Sponges

[davidhoff]

I would suggest the following two (2) ideas to make "a piece of sponge" more available to those who need it (for example, for those who need it to cast the spell "horrid wilting")

1.  Make "a piece of sponge" an automatic drop for certain creatures (kind of like a bodac's tooth is an auto drop for killing a Bodac).  Creatures that might fill this role could be the Medusas west of Wayfare, the Hydra in the Sinister Forest, the Wandering Madmen outside of Dalanthar, etc.  The idea is that these creatures would drop the sponge because it would be a staple of their normal diet.

2.  Allow Characters with a high enough Fishing Craft Level to harvest sponges from some of the water areas that they normally fish.  The catching of the sponge could be an opposed check to their fishing craft level, plus the appropriate ability modifiers (not sure what they are for fishing cause I don't).  This would give characters who have invested time into their fishing ability a new way to get some thing back and maybe allow them to make some money in trade or barter.  I guess the sponges could be placed in the water the same way that carp and other fish are put in the water.

Let me know what you think.

Yours truly,

Tralek

[LynnJuniper]

Wants to make a 'spongeworthy' joke so bad.
Remembers the server's rating
Walks away , hands in her pockets, scoffing.

[lonnarin]

Spongefishing sounds awesome!  As for drop ideas, perhaps on sauhaugin, lizardmen or other quasi-aquatics?

[Hellblazer]

yeah I really like Idea number 2

[darkstorme]

While I'm amused by the spongefishing idea, any item that has to be purchased acts as a gold drain in the economy; reducing those is, as a general rule, not a good thing to do.

The fact that sponges are consumed in the casting makes it even better.

[davidhoff]

Actually down in South Florida sponges are grown in the wild and harvested (kind of like wild sponge farms; the spongemen have pvc pipes marking the areas they are cultivating and they farm them while standing in small boats).

As far as the economy, I wouldn't want to disturb that for sure; however, I'm not quite sure if there is an active trade right now in sponges by players; if there is I haven't seen it.  Mostly I bet people pawn em for a few true, or a small percentage of casters that need em may keep em.

If they were harvestable, that would open up a new and active trade item for fishermen and it would grow the economy.

I prefer the drop idea by some aquatic creature; but, either idea I think would help.  As it is now, its very costly to use the horrid wilting spell before you get eschew.

Tralek

[superdoofus]

You know the oyster covered rocks down in the gulf of bagira.  Maybe we can have sponge covered rock.  It's a thought.  The only videos I've ever seen sponges is of them sitting on rocks.

[Hellblazer]

While I'm amused by the spongefishing idea, any item that has to be purchased acts as a gold drain in the economy; reducing those is, as a general rule, not a good thing to do.
 
 The fact that sponges are consumed in the casting makes it even better.

 
 While I agree with you on the economy part, I don't think that this particular item would unbalance the gold drain.
 
 // edits: mainly because I think that we could use a special tool that would have the same breakage point as the other, to actually cultivate the sponges, therefor keeping the drain.

[Nehetsrev]

My personal view on it is something along the lines of, "What's the point of even having spells that require material components or of having the Eschew Materials feats if the spell components are all cheaply/easilly acquired?"

The more powerful the spell, the more the material component should cost, or the harder it should be to obtain.  A caster such as a sorcerer or bard can always make sure to choose spells that don't require material components if they don't wish to take the Eschew feats, and a wizard has it even easier since they can learn just about any spell, and then when they do have the materials choose to memorize it for use, while otherwise depending on the spells that don't require components.

Further, in my opinion, it really makes the more powerful spells that require expensive components that much more impressive if they aren't cast willy-nilly by everyone all the time.

[Hellblazer]

Well if we actually take a look at the spell of the same level across the caster classes.
 
 Bombardment is a druid level 8 spell, the quartz can be bought for 71 gold piece, or mined.
 
 bigbies clenched fist who is a wizard/sorcerer level 8 spell need a snake leather glove that can be bought for 91 gold piece
 
 Create undead is an other cleric 6, wizard/sorcerer level 8 spells, it needs a black onix that can be mined or bought for 71 gold piece
 
 earthquake is a cleric 8, druid 9 spell that only need a holy symbole that can be bought for 31 gold piece at a temple, or crafted then concecrated.
 
 firestorm, cleric 8, druid 7 same as earthquake
 
 sunbeam cleric/druid 8 same as earthquake
 
 create greater undead cleric 8 only requires a black onix that can be mined or bought for 71 gp
 
 
 And now we speak of horrid wilthrid that is a level 8 wizard/sorcerer spell. The only spell that uses a sponge which you can't mine, and the same sponge cost 456 gp!?! now I know all about supply and demand.. but this is a bit out there as far as price markup. No wonder not many people uses it before being able to either have a good supply of dropped sponge, or have eschew 3.
 
 Now with the new system, if you fail your roll the price for these items can go up fast!
 
 I think we all can see how this is actually very expensive compared to other very powerful spells. Like if we compare it to Brac'ar's Fascinating Elemental Storm, that is of the same level and which is a much deadlier spell that requires no component to cast.
 
 Which is why i think that being able to mine the sponge would be a great idea, even more so if the cost of that spell component remains at that level. That or make the price par with other prices or vice versa, which I think the majority of players would dislike greatly.
 
 ******all price taken from the lore page of the spell component item.******

[davidhoff]

Good points here on both sides.  I don't think Mages will cast spells willy-nilly just because they can; Horrid Wilting is a very dangerous spell around allies and should be used with caution and in certain situations.  I believe Mages can exert the same level of discretion as any other class.

Right now Mages won't cast horrid wilting before level 18, either because they can't afford the sponge, or because they don't want to be laughed at for burning 400+ true on one spell.  If that's the desired result of the current system...then it's working very well (I've never seen the spell cast by any player).

I liked the way firebrand is set-up.  A very powerful and ally friendly spell.  The component is alchemist fire.  This is pretty costly at the merchants.  So, I would explore around, collect fire beetle bellies and grow my alchemy skills to make the alchemist fire.  Same with Stoneskin, I would explore around looking for topaz and grow my gem crafting skills to grind the stuff.  Both involved alot of work, but it was fun and rewarding.  That option doesn't exist for sponges.