[Magic] New IQ/A Spells

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Here is an example of a minor yet useful Making and Breaking Spell/Technology Spell.

Create Loose Change (A)

Time to Cast: 1 minute

Duration: Permanent

Cost: 1 per 0.1% of the starting wealth in currency (minimum 5 energy)

Also known as Create Small Bills, it allows casters to permanently create a small amount of currency from an equivalent weight in similar materials (metal for metallic coins, organic matter for paper money, etc.). Considering that the typical TL3 mage is only able to create the $6 per hour of currency, it is more useful for emergency money than for creating great fortunes. At TL8+, it can create a gift card with a small amount of money on it out of plastic.

Would probably also count as fake for the purposes of counterfeiting?

Or, perhaps, require a counterfeiting roll if the "loose change" is intended to pass an inspection?

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Considering that the typical TL3 mage is only able to create the $6 per hour of currency, it is more useful for emergency money than for creating great fortunes.

I would say neither "emergency money" nor "great fortunes" would be the right way to describe this for TL3 wizards. If they managed to not get caught, then working 40 hours a week (which would actually be much less, since most of the time sink is resting), they would make $6*40*52/12=$1040 a month. Typical monthly pay at Average wealth is only $700 a month at TL3.

[Tyneras]

Originally Posted by Say, it isn't that bad!

Would probably also count as fake for the purposes of counterfeiting?

Or, perhaps, require a counterfeiting roll if the "loose change" is intended to pass an inspection?

I'd have to agree. An additional roll against counterfeiting, failure results in obvious fakes, success results in passable fakes, and a crit success creating real money. Other options might include creating coupons.

When I read the title I thought it was going to be a spell to make change out of larger amounts of money, but I suppose that would be Break Money.

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

I would say neither "emergency money" nor "great fortunes" would be the right way to describe this for TL3 wizards. If they managed to not get caught, then working 40 hours a week (which would actually be much less, since most of the time sink is resting), they would make $6*40*52/12=$1040 a month. Typical monthly pay at Average wealth is only $700 a month at TL3.

You are forgetting that the skill level would likely be '12', meaning a 25% failure rate, resulting in $780 a month at TL3. The $80 difference is probably not worth the chance of accidentally summoning a demon (which would occur once every five years). I would make it automatically pass mundane inspection, but it would detect as magical and would revert if passed through a no mana region (making it even more worthwhile for banks to be built in no mana areas).

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

You are forgetting that the skill level would likely be '12', meaning a 25% failure rate, resulting in $780 a month at TL3. The $80 difference is probably not worth the chance of accidentally summoning a demon (which would occur once every five years).

Assuming you're enforcing critical fail rules for mundane spell usage, and you're enforcing critical fail rules for least spells, and you're using a critical fail table that includes the possibility of demon summoning. Even then, it's not just $80 extra a month. It's enough money to live off of and then some for essentially no work. 8 minutes a day of actual stress and focus and 7:52:00 of rest. And who's to say an Average job would even be readily available? The median individual in a typical TL3 setting would have Struggling wealth.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Alden Loveshade

Agreed. But these spells can be cast in a normal-mana area by people who aren't mages. That's a big part of the reason why I would disagree with Enchantments being allowed at this level.

My point was that in certain perspectives, petty 'enchantments' seem to actually be the entry level of magic. Making a charm of fortune or fertility or warding might well be the absolute least of magics, preceding even minor 'real time' magic.

Originally Posted by Alden Loveshade

The other issue is game balance. In a short story/novel/TV series/movie, the author can simply decide "this character will never do that." But when those characters are played by players with their own ideas....

Frankly, even without enchantments, letting anyone cast spells could be a campaign breaker; it depends on the campaign. Some of the campaigns I've run/played in could be ruined by anyone casting spells; others could be significantly more fun.

But again, as in all things it's the GM's call.

I'm not sure how such things would be campaign breakers. Certainly they can (to my view, must) dramatically change the setting. But I'm having to really stretch for how the Least of Spells would upset game balance and topple a campaign...

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

I would say neither "emergency money" nor "great fortunes" would be the right way to describe this for TL3 wizards. If they managed to not get caught, then working 40 hours a week (which would actually be much less, since most of the time sink is resting), they would make $6*40*52/12=$1040 a month. Typical monthly pay at Average wealth is only $700 a month at TL3.

For TL3 wizards, it doesn't seem worth much. Unless it makes convincing counterfeit silver pennies out of lead or something, all you've got is a maybe-cheaper alternative to proper minting.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

My point was that in certain perspectives, petty 'enchantments' seem to actually be the entry level of magic. Making a charm of fortune or fertility or warding might well be the absolute least of magics, preceding even minor 'real time' magic.

Did you see my suggestion for a weaker variant of Enchant specifically designed for putting least spells into objects? It's not exactly what you're talking about, but I thought it was pretty good, and it got caught in the flow.

[AlexanderHowl]

0.1% of starting wealth ($1 at TL3) per energy point is a fairly well established compensation in GURPS.

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

0.1% of starting wealth ($1 at TL3) per energy point is a fairly well established compensation in GURPS.

True; although usually you have to find a buyer for the item produced.

As this method skips that, I don't see a problem with adding one of the following:

• Quality of results depends on a counterfeiting roll, with only a critical success making a "perfect copy".
• Items produced are magical, and will disappear permanently if they enter a no-mana zone.
• Amount of cash produced is relative to the caster's "sale percentage"; ie., 40% of $1 for most TL3 characters, or 40¢; 60¢ for a Status 1 character, etc. This could involve a Merchant roll. Which raises the question... with whom are you trading?
• No limitations; the GM just keeps an eye on its use.

[AlexanderHowl]

I favor the second option. That way, mages cannot destroy the local economy with fakes (other mages can detect the forgeries, as can some magical items, and tossing the forgery into a no mana zone would have them revert).