Alternate Enchantment
An Expanded Look at Creating Magic Items in GURPS
by Sam Young
Lorith moved deftly to set her wares out as the market crowd began to trickle in. With a flick of her wrist, she folded red felt matting into an attractive wave around a Resist Fire amulet. It was one of her finest pieces yet, the kind of work that could gain her recognition and maybe a few commissions. She wanted it displayed prominently. After a few more adjustments, she stood back to appraise her stall's appearance and then, satisfied, turned away.
Taking a deep breath, she began to hawk her wares. "Enchantments! Fire enchantments! Finest quality!"
It wasn't long before she'd attracted a customer. He indicated the Amulet with a bony finger. "How much?" he rasped.
Lorith clenched her jaw to repress a smile. Had to remain professional. The stranger's eyes never moved from the amulet while she went through the figures in her head. After a long silence, she turned to the GM. "Well?"
The GM grimaced and paged through her notes. "Uh . . . are you using Umana?"
* * *
One of the things that sets the enchantment system in GURPS' Magic apart is its attempt to explore the economic implications of its mechanics. Unfortunately, the prices in the Basic Set and Magic are based on assumptions that do not hold up in every setting. This article discusses how to alter those assumptions and what effects the alterations will have on the prices of magic items. Five fully-computed examples are provided as well.
There are five basic forces influencing the cost of magic items:
Energy and Fatigue
The standard GURPS magic system assumes that all mages are fatigue casters. The amount of energy they can expend is limited by their fatigue scores, and they recover from its use fairly quickly. A fatigue caster with no skill in Recover Strength will recover one point of fatigue every 10 minutes. Quick and Dirty enchantments take 60 minutes per 100 energy used, and use 10 fatigue from each caster. That makes one casting cycle at least 160 minutes long. In an eight-hour work day there are 480 minutes, so three casting cycles can be completed. Three cycles take 30 fatigue from an average caster, so each fatigue point costs 1/30 of the enchanters' daily salary. For example, $25 per day divided by 30 points comes to $0.83 per point, which is rounded to $100 in Basic and Magic.
The best known and most widely used alternative to fatigue casting comes from S. John Ross' "Unlimited Mana" article. Unlimited Mana ("Umana") gives casters access to limitless magical energy, but balances increased power with increased risk, and measures recovery in days rather than minutes. Umana mages recover from energy expenditures at an average rate of eight points daily. Enchanters may choose to exceed Thresh on occasion, but can't make a regular practice out of it. Therefore, they charge one-eighth of their daily salary per energy point they use. With an average salary of $25, each point costs $3.125.
The Speed of Slow
Many genres have nearly ubiquitous magical items, which is implausible under GURPS' default pricing scheme. GMs looking to keep economic realism alongside cheap and common magic items will want less expensive enchantment options. Simply allowing Slow and Sure enchantments to be cast more than once per day can drastically change the prices for large enchantments. Likely limits are one casting per hour or one casting per fatigue point per day, but anything is possible.
Powerstones
Not every setting will have powerstones, but their existence in ready quantities is a central assumption of GURPS' enchantment rules. Without powerstones (or another external power source -- see GURPS Technomancer for the effects of Industrial Enchantment), the amount of energy contributed by each caster will be limited to his own reserves, averaging 10 fatigue normally, or 8 energy points with the Unlimited Mana system. Without extremely high skill and a large number of casters, the size of Quick and Dirty enchantments will be very limited. For the standard group of six enchanters, the normal cap will be a paltry 60 fatigue or 48 energy points -- hardly enough for even basic enchantments. Slow and Sure casting will have to be used for most items of useful size. Of course, if the GM permits a series of Quick and Dirty castings to contribute toward the same enchantment, the resulting items will be extremely cheap to produce!
Large powerstones are very likely to have quirks that will affect their use, recharge rate and conditions, and so on, and enchanting can be a risky business. The risks of summoning a demon, destroying the item (and days if not years of work), or perverting the enchantment are great enough without imperfect powerstones contributing additional difficulties. If quirked powerstones aren't adequate for enchanting, the cost of other enchantments will be raised, often very significantly.
When creating large powerstones, the expense of the gems quickly outweighs the enchanter's salary. For example, the labor for a standard 100-point powerstone accounts for only about 1% of its cost! Obviously, use of cheaper gems can alter this ratio, but enchanting frequency and mage salaries will make little difference. Two options exist for making gems cheaper. First, less expensive materials can be used. Second, more energy can be permitted in a smaller gem. The end result of either decision will be similar, and they can be combined to justify virtually any formula the GM wishes to apply to get the unenchanted stone's cost.
