Why isn't every 9th level wizard rich?

[czak808]

This will probably make all the DM's scream, but...

Intelligence being the primary ability, a wizard probably has at least a +2 modifier.
So, just putting 4 - 6 skill points in Craft; Armorsmithing and the Fabricate spell would provide you with 250 (Banded mail) to 1500 (Full Plate) each day for one-third the cost. And how many 9th level Wizards don't have 90 gp for materials?

 

[Treebore]

Depends on your definiton fo rich. Every 9th level wizard is "rich" in my campaigns. With rich being defined as having many nice things and a nice home. Only adventuring 9th level mages may not be rich, but they usually are in that they have 40,000 GP worth of possessions on their person at all times.

 

[trancejeremy]

And just who are they going to sell that to? About the only people who need armor like that are adventurers or soldiers, and the latter probably get their armor made for them by the King's armorer.

 

[Nifft]

Like I posted in your other (identical) thread, wait until you see wall of iron...

D&D economics don't work.

Cheers, -- N

 

[IceFractal]

Heck, get Craft(Gemcutting) instead. Unlike armor, gems sell for their full price, are smaller, and are easier to sell in most cities. When you go into town, buy a bag of uncut gemstones, Fabricate a couple a day, and by the time you get back you've tripled your investment. When you have significant downtime, you can earn money very quickly.


And yes, this does tend to generate money at a potentially game-breaking rate. But conveniently, it combines with another Wizard trait - having to spend money on their class features. Take these two facts:

1) Wizards are the only class that has to spend money to learn their spells, and has to potentially keep backup copies of their spells.
2) Wizards are the best class for getting cheesy amounts of money.

And the solution is obvious: Use your Fabricate/Salt/Planar Binding tricks, but only to get more spells for your book, and to make backup copies of that book.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Also, as an aside, trying to overlay D&D rules on top of a realistic economy is not going to work.

For example, the existence of the Wall of Iron spell would realistically shutter every single iron mine within trading distance of someone who can cast it.

A 12th-level wizard caster spends ~50g in materials, and gets about 4400g in good-quality iron as a result, without requiring miners or smelters (though the 90 cubic feet of iron, or TWENTY TONS, created would need to be cut apart and melted).

Edit: Dang you Nifft!

Brad

 

[Umbran]

In general, making things that a book claims have value is not enough to make you rich. You must also have a market for said things. There are only so many folks who need armor, or cut gemstones. These are, effectively, niche items. And anyone who has been watching these boards and talking about why 4e is being made can tell you about the economics of niche markets...

 

[WayneLigon]

Certainly a good chunk of the non-adventuring wizard's income does come from such things. You could even make it into an adventuring possibility: Ebnoth the Crafter hires your group to raid a rival wizard's tower and rip that page out of his spell book so he can't cast it anymore and can't transcribe it. The Fabricate spell becomes a fairly rare spell thanks to practices like this.

Of course this lasts until a group of armor makers and leather workers find our trade-minded wizard in the street as he's coming home from the inn and use blacksmiths hammers to crush the bones in his hands for him as a warning not to mess with the Guild. That kind of stuff tends to curb enterprising wizards who want to move out of the potion-making field.

Another adventure idea. Ebnoth the Crafter has somehow managed to evade such retribution and his Make Iron Cheap business has shuttered the mines and ruined the lives of countless people by turning the local economy on it's ear. Then he dies choking on a chicken bone at dinner. The local lord comes to you, his apprentice, and wonders what you're going to do about it since now the only local source of iron is now gone. Iron prices shoot through the roof and now all the people who depended on cheap iron want your head.

Things like this are why wizards generally stay out of 'normal' businesses and why other wizards will visit a wizard who does these sorts of things to have a chat with him. He ignores the chat, his tower explodes the next day and the local wizard's council pockets a heft sum from the Armorcrafter's Guild and the local nobility.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I think a better (simpler) solution is to remove the Permanent duration.

Caveat Emptor, especially when buying from wizards.

 

[VirgilCaine]

In general, making things that a book claims have value is not enough to make you rich. You must also have a market for said things. There are only so many folks who need armor, or cut gemstones. These are, effectively, niche items.

Bingo!

You could make lots of cheap armor, but armies get by with what they're doing already. It's not like it wears out.
Adventurers want magic armor ASAP, and saving several hundred gold pieces when you'll drop 1000 or more for the magic part...isn't a very big market.

Now, making lots of shoes really rapidly...That might be workable. They wear out every so often, everyone needs them, you can vary the style somewhat (tough boots for soldiers, etc. thing soft leather shoes, sandals, etc.) for different markets. The skill you need to make the items will let you easily repair shoes--or you might make the shoes so cheap, proken ones'll be recycled into, I dunno, bags or armor or something.