In the Monty Python movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," there is a scene where the main characters encounter a witch trial. This scene satirizes the absurdity of witch trials and the flawed logic used to determine guilt. The main idea of this scene is to criticize the irrationality of witch hunts and the lack of evidence required for conviction. **The main characters are shown witnessing a trial where a woman is accused of being a witch, based on the fact that she weighs the same as a duck.** This criterion is obviously nonsensical, as the weight of an accused person has nothing to do with whether or not they are a witch. However, in the context of this comedic film, it serves as a clever way to highlight the ridiculousness of such trials.
However, in the context of this comedic film, it serves as a clever way to highlight the ridiculousness of such trials. As the trial progresses, the characters try to use reason and facts to challenge the accusations, but they are met with resistance from the townspeople and a stubborn prosecutor. **This emphasizes the frustration and helplessness felt by those who were wrongly accused during historical witch trials.
The 8000gp Wand of Magic Missiles
TLDR at bottom, and thanks for indulging me and reading my short story.
So I just started DMing for a group of 3 players, 2 of which have never played before (now a sorcerer and a druid). After a short two-shot (The Eldritch Farm, which was great, thanks to u/phonz1851) I have decided to run Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for this group.
First session of DH, and I am explaining to these brand new players about how Waterdeep is huge, unlike the small village they just helped out, and that there would be opportunities to buy magic items and such. The sorceress asks what kind of magic items are available that would be good for her (I was very proud of this question, they grow up so fast). So I told her that there would be wands that would allow her to cast certain spells, like magic missile (which is one of her known spells), without using a spell slot. She seemed intrigued and asked some passerby NPCs about where she would be able to find a wand shop.
So they guided her to a shop. She enters and asks about buying a Wand of Magic Missiles. I did a quick google to find out the price (I hadn't anticipated this before the session) and the very first hit says that it would be 8000gp. I felt like an idiot telling her that because she had done such a good job of role-playing to that point, only to be told that it was 80x the amount of gold she currently has. I felt like this also made me look like a tool. "Oh yeah, use some time to go buy some cool stuff! Sike! You won't have that much gold for a long time." So, she settled on a broken Wand of Magic Missiles (which the shopkeep just so happened to have) that has 6 charges, but won't regain charges ever, for 70gp.
I did more research later and found out that this price was off of a list that was a "community made" list. The following is a link to a PDF with magic item prices etc. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8XAiXpOfz9cMWt1RTBicmpmUDg/view?usp=sharing
The DM guide on page 135 has the "Magic Item Rarity" table, and it says that uncommon magic items should/can be given to players who are higher than level 1 (which my players are) and should cost between 101-500gp.
So, why in the world would a Wand of Magic Missiles cost so much? I understand that this is an amazing resource for a sorcerer, given how few spells they can learn, and is great for spell slot management. Is it a good magic item for a 2nd level sorcerer? Definitely. Is it 8000gp good? I don't feel like it is. It's not like she is going to be running around one-shotting everything they come across with a 9th level magic missile, and it is a great opportunity to have an enemy spellcaster use shield against her.
I fully understand that there is nothing forcing me use this PDF for magic item prices, and I will likely retcon the whole scenario, I just wanted to gather some ideas as to why such a relatively lowly magic item would cost so much. I would put it closer to the 500gp range.
tldr: why would a Wand of Magic Missiles cost 8000gp (as decided by "the community," which includes this sub), when the DM guide says magic items of that rarity/power should cost between 101-500gp?
** The scene also includes humorous moments, such as the woman's attempts to defend herself and the bizarre argumentation put forth by the prosecutor. Overall, the "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" witch trial scene effectively critiques the illogical nature of witch trials and the absence of proper evidence in determining guilt. **By using humor and satire, the movie highlights the injustice and absurdity of these trials throughout history.** This scene is a memorable and humorous example of how Monty Python cleverly tackles serious topics while providing entertainment..
Reviews for "Monty Python's Witch Trial Scene and the Subversion of Authority"
1. John - 2/5: I was really disappointed with the Monty Python witch trial scene. I had heard so much about Monty Python's humor, but this particular skit just fell flat for me. The jokes were predictable and lacked originality. The scene dragged on for too long and I found myself losing interest halfway through. Overall, I understand that Monty Python has a cult following, but this particular scene just didn't live up to the hype for me.
2. Sarah - 1/5: The Monty Python witch trial scene was possibly one of the worst things I've ever watched. The humor was incredibly juvenile and felt forced. The jokes were not clever or witty, but rather relied on cheap gags and overused stereotypes. The scene did not contribute anything meaningful to the plot and felt like a complete waste of time. I was really hoping for something more intelligent and sophisticated from Monty Python, but unfortunately, this skit fell far below my expectations.
3. David - 2/5: I have to be honest, the Monty Python witch trial scene did not resonate with me at all. The whole sketch felt disjointed and lacked coherence. The jokes were random and disjointed, making it hard to follow and find them funny. The scene seemed more like a series of unrelated skits strung together rather than a well-crafted comedic piece. I understand that Monty Python's humor is often unconventional, but this particular scene missed the mark for me.
4. Emily - 1/5: I couldn't find any humor or entertainment value in the Monty Python witch trial scene. The jokes felt outdated and stale, and I found myself cringing more than laughing. The skit seemed to rely on shock value rather than clever wit, which left me feeling disappointed. It felt like a wasted opportunity for Monty Python to showcase their comedic genius. I just didn't find this scene funny at all and it has actually deterred me from exploring their other works.