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Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 3:02 pm
by Riftmaker
Is their anything on home much is costs to buy spells in any of the books? I can't recall, but i want to be prepared if my next campaign goes mystical.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:04 pm
by Prysus
Riftmaker wrote:Is their anything on home much is costs to buy spells in any of the books? I can't recall, but i want to be prepared if my next campaign goes mystical.

Greetings and Salutations. There's no spell by spell list, but there are the general guidelines found in most main books. Not knowing which setting you're going for (but judging by your name I'm going to guess Rifts), I'll provide that as a resource.

RUE; page 190: "The Pursuit of Magic" under the "Purchasing Magic" heading.

PF2; page 248: "Cost by Spell Levels" within the Alchemist Shop section (which starts on the previous pages).

HU2 doesn't seem to list any prices (that I saw at a quick glance), and I think that's because how rare magic is in the setting. Learning new magic tends to be more of a boon/reward or trade of some sort.

Anyways, I hope that helps. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:46 pm
by Glistam
Nightbane: Pages 125-126, "Purchasing Magic." I would (and do) use this section for the spell costs in a HU2 game.

Incidentally, a level one spell in all three books costs "5,000" - either dollars (Nightbane), credits (Rifts), or Palladium Fantasy (gold). So it could seem as if the exchange rate is equivalent. But the cost per spell in Rifts is the same as the cost per spell in Nightbane only up until the level 9 spells (Rifts is more expensive for level 9). Rifts also has a general guideline for spells of level 10 and higher, while Nightbane does not. Palladium Fantasy costs only track with the other two up through level 3, but they are "cheaper" than the other two worlds for level 4 and higher.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 10:12 pm
by Tor
Magic is presumably more common Rifts Earth so even if the cost in dollars is equal to the cost in credits, I'm betting the relative credit cost may be cheaper.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:38 pm
by Ice Dragon
In the old GM Screen there was a hint how much a spell will cost for a magic user to learn.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:48 am
by Nightmask
Note that the price list is completely optional, not every spellcaster is going to charge a particular price and may not charge a price at all depending on the circumstances, or charge in one or more services to pay off things.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 4:56 pm
by eliakon
Nightmask wrote:Note that the price list is completely optional, not every spellcaster is going to charge a particular price and may not charge a price at all depending on the circumstances, or charge in one or more services to pay off things.

Hence why it is described as a 'general guideline'
In Rifts Mexico for instance I can see Doc Reid and other leaders insisting that Globe of Daylight, Lifeblast, and similar spells be taught to all mages everywhere free.....while in the Vampire Kingdoms I can see even admitting that you know those spells to be dangerous and the few teachers willing to sell the spell asking (tens of) millions.
But its useful to have a general guide line on "all things being equal a spell of X level will usually cost about Y money" if there may be mages in the game. If for no other reason as to make it so the GM doesn't have to make up the numbers out of thin air every time.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 5:22 pm
by FatherMorpheus
I have used the following list for a long time, it is a tweak on several of the more sited sources.

LEVEL PRICE in CREDITS
1 5,000
2 10,000
3 20,000
4 30,000
5 40,000
6 70,000
7 90,000
8 120,000
9 160,000
10 320,000 *
11 480,000 *
12 720,000 *
13 1,080,000 *
14 1,620,000 *
15 2,430,000 *

These prices are what you may have to pay shop owners/guilds/npc's. Of course you must locate a merchant with the spell to purchase it.

* Spells generally not available. When they are available usually they come with some sort of string attached first, such as a favor and payment to get a copy of the spell.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:23 pm
by Nightmask
eliakon wrote:
Nightmask wrote:Note that the price list is completely optional, not every spellcaster is going to charge a particular price and may not charge a price at all depending on the circumstances, or charge in one or more services to pay off things.


Hence why it is described as a 'general guideline'
In Rifts Mexico for instance I can see Doc Reid and other leaders insisting that Globe of Daylight, Lifeblast, and similar spells be taught to all mages everywhere free.....while in the Vampire Kingdoms I can see even admitting that you know those spells to be dangerous and the few teachers willing to sell the spell asking (tens of) millions.
But its useful to have a general guide line on "all things being equal a spell of X level will usually cost about Y money" if there may be mages in the game. If for no other reason as to make it so the GM doesn't have to make up the numbers out of thin air every time.


Well some treat the general guideline as 'immutable physical law of the multiverse' so it doesn't hurt to emphasize that it's just a guideline and the prices can vary widely.

Re: Price list for buying spells?

Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:39 pm
by Glistam
The same sections of the books that list the prices per spell also say: "Add 10% for offensive spells, add 20% for metamorphosis and summoning spells."