[Ed4] Spell Matrix Item cost

[RazanMG]

Now Spell Matrix item costs 500 silver, in Classic edition it was 1500 silver.

Is spell matrix object so easy to Enchant so its cost is so low?

[The Undying]

Might be a change to accommodate the reduced access to matrix Talents? Might have to wait and see when the Kancks come out if the threshold for creating these was also lowered.

Standard Matrix objects are pretty garbage anyways

[RazanMG]

Say it to 3 circle Wizzard She would want like 10.

[The Undying]

She may WANT 10, but she's only going to get three. Remember, matrix objects are still thread items, meaning they require threads, meaning they are both an LP sink and a maximum thread sync.

[etherial]

She may WANT 10, but she's only going to get three. Remember, matrix objects are still thread items, meaning they require threads, meaning they are both an LP sink and a maximum thread sync.

I've yet to meet a Wizard who was saddened by the prospect of spending Legend on Wizardry.

[The Undying]

I've yet to meet a Wizard who was saddened by the prospect of spending Legend on Wizardry.

I think we're talking past eachother. I'm not saying that spending LP & threads on matrix items is bad or wrong. I'm simply saying that Standard Matrix items aren't all that great, with a subsequent leap that using them in your limited spots isn't a great use of the resource.

Assuming an Adept is part of a group, they have access to five threads for their group pattern. These are a bit pricier than a Standard Matrix Object, but from my perspective, an Adept below maybe Circle 4 is going to be primary spending LP on Talents versus Items (which is arguably why pre-ED4, the non-magicians go their Threadweaving around this point). There's also a different between a Matrix Object and a Thread Item that happens to have a Matrix - snagging straight Matrix objects, ESPECIALLY straight Standard Matrix objects, is a bit painful to me. Any normal Thread Item with a matrix likely tops out at Rank 4-6. By the time you'd really want a Matrix Object instead of a Thread Item with a Matrix, you're going to be Journeyman. At Journeyman, again for me, I'd rather burn that LP on at least an Enhanced Matrix Object versus a Standard Matrix Object.

[etherial]

It depends a lot on whether you allow Chain Casting in your game. Standard Matrix items are great for Chain Casting (to the point where I'll probably disallow it in future games).

[The Undying]

There are lots of ways to limit the effects of Chain Casting. "Must be in a matrix" is one common element, but it need not be the only one. Keep in mind, casting takes time, so it's easy to place a maximum limit just from that perspective. Just because someone has 100 matrices doesn't necessarily mean they can maintain 100 spells - unless each lasts for at least, say, 100 minutes, and that's if the Adept does NOTHING but continually cast.

[Ninja edit to provide example limiter]

Example: GM says that, to account for slop in casting time (a magician is NOT going to cast as soon as something expires) and the needs to focus on traveling versus casting, a magician can maintain one chain cast spell per five step in Spellcasting, rounded up (spells must still be in matrices per separate requirement). So, a Circle 5 magician, who likely has Spellcasting Rank ~5 and Perception Step ~7, has a Spellcasting Step of ~12. As a result, the magician can maintain at most three chain cast spells. This is a nice, easy system: ED4 is really based around increments of 5. It also simplifies accounting: some spells are RANK minutes, some RANK + C minutes, etc, so allowing an arbitrary "5 minutes per spell" allows hand-waving through some spells being cast more frequently than others. For what it's worth, though, my personal vision of chain casting doesn't allow Spell X cast individually on each party member as part of the chain casting; the spell either supports a "+RANK targets," allowing casting on everyone, or it doesn't, allowing the magician to either cast it on himself or someone else, no more.

[etherial]

It depends a lot on whether you allow Chain Casting in your game. Standard Matrix items are great for Chain Casting (to the point where I'll probably disallow it in future games).

"it" in this case is "Chain Casting from a Spell Matrix Item". This is what I get for posting right before bedtime.

[Lys]

Now Spell Matrix item costs 500 silver, in Classic edition it was 1500 silver. Is spell matrix object so easy to Enchant so its cost is so low?

I am confused, where is the cost for Spell Matrix Items? As far as i know they're Thread Items, which don't have any specific cost for each item so much as a range based on the item's power.