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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 6545379" data-attributes="member: 37579">3rd Edition was one of the few editions to really nail down the demographics of adventurers. 10% of the population had class levels, so something like 2.5% of the population theoretically had the power to cast spells (3 of the 12) classes. And some variable percentage was able to cast continual flame. Even if 1%, that's still a really high percentage. Likely higher than the percentage than the modern percentage that can fix a car or do plumbing or many other trade skills. (And auto mechanics and plumbers can pretty much set their rates at whatever they want. So the 100% markup beyond cost goes out the window.)This 1% is still only a potential number, as not every wizard will have it in their spellbook and not every sorcerer will choose to learn the spell (and in 5e sorcerers lose it, so there are fewer potential casters.) But in a city of 10,000 people, that still means there are in the range of 75 people that can make permanent lamps. So it's fair to assume that will have an effect on civilization. But it's still likely a rare thing.Now, what if instead of 10% of the population, it's 5% that has class levels? Suddenly the 75 casters goes down to 38. 38 dudes in one of the biggest cities in the land, and not all might be interested in selling their services or advertising their skills. That moves it from "for the influential" to "for unique collectors". It might be limited to temples and wizard guild halls. Or the manors of the exceedingly rich. Things get further muddied when you consider the rules. In 4e and 5e NPCs don't use the same rules, so it's arguably possible that only the PCs have access to that spell. It's the DM's discretion if there's a priest, mage, or archmage in a town. It's very easy and reasonable to make a city where the only people able to make continual flame are the head priests of the local temples, the leaders of the mage guild, and the PCs.</blockquote>

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