Stone Flesh Ring calculation

[hcobb]

Here's my calculation on the production costs.

Weekly costs:
IQ 18 wizard $200 (ITL 59) + $50 (cost of living) = $250
6 Apprentices at $50 each = $300
Lab rental $150
Supplies $50
Total / week = $750

The IQ 18 wizard will be around DX 12 so it takes 5/74.07% or around seven weeks to produce one ring so total production cost is $5063

Applying a minimal markup for management, facilities and sales gives a sales price of at least $6000. Taking that as the rock bottom "Very friendly" result from ITL 166 gives a flat doubling of the listed magic item prices for common items. Weapon/Armor enchantment is easier and so doesn't need the doubling.

[Axly Suregrip]

So your point is the price of $4000 for a Stone Flesh ring is too low.

Also consider profit. Working on something for 7 weeks, you'd expect more of a mark up. Doubling the starting price on a Stone Flesh ring is more reasonable than the current $4000 which is below cost.

[larsdangly]

I have a very simple solution to this significant problem: When a player raises the subject of buying a magic item on the open market I give a wry laugh and immediately draw four octopus cards for them to fight.

Seriously, the magic item level in TFT naturally sets itself quite low if you make people personally create the items they want. It is one thing to calculate the modest cost of creating a stone flesh ring; it is another to make a character capable and willing to do it.

[ColinK]

Has anybody created that character who builds the magic item creation business, hiring apprentices and renting or buying a laboratory? It seems like a potentially fun solo gaming opportunity.

Maybe retire a game wizard that seems too fragile in play, but then expends his or her adventuring loot to start a successful shop?

[Skarg]

The $200/week to the wizard is part of the wizard's profit, not a cost.

The $150/week lab rental fee also doesn't seem appropriate to me as a necessary cost. I think that wizards making magic items for profit are liable to either own their own labs, or to be using labs owned by whoever is having them make the item.

Not that Stone Flesh isn't a crazy bargain at $4000.

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by ColinK

Has anybody created that character who builds the magic item creation business, hiring apprentices and renting or buying a laboratory? It seems like a potentially fun solo gaming opportunity.

Maybe retire a game wizard that seems too fragile in play, but then expends his or her adventuring loot to start a successful shop?

I've modeled it and played out such things quite a bit, and applied it to campaigns, but not in the way of a GM running an ongoing game where the players just do lab work.

We have had NPCs etc that enchanted items for themselves and other NPCs.

I have been toying with the idea of fast-time-passage wizard-guild-themed games where that would be a part of it, though.

[Chris Rice]

I don't really like these items as presented. They're always on. They don't wear out. They have no power cost.

The Wizard mentioned above can produce at least half a dozen of these annually. Due to their high utility, eventually everyone that needs one and can afford to pay will have one.

On the other hand, maybe that's how higher level characters survive in TFT.

I think I would prefer that the ring is created with a number of "charges." Each of these charges, when activated allows the item to work for a specified period, long enough to last a combat, say 5 minutes or whatever.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Chris Rice

I think I would prefer that the ring is created with a number of "charges." Each of these charges, when activated allows the item to work for a specified period, long enough to last a combat, say 5 minutes or whatever.

Or, along those same lines, what if magic items had their own 'ST' score?

[Chris Rice]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

Or, along those same lines, what if magic items had their own 'ST' score?

Perhaps, although it's more bookkeeping.

[tomc]

I've had good luck with limiting Stone Flesh rings to three uses. Each turn you take damage counts as a "use". So they're still valuable, but you'd better have a plan for when the protection wears off. (And they interfere with each other, so you can't wear more than one at a time.)

Some of the rings can be recharged, some a self charging, and others can't be recharged.