A final consideration is the enchanter's expected return on the powerstones used in Quick and Dirty enchanting. GURPS Basic assumes 36% per year, or roughly 1,000 days to full recovery of the stones' cost. If powerstones are very common or cheap, there will be less pressure on the enchanters to recover those costs. Conversely, more rare stones will make every enchanter anxious to recoup his costs to ensure they will not cripple his business over the long term.
Enchanter Salaries
At the default $25 per day with $1,000 starting wealth, enchanters make quite a nice living. Depending upon the scarcity and efficacy of thaumaturgic knowledge, and societal attitudes toward magic, though, enchanters could range from Struggling to Filthy Rich. Because of their long recovery times relative to fatigue casters, Umana enchanters are especially likely to be dabblers and to have other jobs, which may lower enchanters' salaries across the board.
Enchanter Skill
An effective skill 15 is assumed throughout GURPS' enchantment rules. However, by improving by only one level, a powerstone enchanter can greatly improve the quality of his work and his returns compared to less-skilled competitors. And if skill 16 were the expected norm, market prices for both powerstones and enchantments would decrease significantly.
High skill levels also decrease enchantment costs by permitting larger casting circles and more -- hence smaller -- powerstones. Conversely, lower skill will lead to smaller circles, and will drive prices up.
Putting It Together
It would be impossible to list prices for every potential combination of the enchantment variations discussed above. Here are a few tables for selected combinations.
A few notes apply to all the prices below. First, all prices have been rounded to two digits. Second, note that powerstone prices reflect only their manufacturing costs -- typical retail price will be twice the given values. Finally, the prices for enchantments exclude the item itself and any special components (e.g., "a black opal worth at least $2,000"). To keep magic items especially rare, GMs may want to double the price of the basic items in addition to their enchantment costs. This can also allow the enchanters to better recover their costs.
Unlimited Mana
The standard enchantment guidelines remain in effect, but enchanters use Unlimited Mana and, because they often have short work days, their daily salary is only $20.
Powerstones
Unquirked Powerstones
Enchantments
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
1
$71
1
$73
<120
Size × $2.5
2
$170
2
$180
120
$310
3
$290
3
$310
125
$360
4
$430
4
$480
130
$410
5
$600
5
$700
135
$460
6
$810
6
$960
140
$520
7
$1,000
7
$1,300
145
$590
8
$1,300
8
$1,600
150
$670
9
$1,600
9
$2,100
155
$760
10
$1,900
10
$2,600
160
$850
12
$2,700
12
$3,800
165
$960
15
$4,200
15
$6,400
170
$1,100
20
$7,600
20
$13,000
175
$1,200
25
$12,000
25
$25,000
180
$1,300
30
$19,000
30
$45,000
185
$1,500
35
$28,000
35
$75,000
190
$1,700
40
$39,000
40
$120,000
195
$1,900
45
$53,000
45
$190,000
200
$2,100
50
$71,000
50
$300,000
205
$2,300
60
$120,000
60
$680,000
210
$2,500
70
$200,000
70
$1,500,000
215
$2,800
80
$310,000
80
$3,000,000
220
$3,000
90
$460,000
90
$6,100,000
225
$3,300
100
$690,000
100
$12,000,000
230
$3,700
235
$4,000
240
$4,400
245
$4,800
>245
Size × $20
Commonplace Enchantment
Because Slow and Sure enchantments are cast twice a day and energy is stored in powerstones at two points per carat, this variant brings down the prices of enchantments without altering enchanters' skill or salary. The low cost of powerstones allows enchanters to recover those costs at only 20% per year.
