Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Illion the Red 04-14-06, 04:35 PM	I was toying with an idea of a simple magic item that a wizard could sell. This is of no great value to adventurers, but would be a real treat for the general populace. The idea is a flavored stick that never loses its flavor. I figured the base spell for the item would be Prestidigitation, a 0-level spell. When I tried to price this out, I came up with it costing 2,000 GP (continuous and no space limitation for a 0-level spell). This seems like a huge price for what is, in essence, an everlasting gobstopper. Am I missing something here?
Pandaemoni 04-14-06, 04:45 PM	That's a great item! Unfortunately, under the rules I think the cost would be 1,000 gold (1/2 spell level x 1st caster level x 2,000 gold) for a continuous version. I'd be happy to be wrong as I like the concept a lot. That said, since it is really one particular use of Prestidigitation, rather than allowing the owner to use the spell to create any effect allowed by the spell, a DM might rule the price down a bit.
Illion the Red 04-14-06, 04:56 PM	That's a great item! Unfortunately, under the rules I think the cost would be 1,000 gold (1/2 spell level x 1st caster level x 2,000 gold) for a continuous version. I'd be happy to be wrong as I like the concept a lot. That said, since it is really one particular use of Prestidigitation, rather than allowing the owner to use the spell to create any effect allowed by the spell, a DM might rule the price down a bit. I added another x2 for it to be unslotted. All-in-all, I'm sure it's overpriced, but I can't find a logical way to make it cheaper without just outright saying it is :(
tarkin 04-14-06, 05:06 PM	Continous Prestidigitation? So I can clean anything instantly? Make vegetables taste like chocalate? Sounds like a housewive's dream. Yes, someone would pay 2,000 gp for it. Well worth it.
Pandaemoni 04-14-06, 06:39 PM	Continous Prestidigitation? So I can clean anything instantly? Make vegetables taste like chocalate? Sounds like a housewive's dream. Yes, someone would pay 2,000 gp for it. Well worth it. Actually I think the point was that it was a stick that has a permanent taste, like chewing gum that never runs out of flavor, rather than a stick that let's you cast and use prestidigitation continuously. So it's only one small bit of prestidigitation's full potential. It would be like making a "ring of three wishes for stat increases."
DaMullet 04-14-06, 06:52 PM	I'd buy it. Or make it.
Darkxarth 04-14-06, 07:04 PM	I think that it could be made cheaper if you limit it to only one type of Prestidigitation. For example: 1. A magical duster that can clean things with a wave of the hand. 2. A spoon that makes everything it touches taste like a feast. 3. A magical paintbrush that can instantly change the color of anything! In addition, I've decided to include a sales pitch for each of the above products. Mostly because I'm bored. 1. Sick of scrubbing and sweeping? Available now, the Dust Master! This handy little magical duster can clean all of your household goods. Dirty dishes? Clean! Soiled shirt? Clean! Filthy floor? Clean! It's just that easy. A simple wave of the Dust Master and dirt and grime become a thing of the past! 2. Tired of the same old meal of bread, baked turnips, onions, and water? Simply tap that boring bread with the Food Fixer and bam! Boring bread becomes beautiful biscuts! Tired turnips transform into terrific turkey! Old onions alter into amazing apples! Washy water warps into wonderful wine! The Food Fixer transforms any meal into a feast! 3. Is that dull brown peasant tunic making you the laughingstock of the hamlet? The Color Coordinator can turn that drab bag into a extraordinary vestment! Any color you can imagine! Blue, red, yellow, green, purple, orange, white, black, brown, grey, silver, gold, brass, bronze, copper, mauve, fuschia, saffron, chartreuse; the list goes on and on! But the Color Coordinator doesn't just fix clothes, oh no, turn your dull chair into a golden throne! The Color Coordinator can alleviate all of your fashion needs!
HobbitGuy1420 04-14-06, 09:55 PM	it's a wonderful idea, but i can't imagine getting a dm to drop the price below 500G - which makes it the plaything of rich nobles with a sweet-tooth, but not really viable for mass production.
Johnny Cache 04-14-06, 11:28 PM	Maybe you could go about this a different way.... If, for instance, you developed a variation on the spell "Continuous Light" so that it made an object emit a taste rather than light, you could then cast the spell on a stick and sell it for the price of an Everburning Torch (a mere 110gp).
Krug_the_smasher 04-15-06, 01:01 AM	AWESOME!!! I love it! it sounds so cool, the next campaign i am DMing, ill give it to a PC, and see what they think of it. As for the price, because it is alot more limited in use than a permanant presdigidation, it would be half the price. So, that is 1000GP. Just cause its that cool.
Arkan_Shadesfire 04-15-06, 05:31 AM	The thing to remember, is that the price formulas for magic items are guidelines not rules. Prices are always adjusted to the value of the item. Of course, making it a permanent effect is a pretty valuable ability--something like that is definitely "noble's plaything" territory. A peasant class version might be a shaker of "magic seasoning" that makes anything taste good (msg, anyone? :D ) but only has a certain number of uses and only affects a certain volume per use. Besides, a permanent flavorstick isn't a very good item from a buisness standpoint, because once everyone in town has one, nobody needs to buy them anymore.
Decius 04-15-06, 05:42 AM	A stick that always has a good taste would not be a continious Prestidigitation effect, but rather a use-activated one. (since it would only taste good when it was tasted. I don't have my books with me at the moment, and don't have time right now to pull up the SRD, but that should bring down the price a little bit, especially if it tastes good only 3/day (after-meal mint?)
reff42 04-15-06, 05:43 AM	Besides, a permanent flavorstick isn't a very good item from a buisness standpoint, because once everyone in town has one, nobody needs to buy them anymore. unless you came out with new flavors. stawberry bananna fudge ripple! or you worked out new ways of doing stuff, like working with dentists so you'd have permanent fillings that taste great! but yeah, absolutley no practical purpose, use activated (gotta lick it!) 500 gold max. (according to the modern gold to dollar transfer rate, that $10,000)