Mass production of magic items, what do you think the limits would be?

[Senko]

So I was browsing the magic items list for starfinder and I noticed this from the core rulebook . . .

Serum of Sex Shift

Mass production has rendered this once-rare serum easy and inexpensive to obtain among the Pact Worlds.[b] Upon drinking this elixir, your biology instantly transforms to take on a set of sexual characteristics of your choice, changing both your appearance and physiology accordingly. You have some mild control over the details of this change, but you retain a strong “family resemblance” to your former appearance.

[b]The elixir’s magic functions instantaneously and cannot be dispelled. Your new anatomy is as healthy and functional as your previous body’s, potentially allowing you to conceive, carry, or bear children (depending on your species’ biology). Drinking a second elixir of sex shift either reverts you back to a former form or allows you to adopt other sexual characteristics, as you choose. The elixir has no effect if you are unwilling, and the presence of certain sex-specific biological processes, such as gestation, may prevent this serum from taking effect.

So apparently some magic items are indeed being mass produced in the starfinder universe and it got me wondering what the limits of that would be form a world NOT player perspective. Are there factories run by mega-corporations churning out spell gems with the price kept up by the (a) difficulty of inscribing a gem without shattering it and (b) the material component requirements of certain spells that need to be infused into the gem? Do hospitals purchase bulk serums of healing to treat casualties with physical injuries and get them out the door quickly (insurance allowing)? Do government inspectors tour magic factories to ensure serums of appearance change aren't being produced there? If these items can be mass produced then why aren't things like magic spaceships which are apparently still rare and part of the elite of certain worlds? Is there a limit on what can be mass produced? Does cost scale up with complexity?

What are your thought's on how starfinders canon mass production of at least some magic items would influence the world compared to the more traditional each item must be hand crafted?

Again this is NOT to be discussed in terms of player characters hence it being in general not rules or house rules and please I want to discuss so don't just post saying who cares or the like. I care readers, I care.

[Milo v3]

Accordingly to core, the prices of items in the book assume they're being mass produced and that nearly all object's are made with magic as part of its construction or creation, so I imagine there is a lot of magic and oversight of magic in the setting.

[Ixal]

Many items in Starfinder are technologica-magical hybrids, so of course they can be mass produced.
That means healing serums are sold in drug stores like they were band aids and spellcasting services are advertised in the yellow pages equivalent.

But the entire economy part in Starfinder is not very well thought out to be diplomatic, so its best to not think about it.

[Senko]

I see not really played starfinder, its just pretty much the only mass magic item production mention I've seen in a game. Shadowrun, DnD, Heroes Unlimited, Gurps, BESM they all are pretty much one off creations.

[The Ragi]

How would a magical factory work? Technomancer robots?

[Pantshandshake]

I presume low level AI with a couple ranks in mysticism that have been loaded into 3D printers.

[Metaphysician]

I don't see any good reason to limit mass production of magic items, any moreso than mass production of any other items of the same level. A level 5 magic item is no more powerful or useful, on average, than a level 5 tech item or hybrid item. Why should it be any rarer or harder to make?

As for what a magical factor would look like, I imagine it depends on the exact culture, and what they are making. A factory making low level items probably looks like a lot like any other factor: lots of assembly line machines assembling prefabricated parts, mixing and loading substances, etc. Its just that the ingredients are magically active and the patterns they print, cut, and assemble are thaumaturgical. A factory making high level items probably looks like a lot of individual work areas filled with highly trained techno-technicians, their handiwork aided by all kinds of high tech robotics and specialized equipment ( think "high end sports car factory" ).

[kaid]

The Ragi wrote:

How would a magical factory work? Technomancer robots?

There are literally factory cities set to make artificial sentient flesh/organs for making necrografts and um food on eox. If you can mass produce necromancy of all things I think most other items probably are even more doable.

I think like with any manufacturing making the machines to make the machines is probably the hard step. If you can make a machine to do the enchanting or parts of the enchanting then the actual people needed to make items is probably not that bad.

[Pantshandshake]

Plus, if you do too good of a job making a machine to make machines, that original machine is going to suddenly get itself a soul, and BAM, now you're slaver.

[Toxicsyn]

Imagine the magic mishaps and accidents that happen in these factories, liability issues with assembly line machines suddenly becoming aware and gaining a soul (and running amok), sabotage from rival corporations (uh oh, someone put in the wrong computer code and now the computer is possessed by a demon again), maint. workers working for criminal networks by offloading magic items that were supposed to go to Absalom Station but instead ended up on the backroads of Eox, etc.

And of course, commercials of magic products on the Infospheres.

[Senko]

Toxicsyn wrote:

Imagine the magic mishaps and accidents that happen in these factories, liability issues with assembly line machines suddenly becoming aware and gaining a soul (and running amok), sabotage from rival corporations (uh oh, someone put in the wrong computer code and now the computer is possessed by a demon again), maint. workers working for criminal networks by offloading magic items that were supposed to go to Absalom Station but instead ended up on the backroads of Eox, etc.

And of course, commercials of magic products on the Infospheres.

"Do you have problems keeping drains clear? Try new cleansing stick with lemon scent. Just take it into your bathroom, snap it and look how clean it is. Every scrap of dust, dirt, grime and bacteria purged in an instant leaving your bathroom so clean you can eat of it. Buy new cleansing stick with lemon scent at your local Talismonger today!"

"Ever wondered what its like to be a different gender our new improved gender change serum is no longer bound by the old male/female binary. Drinking one serum can change you into any of up to a dozen genders recognized by your species. Now available in lemon, vanilla, chocolate and bannana flavouring."

"Is your apartment too small? Can you not afford a bigger place? Buy room in a door today. We can install this door on any free standing wall allowing access to up to a room 20 foot by . . . oh sweet tester the dolls possessed again, look out its go. . . PLEASE STAND BY WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES."