As title states; How much does Diamond dust weigh?
don't think it has a weight, gems don't no reason why the dust of a gem should all of a sudden weigh something
Its weightless.
As title states; How much does Diamond dust weigh?
A pound of diamond dust weighs one pound.
As for how much 1000 gp worth of diamond dust weighs, I would say "Not much" and just include it in the spell component pouch. Diamonds are small and expensive.
So I could effectively sidestep the weight of carrying coins by just converting it to diamond dust. This also acts as a spell component until i get back to down and can convert it back.
If you make $1 = 1 gp, then 1,000 gp worth of diamond dust could weigh between 1,300 and 4,000 grams (roughly 3-9 lbs.) using a quick price check at www.diamondtech.com. Assuming, however, that this is relevant to Golarion is a big leap as we can produce diamond dust a lot cheaper with mechanization. As such, Golarion diamond dust is probably more expensive and thus 1,000 gp worth would weigh less. This is a round-about way of saying--if no weight it listed, consider it weightless right up to the point where players try to do something ridiculous...
So I could effectively sidestep the weight of carrying coins by just converting it to diamond dust. This also acts as a spell component until i get back to down and can convert it back.
This works right up to the point where you try to pass the dust along to a merchant and said merchant replies with, "Sparkly dust? I ain't taking no sparkly dust. Gimme gold or get out!"
A GM might also apply a conversion cost if you constantly shift coins to dust and back again.
So I could effectively sidestep the weight of carrying coins by just converting it to diamond dust. This also acts as a spell component until i get back to down and can convert it back.
You could but the price of diamond dust is variable. Gold holds a set value. SO if you turn all your gold in to diamond dust in one city upon arrival to the next city you might find that it is only worth half of what you paid for it.
Mage Evolving, while your argument seems true at first glance it has 2 problems:
1. gold coins have been made a the mint of a country, for that country. While most people assume that 1 GP in one country can be used in another I had a GM who told as at the border that we should change our currency. (we didn't loose much, but he want to keep it real)
2 the game assumes that diamonds are worth the same everywhere, or you could have that the same diamonds is enough (in GP value) in one place to cast a spell, but as soon as you move the spell fails because the value decreased.
Mage Evolving, while your argument seems true at first glance it has 2 problems:
1. gold coins have been made a the mint of a country, for that country. While most people assume that 1 GP in one country can be used in another I had a GM who told as at the border that we should change our currency. (we didn't loose much, but he want to keep it real)
2 the game assumes that diamonds are worth the same everywhere, or you could have that the same diamonds is enough (in GP value) in one place to cast a spell, but as soon as you move the spell fails because the value decreased.
I don't think that the first critique invalidates the idea that Diamond dust does not always holds its value from one place to another. And I would argue that Diamond dust is not the same as having a diamond. A diamond gains its value from it's color, size, sparkle, provenance, and cut... Diamond dust can come from any old diamonds regardless of quality.
but that is just my opinion.
Based upon some napkin math a 1000gp diamond of cruddy quality (making it the biggest stone for the price range) would still only be around 0.006 pounds. And that is using the weight of solid carbon.
Basically just assume it is weightless. When we get too crazy with math, all of D&D falls into the bog of eternal stench from Labyrinth.
Also, converting gold to gems is one of the most basic tactics since the inception of D&D for carrying around a lot of wealth. The big issue there, is that finding someone to take a gold-piece is much easier than walking up to some traveling merchant and asking if he can "break a 1000gp diamond into some change guv?"
The main issue with converting gold to diamond dust is that a diamond loses value exponentially compared to its size. A 10 carat stone broken down into 1/25 carat particles is going to be worth considerably less than the original stone (otherwise diamond grit papers and cutting blades would be suuuuuuper expensive). It doesn't make sense in a free and loving world but...thems the breaks. It's also one of the reasons diamond dust as a spell component has always been something to make any loot-hungry thief cry hot salty tears when their wizardly companion crushes up their loot for some pop and pizzazz. And finally...buying diamond dust is a rarity since any gem cutter would rather poke out their own eye before ruining a 1000gp diamond, and a spell component dealer is going to charge the full 1000gp+ because they will just fall back on the argument of "hey go find your own diamond and crush it up."
TLDR; Diamond DUST is best used simply as a component of [insert high fantasy effect here], rather than becoming a new trend in currency or a substance worthy of encumbrance tracking.
okay..... but in pathfinder the game we all know and love
gold coins, gems, spell components(unless noted), chalk and many other things do not have weight.
rule one applying as (un)necessary
okay..... but in pathfinder
gold coins, gems, spell components(unless noted), chalk and many other things do not have weight.rule one applying as (un)necessary
Except coins do have a listed weight.
The standard coin weighs about a third of an ounce (50 to the pound).
mmmm i stand corrected ... it does have weight touché
but rule one say i will do no such math and i am the dm so ha ha