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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(Psi)SeveredHead" data-source="post: 6078267" data-attributes="member: 1165">I don't think this would work, at least within core rules. The economic system is messed up.Think about what a potion of cure light wounds would be worth to a peasant. A lot. You'd want it, if only as insurance, but it costs 50 gp, more money than you'll see in your life.The Industrial Revolution, Green Revolution and other such changes occurred because these advances became cheap.Eberron solved this problem (although in a nebulous way) by having lots of outside-the-rules items (such as warforged creation forges) that are incredibly cheap to operate, but could only be used by dragonmarked people.House Ghallandra probably has baskets of cheap food they can make ... but they also have a monopoly on it. Only halflings with the appropriate mark could operate such an item, and if you're not authorized (say, cast out of the house) you'd probably get assassinated.I'm picturing Luddite riots <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> Also, nobles might think servants make a better status symbol than spells (plus you need to be able to trust a caster to keep casting that spell for you if you're not a caster yourself). So I think a party hosted by unseen servants would either be a wizard thing or a once-in-a-year festival for nobles.They're certainly more reliable, but you can't afford them.See above.I'm not familiar with those spells. (I know the 4e ritual for the first though.)I think it'd be cheaper in the long run to just train people.Entertainment used Ghost Sound, Silent Image & Summon Instrument.UMD DCs are high, so you need skilled experts. Furthermore, those wands cost a lot and so do cloaks of Charisma.I think only locally, at high cost, and they'd have to deal with the Luddites. (I think even a high-level druid would have trouble operating a commune...)In a few generations, any family that hasn't had bad luck would quickly outgrow that food source. In fact, without birth control, said family would grow faster!They get killed by Luddites. Sounds like a fun campaign, actually. People clinging to the past, and throwing rocks.I think only noble families could actually take advantage of these benefits. I doubt a large family of 100 peasants could afford the 1/day feed someone item.A noble family might be able to, though. (I think we can dispense with WBL for noble NPCs, as long as that money isn't being spent on combat gear. Give the +5 sword to your best bodyguard.) They wouldn't live off of it (the food would be bland), but it'd be handy in an emergency. Note that it doesn't even provide enough food to feed your troops or even your bodyguard unit of maybe 12 guys.I think this is where I have to clearly disagree with you. I wouldn't want to play in such a world. I don't think having a high starting Int is enough to be a wizard. I think most people just wouldn't have the talent, even if they're smart. Talent isn't in the rules, admittedly, but you can always assume the PCs have a lot more potential talent than NPCs.I just don't think you could do it cheaply and economically. But maybe it's your examples. I'm picturing an item that casts Plant Growth once per year, being that village's special item, and being really handy. (Until D&D vikings come and steal it!)Here's where it breaks down. These students came out of poverty. How are they able to craft these items? A 1st-level wand costs 750 gp, so 375 gp of raw material plus XP (we'll assume there's a way around that). Of course, these adventurers could provide the raw materials, but they'll run out eventually (unless they're only supplying a small area). I don't think these new students are going to be able to keep doing this while dealing with customers who can't afford it. Of course, you could end up with each village having one item.On a related note, are you familiar with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs" target="_blank">Maslow's hierarchy of needs?</a> At the bottom are the most important things, namely staying alive. Food and water would come long before unseen servants. If a peasant had to choose between an item that creates food and something that saves him a bit of work, he'll choose the former. The latter is just a luxury.</blockquote>

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