Wand "Charges"?

[takasi]

Typically, wands of this sort (usually buffs and heals) are considered party resources.

What if you do not receive them as loot?

What if a character has craft wand? Does he pay for the expense himself, or does the party reimburse him? How much do they pay? Does the entire party split the cost evenly?

 

[wildstarsreach]

Takasi and I play in this campaign. I'm one to agree that he shouldn't have to be throwing away his money healing the party. However, playing a duskblade, I'm up on the front line and taking more damage. Having to constantly pay for healing now drains the fighters or front line characters monies. There has to be some medium. I think that the party should start paying for wands of healing. Other wands I am much more lazefare. The other problem, Takasi is our cleric who is afraid of combat (Character concept, annoying but entertaining) and having him cast a healing spell is pulling teeth.

I think a reasonable charge to a cooperative party if wands are used, is cost + up to 10%. If the PC is the maker of the wand, I would say cost of the charge just as if he hadn't made the wand. He is essentially doubling his money.

 

[Xer0]

What if you do not receive them as loot?

What if a character has craft wand? Does he pay for the expense himself, or does the party reimburse him? How much do they pay? Does the entire party split the cost evenly?

I think it would depend on how it's being used. If it's a party boon, like a buff or a healing wand, it should be a shared party expense - but when that happens, it's the party's wand, not the crafters. If it something like a wand of Fireballs or Magic Missile, the person who gets the benefit of using the wand needs to provide some sort of recompense for the cost of crafting the wand.

 

[takasi]

I think it would depend on how it's being used. If it's a party boon, like a buff or a healing wand, it should be a shared party expense - but when that happens, it's the party's wand, not the crafters.

How much does the party pay the caster for crafting the wand? How much is his xp worth?

 

[wildstarsreach]

I think it would depend on how it's being used. If it's a party boon, like a buff or a healing wand, it should be a shared party expense - but when that happens, it's the party's wand, not the crafters. If it something like a wand of Fireballs or Magic Missile, the person who gets the benefit of using the wand needs to provide some sort of recompense for the cost of crafting the wand.

Wands are ways for most wizards to extend their resources and appropriately cast their spells. Party buffs and healing are one thing but I wouldn't pay or charge for wand uses such as magic missiles or fireballs, ect.

 

[takasi]

Wands are ways for most wizards to extend their resources and appropriately cast their spells. Party buffs and healing are one thing but I wouldn't pay or charge for wand uses such as magic missiles or fireballs, ect.

I don't see much of a difference though. Other classes have items they can use without expending them. I see nothing wrong with a party owned wand of magic missile or fireball. Unlike buffs and heals though you can't "charge" a specific person for these uses.

 

[JustKim]

Just to play the Devil's advocate, consumable items can screw over the caster's wealth level.

If a fighter purchases +2 full plate he can sell it later for half value regardless of how often he uses it.

If a wizard purchases a wand of fireball he will lose money every time he uses it.

(Of course, the full plate could also be "damaged", but does that happen often in your experience?)

Here's how I look at it. Wands are consumable because they're less expensive that way. You could just as well make a stick that casts CLW (and in fact, such things exist in Eberron), but for a reduced price the buyer lives with the fact that they will not last forever. The fighter could just as well buy a sword with 50 +1 "charges" (and I know I've seen such items somewhere), and would he be able to charge the party for each charge he went through? Probably not.

How often has armor or a magic weapon been damaged in my experience? More often than a 50-charge wand runs out of charges by a large margin.

 

[takasi]

Here's how I look at it. Wands are consumable because they're less expensive that way. You could just as well make a stick that casts CLW (and in fact, such things exist in Eberron), but for a reduced price the buyer lives with the fact that they will not last forever. The fighter could just as well buy a sword with 50 +1 "charges" (and I know I've seen such items somewhere), and would he be able to charge the party for each charge he went through? Probably not.

Where can you buy a sword that has 50 +1 charges? How much do these cost?

For the sake of argument, let's look at the lifespan of a +1 weapon:

Let's say a +1 weapon is acquired at third level and used until sixth. In general you have 13 encounters between leveling, so that's almost 40 encounters for the weapon's lifespan.

The weapon generally costs 2300 gp. It can be sold later for half value, so you are actually only spending 1150 gp.

So let's say the fighter had to pay. If it's per encounter he is paying 29 gp per encounter. If it's per swing (let's say 150) it's 8 gp per activation. I would say it should be per swing, because unlike an item like a wand of magic weapon the fighter doesn't have to waste an action activating the item.

The cost of healing from wand charges can be considerably higher per encounter, especially if the party is large. On average each encounter should consume about 20% of the party's hit points. Between 3rd-5th level, with four members in your party that's probably 20 hp, or 4 charges of a wand (60 gp). With six members in your party that's probably 75-90 gp per encounter.

How often has armor or a magic weapon been damaged in my experience? More often than a 50-charge wand runs out of charges by a large margin.

Really? Taking a look at the adventure paths from Paizo and WotC, there are very few opportunities for the DM (from the raw module alone) to sunder weapons and armor. There are plenty of opportunities, on the other hand, to make the party chew through wands of cure light wounds. In the campaign I'm currently in we're on our sixth wand already and we're only level 4.

 

[wildstarsreach]

Where can you buy a sword that has 50 +1 charges? How much do these cost?

For the sake of argument, let's look at the lifespan of a +1 weapon:

Let's say a +1 weapon is acquired at third level and used until sixth. In general you have 13 encounters between leveling, so that's almost 40 encounters for the weapon's lifespan.

The weapon generally costs 2300 gp. It can be sold later for half value, so you are actually only spending 1150 gp.

So let's say the fighter had to pay. If it's per encounter he is paying 29 gp per encounter. If it's per swing (let's say 150) it's 8 gp per activation. I would say it should be per swing, because unlike an item like a wand of magic weapon the fighter doesn't have to waste an action activating the item.

The cost of healing from wand charges can be considerably higher per encounter, especially if the party is large. On average each encounter should consume about 20% of the party's hit points. Between 3rd-5th level, with four members in your party that's probably 20 hp, or 4 charges of a wand (60 gp). With six members in your party that's probably 75-90 gp per encounter.



Really? Taking a look at the adventure paths from Paizo and WotC, there are very few opportunities for the DM (from the raw module alone) to sunder weapons and armor. There are plenty of opportunities, on the other hand, to make the party chew through wands of cure light wounds. In the campaign I'm currently in we're on our sixth wand already and we're only level 4.

How soon we forget, my former fighter had his MW shortsword was sundered during the first adventure after he got it.

 

[Crothian]

Where can you buy a sword that has 50 +1 charges? How much do these cost?

Such questions are best asked to one's DM.