Inspired creation (spell): Overpowered?

[Ts_]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

Time to cast seems to be implying that the spell is cast while the item is made, and so does not add any extra time.

Yep, Magic probably tries to say that, but doesn't ... But even assuming that it is simultaneous to the crafting, the question remains whether the mage can concentrate on the casting and craft at the same time or if this is only helpful when cast on another person. Simultaneous crafting & casting by the mage is effectively "time to cast: 0", which probably is a bit unfair. Casting simultaneously on someone else just makes the work "parallelizable".

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

The Cost appears to be paid on a per diem basis. It doesn't seem terribly unbalanced to me, excepting perhaps the automatic 'very fine' result on weapons. Everybody noticed the additional cost (to the subject) of 5HP and 10FP?

Well, even if we assume that the 5 HP and 10 FP is per day (which I don't think it is), then it's 15 FP and 5 HP per day ... Any reasonable Mage can heal and recover that in less than 2 hours with Recover Energy at 15+ and Major Healing (and can also use Lend Energy if someone else is doing the crafting). So not a big deal at all, and certainly far from an excruciating experience. (Well, losing 5 HP from work is probably painful, but not from a gamer's point of view.)

Paying the cost up front is much more hurtful to a mage than 5 FP / day for maintaining the spell. If you additionally charge the 5 HP, 10 FP at once, mages will think twice about their very fine swords.

Whether automatic very fine weapons is balanced is mostly a question of world design. Sure, players could abuse it for a few points (you still need the weaponshop, materials etc, or buy that with spells), but then the enemy will also find a suitable mage to produce good gear ... It doesn't seem much more unbalanced than having a very-well paying job opportunity.

Oh, and also what Bruno said sounds good.

Ts

[Blind Mapmaker]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I've completely forbidden it as-written.

As a minimum, I'd remove the automatic Very Fine and critical success notes, and change it to require Grace and Wisdom. I'd keep the automatic success at a guaranteed +5 Margin of Success, and allow the Mage to spend twice as much FP per day of creation to upgrade it to a +10 Margin of Success.

Good/bad materials and facilities, extra/reduced time, special techniques, etc would adjust the margin of success, not base skill (which is almost irrelevant at this point).

I'm also considering adding a minimum skill level for the craftsman this spell is cast on - 12 seems like an absolute minimum to make sure they're at least half-competent. Requiring 15 makes the spell less useful, as on average a skill 15 craftsman expects success by 5 already - although it does mean that this expert could take a -5 penalty for haste and still be assured of success, which in turn ends up saving the Mage energy for speeding up the time of crafting.

I think it also needs a note that it's always cast ceremonially, but that a solo mage can cast it. It fits the style.

Good points, all of them. Especially, the prerequisites are way too low, though I'm thinking Wisdom and something else might be a better fit.

I would probably no allow using haste, but mostly for atmospheric reasons. For me this is the spell a Zen swordsmith would use to create a masterpiece not something to speed up the rate at which you can crank out cheap products. Anyway, it will probably be rarely used that way.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

It doesn't seem terribly unbalanced to me, excepting perhaps the automatic 'very fine' result on weapons. Everybody noticed the additional cost (to the subject) of 5HP and 10FP?

HP and FP damage are, frankly, easy to fix with magic that just about every GURPS mage is going to be invested in. The requirements for Recover Energy means that there's a very selfish reason for a mage to at least dabble in healing spells - and after than picking up two more to get some healing is a lesser investment.

There are spells to make you immune to pain effects, which are harder to get, but guarenteeing a Very Fine weapon is a VERY powerful motivation for the craftsman to suffer a little, especially if they'll have the damage healed right afterwards.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Ts_

Well, even if we assume that the 5 HP and 10 FP is per day (which I don't think it is), then it's 15 FP and 5 HP per day ... Any reasonable Mage can heal and recover that in less than 2 hours with Recover Energy at 15+ and Major Healing (and can also use Lend Energy if someone else is doing the crafting). So not a big deal at all, and certainly far from an excruciating experience. (Well, losing 5 HP from work is probably painful, but not from a gamer's point of view.)

Paying the cost up front is much more hurtful to a mage than 5 FP / day for maintaining the spell. If you additionally charge the 5 HP, 10 FP at once, mages will think twice about their very fine swords.

I had not thought that the subject's cost was per day, but the text is not plain on that. Assessing it on a per diem basis will make artisans more leery of using the spell. The energy cost would be more daunting if charged up front, but the spell is working kind of like a Slow And Sure Enchantment, so paying the cost per day looks better to me.

Originally Posted by Bruno

HP and FP damage are, frankly, easy to fix with magic that just about every GURPS mage is going to be invested in. The requirements for Recover Energy means that there's a very selfish reason for a mage to at least dabble in healing spells - and after than picking up two more to get some healing is a lesser investment.

It's still an additional trouble, especially if the mage is the subject and that extra cost has to be paid per day. And don't forget the penalty for casting healing on yourself.

[David Johnston2]

I took one look at Inspired Creation and said "Not in my campaign". The spells from the original magic book work pretty well. The later ones not so much.