Holy Water

[Alynnalizza]

Greetings,
I have a question about the creation of Holy Water. One my players wants to create some Holy Water during some 'downtime'. The PHB states that Temples to good deities sell holy water at cost (making no profit) because they are happy to supply people with what they need to battle evil.

The typical selling cost is 25gp. What is considered cost? And is there anything extraordinary about the equipment needed to create the holy water? (i.e., other than glass vial, clean water, bless spell).

Thanks kindly,
Alynnalizza

 

[Hypersmurf]

Bless Water
Transmutation [Good]
Level: Clr 1, Pal 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Flask of water touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of water with positive energy, turning it into holy water.

Material Component: 5 pounds of powdered silver (worth 25 gp).

25gp is 'at cost'.

-Hyp.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

Bless Water
Transmutation [Good]
Level: Clr 1, Pal 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Flask of water touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of water with positive energy, turning it into holy water.

Material Component: 5 pounds of powdered silver (worth 25 gp).

25gp is 'at cost'.

-Hyp.

Wow, 1 pint of holy water takes 5 lbs of silver? I know you're right, it's just I never realized how ludicrous that is, lol. That's some supersaturated water, but I know the silver disappears when cast, it's just the image I get of a cathedral pouring in a hundred pounds of silver into their various holy water fonts around the church every day, lol.

 

[Alynnalizza]

Guess I should put my glasses back on. Thank you very much!

I have to agree 5 lbs?.. whew!

Thanks again.

 

[UltimaGabe]

I agree. I understand the cost of the material component (because apparently I guess somebody thought that doing 2d4 points of damage against undead was a bit much for free), I just think they didn't think about it before choosing WHAT the component WAS. They could have made it a sprig of holy root costing 25 gp, or a piece of fine platinum worth 25 gp, or whatever- instead, it's 5 pounds of silver. Um, alright.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

It's only ludicrous if you assume the silver is mixed into the water. Personally, I tend to think of it as used to draw a hallowed circle/symbol, into which the vessel holding the water is placed. When the spell is cast, the silver powder flares up in holy light, and is burned away an instant later.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

It's only ludicrous if you assume the silver is mixed into the water. Personally, I tend to think of it as used to draw a hallowed circle/symbol, into which the vessel holding the water is placed. When the spell is cast, the silver powder flares up in holy light, and is burned away an instant later.

While I like the image, it still poses problems. Some cathedrals have *gallons* of holy water on their property, that's a lot of magic circles being cast each day (while I know that holy water doesn't stop being holy water in a day, in the open it will evaporate some, faithful will use it like they do irl, it is common in New mexico (especially in a little pueblo mission near santa fe) for visitors to drink a small cup before leaving.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

I just think maybe they should have a later version with less requirements and more output, basically to show that a higher level cleric has a deeper bond with his god and so can bestow more with less effort?

 

[jerichothebard]

Perhaps there's a difference between holy water and HOLY water.

which is to say, that the ceremonial stuff is just ritually blessed, but the stuff sold to combat the undead actually has the spell cast on it...

jtb

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

holy...

Yeah, think about how priests bless water IRL. It's like that food guy Emeril.

"We've got some regular, boring water here. But now we're going to kick it up a notch! BAM! Holy water!"

I'm sure this is the way they make plain, everyday holy water for temples. If you want undead-dissolving holy water, you've got to bust your ass a little.