(Epic spellcasting) Money grows on trees

[J-H]

Cross-posted from something I just wrote up in a recruiting thread for an Epic game.

It's too bad money doesn't grow on trees. Wait a second...

We have examples on the SRD of Epic spells that conjure trees in a large area, and spells that produce new life forms. Given a sufficiently high DC and mitigation (casting time, backlash, etc), this can be done.

A typical fruit tree in good shape produces 200-300# of fruit per year. If each fruit (peach, pear, etc.) is 1/2 pound, that's 400-600 fruits per year. If we assume that instead of a fruit, each tree grows 1 gp, each tree will produce 400-600gp/yr.

If the forest has one tree every square (5-6' apart), and it's got a 100' radius (as Verdigris does), we get approximately 1250 trees. Assuming the trees pop fully grown (as per Verdigris) and live for 20 years (about typical for many fruit trees), then the total production in GP is 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 gp per casting and 20-year cycle.

Harvesting can be taken care of by Unseen Servants, summoned squirrels, and other no-cost magical means.

In the long term, it's a very cost-effective spell.

If cast on a plane created by Genesis with a different time stream, then the caster's effective wealth is really only limited by the inflation he may cause in the gold supply.

If cast on the Prime Material Plane, it's a great quest hook for hired defenders and thieves alike.

[Slipperychicken]

Just cast Wall of Salt. Then mine the salt and sell it. Now you're getting a much better return, much more quickly, for a lower-level spell, for a trade good which doesn't have a limited shelf life, and you don't need to protect a gigantic orchard.

[Krobar]

LOL. Once in a 2nd edition game, over 20 years ago now, I had someone tell my wizard, when I needed a diamond for a spell (I think it was yet another Identify, but I don't remember for sure now) "hey... diamonds don't grow on trees, you know!"

So I said "there's no reason why they can't!" And I wrote the spell. You would plant a gemstone of some sort in the ground, along with the seed to whatever kind of fruit tree you wanted, cast the spell, and a tree would eventually grow. The fruit that it bore would have gems inside instead of seeds (the same type that you planted).

Of course it took years for the tree to grow and finally bear fruit.

[BWR]

I immediately thought of this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztP35A3G5PU).

[Zweisteine]

From the DMG itself, we have money growing on trees (well, it's technically gems, but it's close enough). Font sizes changed for emphasis.

Example Bytopia Site: Mottlegrasp’s Orchard
Mottlegrasp, an 18th-level celestial gnome wizard, tends an orchard in rural Dothion where the trees grow rubies, emeralds, and other precious gems. A typical tree produces 1d4×1,000 gp worth of gems each year, and the orchard covers several acres.
Some of Mottlegrasp’s trees provide far more valuable fruit. He can offer fruit of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. These objects function as the relevant ability-enhancing tomes and manuals (described in Chapter 7), providing an inherent bonus to an ability score when eaten. The riper the fruit, the higher the bonus.
Neither money, good deeds, nor fame will earn the PCs such fruit. Mottlegrasp never parts with his fruit willingly, and he politely turns down any offers to do so—with one exception: Mottlegrasp will occasionally pay characters in fruit if they guard his orchard for a week’s time.
The venerable gnome is no fool. He will hire guards for his orchard only if he suspects a threat will emerge that an 18th-level wizard on his home turf can’t handle. The characters will likely face peril after peril during their week as orchard-guards.
To draw an encounter map of Mottlegrasp’s Orchard, place trees in neat rows of every other square. Every four rows or so, draw an irrigation canal (treat as a 5-foot-wide trench, because it’s rarely full of water).

[Telok]

The horrible realization will set in. For the Mottlegrasp’s Orchard scenario to work they must, as a group, be more capable and powerful in a straight up fight than the wizard whose orchard they are guarding.

So why are they guarding the orchard in exchange for a few fruit? They can just take all the fruit they want, beat the wizard up, and defend their orchard from the threats. Assuming the threat isn't able to be bought off with the massive wealth the party just gained.

With all the easy ways to magic up money in D&D such an orchard is much better suited as a trap for stupid people who are still stuck in the gold economy.