There are a TON of ways to make money as a caster on Golarian, some legit some not so much. I'd like to take this brainstorm in a slightly different direction.
Here's the premise:
- *poof* You're a caster with a level and class(es) of your choosing. I assume given the option everyone will at least want to be around 20th level minimum.
- You are still yourself in your current situation (family, kids, age, job, whatever).
- You have no additional knowledge of what additional fantasy world elements may also have spontaneously generated on Earth. For this thought exercise lets say whatever spells/activities you initially try does not yield information. I feel we're all above average intelligence here and would readily realize that keeping some level of secrecy is probably a good idea to avoid something unknown targeting you. Flinging fireballs on the streets will probably elicit an unfavorable response from the world at large.
- Feel free to add commentary.
There's a few things I'd like to avoid for this list if you please:
- World Domination: Lets just not. Sure you could get clever and dominate the UN or something, but frankly it seems like more trouble than it's worth. If you want to make peoples lives better becoming a dictator is probably not an effective approach. Though feel free to start a new thread on the topic. I'd just rather not derail this one.
- Snow cone wish machines: there are enough threads on that as it is.
- Blood Money and other game balance debates: It either exists or it doesn't at the posters preference. Lets not debate the flaws/merits please. I think if any of us had magic power IRL we wouldn't be concerned with game balance.
That being said I'll start:
1) Literally make counterfeit money out of thin air via Blood Money/Fabricate. You could literally "print" exact copies of currency without any of the usual problems (right paper, right ink, right plates, etc)
2) Sell Fabricated spam stuff on Etsy/Ebay/Amazon/etc. Basically you're a one person sweat shop minus the moral implications.
3) The best plastic surgeon Ever!: Fake a medical degree then set up shop as THE BEST plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. Knock the patient out the traditional way then cast Polymorph Any Object to give them whatever modifications they pay a massive amount for. I think I'd also create a spell that causes illusory paid/swelling that fades over time in order to provide the semblance of real surgery. Of course once "healed" the work would be spectacular.
4)Best Realtor Ever: Between Dominate and mind reading you could "sell" anyone anything and cut through all the nonsense realtors usually have to deal with.
5) Win the lottery!: This is probably what I'd do initially, though I haven't entirely figured out the details. It would be a realistic reason to improve your life and quit your job without seeming too weird to the average person. Either try some divination to figure out tomorrows power ball numbers or some subtle illusions/divinations/spells at the casino. Maybe some telekinesis/improved invisibility to manipulate the powerballs as they're being chosen.
6)Identity Theft: Basically the same way real identity thieves work, but so much better. Take on their appearance (or just dominate them) then have them (you) take a bunch of cash out of the bank. Then teleport elsewhere and launder their money. I think I'd do this with someone who I would have no reason to know and vice versa. Some random saudi prince or something. Would need to be careful lest it come back on you.
7)Translator: Permanency + Tongues: I speak all the languages! Better yet have some traumatic (faked of course) event where you get a head injury then after wards suddenly have a "Knack for learning languages." Then you could continue to be yourself with this new gift.
8) Mysterious international thief: Lots of options here, but basically steal the unstealable and fence it while never revealing your identity.
...
9) Sea Salvage: Between Divination and polymorph you could pull up all kinds of treasure from the ocean floor. You'd want to have some sort of cover story, buy yea.
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10) Show a few scientists that magic is real. Just be sure to stay anonymous.
11) Use polymorph any object to make something not intrinsically valuable by the spell's definition, but things like graphene are still super great for many industries.
12) High-speed courier/smuggler. Nobody needs to know how you make it halfway across the world in a matter of hours, but the right client knows not to ask questions.
13) Repairman. Even a simple mending (not to mention make whole) should be able to fix a melted hard drive, seal up cracks in glass, undo fraying, and restore damages normally unfixable.
14) World-famous chef. The flavors from prestidigitation take an hour to fade. That should be plenty of time.
15) Best doctor ever. Even CLW is light-years beyond current medical tech, not to mention curing cancer, reversing paralysis, restoring sight/hearing, and being a literal miracle worker.
