels.

Let players show ingenuity and act like real adventurers. Also encourage them to use their money for other non-combat related purposes. Nice luxurious rooms, a mansion, some place to put their stash and guards to guard it.

Let them use their wealth for some good old fashion world building

If you're feeling really enterprising and they have lots of extra gold have them hire big bands of mercenaries and have let's start a war!

 

[smathis]

So in the description for rituals, it says that you can use special rare materials harvested from magical creatures for Arcana based rituals (including making magic items).

I was intrigued by that caption as well.

In fact, I wanted to pitch it as the basis for a new campaign. The adventurers go out into the wild to explore ruins, return artifacts and gather components that they can then sell to the alchemists and wizards back in the city.

Kind of an Indiana Jones meets Brothers Grimm meets Rippers sort of gig.

Of course, I wanted more going on there. But I thought it was a nice premise for bringing the party together.

That said, I was also a little on the fence about how to go about calculating the "value" of the various monster bits.

I like the idea of treasure parcels and such. I've never quite understood how a party can haul 10,000 gp out of a dungeon. I've always been more likely to hand out jewels or priceless works of art.

I'd definitely like to add "heart of an Owlbear" to that list. Maybe the PCs have to make Arcana, Nature, Streetwise and other checks to determine how much of the monetary value of the parcel they're able to get.

It could be an interesting Skill Challenge to have the Rogue recognize that there's an alchemist in the big city that is paying big $$ for Orc Tongues, then have the Ranger roll to determine the best way to remove the Orc tongues, then the Wizard rolls for the best way to preserve the Orc tongues, then the Warlord bluffs the city guard that this jar full of tongues is actually a delicacy and not some magical contraband that will result in a Ritual that will blow up half the city.

Of course, then a few games later I'll have to stat up some foul construct made entirely of Orc Tongues or something equally nasty.

Good times.