[DF] Healing up in Town

[tg_ambro]

Howdy,

I seem to recall having come across examples of what sort of spell casting a temple in a DF setting would provide, but cannot find it. I'm thinking that I may be mistaken and it may be the example list of scrolls that a temple would sell on page 16 of DF 4.

If i am mistaken, what would be a fair price to charge per FP spent? $20 for 1?

[munin]

Each point of energy spent requires 10 minutes of a caster's time (to rest). For healers earning Average wages in a TL3 society, this is in the neighborhood of $1 per energy spent. If healing is only performed by rare/learned individuals, thus justifying higher incomes, $2/energy for Comfortable earners and $5/energy for Wealthy earners. Given the demands on modern hospitals I think it's likely that demand for healing will usually exceed supply, so Comfortable or Wealthy rates would probably be justified, but Fantasy has examples of Struggling healers (Hedge Wizard, Village Sage).

I think the simple DF answer is $1/energy.

[tg_ambro]

Originally Posted by munin

*Snipped*I think the simple DF answer is $1/energy *Snipped*.

I don't like the $1/energy, it seems a little to cheap, but I realize that $10 or $20 may be a little excessive, so I think I'll be going with $5/energy, this seems best because it will fall in line with the rate for recharge of Power Items.

[weby]

Note that most competent mage types will have recover energy at 15+, thus only requiring 5 minutes of rest/FP and in DF will likely have energy reserves that recover without rest and at same time as the normal FP.

Such a person would likely expect to earn $1500/month, so the lowest limit would thus be about $0.36/point, but as their time will likely not be 100% spent on that the $1/point is likely "realistic" price for spending 1/2 of their time actually spellcasting and some of the money going to "other deserving projects".

At $5/point for a professional caster the total time spent "working"(=resting) in an average day would be 35 minutes.

But ofcourse the cost is also modifief by availability and extra fees over the pay. For example if spellcasting on people who can afford it is used by temples to collect money for the charity cases or for money to build that new chapel..

[Kromm]

I'd charge $1/energy point for anything that a lone caster could manage with one spell without leaving himself a staggering mess or suffering injury (let's call it 10 energy points). Remember that minor-but-permanent magic items go for this rate! Healing in town isn't meant to be a major expense for delvers. The controls on healing in DF pertain to how much of it the PCs can manage in the dungeon, away from safety . . . which is why healing potions and scrolls are so costly.

For things that would require circles of casters or other mass magic – like Resurrection spells – I would simply charge the rates for "charged scrolls" found in DF 4. That comes to $50/energy point, or half what a charged, universal scroll would cost (thus, buyers of the latter can't profit by undercutting the temple).

So a simple cost schedule might be:

Temple of Imhotep—Healing and Restoration
—Results not guaranteed. No refunds.—

—Outpatient Procedures (Cash Only)—
Awaken . . . $1
Minor Healing . . . $3
Cure Disease . . . $4
Major Healing . . . $4
Neutralize Poison . . . $5
Cleansing . . . $6
Instant Neutralize Poison . . . $8
Dispel Possession . . . $10
Stone to Flesh . . . $10

—Surgery (Insurance Accepted)—
Restoration . . . $750
Great Healing . . . $1,000
Regeneration . . . $1,000
Remove Curse . . . $1,000
Instant Restoration . . . $2,500
Instant Regeneration . . . $4,000
Resurrection . . . $15,000

[tg_ambro]

Wow, that is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for! The problem I had with $1/energy was that a resurrection would only cost $300, not what I think the ability the bring someone from the dead should cost. But with the price difference for bigger castings, this seems far more realistic and balanced.
Big thanks to all who posted, especially Kromm, not to blow you here, but that was genius. I am going to steal the list now.

[munin]

I realize that "reality"-checking DF may not be appropriate, but $50/energy for ceremonial casting seems excessively high for most spells. The majority of most spell's cost is in resting, which isn't increased by ceremonial casting.

For example, a ceremonial casting of Restoration should only require 2 to 3 mage-hours to cast and rest*, which should earn a mage team a minimum of $8 to $12. Charging $750 (an adequate mage-month's wages) for 2 to 3 mage-hours of work seems a bit excessive. Even if you use non-mage supporters and/or a Comfortable leader and/or regular energy recovery rates (etc.), it doesn't change the costs that much (though it does push costs over $1/energy).

Remove Curse, with its 10-hour ceremonial casting time, would cost more ($200 to $500, or $10 to $25/energy, depending on supporter breakdown). But it would be cheaper to just use a 10-energy power item and cast it normally. 1 hour of casting + 50 minutes resting + $50 power item recharge = $58 ($3/energy). Though this does require a $1,700 capital investment.

I think a good DF simplification for 11+ energy spells would be $5/energy. That will allow the leader and maybe some supporters to earn Comfortable wages, or allow for administrative support (apprentices collecting equipment, preparing ritual space, etc.) and time for multi-mage schedule coordination.

Only Resurrection, with its 20-hour ceremonial casting time and exceeding-any-reasonable-power-item energy cost, justifies significantly higher rates ($8,000 to $24,000, or $25 to $80/energy, depending on supporter breakdown). Averaging $50/energy for that would be a good DF simplification.


* Assume leader and mage supporters have Recover Energy-15. 1 leader and two mage supporters: 10 minutes each to cast ceremonially + leader rests for 50 minutes, supporters rest for 25 minutes total = 105 mage-minutes (1.75 mage-hours). 1 leader and 5 non-mage supporters: 10 minutes each to cast ceremonially + leader rests for 50 minutes, supporters rest for 10 minutes each = 160 mage-minutes (2.67 mage-hours).

[gjc8]

Originally Posted by munin

I realize that "reality"-checking DF may not be appropriate, but $50/energy for ceremonial casting seems excessively high for most spells. The majority of most spell's cost is in resting, which isn't increased by ceremonial casting.

I agree with you that $50 is too high for most castings, though I'd quibble with some of your specifics. As a gamable simplification, I'd use a sliding scale, your $5/$50 simplification is OK, I think. But it's important to note that, especially up the scale, not all spells will be available everywhere. Resurrection, in particular, may require more casters and/or power items than are available in a given location (maybe even ANY single location), and travel costs can push the price way up.

Also, for all spells, but especially for the major, ceremonial castings, a rush job may increase prices more. Asking the high priest for a few hours of his time today (or even this week) may not come cheap.

[Stone Dog]

"Awaken Healing," Kromm? What is "Awaken Healing?" I look through Magic and I cannot find it.

[Maz]

Originally Posted by Stone Dog

"Awaken Healing," Kromm? What is "Awaken Healing?" I look through Magic and I cannot find it.

I woudl think this is the Awaken spells, found under healing spells. (p.248 in basic). However that only has a base cost of 1... but it is an Area spell.