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View Full Version : Spell: Smith's Invisible Hand



Spuddly
2005-09-03, 07:20 PM
See what you guys think, where it needs tweaks. This spell is mostly a plot device sort of spell. It could be very powerful (well, it is very powerful), and most of it is up to the DM's discretion.

Smith's Invisible Hand
Enchantment [True Neutral]
Level: Sorc 10 / Bard 10
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Day
Range: See Text
Effect: See Text
Duration: 3d6 weeks, see text
Saving Throw: See Text
Spell Resistance: No

This spell invokes the invisible hand that controls market based economies and changes the demand for one type of good, service, or commodity. It does not change people's attitudes directly, but rather by manipulating the unseen spectre that haunts all markets.

The caster may either choose to raise a kingdom's demand for a certain type of good by up to 50% (increase demand) or decrease them by 50% (decrease demand). In non-free market economies (strong guilds, central government, church, etc.), the price fluctuation caps are set at 25%.

Other than changing prices, this spell actually changes the demand for goods. If grain prices were the target of the spell, higher demand for grain could lead to stockpiling of grain, city folk becoming angry at price of bread (with the right political situation, it could be like the French Revolution), while peasants or their feudal lords become prosperous.

Depression of prices could lead to angry peasant mobs, guild intervention, or serious political upheaval.

The spell can only target non-magical goods or services (no decreasing the price of vorpal swords by 50%).

Depending on how high/low the price fluctuation is, reaction from affected groups varies.

10%- Slight dissatisfaction with percieved ruling party, very few individuals, other than the targeted groups affected, mostly grumbling
20%- Greater dissasitisfaction, those not directly affected by spell but closely related to begin to feel affects.
30%- Things begin to heat up. Things become volatile enough for some change, though mostly through unseen forces such as guilds, black markets, Illuminati, etc.
40%- large disatisfaction with percieved ruling party from the affected, may be small squabbles, protests, difficult to control
50%- virtually everyone is affected by prices, panic, if the climate is right, major political structures are changed, otherwise the ruling party/percieved ruling party becomes hugely unpopular (attitude by affected people drops by two points), almost impossible to control

Duration–
This spell takes three weeks to take effect. After the third week, the effects begin to become apparent, prices drop/climb to the set amount within one week. For the remaining weeks-1 you see all the effects take place. In the last week demand (along with prices) go back to normal.

This spell does not directly affect supply only demand. With this spell, it may be possible to avoid inflation. For instance, one could flood the market with gold/grain/cows/whatever during the duration of the spell, and as long as the spell targeted livestock/grain/gold/whatver, the prices would remain high.

When this spell targets a profession, like barbers or something, things can get really ugly.

Jotoco
2005-09-03, 07:37 PM
I'm not very familiar with Epic levels... at wich point someone can get level 15 spells?

The spell is OUTRAGIOUSLY powerful. It's the kind of thing a God could do, really.

But nonetheless is very cool!

Should have capped the % by level, though, I think.

What would happen if someone simply decreased the need for mercenaries (or soldiers) for 50%? Mass revolt?

The_Werebear
2005-09-03, 07:40 PM
An enchantment spell that affects an entire kingdom? Wow...wouldnt it just be easier to, ya know, destroy it?. That quibble aside, it appears insanely powerful.. I wouldn't let any players cast that spell though. Consider making it an artifact and giving it to a prominant theives guild that can be the main enemy. Also, I would give chance to disbeilve for the town at higher levels.

Spuddly
2005-09-03, 07:44 PM
What would happen if someone simply decreased the need for mercenaries (or soldiers) for 50%? Mass revolt?

Huh, that's interesting.... Though I'd say militaries aren't subject directly to market forces in any kingdom, as the gov't has direct control over them.

You could make hirelings and the like cheaper, though.


I'm not very familiar with Epic levels... at wich point someone can get level 15 spells?

I set it at level 10. 15 was an accident. I think you get it level 10 spells at level 20.


Should have capped the % by level, though, I think.
I figure that by level 20, why bother?


