Author Topic: Imbue Gem Optimization  (Read 6332 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

LunaticsLament

  • Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 324
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #20 on: November 03, 2009, 10:19:45 AM »
Does anyone know of a source of gem prices within the game?
"The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed. "
~Robert Heinlein

telehax

  • Bi-Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 443
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2009, 11:05:48 AM »
Does anyone know of a source of gem prices within the game?

The lack of gem price guidelines is in fact one of the jokes within the game.

The price of a gem is defined by its price.
Thus 10,000gp of diamonds costs 10,000gp. This makes sense for things like resurrection where it's more of a tithing to the deity and so based on how much treasure you're sacrificing.
This makes less sense for things like... uh, everything else.
You could potentially buy a 10gp diamond, give it to a party member, and then buy it from him for 10,000gp. And then have him give you 10,000gp. (Warning: Do not try this on your DM. I am not responsible for any injuries.)

LunaticsLament

  • Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 324
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #22 on: November 03, 2009, 01:06:25 PM »
In other words I'm going to have to draw up a table of price classifications for various types of gems.  :banghead  Maybe an exchange weight-wise with gold coins.  Anyone want to help? lol  :D
"The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed. "
~Robert Heinlein

thorian

  • Ring-Tailed Lemur
  • **
  • Posts: 12
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #23 on: November 03, 2009, 05:44:26 PM »
The Magic Item Compendium, page 268 lists many gems and their typical values.  It would be a good starting point.

Negative Zero

  • Grape ape
  • *****
  • Posts: 1532
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #24 on: November 03, 2009, 06:28:31 PM »
The problem with gems is that weight isn't the main issue. Two one-ounce gems are not necessarily worth one two-ounce gem, even if they're otherwise very similar. Further, one gem may be cut very neatly, while another may be sloppily cut, making the former more expensive, even if it's smaller.

LunaticsLament

  • Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 324
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #25 on: November 05, 2009, 01:52:14 AM »
The problem with gems is that weight isn't the main issue. Two one-ounce gems are not necessarily worth one two-ounce gem, even if they're otherwise very similar. Further, one gem may be cut very neatly, while another may be sloppily cut, making the former more expensive, even if it's smaller.

This is true.  I'll probably base the basic first draft build on the MIC prices and then maybe add to that and then branch it off into a foreign key connected table to put in a table adding and subtracting values based on a preset level of cuts. 
"The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed. "
~Robert Heinlein

The_Mad_Linguist

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 8780
  • Simulated Thing
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2009, 03:38:44 AM »
The way I deal with it is that gem prices are set by spell material component requirements, not the other way around.

A pearl suitable for the identify spell is the standard by which platinum prices are set.
Linguist, Mad, Unique, none of these things am I
My custom class: The Priest of the Unseen Host
Planetouched Handbook
Want to improve your character?  Then die.

LunaticsLament

  • Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 324
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #27 on: February 06, 2010, 11:06:22 PM »
I wonder, do truenamers get a wandlike item for utterances?  If so I could UMD the sucker containing recharge.

I decided to try coming back to this topic with a fresh eye after letting my work on the ideas I had for a gem expansion rest for a while.  So in looking at Tome of Magic's Truenamer items to see about getting the recharge trick to work with a non-truenamer with high enough ranks in UMD.

Thus I present the Truenamer section pertaining to Truename wands:



Thus, would it work to have a truenamer create a wand of rebuild item for you that is linked to a specific imbued gem?  The gem would never change in a way that would render its name different.  Since rebuild item is a third level utterance, it is conceivable that one could create an eternal wand variant.  Thus you would have a paired set of wand and gem.  This could be extremely useful if you have put, say, a persisted mage armor into the gem.  You would then free up the spell slot you would normally use for this.

Does this sound workable?
"The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed. "
~Robert Heinlein

Aharon

  • That monkey with the orange ass cheeks
  • ****
  • Posts: 224
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #28 on: February 08, 2010, 07:16:37 PM »
Quote from: Tome of Magic
Scrolls, staves, and wands are created to target a specific truename.
specific. A strict DM might rule that specific truenames are meant to be personal truenames, which items can't have. That's the only problem I see with your idea.
By clicking this link, you open a pop-up, but I get a eurocent for my current wish, the 5th book of the Wheel of Time series. Please note that this only works if you leave the pop-up opened till it has finished loading. Thank you!

The_Mad_Linguist

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 8780
  • Simulated Thing
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #29 on: February 08, 2010, 07:44:20 PM »
I believe it's just meant to make sure you only target a single *thing*, rather than saying "this is a halfling-killer wand"
Linguist, Mad, Unique, none of these things am I
My custom class: The Priest of the Unseen Host
Planetouched Handbook
Want to improve your character?  Then die.

LunaticsLament

  • Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 324
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #30 on: February 08, 2010, 11:56:01 PM »
Quote from: Tome of Magic
Scrolls, staves, and wands are created to target a specific truename.
specific. A strict DM might rule that specific truenames are meant to be personal truenames, which items can't have. That's the only problem I see with your idea.


I think that even the strict DM would have trouble with that ruling just because the the rebuild item utterance could not work if it didn't reference the item's truename but then we run smack dab into Rule 0.

I think the hardest thing for working this into a build would be gaining access to a high enough level truenamer to make the wands for you.  Only easy way I can think of would either be leadership or to have said person in your party.
"The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed. "
~Robert Heinlein

Hijax

  • Donkey Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 646
  • Kobolds ate my cookies
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #31 on: February 09, 2010, 11:47:39 AM »
I think the hardest thing for working this into a build would be gaining access to a high enough level truenamer to make the wands for you.  Only easy way I can think of would either be leadership or to have said person in your party.

fixed it for ya
"There's more to apocalypse than running around like a maniac you know"
-B. M. Evilwizardington.
blogging at disasters made in china

LunaticsLament

  • Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 324
    • Email
Re: Imbue Gem Optimization
« Reply #32 on: February 09, 2010, 05:30:47 PM »
I think the hardest thing for working this into a build would be gaining access to a high enough level truenamer to make the wands for you.  Only easy way I can think of would either be leadership or to have said person in your party.

fixed it for ya

Ha!   :P  I only included the party member as a caveat because IIRC Truenamers wouldn't get access to Rebuild Item until higher levels.  But then I'm not entirely familiar with their mechanics so correct me if I'm wrong. 
"The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed. "
~Robert Heinlein