Wacko metamagic rod pricing

[green slime]

Well, after obtaining the new rules, I was reading through, trying to find the details.

And I saw they inluded the metamagic rods from Tome and Blood, at new reduced prices. I cannot for the life of me see how they figured these new prices. The only conclusion I can make is that the more powerful ones are horribly underpriced (IMO).

Looking at the figures:
3.5 DMG
Level Adder 1 spell level 2 spell levels 3 spell levels 4 spell levels
Lesser 3,000 9,000 14,000 35,000
Normal 11,000 32,500 54,000 75,500
Greater 24,500 73,000121,500 170,000

Tome and Blood
Level Adder 1 spell level 2 spell levels 3 spell levels 4 spell levels
Lesser 5,400 16,200 (x3) 27,200 (x5) 37,800 (x7)
Normal 21,600 (x4) 64,800 108,000 151,200
Greater 48,600 (x9) 145,800 243,000 340,200

T&B price increases, from new DMG base price.
Level Adder 1 spell level 2 spell levels 3 spell levels 4 spell levels
Lesser 3000 9000 15000 21000
Normal 12000 3600060000 84000
Greater 27000 81000135000 189000

The conclusion I reach is that they saw that 21,000 gp was far too cheap for a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Quickening, but that no similar increase was placed upon the Normal or Greater Rods of that type. Seems like a very ill-thought out alteration to me. Or has someone heard of any explanation?

 

[green slime]

I really don't get this. A mere 75,500 gp to cast what is basically an Epic level spell (Quickened 6th level spell, = 10th level spell slot) thrice per day.

Yet the ability to cast 3rd level spells quickened was deemed so powerful it was given a price no less than 35,000 gp, almost twelve times that of the lesser metamagic rod of silence.

Did they think that it would matter LESS to be able to cast high level quickened spells?

 

[The Souljourner]

I think the chart is fine. a Silenced spell is a hell of a lot less powerful than a quickened spell. The quickened rod SHOULD be a hell of a lot more expensive. It lets you cast any spell you have memorized within the level limit as a free action. That's damn powerful.

Do you know how many times I've even seen an area of silence in a campaign, let alone the need for silent spell? Once. And the casters just moved out of it and cast into it. I've *never* seen silent spell used, even in my epic campaign.

Quicken spell? That I've seen a dozen times and a rod of quicken would have been immensely useful, even just for spell levels 1-3. The fact that you can spontaneously make a spell into a free action is worth a *lot*.

-The Souljourner

 

[green slime]

Except souljourner, the comparitive price difference between silencing or quickening those 1st to 3rd level spells, and doing the same to those 7th to 9th level spells diminishes.

If the price difference where maintained, the Greater Quickened Rod would cost closer to 294,000 gp. And the Normal variant would cost approxiamately 130,000 gp.

They are too cheaply priced, when you look at the cost for the 1-spell level mod silencing, and quickening rods. Especially when you see that they are casting epic level spells for a 75,500 gp item.

Which then brings one to the question, what is the correct price? Far more than what is suggested in the 3.5 DMG, surely.

 

[AuraSeer]

Do you know how many times I've even seen an area of silence in a campaign, let alone the need for silent spell? Once. And the casters just moved out of it and cast into it. I've *never* seen silent spell used, even in my epic campaign.

That seems like a very atypical campaign. In every one I've ever played, magical silence was one of the primary ways to hamper enemy spellcasters. (Center the effect on a monk, or other fast-moving PC, and have him Ready to follow the victim. A wizard without Silent Spell is easy meat.)

 

[Petrosian]

Do you know how many times I've even seen an area of silence in a campaign, let alone the need for silent spell? Once. And the casters just moved out of it and cast into it. I've *never* seen silent spell used, even in my epic campaign.

-The Souljourner

In the game where i ran a sorcerer, he had silent spell feat and used it maybe a dozen times in 8 levels of play, maybe more. I think one time was in response to s silence field, the others were all for "stealth" uses of spells, where the rather loud and noticeable verbal components would alert too many people.

In the higher level game i run, the sorcerer there has used it a lot more, about 1 time in 4 is for a silence spell counter, the other times are evenly divided between stealth spell use and getting spells off while held or polymorphed. Recently, he was turned into a catfish in combat, so he used a silent teleport to teleport to a well known ally, get a dispel and then teleported back. just in time to fail his save vs the dragon.