J-H
2014-04-20, 10:40 AM
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.
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.