The Cost of Lightning Weapons

[Hotrod]

I sometimes wonder at the economics of lightning weapons. 650-5000 gold for a single-shot javelin, or 300-1200 for a single arrow seems awfully steep for a one-shot weapon. An extra D6 of damage in a shot which might well miss just doesn't seem worth it. Am I missing something here?

[eliakon]

Up until the Mysteries of Magic book it was a good investment because it allowed for potent magic to be stockpiled for future use, by non-mages, and at long range.

Of course NOW the Lightning Strike spell makes them pretty much obsolete....but meh.

[Library Ogre]

Up until the Mysteries of Magic book it was a good investment because it allowed for potent magic to be stockpiled for future use, by non-mages, and at long range.

Of course NOW the Lightning Strike spell makes them pretty much obsolete....but meh.

Unless there was a severe change in Lightning Strike, it doesn't allow the stockpiling of the bolts, or their use by non-mages; it's pretty much the old BtS version of Call Lightning, where you drop 3 bolts on the target over the course of the duration.

[eliakon]

Up until the Mysteries of Magic book it was a good investment because it allowed for potent magic to be stockpiled for future use, by non-mages, and at long range.

Of course NOW the Lightning Strike spell makes them pretty much obsolete....but meh.

Unless there was a severe change in Lightning Strike, it doesn't allow the stockpiling of the bolts, or their use by non-mages; it's pretty much the old BtS version of Call Lightning, where you drop 3 bolts on the target over the course of the duration.

Nope, page 91 Mysteries of Magic has Lightning Strike "charges an arrow, spear, javelin or other type of throwing or projectile weapon with energy..." It goes on to describe its exact effects and such...but suffice to say that it now makes magic ammunition.

The spell your thinking of is Handful of Lightning (creates 3 lightning bolts that you can throw)

[Library Ogre]

Ahh, that's correct. I don't think Lightning Strike was one of mine.

[Lukterran]

I sometimes wonder at the economics of lightning weapons. 650-5000 gold for a single-shot javelin, or 300-1200 for a single arrow seems awfully steep for a one-shot weapon. An extra D6 of damage in a shot which might well miss just doesn't seem worth it. Am I missing something here?

We always make lightning weapons a multi-use items in our games. Once it is hits and does its damge it turns back into an arrow or javelin.

[Reagren Wright]

There's a place in Old Timiro Sir Larnod's Magic Weapons where you can buy the cheapest lightning weapons in all of
Palladium Fantasy. Cheaper than even getting a broad sword to glow blue.

"Hottest items are lightning shafts, arrows and javelins made by the giant cyclops. Arrows sell for 50 and
80 gold each, javelins sell for 50-70-100-150 gold each in order of the amount of damage done.

As apposed to a light lightning javelin that according to the base book cost 650-1000 gold.

Lightning arrow that do 3D6 damage, cost 300-500 gold.

This is the same prince in Monsters and Animals and Mount Nimiro. And the same price from 1st edition/ However the price of
the lightning weapon at Sir Larnod's has remained the same in both editions.


Don't forget the "real" lightning javelins are far different that the warlocks spell versions.

[kaid]

Up until the Mysteries of Magic book it was a good investment because it allowed for potent magic to be stockpiled for future use, by non-mages, and at long range.

Of course NOW the Lightning Strike spell makes them pretty much obsolete....but meh.

Unless there was a severe change in Lightning Strike, it doesn't allow the stockpiling of the bolts, or their use by non-mages; it's pretty much the old BtS version of Call Lightning, where you drop 3 bolts on the target over the course of the duration.

I think he is talking about the spell that charges a physical weapon like an arrow or javelin so that when its next used it basically turns into a lightning bolt to strike it's target. Its duration is listed as instant when used which seems to imply you could actually stock pile them. As written the spell does seem to invalidate the cyclopes lightning weapons but the in game solution to this could be that the cyclopes seem to be very aggressive vs anybody trying to hone in on that market and bad things seem to happen to those honing in on their lightning weapon market.

[ShadowLogan]

I sometimes wonder at the economics of lightning weapons. 650-5000 gold for a single-shot javelin, or 300-1200 for a single arrow seems awfully steep for a one-shot weapon. An extra D6 of damage in a shot which might well miss just doesn't seem worth it. Am I missing something here?

I'm going off of Rifts CB1r entry here:
-The Javelin and Arrow have increased range over their normal counter parts. And when used by a Cyclops have even greater range
-As I don't have the PF2E specs, I'm using the suggested 1:1 conversion from CB1r, so may not apply, but damage wise they would be superior to regular javelin/arrows. Doing roughly x5 minimum compared to the generic. You state they do an extra d6 though.
-how do they compare to the cost of a magic scroll or other single use items one can purchase that has comparable effects (are there?).

For the cost you are getting superior range, extra damage and more cost effective than a magic scroll with similar range/damage (actually range will be the hardest to get given a Javelin per CB1r has a thrown range of 1000ft, and arrows get +200ft putting it in the 500-800ft zone range at level 1, +20ft per level for WP training, the best spell range is IIRC 300ft in PF2E main book, if by a Cyclops we are talking even greater range).

[kaid]

You also have to look that these weapons at least the higher end ones are capable of one shot killing some pretty major threats at extended range. Its not something you want to throw around at cannon fodder but vs major threats or flying targets or things like giants they can be a real equalizer.