Optional Spell Components - overpriced? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Optional Spell Components - overpriced? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
starfurry
04-01-05, 07:49 PM The optional spell components (Eberron: Campaign Setting book, page 91) are pretty cool, but am I the only one who things that they're SERIOUSLY overpriced? I mean, they all cost more than a level 1 potion, and most of them fail to work more often than not. The most outrageous case is the narstone, which costs 500 gold and only works 10% of the time!

It just seems to me like nobody in his right mind would ever buy one of these, and would probably use them only if the person couldn't find a buyer. Does anyone disagree? Has anyone here ever bought one of these, or had a player who did?

As it is, I'm extremely tempted to reduce all of their prices by a factor of 10 (or maybe make them reusable?), but wanted to see what others thought.
Hakan
04-01-05, 07:55 PM I fear the rain of fire for saying this, but I would stay away from the optional components unless they involved story. I feel the same way with drugs and addictions. The reason these flavor things are in the game is to give your story added depth. IMO it is not so much to power up the spells. If that's how you want to use them, the by all means, but you're right, for the price, I don't see the value either. Maybe at higher levels.
AvonRekaes
04-01-05, 08:48 PM Actually, I agree with you on that they are way overpriced, but I take a different approach to the matter.

Logically, should you want to use one and not pay for it, go find it. One component is the horn of a magical beast right? Go kill one, and take it's horn.

I kinda just saw it as a subliminal push to have to PCs go collect them, not buy them.

And as for why the PCs wouldn't just sell these highly overpriced items... why would NPCs more readily buy overpriced goods?

PC - "Hey, we just severed this horn from a horrid rhinocerous. I'll sell it to you for 500 gp."
NPC - "HAHAHAHAHAHA"
Kennian
04-01-05, 08:58 PM it actuly mentions one of the houses sending people into the deamon wastes for Narstone so i doubt they'd laugh
KP91
04-01-05, 09:07 PM Reasons they cost so much
1. They are rare
2. They are powerful. They don't work 100% of the time to stop a first level player from dealing enouph to make a campaigne boring.
Gurv
04-01-05, 09:25 PM I accept all of these reasons, and implement them in the following way:

"Optional material components are expensive so that the PCs feel tempted to aquire them on their own, and either use them or sell them."

In fact, the point that they are less than useful to PCs most of the time indicates to me that they are something to be quested after. And note that they are only example of how optional material components should work. The BoED and BoVD have more, and a few d20 supplements have others. Making your own is pretty simple too.

If you have a player who is especially interested in finding and using such things, consider adding a feat like this to your game:

Master of Materials
You know how to use esoteric material components to enhance the spells you cast.
Prerequisite: Spellcraft 4 ranks
Benefit: When you cast a spell using an optional material component (see page 91 of the ECS), the chance that it functions as intended is doubled, to a maximum of 90%.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
starfurry 04-01-05, 07:49 PM	The optional spell components (Eberron: Campaign Setting book, page 91) are pretty cool, but am I the only one who things that they're SERIOUSLY overpriced? I mean, they all cost more than a level 1 potion, and most of them fail to work more often than not. The most outrageous case is the narstone, which costs 500 gold and only works 10% of the time! It just seems to me like nobody in his right mind would ever buy one of these, and would probably use them only if the person couldn't find a buyer. Does anyone disagree? Has anyone here ever bought one of these, or had a player who did? As it is, I'm extremely tempted to reduce all of their prices by a factor of 10 (or maybe make them reusable?), but wanted to see what others thought.
Hakan 04-01-05, 07:55 PM	I fear the rain of fire for saying this, but I would stay away from the optional components unless they involved story. I feel the same way with drugs and addictions. The reason these flavor things are in the game is to give your story added depth. IMO it is not so much to power up the spells. If that's how you want to use them, the by all means, but you're right, for the price, I don't see the value either. Maybe at higher levels.
AvonRekaes 04-01-05, 08:48 PM	Actually, I agree with you on that they are way overpriced, but I take a different approach to the matter. Logically, should you want to use one and not pay for it, go find it. One component is the horn of a magical beast right? Go kill one, and take it's horn. I kinda just saw it as a subliminal push to have to PCs go collect them, not buy them. And as for why the PCs wouldn't just sell these highly overpriced items... why would NPCs more readily buy overpriced goods? PC - "Hey, we just severed this horn from a horrid rhinocerous. I'll sell it to you for 500 gp." NPC - "HAHAHAHAHAHA"
Kennian 04-01-05, 08:58 PM	it actuly mentions one of the houses sending people into the deamon wastes for Narstone so i doubt they'd laugh
KP91 04-01-05, 09:07 PM	Reasons they cost so much 1. They are rare 2. They are powerful. They don't work 100% of the time to stop a first level player from dealing enouph to make a campaigne boring.
Gurv 04-01-05, 09:25 PM	I accept all of these reasons, and implement them in the following way: "Optional material components are expensive so that the PCs feel tempted to aquire them on their own, and either use them or sell them." In fact, the point that they are less than useful to PCs most of the time indicates to me that they are something to be quested after. And note that they are only example of how optional material components should work. The BoED and BoVD have more, and a few d20 supplements have others. Making your own is pretty simple too. If you have a player who is especially interested in finding and using such things, consider adding a feat like this to your game: Master of Materials You know how to use esoteric material components to enhance the spells you cast. Prerequisite: Spellcraft 4 ranks Benefit: When you cast a spell using an optional material component (see page 91 of the ECS), the chance that it functions as intended is doubled, to a maximum of 90%.