Recently, one of my players and I came to a disagreement of how one could utilize the crafting rules, and the intersect between spell component value (Diamonds, in this case), the rules for *crafting* (1/3 the market value), and how the value of diamonds are determined.
He is of the opinion that he can spend 1/3 the market value of a diamond to create via crafting rules, a diamond worth 25,000 gp (material cost is 8,333.33 gp). His reasoning below.
--
As best as i could articulate:
Suppose i want a diamond worth 25,000 gp. I use the crafting rules (Craft(Int)) to use mundane crafting rules: Make Something.
Make Something
The basic function of the Craft skill, however, is to allow you to make an item of the appropriate type. The DC depends on the complexity of the item to be created. The DC, your check result, and the price of the item determine how long it takes to make a particular item. The item’s finished price also determines the cost of raw materials.
To determine how much time and money it takes to make an item, follow these steps.
Find the item’s price in silver pieces (1 gp = 10 sp).
Find the item’s DC from Table: Craft Skills.
Pay 1/3 of the item’s price for the raw material cost.
Make an appropriate Craft check representing one week’s worth of work. If the check succeeds, multiply your check result by the DC. If the result × the DC equals the price of the item in sp, then you have completed the item. (If the result × the DC equals double or triple the price of the item in silver pieces, then you’ve completed the task in one-half or one-third of the time. Other multiples of the DC reduce the time in the same manner.) If the result × the DC doesn’t equal the price, then it represents the progress you’ve made this week. Record the result and make a new Craft check for the next week. Each week, you make more progress until your total reaches the price of the item in silver pieces.
Action: Craft checks are made by the day or week (see above).
Retry? Yes, but if you fail a check by 4 or less, you make no progress this week (or day, see below). If you miss by 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to pay half the original raw material cost again.
Would i be able to make raw diamond worth 8,333.33 (1/3 the price of a 25,0000 gp diamond) and make it into a diamond of worth 25,000 gp? Along with using it in a Wish spell, considering all it requires is diamond worth 25,000 gp
---
I am of the opinion that diamonds as spell components are a raw material in and of themselves, and as such you *need* 25,000+ gp of diamond to make a diamond of 25,000 gp. (saving any excess for diamond dust).
I also believe that one cannot *craft* a gemstone, so much as mundane crafting comes into play. One could cut gemstone with Profession (Gem-cutter) to breakdown a diamond into multiple diamonds worth varying values with a sum of the initial gem, but making a gem of greater value is impossible.
We are at an impasse, as we are both of the opinion that we are right (and this has major implications on the game as a whole), so neither of us are willing to back down.
*As a comment*: I have considered using weight-to-value, but this has come into conflict with diamond dust, which would than be valued at the exact same cost per pound, but inapplicable for spells that require solid diamond(s), such as resurrection, wish, etc.