An enchantment spell that affects an entire kingdom? Wow...wouldnt it just be easier to, ya know, destroy it?.
What if you don't want to destroy the kingdom? What if you aren't powerful enough to destroy the kingdom? What if you need an edge to make it possible to upset the kingdom?

It affects an entire economy, and there's a pretty good chance it won't go off (but an equally good chance it sends everything to hell). The spell isn't meant for munchkinry so much as RPing/plot device. It's not a spell you should just be handing out to anyone. And when you're changing stuff by as much as 50%, it'll be very hard to control much of anything. The heros could come out as public enemy number one (as by level 20 they'd be super wealthy and either considered bourgeois or an enemy of the State, or Guild or whatever).

It's also a spell soley for charisma casters– bard&sorc. It's not like a wizard could learn it.

I forgot to add a material component.

Winged One
2005-09-03, 08:14 PM
It should get the chaos descriptor, and possibly the evil discriptor as well. Or both the law and evil descriptors. But it most definately needs an alignment descriptor.

Sacrath
2005-09-03, 08:14 PM
Epic spells are different than normal spells, by rough calculation this spell would require a DC 300 (not a typo) Spell craft check. And the type is enchantment.

Spuddly
2005-09-03, 08:18 PM
It should get the chaos descriptor, and possibly the evil discriptor as well. Or both the law and evil descriptors. But it most definately needs an alignment descriptor.

That depends on how you view economics and whether or not you're a bunch of things. I put it at neutral cause it could go anyway. It causes chaos, but does through a law. It can be used for great good and great evil.

So...

Winged One
2005-09-03, 08:22 PM
My justification for these descriptors: nobody screws with economics with good intent, hence the evil. It's extremely unpredictable, hence the chaos. It's the type of spell a LE BBEG would use, hence the alternative as LE.

ghostrunner
2005-09-03, 11:02 PM
I like the concept, but like Winged One has said, it's very unpredictable. I imagine if a DM allowed this spell in the game that the setting would be very detailed and specific, at least in terms of its economy. My knowledge of economic theory is lacking; my sole experience is one measily general ed economics class. So correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that if someone--even someone with good intentions--tried to change the market one way or another with this spell, they could destroy it.
That being said, I think it definitely has uses. I've never DMed a game high-level enough for a PC spell like this to come into play, but it would work awesome as a "Magic Event" as described in the DMG2. It gives the PCs a very dire situation to deal with (stop this crazy wizard or else!), but doesn't end the universe or anything. A BBEG maybe tries to cast this spell to gain economic control of the nation and usurp power from the emperor. If you stop him, then hooray! Next adventure. If you don't, the BBEG's plan comes to fruition and any new characters find themselves in an empire controlled by the said BBEG.

Don't mind me; I'm just typing as the thoughts come to me...
;)

catfan
2005-09-04, 12:56 AM
Yeah, epic level spell, not '10th or 15th level' spell or whatever.

SpiderBrigade
2005-09-04, 02:16 AM
I guess this would fall under the category of "Voodoo Economics?" ;)

The_Werebear
2005-09-04, 12:02 PM
Ok.. misunderstood that whole thing. Still, by the time you could cast that, it would be almost as easy to just dominate the king, the queen, the president, the head of every guild, and the head of the army and have them do it for you. Still, this is much cooler.

Psiwave
2005-09-04, 12:36 PM
I like it...
Not one for the pc's tho, but It would be good for a bbeg that likes to work behind the scenes. hammering the markets, and causing a revolt without ever being seen to do anything, that way when you come to power you are seen as a hero that stepped in and saved everyone from starvation rather than a violent despot that hacked his way to power.

Death_McMuffin
2005-09-04, 02:55 PM
I like it. The entire plot could be formed around this, leading into epic levels. I think it reallistically should be a charm/compulsion effect that just alters the value of items in peoples minds, but your reasoning would work as well, but that must be campaign specific. 10th level might be a little low as far as higher-than-9th level feats go, but overall good.