Powerstones
Unquirked Powerstones
Enchantments
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
1
$36
1
$37
<165
Size × $0.83
2
$78
2
$82
165
$140
3
$130
3
$140
170
$160
4
$180
4
$210
175
$180
5
$250
5
$290
180
$200
6
$320
6
$380
185
$220
7
$400
7
$490
190
$240
8
$490
8
$610
195
$260
9
$590
9
$760
200
$290
10
$690
10
$920
205
$340
12
$940
12
$1,300
210
$370
15
$1,400
15
$2,100
215
$400
20
$2,400
20
$4,300
220
$440
25
$3,800
25
$7,800
225
$480
30
$5,600
30
$13,000
230
$520
35
$8,100
35
$22,000
235
$560
40
$11,000
40
$35,000
240
$610
45
$15,000
45
$55,000
245
$670
50
$20,000
50
$84,000
250
$720
60
$34,000
60
$190,000
255
$780
70
$54,000
70
$400,000
260
$850
80
$83,000
80
$820,000
265
$910
90
$120,000
90
$1,600,000
270
$990
100
$180,000
100
$3,200,000
275
$1,100
280
$1,100
285
$1,200
290
$1,300
295
$1,400
300
$1,500
305
$1,700
310
$1,800
315
$1,900
320
$2,000
325
$2,200
330
$2,300
335
$2,500
340
$2,600
345
$2,800
350
$3,000
355
$3,200
360
$3,400
365
$3,600
370
$3,800
375
$4,000
380
$4,300
385
$4,500
390
$4,800
>390
Size × $12.5
Lower-Paid Enchanters
Here, enchanters are paid only $15 per day, on average, and work 10-hour days. Because highly skilled mages find it easy to make a better income doing more interesting things, lead enchanters typically have skills of only 18, limiting the enchanting circle to four mages. Also, powerstones in this setting are made of less-valuable materials, costing only 80% normal, and enchanters recover their costs at 25% per year.
Powerstones
Unquirked Powerstones
Enchantments
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
1
$56
1
$58
<75
Size × $0.40
2
$130
2
$140
75
$35
3
$230
3
$250
80
$48
4
$340
4
$380
85
$65
5
$480
5
$550
90
$86
6
$640
6
$760
95
$110
7
$820
7
$1,000
100
$150
8
$1,000
8
$1,300
105
$190
9
$1,300
9
$1,600
110
$230
10
$1,500
10
$2,000
115
$280
12
$2,100
12
$3,000
120
$340
15
$3,300
15
$5,100
125
$410
20
$6,000
20
$11,000
130
$490
25
$9,800
25
$20,000
135
$580
30
$15,000
30
$36,000
140
$690
35
$22,000
35
$60,000
145
$800
40
$31,000
40
$98,000
150
$940
45
$42,000
45
$150,000
155
$1,100
50
$57,000
50
$240,000
160
$1,300
60
$97,000
60
$540,000
165
$1,400
70
$160,000
70
$1,200,000
170
$1,600
80
$240,000
80
$2,400,000
175
$1,900
90
$370,000
90
$4,900,000
180
$2,100
100
$550,000
100
$9,700,000
185
$2,400
190
$2,700
>190
Size × $15
Master Enchanters
This variant assumes that lead enchanters routinely have skill levels of 25, which allows an effective skill of 16 with a circle of 10 mages. Powerstones are also enchanted with skill level 16, and only unquirked powerstones are used for enchanting. Naturally, master enchanters like these are paid handsomely, but the large number of apprentices involved in enchantments keeps the average daily salary at only $40. Otherwise, the default assumptions apply.
Powerstones
Unquirked Powerstones
Enchantments
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
1
$90
1
$92
<190
Size × $1.33
2
$200
2
$210
190
$260
3
$330
3
$350
195
$290
4
$490
4
$520
200
$370
5
$670
5
$710
205
$400
6
$860
6
$940
210
$430
7
$1,100
7
$1,200
215
$470
8
$1,300
8
$1,500
220
$510
9
$1,600
9
$1,800
225
$550
10
$1,900
10
$2,200
230
$600
12
$2,500
12
$3,000
235
$650
15
$3,700
15
$4,500
240
$710
20
$6,100
20
$8,000
245
$770
25
$9,300
25
$13,000
250
$830
30
$13,000
30
$20,000
255
$900
35
$18,000
35
$28,000
260
$970
40
$23,000
40
$40,000
265
$1,100
45
$29,000
45
$54,000
270
$1,100
50
$37,000
50
$72,000
275
$1,200
60
$54,000
60
$120,000
280
$1,300
70
$75,000
70
$190,000
285
$1,400
80
$100,000
80
$300,000
290
$1,500
90
$130,000
90
$450,000
295
$1,600
100
$170,000
100
$660,000
300
$1,800
305
$1,900
310
$2,100
315
$2,200
320
$2,400
325
$2,500
330
$2,700
335
$2,900
340
$3,000
345
$3,200
350
$3,400
355
$3,700
360
$3,900
365
$4,100
370
$4,400
375
$4,600
380
$4,900
385
$5,200
390
$5,500
395
$5,800
400
$6,100
405
$6,500
410
$6,800
415
$7,200
420
$7,600
425
$8,000
430
$8,400
435
$8,800
440
$9,200
445
$9,700
450
$10,000
455
$11,000
460
$11,000
465
$12,000
470
$12,000
475
$13,000
480
$13,000
485
$14,000
490
$15,000
495
$15,000
500
$16,000
505
$17,000
510
$18,000
515
$18,000
520
$19,000
525
$20,000
530
$21,000
>530
Size × $40
Rare Magic
This Unlimited Mana variant assumes that few mages exist, and magic items are rare. Lead enchanters rarely have skill levels exceeding 17, so only three mages work together on enchantments. Powerstones are made from gems costing twice normal, and enchanters use only unquirked stones, so they are enchanted at skill 16 to keep the number needed to a minimum. The rarity of magic allows competent enchanters to command high salaries, averaging $40 per day, and to recover the costs of their powerstones after only one year.
