Table of prizes: magic objects you can buy in great cities
by Pol GinésThis is related to "Rules and magic affecting the world" http://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=595
Also related with the "Post Wizards Service Net" (costs of transports and teleport)
If we can give an economic value to magic, we can quantify -and understand- magic and power in Mystara.
I started with a canon (Expert Rules) information: a "Heal Light Wounds" potion costs 500 gp. I thought it was a fair prize for a really common and needed magic object. I'm sure there are lots of clerics in the main cathedrals in Mystara makings lots of Heal Light Wounds potions. Also in Expert Rules we read that a scroll with 2 "magic Missile" costs 1.000 gp and a Wand of Fireball (20 charges) costs 30.000 gp. I tried to use this as a guide, but 20 charges????? [That is, 1.500 gp each third level Fireball. And which DM wants a wizard have 20 fireballs?] Also... a Magic Missile in scroll can be very powerful when cast by my 23rd level thief!!!]
So I established a table of prizes and objects. In my campaign, I banned wands with more than 10 charges.
Table of prizes: magic objects you can buy in Glantri City, Darokin City, Thyatis City, Minrothad City, Alfheim City, and any big city in Alphatia mainland or Bellissaria. [Prizes in other places, such as Kerendas, Specularum, Selenica or Corunglain, are 25%-50% more expensive, and in these cities there are only stocks of 1st and 2nd level objects]
LEVEL POTION SCROLL WAND (10 charges)
1 500 1.000 5.000
2 1.500 3.000 15.000
3 3.000 5.000 30.000
4 6.000 8.000 60.000
5 9.000 12.000 90.000
6 12.000 15.000 120.000
So a Wand of Lightning (10 Light rays) costs 30.000 gp in Glantri City and 45.000 in Specularum.
This way, PCs can spend their money (remember: a small dragon, Treasure class H) in several small objects (potions of healing and invisibility) and only one or two medium objects. [Potions are cheaper because they have only 1 user, who is always willing to use it; compare a Potion of Haste -one user- with a Haste Scroll (a first level elf reads it and the whole group moves at double speed).
Healing potions and offensive common wands are in stock in many cities. Darokin, Minrothad and Alfheim Cities have a stock of up to MU3/Cleric4 levels. Thyatis City has a stock of up to MU5/Cleric 6.
"Hiring" a spell
In great cities you can pay a wizard or cleric to cast on you (or your friend) a "Raise dead", "Commune..."
Cost is: as a potion but -33%.
Clerics cast their spells cheaper to strongly committed fellow believers of the same church or faith (a fellow cleric, paladin, sacred knight...) the discount is -50%.
Churches sell magical objects to committed believers (such as healing potions) with a -10% to -30%.
Costs of "hiring" the cast of a spell: examples
Neutralise venom 4th level Potion by 6.000 Scroll by 8.000 Spell cast by 4.000 (2.000 to a highly committed believer)
Raise Dead, Quest 5th level Potion by 9.000 Scroll by 12.000 Spell cast by 6.000 (3.000 to committed believers)
Stone to flesh 6th level Potion by 12.000 Scroll by 15.000 Spell cast by 8.000 (is a magic user spell)
As usual, all these costs are 25%-50% more expensive in other cities than the above commented.
Magic Weapons and Armour
OBJECT +1 bonus +1,+2vs +1,+3vs +2 +2,+3vs
Dagger, 10 arrows 2.500 3.000 4.000 5.000 7.000
Shortsword, spear, handaxe,
mace, javelin, hammer,
leather armour 5.000 6.500 7.000 10.000 13.000
Bastard swords (long or short),
normal sword, 2 handed axe,
shortbow, mail armour, shield 7.500 9.000 11.000 15.000 18.000
Longbow, crossbows (heavy or
light, 2 handed swords, pole
weapons, fighting shields (knife,
tusked, etc...), platemail 10.000 13.000 15.000 20.000 24.000
Added cost for a magic effect (only 1-3rd level):
+8.500/level of effect if 3 uses/day
+6.500/level of effect if 1/day
+3.000/level of effect if 1/week
So:
Pike+2, +3 vs. Dragons, with Fireball 3 times/day = 24.000 + 15.000 = 39.000 gp
These are costs for Glantri City, Darokin City, Thyatis City, Minrothad City and Alfheim City. In Alphatian cities there isn't a stock of weapons, so prices are as expensive as in Selenica or Kerendas, that is, +25% to 50%.
SPECIAL COSTS:
In Rockhome City, there is a discount of 10% to the cost of all weapons and armour without added magical effects (simple +2 or +3 weapons). If the buyer is a dwarf, the discount is 20%.
In Alfheim Citythere is a discount of 10% in bows, arrows and leather armour, even if with magic effects added. The discount is 20% if the buyer is an elf.
***
I have tested these rules in my current campaign. Players see that their money is useful... and too easy to spend. High magic is still difficult to afford. And cities do not longer seem to be the same. When they arrive to Darokin they feel the urge to spend all their money: in Selenica will be more expensive. Also, the 6.000 gp standard for "raise dead" is hurting enough. In my campaign, a character can only be raised one third his Constitution (CO 17 means you can be raised from death only 5 times).
These economics work well with my campaign and playing logic and the "canon" treasure amounts; now... what do these figures tell about Mystara, the military costs, economy...?