Using The Magic Items Volumes With 4e

[Anthony]

Incidentally, an interesting side effect of allowing powerstones to be used with enchantment is that it increases the wages for mages. Making the following assumptions:

1. The Guild charges $1 per energy for enchantments up to 100 energy.
2. The Guild's share is 25%.
3. Powerstone prices are prorated at 0.03% per energy, so a stone in continuous use yields a return of 10.96% per annum.
4. The guild provides energy services for $0.5 per point, of which it takes the same 25% share. This allows a Struggling wage ($350) for 933 energy per month; at 6 energy per hour that's 156 hours or 19.5 work days).
5. Rental space for powerstones is $0.2 per energy (16 square feet for $73/yr)
6. Enchanters choose to optimize for the largest money per mage in the circle.
7. With energy recovery services, time between enchantments is 20 minutes, so 6 enchantments per day is viable. This includes 10 minutes rest period.

Then the optimal solution for, say, 50 point enchantments, is 2 mages using 15 point single-college powerstones. The costs are as follows:
15 point single college powerstone: $382.
Prorated cost of 30 energy from 15 point stones: $3.44. Call it $3.5 for ease.
Warehouse rental cost of 30 energy: $6
Guild Share: $12.5
Energy Services to restore 18 energy: $9
Total Costs: $31. We'll give $8 to the assistant (skill 15) and $11 to the primary (skill 16); multiplied by 6, total per day is $114, which is $66 to the primary, $48 to the assistant (and a total of $89 to the guild). If the enchanters know recover energy at 15, each can gain an additional $3 per day from not using as much energy energy services for a total of $120.

If the enchanters don't use recovery services they can do 3/day without recover energy, 4/day with, income $28 per enchantment for total $84 or $114.

[Kax]

I can defintely see battlefield uses for Recharge Powerstone.

"The powerstones are almost out, sarge! That last attack was a bad one!"

"Get those powerstones recharged, soldier! We're attacking at dawn, and if those stones aren't available we won't make it against their defenses! We can rest and they can recover afterwards!"

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kax

I can defintely see battlefield uses for Recharge Powerstone.

Problem is it's competing with using the same energy for other prep work.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Manastone on cheap materials has some debatable applications as a combat consumable (a 4 point manastone on cheap materials is $84, which beats $133 for paut), but it has no industrial applications unless powerstones do not exist.

Having Manastone be a prerequisite for Powerstone due to being invented first could be an interesting change, and is reasonably plausible. It would change some of the assumptions players build standard-system mage characters around, if the game is set before the spell Powerstone is invented, or before it's widely known.

[Kax]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Problem is it's competing with using the same energy for other prep work.

Depends. If it's an assault that's planned the only prep work is getting armoured up. A few points of Fatigue per soldier (using wands or whatever) that can be recovered in the hour before the assault with some chicken soup and beer isn't that much of a problem. :)

For shoring up defenses, yes. All hands to the barriers, generally. Except the mages, who need all the restthey can get.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kax

Depends. If it's an assault that's planned the only prep work is getting armoured up. A few points of Fatigue per soldier (using wands or whatever) that can be recovered in the hour before the assault with some chicken soup and beer isn't that much of a problem. :)

Things like Delay spells are likely to be a better use of energy. Also, why are enchanters (charge powerstone requires powerstone as a prereq) anywhere near the battlefield? I mean, it's not that charge powerstone is completely useless, it just seems marginal.

[Kax]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Things like Delay spells are likely to be a better use of energy. Also, why are enchanters (charge powerstone requires powerstone as a prereq) anywhere near the battlefield? I mean, it's not that charge powerstone is completely useless, it just seems marginal.

Oh, it's marginal. No argument there. But if you've got 'em and need 'em, use 'em.

I did say a use, not a good use. :D

If you've got the Meta spell caster, use them instead.