Scroll costs, magic availability, and XP costs...

[Arravis]

As I understand, that scroll spells that have XP costs cost as much as spells that do not. Does that seem irrational to anyone?

Also, how available do you make magical scrolls in your campaign? I'm one of the round-robin DM's in a Forgotten Realms campaign, and I and the other DM disagree on the availability and cost of magic items and scrolls. I'm the magic-stingy DM if you hadn't guessed .

To him the XP cost for items made by NPC's isn't as precious as those made by PC's. Basicly NPC's don't care as much about the XP cost and that explains the prices. I disagree with the DMG on scroll costs (especially wish). I think that they are basicly too low. I don't see how the Hide Life scroll is worth just as much as the Power Word Kill scroll, since the maker of the Hide Life scroll had to spend 5k xp.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this issue. And I know this is the inherent problem with having two DM's for one game... but overall it has been a very positive experience and we've had few problems. So I'm not looking to solo DM, but looking for ideas and views. Perhaps I'm just not seeing something that is clear.

 

[Carnifex]

As I understand, that scroll spells that have XP costs cost as much as spells that do not. Does that seem unrational to anyone else?

This is incorrect - while it does cost the same amount to make a 5th level spell scroll as it takes to make one of the same level that costs, say, 200 XP, (although of course the maker suffers the 200XP cost as usual), buying such a scroll costs the usual price for a 5th level scrol + 5gp per extra XP the spell demanded - ie, in this case +1000 gp's. If you look at the lists of scrolls in the DMG, this is the reason why spells like Wish cost far more than other scrolls of their level.

 

[Arravis]

Cost still seems too low... Wish especially. At high levels, why would you ever cast a wish yourself, just buy the scrolls...

 

[kengar]

I run it as the same "Market" rate for scrolls across the board. If a PC wants to sell a scroll for a higher or lower price, that's the player's decision. Outside factors can influence the price of some items too. I would probably leave the cost of the scrolls as per the DMG just for simplicity, but reduce the availability of ones that use up more XP. I don't buy the idea that XP isn't as "important" to NPCs. If they keep writing those scrolls, eventually they're gonna have to do some adventuring to re-earn those points!

 

[Arravis]

My character is a Wizard, 21st lvl. You know how many times I've cast wish? Never. The 5k cost is just too intense. The only big XP spell I've cast is Hide Life, two Permanency spells and two Limited Wishes for dire emergencies. And that's in his entire career. I know that it would take a ridiculous amount of money to convince my character to spend 5k xp for a scroll. I imagine the same, though probably not as dramatic, is true for most casters. I would see the number of Wish scrolls available "For Sale" in the realms to litterally be a handful. Am I being too stingy in that thinking?

 

[Izod]

This is incorrect - while it does cost the same amount to make a 5th level spell scroll as it takes to make one of the same level that costs, say, 200 XP, (although of course the maker suffers the 200XP cost as usual), buying such a scroll costs the usual price for a 5th level scrol + 5gp per extra XP the spell demanded - ie, in this case +1000 gp's. If you look at the lists of scrolls in the DMG, this is the reason why spells like Wish cost far more than other scrolls of their level.

According to the DMG a wish scroll cost 28,825. and all other 9th level scrolls cost 3825. By your reasoning the increased cost of wish is because of the exp factor. Well this just doesn't hold water when you consiter that the average 9th level devine spell cost 3825 but miricle cost 28,825. Miricle doesn't have any exp cost so why the increased cost?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

As I understand, that scroll spells that have XP costs cost as much as spells that do not. Does that seem irrational to anyone?

Also, how available do you make magical scrolls in your campaign? I'm one of the round-robin DM's in a Forgotten Realms campaign, and I and the other DM disagree on the availability and cost of magic items and scrolls. I'm the magic-stingy DM if you hadn't guessed .

It makes perfect sense to me.

One of the biggest changes in 3e is that some items become readily available. Potions and scrolls of low levels spells are easy to find. Higher level scrolls are purchasable but may require a bit of legwork.

The funny thing is I find that potent magic is actually much rarer in 3e than in 1e/2e. I have played 6th level characters in 3e without a magic weapon. In 1e/2e, I might have a +2 sword at that point in my career. Look at wealth guidelines of NPCs and you will find that they don't have much in terms of powerful magic.

 

[Orco42]

I actually don't have a problem with the 5gp/1xp cost for NPC's.

I figure that sometimes those NPC's are hurting for money. They are about to retire and need to get some cash, or a loved one is kidnapped and they need to make money for a ransom.

I actually have had players in my game make scrolls with an XP cost to sell.

 

[Staffan]

Re: Re: Scroll costs, magic availability, and XP costs...

Look at wealth guidelines of NPCs and you will find that they don't have much in terms of powerful magic.

Well, NPCs generally have less gear than PCs. The main reason for this is that the majority of the wealth of NPCs encountered will end up in the hands of the PCs, so giving NPCs equal gear will lead to major inflation.