Odd gem loophole I found

[JTibbs]

So just as it was in 3.5, Pathfinder also includes obsidian as a 'lesser gem' with the value of the gem being about 10gp on average.

Interestingly, there is a 4th level wizard/sorcerer/druid spell called obsidian flow which turns the first inch or so of dirt instantaneously into a LOT of obsidian in a circle 40 feet in diameter.

That's seriously several thousand pounds of obsidian, which in itself is pretty valuable.

Assuming you didn't flood the market, you could make a lot of money off of that one spell.

It isn't even low quality 'pitchstone' obsidian either. pitchstone is more rock like and doesnt fracture quite like higher quality obsidian glass does. The description of the obsidian produced by the spell pretty much guarantees its the high quality stuff.

So essentially this 4th level spell 'prints' money in the form of a massive gem bed.

Mostly you just have to worry about spending so much obsidian that you flood the market and make it worthless. But then again, gems are considered tradegoods anyway...

[Gauss]

Obsidian gemstones are cut in a specific way to turn them into such. Without being cut they have virtually no value. A person can find quite a bit of obsidian lying around and yet it is worthless.

Now, cut it...and it becomes worth something.

Think of it like quartz: uncut quartz is just another rock. Cut quartz can be quite beautiful and has a value.

Summary: The value is not in finding it lying on the ground. The value is in a gemcutter cutting it to make it valuable.

- Gauss

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

Interesting, but I think listing obsidian as a lesser gem is a bit of a misprint. It's pretty common stuff, and while pretty, is of more use for making arrowheads than for jewelry.

Getting a buyer is also the problem. By the rules you can hit a tree with Fabricate, and a working knowledge of Craft Papermaking plus the book price for a sheet of paper? Serious money making there.

[JTibbs]

rough gemstones still have significant value, and the sheer amount you'd have is the size of a small dragons hoard.

Also, obsidian is pretty rare outside of where it is formed. It doesnt last very long geologically, so for a society without mass transit and shipping, obsidian is VERY rare in most locations. Alternatively in some locations its fairly common.

Its a gemstone based on geographical region. same as a large variety of quartz based gems. a lot of quartz varieties were considered as valuable as diamonds due to local rarity in europe. But in other locations (brazil) they are in such huge quanitites that a gem once worth tens of thousands costs pennies today. (amethyst)amethysts average a 100gp for a stone in d&d, but they are so common today due to huge reserves that you could buy a handful with your lunch money.

historically obsidian was a major barter material, having significant trade value.

Obsidian as a gemstone is also not cut like other gems, but generally just polished smooth and rounded. You can tumble polish large batches of them at once using sand and other stuff in a barrel. remember, its a glass, not a crytal.

[Gauss]

JTibbs, you are talking about the more valuable obsidian. Obsidian with colors or patterns. Not the common black obsidian that can be found at Yellowstone. I am sure the non-valuable stuff that is found at Yellowstone is what is being created using that spell. Not the rare nuggets that actually have a bit of value.

I am aware it is a glass, god I hope I am aware of that considering I can find it not that far from here (I live in SW Idaho, a few hours from Yellowstone).

There really are two levels of obsidian here. The regular glass and then the stuff that approaches gemstone level.

- Gauss

Edit: BTW, I mention yellowstone only because it is a place most people recognize. There are obsidian fields all over Southern idaho. Ive hiked some of them. Hell, Ive been in some of southern idaho's dead volcanos. That was fun. :)

[JTibbs]

Going by the forgotten realms campaign setting, there are only two types. Pitchstone, and the glossy pure black obsidian.

the much more rare varieties don't exist in d&d rules.

little statues carved out of the gem obsidian are described as carved out of the solid black shiny stuff too.

the very rare varieties aren't the 'low quality gemstone' variety if you go by the older versions and their explanations.

Its an explantation to try to get by this spell breaking the gem rules and making wealth, but its not consistant with the rules or history...

EDIT:

And outside of those areas in the western united states, there really is 0 obsidian anywhere...

To a medieval society fairly removed from the sources where its produced it most definately IS a lesser gemstone.

You can find all sorts of nice clear quartz specimens in rivers all over the Appalachian mountains. Ive collected handfuls of small chunks of smoky quartz and other varieties before just wading in streams.

those are still gemstones though.

[Gauss]

JTibbs, if you go by PF or D&D then all sorts of crap is wrong compared to the historical real world.

You are trying to find a loophole here. Clearly it is up to the GM but a bit of research will tell him that there are several types of obsidian. It starts at 'what is this good for? Oh, cutting stuff if I have no metal.' and end up at 'Hmmm, not bad. Almost pretty, I might pay a bit for it but it is certainly no diamond.'

So, you have what amounts to junk obsidian in any culture that has significant metal use and end up with semi-precious stones that are worth a little.

- Gauss

Edit: One other note: the black obsidian that can be turned into something interesting is also rarer than actual obsidian. It has to be fracture free. The spell is using fractured obsidian to cut people. It is probably worthless for that point alone.

[JTibbs]

'worth little' doesnt mean squat when you can make high quality obsidian by the ton.

[Gauss]

JTibbs, that is the point...you are putting labor into it. Thus, you are the one giving it value. This was my point in the beginning.

- Gauss