How doyou calculcate the cost of magic arrows?

[LordVyreth]

I was going over the books when I noticed that the cost of sleep arrows, for example, is strange. Each arrow is 132 gold, so I assume that is for the price of one arrow based on what 50 arrows would cost. That means a set of 50 sleep arrows would cost 6,600 gold. Minus the price of their +1 enchantment (2,000 gold,) and the masterwork arrow cost (350,) and we're left with 4,250 gold. So, where does that number come from? The base cost for the spell is just 1 (1st level spell x 1st level caster,) so is theer a 4,250 multiplyer for this sort of thing? Or do you take the base price for a normal +1 arrow (2,350,) divide that by 50 (47,) and then add that to the spell effect cost (85?) If the latter, where does the 85 modifier come from?

 

[Infiniti2000]

You're making the mistake of using the sleep spell as if that factors into the price. The sleep spell does not cause nonlethal damage and it has a HD limit not specified in the magic item, ergo it can't possibly factor into the cost.

The cost is ballparked, then playtested.

If you absolutely must reverse engineer it for some reason, stop when you get to 4,250 and assume that's what it costs to convert the damage to nonlethal (ala merciful) and put any target to sleep.

 

[Bad Paper]

extra credit

I tried to reverse-engineer the cost of slaying arrows and failed utterly. Anyone want to help?