When you don't have enough dust...

[zergling.exe]

Hey all! Just a little something that came out of this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?445027-Spells-that-simply-shouldn-t-be-at-that-high-a-level) (page 3 for the conversation about material components). Any critiques are appreciated!

Componentizer
Transmutation
Level: 2 on classes with 6th level or higher spells, 1 on all others
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 free action
Range: Touch
Target: See text
Duration: Instantaneous

This spell turns gold into costly material compenents. You must use the same number of gp that the component is worth to create it. You may only cast this spell when either preparing or casting a spell with a costly material component.
You may also change one material component into another. If the new component is more expensive you must add addition gp to make up the difference. If the new component is less expensive you get half the excess value in back in gp.
Prepared casters can spontaneously cast this spell from any slot equal to or above its level, to the maximum spell slot of that which it is prepared at. Casting it from the highest level slot expends the spell and you cannot cast it any longer if you have not prepared it elsewhere. This spell does not allow a prepared caster to qualify for anything that requires spontaneous casting.


Nothing really flashy. Just something to help casters worrying about having the right components on them.

[GGambrel]

Componentizer seems pretty okay to me, though I think groups that see expensive material components as an annoyance will likely just switch the component for an equal value of currency anyway (without the use of a spell to do so). Personally I like the idea of components and keeping track of them (to a point).

As far as critiquing the spell, the part about wizards being able to cast it spontaneously seems odd to me. The wizard will need to prepare the spell requiring components anyway, so why can't he/she just have the foresight to prepare a copy of Componentizer to go along with it? Also, getting gp back from this spell seems a bit odd; maybe it'd be better to leave some of the component behind if there is extra or have it all disappear with no 'refund'.

Substitute Materials [General]
Prerequisites
Eschew Materials, ability to cast Major Creation
Benefit
You can cast a spell requiring a costly material component by substituting an equal value of another material (such as gold).


I would've called this Improved Eschew Materials, but it only allows you to eschew the specific material component, not materials altogether.

Anyway those are my thoughts. I hope they seem reasonable. :smallsmile:

[zergling.exe]

As far as critiquing the spell, the part about wizards being able to cast it spontaneously seems odd to me. The wizard will need to prepare the spell requiring components anyway, so why can't he/she just have the foresight to prepare a copy of Componentizer to go along with it?

The spontaneous aspect gives wizards and clerics a bit of flexibility. They can choose to prepare it in a higher level to get more castings of it in case they want to prepare say, 5 spells with material components, but aren't sure if they will cast them all. As I feel most groups tend to waive portions of tracking components, this flexibility grants an alternative to just subtracting the gp cost from how much you have. DMs could choose to remove this text if they want I suppose.

Also, getting gp back from this spell seems a bit odd; maybe it'd be better to leave some of the component behind if there is extra or have it all disappear with no 'refund'.

That part is an odd thing to handle. I might change it to be subtracting the gp value of the material component from the current value. But I like the image of turning a 10k gp diamond into 5k gp worth of ruby and 5k gp. But that has an entirely different problem of how much space that would take up.