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Old 07-03-2013, 12:54 PM   #1
Mailanka
 
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Default [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

GURPS Magic has prices for all of its enchanted items, based on the amount of energy needed to enchant it. This means I can equip my characters with magic items based on their monetary value. Furthermore, we have rules for gaining magic items as signature gear (EITHER paying for the cost OR by paying for the enchantment directly: 1 character point equals 25 energy points)

I don't know of a similar price for Fetishes (from Path/Book magic) though perhaps I'm missing something? If I wanted to buy some fetishes as signature gear, how much would that cost me?

(The only option I can think of is: "Buy it as an ally with minion and gadget, since a fetish is basically an enslaved "ally" that you lose if you lose the gadget itself. Any other options?)
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Old 07-03-2013, 01:34 PM   #2
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mailanka View Post
GURPS Magic has prices for all of its enchanted items, based on the amount of energy needed to enchant it. This means I can equip my characters with magic items based on their monetary value. Furthermore, we have rules for gaining magic items as signature gear (EITHER paying for the cost OR by paying for the enchantment directly: 1 character point equals 25 energy points)

I don't know of a similar price for Fetishes (from Path/Book magic) though perhaps I'm missing something? If I wanted to buy some fetishes as signature gear, how much would that cost me?

(The only option I can think of is: "Buy it as an ally with minion and gadget, since a fetish is basically an enslaved "ally" that you lose if you lose the gadget itself. Any other options?)
I hate to push my own stuff, but this would work quite well using the Metatronic Generators article published in the Weird Science Pyramid. Just change the need for a operation roll to a Ritual Magic roll.
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Old 07-03-2013, 01:52 PM   #3
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

Magic derived the prices of magic items from the labor required to make them.

So in the same spirit, if you look at the rules to create fetishes and bill for any materials required plus time in accordance with whatever you think is the appropriate pay for a magician you'd probably be on the right track.

(Which book are those from, anyway?)
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Old 07-03-2013, 01:57 PM   #4
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

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Originally Posted by Ghostdancer View Post
I hate to push my own stuff, but this would work quite well using the Metatronic Generators article published in the Weird Science Pyramid. Just change the need for a operation roll to a Ritual Magic roll.
I own every pyramid published, and knowing the extent of them, it's always a pleasure to have someone point me in the right direction, even if they happened to write it themselves.

This is certainly a very interesting option, a good way to blend the "enchanted items as advantage" option with the "But I paid for that with money!" option.
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Old 07-03-2013, 02:04 PM   #5
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

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Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth View Post
Magic derived the prices of magic items from the labor required to make them.

So in the same spirit, if you look at the rules to create fetishes and bill for any materials required plus time in accordance with whatever you think is the appropriate pay for a magician you'd probably be on the right track.

(Which book are those from, anyway?)
Path/Book magic is from Thaumatology (though originally GURPS Voodoo and then GURPS Spirits). "Fetish" is a ritual, sort of the Path/Book equivalent to Enchant, though in this case you're binding a spirit to an item, and once so bound, that spirit can be forced to use its powers on my behalf.

I like the idea of checking out the cost of labor, but I wish to point out that there's a scarcity cost here too. A magic sword from vanilla GURPS Magic is pretty much the same as another magic sword with the same enchantments, but two fetishes are unlikely to be the same because they will have two different spirits in there. A demonic ring with Asmodeus bound within is not only worth more because the mage put more time and effort into it, but there's only one Asmodeus, and if he has the Key to the Void and you need the Key to the Void, then he's your only real option.
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Old 07-03-2013, 02:16 PM   #6
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

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Originally Posted by Mailanka View Post
I own every pyramid published, and knowing the extent of them, it's always a pleasure to have someone point me in the right direction, even if they happened to write it themselves.

This is certainly a very interesting option, a good way to blend the "enchanted items as advantage" option with the "But I paid for that with money!" option.
I don't like paying character points for equipment. The soul exceptions are "super-equipment" and RPM magic items. Even then it needs to be a REALLY special case. If you use it and have any questions ask away. :-)
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Old 07-03-2013, 02:42 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mailanka View Post
Path/Book magic is from Thaumatology (though originally GURPS Voodoo and then GURPS Spirits). "Fetish" is a ritual, sort of the Path/Book equivalent to Enchant, though in this case you're binding a spirit to an item, and once so bound, that spirit can be forced to use its powers on my behalf.

I like the idea of checking out the cost of labor, but I wish to point out that there's a scarcity cost here too. A magic sword from vanilla GURPS Magic is pretty much the same as another magic sword with the same enchantments, but two fetishes are unlikely to be the same because they will have two different spirits in there. A demonic ring with Asmodeus bound within is not only worth more because the mage put more time and effort into it, but there's only one Asmodeus, and if he has the Key to the Void and you need the Key to the Void, then he's your only real option.
If fetishes are unique and non-substitutable, they're basically priceless. Which is to say that they trade at what the market will bear whenever that runs high enough for the current holder to be willing to give them up. There's no more a standardized price for a ring with Asmodeus in it than there is a standardized price for the Mona Lisa.

I don't know how to put a point cost or starting-cash cost on owning something like that. You could decide what the market will probably bear, I guess, but that's not all that meaningful and may vary greatly.

If they're technically unique but largely substitutable, like non-exceptional gemstones, then you can go with the cost of production based pricing. Just factor in the time, expense, and risk required to obtain a replacement spirit, not just the cost of actually making the fetish.
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Old 07-03-2013, 06:41 PM   #8
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Default Re: [Path/Book] Fetish for sale!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth View Post
If fetishes are unique and non-substitutable, they're basically priceless. Which is to say that they trade at what the market will bear whenever that runs high enough for the current holder to be willing to give them up. There's no more a standardized price for a ring with Asmodeus in it than there is a standardized price for the Mona Lisa.

I don't know how to put a point cost or starting-cash cost on owning something like that. You could decide what the market will probably bear, I guess, but that's not all that meaningful and may vary greatly.

If they're technically unique but largely substitutable, like non-exceptional gemstones, then you can go with the cost of production based pricing. Just factor in the time, expense, and risk required to obtain a replacement spirit, not just the cost of actually making the fetish.
These can both be true, of course, for different kinds of fetishes. For instance, if there are a whole bunch of minor fire elementals which are basically interchangeable, and a fire elemental fetish would be bought at time+materials+probably a moderate markup (This is the equivalent of a landscape painting of a farmhouse and fields; if the one you've got is destroyed, you can get one that's basically the same, because loads of artists churn those out in a similar style), as sig gear or just for cash.. If, on the other hand, you've got a ring with Asmodeus bound into it (the Mona Lisa), then you're looking at Ally with Minion, Gadget, and Grants special powers, and probably not a cheap ally at that.
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