High level spellcasting services

[vonFiedler]

When GMing, One thing I've always been routinely asked by different groups is "Can I pay to get a spell cast by a high level mage". We're talking CL of 15 or higher here. Sometimes its for a specific spell of high level, sometimes it's just for the CL. This can happen anywhere, but it still happens in reasonably large cities like Westcrown or a player kingdom from Kingmaker, so I can't use that excuse.

My gut reaction is No. Maybe it's just how I see Golarion (and d20 in general) but the higher level you get the less people around are going to be on your level. I don't like the idea of a caster more powerful than any player will ever be sitting in a tower twiddling their thumbs waiting for a meager paycheck while all hell breaks loose in the storyline outside. But I can't find a rule to support my feeling, and even I don't know what CL to draw the line at.

[Avianfoo]

You are completely correct. Access to super high level spell-casting is quite restricted and for good reason: They have better things to do than look after some inconsequential (at the time) PCs.

Never fear! Sir Settlements is here!

This provides a cap per settlement size where spell-casters are readily available to take the PCs orders. (max 8th level in a metropolis) Anything higher and it means the PC should go on a special quest to find someone. It doesn't mean that the spell caster is not there. It's just that they are busy right now, thank you for asking.

[vonFiedler]

That's just the problem, both of my examples are in a Metropolis!

[Franko a]

I think i might disagree.....

If i were a spellcaster that was of high (15th level) I would indeed be "selling services"

For the following reasons:
#1 its easy
#2 Its a great way to earn more money.
#3 It improves my social standing in the comminty
#4 Its a great way to collect favors from up and comming adventrures
#5 its also a way to find out about things about the area that i might have missed.

I would have a simulacram of myself as a negotiator of services...

[EWHM]

From a simulationist perspective, ask yourself this. Imagine one of your high level PCs, say a 16th level wizard, was in 'downtime' mode. Maybe he's making a magic item. Maybe he's doing some kind of magical research. Maybe he's gathering magical intelligence. Or maybe he's just having some R&R. Somebody offers him say 16*3*10---480 GP to cast a greater magic weapon on his sword. Would he do it? Would he be unduly annoyed if he got a similar request every week or two? Or would he consider it a useful bit of additional income at low risk?

[Avianfoo]

Franko a wrote:

I think i might disagree.....

If i were a spellcaster that was of high (15th level) I would indeed be "selling services"
...

But there is only one 15th level caster in the entire metropolis (25000+ people) and he is busy with all those other special requests for his services. So even with simulacrums (and followers) to help out the caster would simply not be available. Please make an appointment and if you are important enough...maybe. :)

Ultimately its the GM's world. But I wouldn't allow easy access to such a high level caster. It makes for a create plot hook though.

[vonFiedler]

That's just the thing; they aren't player characters. Even the Pathfinder novels don't have fictional characters doing anything as special or world shaping as PCs get their hands on, so what could a level 16 wizard possibly be doing when not in his downtime if it isn't part of the plot? Sure, somewhere out there in Golarion there has to be a handful of people more awesome than the players doing important stuff (and given the close dates of these adventure paths, some of them are other PCs), but in every population 25,000 city? Why aren't they easily stopping whatever apocalyptic event is going in any given AP? In my Kingmaker King's words "Why can't I tell my citizen to go wipe out those monsters?". The gold you get for spellcasting services is also incredibly meager.

[boldstar]

I guess I would allow it, if the characters are able to track down a wizard who isn't 1. Currently working for the local, regional, or country's government (high ranking officials are probably keeping them pretty busy and pretty rich.). 2. Aren't busy with tons of other requests from other adventure types. 3. Are willing to even talk to some peon who wants a permanent detect evil. It feels like a quest to me. Of course, I house rule that magic item creation takes a lot more time, and the wizard can't be doing anything else, so it is going to be difficult to get a wizard to find time to cast spells on others when they could be making a magical saddle for the King's horse or making staves and wands for themselves.