Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Create Food and it's effect on infrastructure

ak_aramis · 04-14-2021, 09:32 PM

There are several other spells with much bigger impacts (but not so disruptive).

The edition I'm referencing is D&D Rules Cyclopedia (the final official evolution of the BX/BECMI game).

It's got Create Food (Level 5) and Create Water (level 4) separately. Both provide enough for Cleric/druid's (level-7)*12 people per casting.
Must be 8th level to cast 1 4th per day, 9th for 2 4ths per day, 11th for 3 4ths per day
Must be 10th for 1 5th per day, 11th for 2 5fths per day, 14 for 3 5ths per day.
At 16th, 4 4ths and 4 5ths, 21st for 5 each.

But note that clerics of those levels are not common NPCs.

Much more disruptive is Continual Light, 3rd level spell, requires 6th level caster. There's no reason a dungeon should be dark in Cyclopedia rules (nor BX, nor BECMI). Most clerical strongholds can be literally bathed in light.
Need a garden? Continual light provides bright daylight for penalty purposes... and it's a 60' sphere (so 30' radius)... 20 castings per acre. divert part of a stream, and give 24 hour growlight...

Farming can be entirely underground.

Moreover, MU can also cast it, but one class level sooner.

And Locate Object...MU, level 2, minimum caster level 3rd, minimum range 80'... if the caster knows what iron ore looks like, he/she can teel if there's iron ore within 80 feet of a line 240 feet long once per day, twice at 4th, thrice a day at 8th... a cleric can live quite a good life by telling miners which way to dig. the 9th level caster from the big city? 150' from that line, multiple times per day (up to 9).

Polymorph other allows gender and species change. It's MU 4th level, so 9th level caster, but that means that, given the right money, most major cities will have one or two casters who can do the change for you. Just avoid anyone trying to cast dispel magic... and don't face beholders.

In D&D, the create food and water issue is limited by casting requirements.

In Tunnels and Trolls, the disruptive spell from hell is "Slush Yuck" (Transmute Rock to Mud), sicne the stone reverts to type at end, but in whatever place and shape it's in, and a caster of minimum level can tunnel a few thousand cubic feet per casting, 4-5 times per day. Brick? No. Stone blocks in whatever shape molds you can muck it into. And at assembly into a building? if the molds were the right shape, you mortar it with more of the same... tongue in groove... one wizard just eliminated the brickmaker's guild for the town. And all of its smoke. And need for wood.

04-14-2021, 09:32 PM	#26
ak_aramis Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alsea, OR	Re: Create Food and it's effect on infrastructure There are several other spells with much bigger impacts (but not so disruptive). The edition I'm referencing is D&D Rules Cyclopedia (the final official evolution of the BX/BECMI game). It's got Create Food (Level 5) and Create Water (level 4) separately. Both provide enough for Cleric/druid's (level-7)*12 people per casting. Must be 8th level to cast 1 4th per day, 9th for 2 4ths per day, 11th for 3 4ths per day Must be 10th for 1 5th per day, 11th for 2 5fths per day, 14 for 3 5ths per day. At 16th, 4 4ths and 4 5ths, 21st for 5 each. But note that clerics of those levels are not common NPCs. Much more disruptive is Continual Light, 3rd level spell, requires 6th level caster. There's no reason a dungeon should be dark in Cyclopedia rules (nor BX, nor BECMI). Most clerical strongholds can be literally bathed in light. Need a garden? Continual light provides bright daylight for penalty purposes... and it's a 60' sphere (so 30' radius)... 20 castings per acre. divert part of a stream, and give 24 hour growlight... Farming can be entirely underground. Moreover, MU can also cast it, but one class level sooner. And Locate Object...MU, level 2, minimum caster level 3rd, minimum range 80'... if the caster knows what iron ore looks like, he/she can teel if there's iron ore within 80 feet of a line 240 feet long once per day, twice at 4th, thrice a day at 8th... a cleric can live quite a good life by telling miners which way to dig. the 9th level caster from the big city? 150' from that line, multiple times per day (up to 9). Polymorph other allows gender and species change. It's MU 4th level, so 9th level caster, but that means that, given the right money, most major cities will have one or two casters who can do the change for you. Just avoid anyone trying to cast dispel magic... and don't face beholders. In D&D, the create food and water issue is limited by casting requirements. In Tunnels and Trolls, the disruptive spell from hell is "Slush Yuck" (Transmute Rock to Mud), sicne the stone reverts to type at end, but in whatever place and shape it's in, and a caster of minimum level can tunnel a few thousand cubic feet per casting, 4-5 times per day. Brick? No. Stone blocks in whatever shape molds you can muck it into. And at assembly into a building? if the molds were the right shape, you mortar it with more of the same... tongue in groove... one wizard just eliminated the brickmaker's guild for the town. And all of its smoke. And need for wood.