Powerstones
Unquirked Powerstones
Enchantments
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
Size
Cost
1
$160
1
$160
<50
Size × $5
2
$400
2
$410
50
$350
3
$730
3
$760
55
$580
4
$1,100
4
$1,200
60
$900
5
$1,600
5
$1,800
65
$1,300
6
$2,200
6
$2,400
70
$1,900
7
$2,900
7
$3,200
75
$2,600
8
$3,700
8
$4,100
>75
Size × $40
9
$4,500
9
$5,100
10
$5,400
10
$6,200
12
$7,600
12
$8,900
15
$12,000
15
$14,000
20
$20,000
20
$26,000
25
$31,000
25
$44,000
30
$45,000
30
$68,000
35
$63,000
35
$100,000
40
$83,000
40
$140,000
45
$110,000
45
$200,000
50
$130,000
50
$260,000
60
$200,000
60
$450,000
70
$280,000
70
$730,000
80
$380,000
80
$1,100,000
90
$510,000
90
$1,700,000
100
$650,000
100
$2,500,000
Other Times and Places
The prices in Basic and above assume an average starting wealth of $1,000. To adjust prices for other economies, multiply them by the quotient of the campaign's starting wealth divided by $1,000. For example, in a campaign with a starting wealth of $5,000, prices for enchantments and powerstones would be five times their listed values.
Where Do The Numbers Come From?
Brett Slocum's "The Compleat Powerstone" goes into great depth describing the pricing of powerstones. The prices here were generated with the same formulae, but vary due to labor costs and skill variations. For skill 16, replace "0.9815^P" with "0.9954^P" in the formula for the odds of breaking a stone and "0.9717^P" with "0.9860^P" for the odds of an unquirked powerstone.
To get the cost of an enchanted item, take the total energy required and subtract the amount of energy that can be provided by the casters. Divide the remainder by the number of casters to get the necessary size of powerstone. Fractions mean that two different sizes of stone will be used, in an appropriate ratio. The cost per point of energy from a powerstone is equal to its production cost divided by the number of days required to recover its cost (roughly 1,000 in GURPS Basic). The total cost of the enchantment is the cost per point of the powerstones' energy multiplied by their size, plus the cost of the enchanters' energy.
An example:
In the Unlimited Mana setting above, we want to figure out the cost of a 160- point enchantment. With six enchanters, we get 48 energy. 48 from 160 leaves 112. 112 divided by 6 is 18.7. We'll need four 19-point stones and two 18- point stones.
Doing some calculations, we find that a 19-point stone costs $6800 and 18- points stones cost $6000. The cost of the energy from each stone is its size times its cost, divided by 1000 (for 36% recovery), for a total of $517 for the 19-point stones and $216 for the 18-points stones.
Because we're using all of the enchanters' energy, labor costs are $20 times 6, or $120. $120 plus $517 plus $216 is $853, rounded to $850.
Additional Reading
- Anthony Jackson. "Rapid Enchantment."
- David Pulver. GURPS Technomancer, pages 40-42.
- S. John Ross. "Unlimited Mana." (see also GURPS Best of Pyramid, Volume 2)
- Brett Slocum. "The Compleat Powerstone."
Article publication date: October 17, 2003
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