Alchemy Components

[WayneO42]

It would definately add another aspect of realism,
wouldnt add much in the way of complexity, and would add some flavor if they did have a value.

Sometimes realism needs to be sacrificed to better game play and lower complexity.

Example: The Cure disease potion requires the herbs Vartilion, Tonabe, Tumbleweed, Fox Tail (plant), Paprikat, and Sulfer. Thats six herbs therefor six individually tagged items Because if they have value they need to be tagged so they can be lost or stolen. Now, when you make a potion, the herbs are destroyed and a new item is created, the potion. The potion has to be tagged and the herb tags need to be destroyed. Thats a total of seven tags to represent a level 1 potion. A 4th level alchemist can make about 70 of them in an event. Thats a total of 490 tags PER ALCHEMIST that the GM staff and the PC have to keep track of. All this to introduce a trade item that can only be used by one discipline.

[Wyrmwrath]

I agree and understand that it would require extra tags. However the tags, rather than being destroyed, could be turned over to plot and be reused when some other PC loks ofr them.

I am not trying to say I feel the game NEEDS this, just that it isnt as huge a burden on plot as you think, having made components(tags taped to tongue depressors) for several other systems...thousands of them. The making of them could be handled ...not to beat a dead horse...through the donation system OR just by volunteers.

Since I dont think this is a crucial, needed change, I will make this the last I comment on it. I do still belive it would be a posative change.

BG

[Tonia Glowski]

Or you could just make three tags: "Common," "Uncommon," or "Rare" and they're good for each of the respective tiers of components. Just food for thought.

As far as adding a complexity to the system, while it is some extra work, especially on the front end, this becomes an exclusively PC driven market economy, with them deciding how much things are worth just like the rest of the tokens.

Frankly, while you argue that you don't want to add tags for something that applies to one discipline, that's what you've already done.

Food only applies to human consumption
Steel only applies to Craftsman
Wood only applies to Craftsman
Skins/Hide only applies to Craftsman
Cloth only applies human consumption (maybe Craftsman?)

All of those things however (with the recent change of the exception of Wood) are driving the economy and really only have one application.

I'm not arguing that you must have it this way, nor am I pushing for this. Just suggesting that it certainly has a viable economic impact IF it is limited.

If you pursued this, I'd say keep the search time and keep discretion as Plot as to whether the PC found them. "Sorry, it's been terrible weather, you haven't found any viable Tonabe in the past 8 hours..." In the meantime some other PC has it and now I've got to do something to get it.

[Peace420]

As to the herbs going bad they are assumed to be dried herbs unless the formula says that you must collect fresh components. Dried herbs can last nearly forever.