Enchanting is a fairly new phenomenon in the world, over the last 15 years it has grown to be a major industry. There are two common types of enchanting
Costs are calculated for number of mage's needed, assuming average wage of $150 a day + $50 per mage in ancillary costs ( Support staff, rent, utilities etc etc ) = $200 a day for a mage with Skill 16 in Enchanting. Average Enchanters would also have Recover Energy @ skill 20, HT of 11 and Extra Fatigue of 5. This allows 2 enchanters to create 1 x 30 point item per 95 min, or 5 in a Standard 8 hours work, 6 if they work 9 hours. Cost to make is worked out to $80 per item + profit, most enchanters charge $100 per enchantment up to 30 points. 2 Enchanters with 2 x 5 point powerstones/manastones can do up to 40 point enchantments but charge an extra $15 per enchantment, 3 Enchanters with one at Skill 17 = 45 to 60 points average with the Skill 17 Enchanter getting an extra $50 a day increases the costs again, time to create a 45 to 60 point item with 3 enchanters remains the same, with any point cost taken up via PS/MS adding $20 per enchantment.
This type of Enchanter is the Journeyman/Tradesman Enchanter, often with only Magery Lvl 1 but high HT and high levels of Fatigue, they do a lot of small enchantments, talismen, low level amulets etc. A lot of these enchanters are employed by corporations for mass produced enchantments.
Costs increase from there, example 100 power item, requires at least 5 enchanters with 15 fatigue and a 5 point PS/MS, recovery time inc recharging MS = 2 hours per item, thus max times per day = 4, 1 enchanter will be lvl 20 ( + $100 per day ) [ We will assume all others are L16 ] 1100/4 = 275, with profit most enchanters charge $300 per 100 points
25 point Enchantments cost on average $80
50 point enchantments cost on average $100
60 point enchantments cost on average $120
100 point enchantments cost on average $300
Weapons Enchantments
Armour Enchantments
Costs for Long and Slow Enchantments are dependent on 3 things, Magery Level, Skill and Enchanters in the Circle, a 3 enchanter circle requires an enchanter of skill 17 and 2 of at least 15-16, costs per day are based on a rather different scale to Q&D Enchanters. Also knowledge of the Spell being enchanted will equal Enchant Skill in most cases. An Average Magery 3, skill 17/16/16 circle charges $525 a day for enchantments they can do. Example 250 point +1 Dam Gun, each enchanter provides 3 energy per day, total 9, thus 250/9 = 27.8 days, because the enchanters know the base skill at 16 ( Power level required = 15 ) they take 10% off the time to create, thus 27.8*0.9 = 25.02 Days, this is then multiplied by the daily cost of the circle, thus 25.02*525 = $13135.5
Obviously Circles with Higher Magery, Better skills dramatically change times and costs, Example 4 Enchanter Circle, Magery 5, 4, 3, 3. Skill in Enchant and Grace @ 20 with assistants @ 17 max, enchanting in a Normal Mana Area. Total Energy per Day 15, Cost of +1 Dex Grace Item = 2000. First is time 2000/15 = 133.3 days Reduced for Skill by 50%, thus 133.3*0.5 = 66.65 Days. Cost per day of the Enchanters is high though, Cost per Day are $160 per day for Magery 2, $175 for Magery 3, $190 for Magery 4, $215 for Magery 5, $250 for Magery 6, Skill 15 to 17 = Base Cost, Skill 18-19 = +05%, Skill 20+ = +10%. . Thus cost for this item = tp175+175+190+(215*1.10) = 776.50 per day, thus Time*Cost/Day is 66.65*776.50 = $51,755
Time and Cost Comparison to Standard S&S TL3 = Time with circle of 4 Enchanters = 500 Days@$33 a Day = $16,500
As can be seen Costs are dramatically higher, but so are rewards in the Dark World, but times to make items are massively reduced.
S&S Enchanters are the true artisans of the field, they spend more time initiating than a Q&D Enchanter would, they spend more time increasing their skills in a wide range of spells that can be used in enchantments
Applying Time Spent (p. B346) gives enchanters the ability to reduce Slow and Sure production times by 10% per level (Max of -50%) by which the maker’s relevant abilities (normally the lower of Enchant or the specific spell) exceed the Power of the item being made, to a minimum of 10%. The item’s Power should still have to be at least 15 Normal or 20 High, if it’s to be used in low mana. Such approaches will give most enchanters only marginal benefits, but real archmages, with spells at skill 20+, can become famously prolific.
In all cases, if the GM requires a skill roll to complete the task, then the enchanter rolls against modified skill. Assistants can’t reduce their skill to hasten the process, and must still have level 15 in the appropriate spells.
To make Slow and Sure enchantment much faster, change the rule so that the energy any participant can contributedaily equals his Magery level (minimum 1 energy/day). This would, for example, let a Magery 3 enchanter with a Magery 2 assistant produce a 100-energy item in just 20 days. The GM should note that if Magery 2+ is anything but rare, this will make enchanted items substantially
more common, and many powerful mage's will enter the enchanting business.