Topic: [RMU] Charging items

[Thot]

The book's text isn't especially clear about this, so I thought I'd ask.

The various Charge spells allow to charge a wand, staff, half-bole or bole.

Now, once I have charged my staff, is it fully charged? Or have I just added 1 charge per 1 use of the Charge spell?

The latter certainly seems more logical to me, because Charge Staff is a 12th level spell, costing 12 power points. If I can  enable the energy to cast, say, 100 Firebolts with 12 pp, that's somewhat mighty powerful, ine essence multiplying the available pp by 50.

But the text tends to point into the "once the spell charges the item fully" camp.

For the developers, what is intended, and for all the fellow players, what would you prefer and why?

[rdanhenry]

It is fully charged. Note, however, that these are still Alchemy spells. So, that's 12 days of four-hour enchantment work, requiring access to an alchemical workshop (though I can see waiving this requirement if the GM wants to consider this work doable "in the field", in which case, it would require portable gear as described for enchanting locations on page 81), expending 2 sp in materials per day (24 total). So, that's 144 total PP, 48 hours, 24 sp invested to get that staff charged. If you want someone else to do it, they're going to charge another 24 sp for labor.

[Thot]

[...] Note, however, that these are still Alchemy spells. So, that's 12 days of four-hour enchantment work, requiring access to an alchemical workshop (though I can see waiving this requirement if the GM wants to consider this work doable "in the field", in which case, it would require portable gear as described for enchanting locations on page 81), expending 2 sp in materials per day (24 total). So, that's 144 total PP, 48 hours, 24 sp invested to get that staff charged. If you want someone else to do it, they're going to charge another 24 sp for labor.

Gotcha, I had totally forgotten about that little A in the spell. That way it makes sense. Thanks for the clarification!

Would have been good to include that in a list of magical services somewhere.

Regarding the 48 hours... I read the enchantment rules as requiring some breaks between the "enchantment days", so if I give that to the local alchemist for recharging, it's just 12 days, or am I wrong?

[rdanhenry]

Twelve days. There are allowances for breaks, so alchemists can go take care of urgent business elsewhere, shut down when seriously ill, and observe local holy days, but they aren't required.

[jdale]

It's covered in the description of charged items in section 3.3.

[Thot]

So in essence, is the following table how it is intended?
Re-Charging items               
Level of Item   Type of item   recharging PP per day   Days to recharge   Material Cost of recharge   Market price of recharge
1   Wand   4   1   2   4
2   Wand   4   2   4   8
3   Rod   8   3   6   12
4   Rod   8   4   8   16
5   Rod   8   5   10   20
6   Staff   12   6   12   24
7   Staff   12   7   14   28
8   Staff   12   8   16   32
9   Staff   12   9   18   36
10   Staff   12   10   20   40
11   Half-Bole   16   11   22   44
12   Half-Bole   16   12   24   48
13   Half-Bole   16   13   26   52
14   Half-Bole   16   14   28   56
15   Half-Bole   16   15   30   60
16   Half-Bole   16   16   32   64
17   Half-Bole   16   16   32   64
18   Half-Bole   16   16   32   64
19   Half-Bole   16   16   32   64
20   Half-Bole   16   16   32   64
21   Bole   20   20   40   80
22   Bole   20   20   40   80
23   Bole   20   20   40   80
24   Bole   20   20   40   80
25   Bole   20   20   40   80
26   Bole   20   20   40   80
27   Bole   20   20   40   80
28   Bole   20   20   40   80
29   Bole   20   20   40   80
30   Bole   20   20   40   80
40   Bole   20   20   40   80
50   Bole   20   20   40   80

[jdale]

Looks right on a first glance. I would note that you might want an item that casts a lower level spell than permitted (e.g. a staff of a 5th level spell) because it gets more charges than the lesser item, so it might not be ideal to collapse the tables together as you've done.

[Hurin]

This is the sort of amazingly useful chart that would fit right into Treasure Law itself.