16) Outfitter extraordinaire. Just by having Craft Wondrous Items, make a coat made out of a 'special' material that keeps you cool when it's hot out and warm when it's cold out. Endure Elements is super awesome. (Make it waterproof for bonus points)
17) Be the best at anything. Even the simple true skill will give you a +10 bonus to any skill check you try- be it to break a world record or to crack a complex code. True strike just means you're an Olympian-level marksman.
I'll come back later looking at 2nd level spells.
18) Simulacrum your own movie stars and create movies to make billions of dollars.
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19) To make real money, start your own religion.
19) To make real money, start your own religion.
Good point. Complete with miracles.
20) I'd go get my dream job, Domination or suggestion, either would probably work.
20) I'd go get my dream job, Domination or suggestion, either would probably work.
What job would that be?
I don't feel inclined to say. Sorry.
What job would that be?20) I'd go get my dream job, Domination or suggestion, either would probably work.
21) Use Domination/Suggestion on the Paizo Staff to make you part of the team. Rewrite the rules of magic in the real world by being in the place where they all started...
Or does that count as World Domination?
22) quite an inside the box idea.
You could become a vegas style magician.
I don't feel inclined to say. Sorry.
Didn't mean to pry. I was just curious.
22) quite an inside the box idea.
You could become a vegas style magician.
I might consider this if for no other reason than to publicaly call David Copperfield an amerure.
Have more than 120 HP.
Make a bet with large odds that you could survive a fall from miles up.
Jump.
Take the maximum damage in Pathfinder's system, 20d6.
Survive.
Profit!
24) Write down your adventures back in Golarion as fantasy stories or movie scripts and sell them.
Have more than 120 HP.
Make a bet with large odds that you could survive a fall from miles up.
Jump.
Take the maximum damage in Pathfinder's system, 20d6.
Survive.
Profit!
Or cast feather fall before you hit the ground. Though that also seems like a pretty obvious thing to do that will draw attention to your "differentness," which could be bad depending on what else is out there.
37) Bind Djinn and procure samples of exotic botanicals or copious amounts of drugs.
I dont get this one. Why do you need a Djinn for botanical and drugs?
42) Form a PMC using minions, the cheesy way would be Trompe L'oeil or Simulacra of Sentient Waxwork Creatures that can only be killed using fire damage and will reform a few days later.
What's a PMC?
43). Research spell "Perfect Credit" ( or just use a wish occasionally): basically it removes all digital or written record of a persons debt while simultaneously giving them a perfect credit score wherever that happens to be recorded . I think this would happen fairly early. One could constantly go into debt then just erase it as it becomes an issue.
In context I think PMC means mercenaries. Private something something.
The Djinn's involved for the ability 'major creation (created vegetable matter is permanent),' I expect.
Divination -> Stock Market.
The true Wizard of Wall Street.
Or cast feather fall before you hit the ground. Though that also seems like a pretty obvious thing to do that will draw attention to your "differentness," which could be bad depending on what else is out there.Have more than 120 HP.
Make a bet with large odds that you could survive a fall from miles up.
Jump.
Take the maximum damage in Pathfinder's system, 20d6.
Survive.
Profit!
Better to make/own some Boots of the Cat, and get away with a minimum of 21 hp. [Or 20 if being staggered is acceptable.] And get to amaze them that you land on your feet.
45) Use a Lyre of Building and go into the construction business. With a Profession score of 17 or better, you can play all day. Assuming 8 hours, with its week cool down, that gives you 4800 man-days of work each week. [About 19 man years of work.] New construction boom. With 7 lyres, you can work every day for even more profit.
/cevah
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Lots of people wanting wealth, power and control interesting.
My plans are fairly simple given the freem to choose class/level/spells . . .
1) Go back in time about 7 million years.
2) Create a private demi-plane.
3) Come forward to around 100 AD (I want to avoid reliigion issues associated with a certain time frame).
4) Spend a few centuries wandering the world and seeing different cultures. Language, food, trade goods aren't an issue with various creation and shapechanging spells to help you blend in.
5) Spend a few centuries popping around the universe seeing different planet/planet types.
6) Come back and go into my private demi-plane enjoying safety, comfort and food/drink for a couple of centuries.
7) Occasionally return to keep up to date with new advances and developments till humanity inevitably wipes itself out.
8) Spend the time till it becomes too much resting in my demi-plane and popping into various fictional realities (fun spell that even if you get it too late to really enjoy it) then kill myself.