DMs - Construction costs of golems etc. [Archive] - Wizards Community

DMs - Construction costs of golems etc. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Colonel
10-30-05, 04:48 PM Okay people ... you know where it says that a Golem (for example) costs Xgp to construct including Ygp for the body ... right, what exactly does the rest of it go on? What do you say if your PCs ask? Federal Golem Tax?

I know this is the result of the Demon of Game Balance using its supernatural 'impose arbitary costs' power (ECL 30, at will as a free action), but I always think that if it doesn't have an in game explanation it doesn't belong in game.

My current MO is to say that Ygp 'for the body' is for raw mats only - it buys you the material to make the golem and the rest goes on processing, manufacture, finishing and assembly. I would be tempted to let the PCs use endless Craft checks to do the work themselves and pay opportunity costs rather than finance costs (heh, knew all that economics would come in useful). Which of course is how the bad guys do it.
BTW, this still balances the game because time spend in a machine shop making golem parts is not time spend killing things down a hole (like I said, opportunity costs).
Bob the Great
10-30-05, 04:55 PM I know this is the result of the Demon of Game Balance using its supernatural 'impose arbitary costs' power (ECL 30, at will as a free action), but I always think that if it doesn't have an in game explanation it doesn't belong in game.

Heehee.
My interpretation of it is that the costs beyond the body are for magic incense and stuff like that, similar to the material components of a spell.
The Colonel
10-30-05, 05:57 PM My interpretation of it is that the costs beyond the body are for magic incense and stuff like that, similar to the material components of a spell.

That idea had occured ... but that's a lot of incense (IIRC for one golem type we're talking about 80K cost to work off) - maybe the adventurers could be sent in by the kings environmental health office. ;-)
That would also leave the problem of where to get the stuff from (Construct Depot? Golembase?) - I suppose it would make great non-currency treasure from a dungeon (Spellcraft or Knowledge (Arcana) to recognise shelves of apparent dross as 80K worth of golem widgits) - and then I have to describe it.

You are entirely right about spell components - when a spell specifies a cost without saying what it is for, can you pay by cheque? The same goes for magical item components if you go with the idea that not every wonderous item necessarily looks like it was custom built for a rapper...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Colonel 10-30-05, 04:48 PM	Okay people ... you know where it says that a Golem (for example) costs Xgp to construct including Ygp for the body ... right, what exactly does the rest of it go on? What do you say if your PCs ask? Federal Golem Tax? I know this is the result of the Demon of Game Balance using its supernatural 'impose arbitary costs' power (ECL 30, at will as a free action), but I always think that if it doesn't have an in game explanation it doesn't belong in game. My current MO is to say that Ygp 'for the body' is for raw mats only - it buys you the material to make the golem and the rest goes on processing, manufacture, finishing and assembly. I would be tempted to let the PCs use endless Craft checks to do the work themselves and pay opportunity costs rather than finance costs (heh, knew all that economics would come in useful). Which of course is how the bad guys do it. BTW, this still balances the game because time spend in a machine shop making golem parts is not time spend killing things down a hole (like I said, opportunity costs).
Bob the Great 10-30-05, 04:55 PM	I know this is the result of the Demon of Game Balance using its supernatural 'impose arbitary costs' power (ECL 30, at will as a free action), but I always think that if it doesn't have an in game explanation it doesn't belong in game. Heehee. My interpretation of it is that the costs beyond the body are for magic incense and stuff like that, similar to the material components of a spell.
The Colonel 10-30-05, 05:57 PM	My interpretation of it is that the costs beyond the body are for magic incense and stuff like that, similar to the material components of a spell. That idea had occured ... but that's a lot of incense (IIRC for one golem type we're talking about 80K cost to work off) - maybe the adventurers could be sent in by the kings environmental health office. ;-) That would also leave the problem of where to get the stuff from (Construct Depot? Golembase?) - I suppose it would make great non-currency treasure from a dungeon (Spellcraft or Knowledge (Arcana) to recognise shelves of apparent dross as 80K worth of golem widgits) - and then I have to describe it. You are entirely right about spell components - when a spell specifies a cost without saying what it is for, can you pay by cheque? The same goes for magical item components if you go with the idea that not every wonderous item necessarily looks like it was custom built for a rapper...