Bow of True Strike (Please Comment)

[Jorath Calar]

I wanted to make a magic bow, not very powerful since my players are only 5th level. They are about to descent down and elven tomb and I plan to let them find it there. Basicly its a longbow +1 and the user can invoke the truestrike spell 3/day. I've never made a magic item for D&D before and was wondering what the cost for it would be... and if it's too powerful for 5th level players.

 

[Tidus4444]

Depends. If it takes a partial/full round action to activate the true strike, it's moderately balanced, if a bit powerful for a level 5 character.

I'd reccomend making it a full-round action to cast, plus you can't use it unless you're physically aware of the enemy. No casting it before entering a dungeon.

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

Our group made a bow that does True Strike 1/day. And it works just like the spell.

It takes a standard action to cast, and you get a +20 to hit on your next single attack. (A.k.a., no full attack with True Strike bonus.) You have to use it in the next round or the charge for the day expires.

As long as you run it just like the spell, it's fine.

 

[rkanodia]

Base price for a weapon bonus is bonus squared times 2000.
Base price for a spell effect for a command-word item is spell level * caster level * 1800.

For a +1 longbow with true strike, that will be 1^2 * 2000 = 2000, and 1*1*1800 = 1800, respectively. However, since you are only allowing 3 uses per day of true strike, that 1800 gets multiplied by 3/5 and becomes 1080.

I might be reading the SRD incorrectly, but I think where we go from there is to multiply the higher cost by two, and add the lower cost to that. So the total item price is 5080.

Some people think that weapons allowing true strike are too good for the price. I don't have any problem with it, as long as you include the caveat that the actual attack has to be made with the same weapon. Generic slotless items allowing true strike unlimited times a day with any weapon for 3600 gp are probably far too good.

 

[Storyteller01]

There is a variant to this that seems to work...

The user takes a full round action to aim. On their next turn, they may attack with no range penalty.

 

[Gustave Arcanus]

Our group had gloves enchanted with effects like this, and they worked just like the spell. Take an action to activate, then next attack is at +20. For a bow like that, you could take one of two routes. First, there's a Bow of True Arrows in Sword and Fist, which casts it an unlimited number of times as a wand would.

Second, and more appropriate I think, make it part of the item's overall effect. Make the character take a full-round action including prepping the bow and firing to activate the ability; they can make a single shot at +20 three times a day. At 5th level, fighter-types are getting close to two attacks in a round, so in a single level it'll be a choice between two chances at striking or one sure thing. In the hands of a caster-type, it lets them take part in combat once in a while with some effectiveness beyond their spells.

[ * * EDIT * * ]
Oops, forgot about pricing. Standard +1 bow would indeed be 2,000 gp. Plus the 3/day true strike (use-activated), would be 1,200 gp... 1st level spell, at 1st level caster (1 * 1 * 2000 = 2000), 3/day (2000 * 3/5 = 1200). And the similar abilities thing applies mostly to Wonderous items. For weapons like this, you simply add the values together making the total 3,200 gp. Weapons like the dagger of venom were made exactly like this.

 

[Jorath Calar]

Wow thanks guys for great answers...

Anyway I should have mentioned I planned to restrict the use to the bow itself. They would speak a command word ("May my aim be true" in elvish (my players are only 12 and our campaign world uses just about every wonderful D&D cliche there is ) which would be a free action and have to shoot in the same round or the spell is wasted for that day.

 

[Nail]

It looks like you've got the answer you want, but....

I use a slight variant on magic item creation: the power must be based on a spell, and that spell cannot have a range of "personal". I think this house rule captures the spirits of the RAW well, and catches those pesky spells that are too powerful if made into items.

IOW: what level would a spell be that is like truestrike, but with a range of touch? I'd say 2nd level. Thus, when making an item, you'd use that 2nd level spell in its creation:

2 {spell level} * 3 {caster level} * 1800*(3/5) = 6480 gp

add to that that it's a +1 Longbow: 2000gp + 300gp + 75gp = 2375 gp

double the longbow price, as it's a slottless item, lower priced power: 4375 gp

Total price: 6480 gp + 4375 gp = 10,855 gp