A Land Far Away

Hello,
Tonight's stupid question I should know the answer to is:

How much should an NPC charge for casting a spell?

I think it's spell level*caster level*25gp, but what happens with a spell that has no increase in duration or damage with increased level such as a heal? Do you just use the lowest level at which it is possible to cast the spell, e.g. 4th level spell = NPC level 7??

Which would make the costs of such spells:
Level 0 *Multiply by Zero error bzzzzt*
Level 1 25
Level 2 150
Level 3 375
Level 4 700
etc.

As usual I'm sure I've read this somewhere but can't find it
TnD

Isn't it in the Dungeon Master's Guide?

And cantrips are considered half level spells in calculations.

Ah, found it in the Player Handbook.

Spell, 0-level Caster level × 5 gp
Spell, 1st-level Caster level × 10 gp
Spell, 2nd-level Caster level × 20 gp
Spell, 3rd-level Caster level × 30 gp
Spell, 4th-level Caster level × 40 gp
Spell, 5th-level Caster level × 50 gp
Spell, 6th-level Caster level × 60 gp
Spell, 7th-level Caster level × 70 gp
Spell, 8th-level Caster level × 80 gp
Spell, 9th-level Caster level × 90 gp
See spell description for additional costs.

*points to Holly*

If you're looking for a one-line equation that'd spare you a nested if in your scripts: caster level * spell level * 10.


It's *25 for scrolls.

// edit - and level 0 spells count as level 0.5 where multiplication or division is involved, and as 0 where addition/subtraction/comparison to levels is involved.

Yeah, I realised after posting that I'd got the 25gp multiplier from scrolls...
My point is really that if you follow that equation then your basic Cure Light Wounds et al are going to have different costs depending on who casts them ... which may be correct "by the book" but isn't how things are normally done AFAIK.

Teric neDhalir wrote:Yeah, I realised after posting that I'd got the 25gp multiplier from scrolls...
My point is really that if you follow that equation then your basic Cure Light Wounds et al are going to have different costs depending on who casts them ... which may be correct "by the book" but isn't how things are normally done AFAIK.

I *think* that a spell like CLW, which reaches maximum potency at level 5 has a maximal cost as if the caster was CL5. Not positive though, but that is how I would do it.

Teric neDhalir wrote:Yeah, I realised after posting that I'd got the 25gp multiplier from scrolls...
My point is really that if you follow that equation then your basic Cure Light Wounds et al are going to have different costs depending on who casts them ... which may be correct "by the book" but isn't how things are normally done AFAIK.

This is, indeed, how it's done in practice.

But you don't get a high priest to come cast a CLW for you, typically. You find that level 1 or 2 acolyte to slap that one on and be out only 10 or 20 gold, but if you track down that clr 15 running the temple, you'd best be ready to pay for the honor of having someone that holy cast an orison on yer sorry behind.

The idea of "maximum potency" doesn't really apply here; the extra cost for a higher level caster is because a higher level caster's time is more valuable, and they have more/ more important things they should be/would rather be doing. Fine example, applicable to the real world: drive down to a home depot and find that group of questionably-legal laborers on the side of the building; ask them how much it'd cost to mow your lawn. Ask the same question of a professional landscaper (just the mowing, not any actual artistic changes to the area), and ask the same question of a doctor. I bet you get three very different numbers for a very mundane job, one that's probably only worth the price quoted by that first group, no less.

dergon darkhelm wrote:
I *think* that a spell like CLW, which reaches maximum potency at level 5 has a maximal cost as if the caster was CL5. Not positive though, but that is how I would do it.

Y'see, I didn't even realise it *did* change the damage healed by level. *sigh* 10 x spell level x caster level it is, then.

The "overhead" you're paying could count as a donation towards the church or institute the caster belongs to, if any.
Pay a fortune and have the high-priest bless your wedding, that sort of thing.

hollyfant wrote:The "overhead" you're paying could count as a donation towards the church or institute the caster belongs to, if any.
Pay a fortune and have the high-priest bless your wedding, that sort of thing.

The DMG comments on this, actually, saying that a church pays attention to who is generally doing the good work of their patron deity and who is giving offerings not for healing, and gives discounts/ credit for past offerings/ free healing based on what they've done/given before. The IC paying for spellcasting at a church tends to be talking about "appropriate offerings" for those who don't qualify for a free ride by the former terms.

That seems like something that would be more of a DM'd thing, though, and that a scripted NPC healer cleric would just work off of the CL * SL * 10 formula. *nodnod*




Also, didn't Wynna script something like this before? Might save ya some work to refit that, Teric.

Zelknolf wrote: Also, didn't Wynna script something like this before? Might save ya some work to refit that, Teric.

She did, indeed, but I only have a few NPCs who might be casting to order and they will have a lot of extra custom convo nodes for quests and so forth so I just needed to know the right costs and I can do the rest longhand.
Thanks for the answers, BTW.