D&D 5E PCs Making Their Own Magic Items

Dausuul · Oct 10, 2012

I voted "other." What I'd like to see is a system that strictly limits how many items you can create, but does not mandate a lot of jumping through hoops to do it.

Wizards learn new spells when they level up, on the assumption that they have been doing research and experimentation in their "down time." What if magic item creation worked the same way? If you're an item-crafter (whatever the requirements for that may be), you can make a new minor magic item each time you level up, or a major one every X levels, or some number of consumables. It's assumed that you've been working on the item in down time.

Then just throw in some dials for DMs to adjust how many items can be created and their power level, plus suggestions for those who want additional requirements (special components and the like).

Jeff Carlsen · Oct 10, 2012

Dausuul said:
I voted "other." What I'd like to see is a system that strictly limits how many items you can create, but does not mandate a lot of jumping through hoops to do it.

Wizards learn new spells when they level up, on the assumption that they have been doing research and experimentation in their "down time." What if magic item creation worked the same way? If you're an item-crafter (whatever the requirements for that may be), you can make a new minor magic item each time you level up, or a major one every X levels, or some number of consumables. It's assumed that you've been working on the item in down time.

Then just throw in some dials for DMs to adjust how many items can be created and their power level, plus suggestions for those who want additional requirements (special components and the like).

While functional (and some good thinking), I would prefer a mechanic that better speaks to how magic items are created in the world. Besides, while spells work this way, there are also mechanics for learning spells without gaining a level.

drothgery · Oct 10, 2012

I'm fine with the 4e-style ritual that lets you create any magic item (of your level or lower) at cost in an hour as a 'field expendient item creation' ritual. But I've always thought it should be possible to create items at a profit if you take more time / use exotic materials / whatever.

the Jester · Oct 11, 2012

I like the idea of 3.x feats, but modified such that you gain the formula for x items when you take the feat (all common). Each item also needs ingredients to build and enchant it.

You take Brew Potion, maybe you start knowing how to brew healing, water breathing and fire resistance potions. You want to brew a potion of longevity? You need to find the formula and ingredients.

Hussar · Oct 11, 2012

A question for those that want (fairly) easily craftable expendables. How do you avoid the crafter power creep? If I can craft scrolls and wands, I can ignore the limitations of Vancian casting. I make myself essentially an at-will caster (more or less) but with daily level power spells.

Yes, you can increase adventure pacing, add in time limitations and suchlike, but, that's, IMO, a patch. The DM is being forced into specific adventure designs simply because of the line up of characters, and more specifically, because of one (or maybe two) characters in the group.

If my caster can bang out wands or potions, how do you avoid the Cure Light Wounds wand situation where the cleric no longer needs to spend any spells outside of combat on healing and can focus almost exclusively on offense or utility, thus throwing balance out of whack?

Ridley's Cohort · Oct 11, 2012

Hussar said:
If my caster can bang out wands or potions, how do you avoid the Cure Light Wounds wand situation where the cleric no longer needs to spend any spells outside of combat on healing and can focus almost exclusively on offense or utility, thus throwing balance out of whack?

IMO that particular "problem" was always a blatant flaw in the system -- the staying power of every party was tied by divine aprons strings to the ratio of non-clerics to clerics in the party, in a manner that had roughly zero precedent within the broader realm of myth and fantasy. My experience suggests that counting on this kind of mechanical balance is a bad idea, because the designers are making implicit strong assumptions about the play style of the group. Good luck with that.

I personally like cheap expendables, but I also would not consider it unreasonable to remove them from the system entirely. Of course, that is not going to happen.

I do hold that a Wizard having the option to create a cool magic item or two in his or her career is almost as genre important as a knight having a chance to slay a dragon.

Mishihari Lord · Oct 11, 2012

I'm conflicted on this. Making your own magic items is undeniably cool, but if there are no limitations it can grant too much power. My favorite approach is that magic item creation costs XP. It trades off PC power from level for PC power from items, which is very logical. I think that it would make more sense to use XP from whoever will be the owner rather than the caster so that it's a more direct tradeoff.

Mattachine · Oct 11, 2012

Like AD&D but more clearly explained

I kinda liked the AD&D (1e) way of making magic items:

1. Potions and scrolls at mid level, not too complex, but occasionally needing special materials.

2. Charged items like wands and staffs at "name level" or so, requiring some sort of formula, special items, and so on.

3. Permanent magic items at high level only--each is a special formula, perhaps a minor or major quest, and some serious costs (money, xp, permanent Con loss, aging, etc)

This allows characters to make a magic item of their own devising, or one that they desperately want. This system also makes it difficult to simply min/max magic items.

slobo777 · Oct 11, 2012

Mishihari Lord said:
I'm conflicted on this. Making your own magic items is undeniably cool, but if there are no limitations it can grant too much power. My favorite approach is that magic item creation costs XP. It trades off PC power from level for PC power from items, which is very logical. I think that it would make more sense to use XP from whoever will be the owner rather than the caster so that it's a more direct tradeoff.

Another way to do this would be factor it in as a build cost.

Spend a feat on magic item creation. You make one level-appropriate item. Period.

Perhaps allow re-charge/re-build on each level up thereafter.