Crafting wondrous items

[DanMcS]

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding the rule about magical items with multiple effects:

Multiple Similar Abilities: For items with multiple similar abilities that don’t take up space on a character’s body use the following formula: Calculate the price of the single most costly ability, then add 75% of the value of the next most costly ability, plus one-half the value of any other abilities.

The belt body slot is for physical improvement, so if you made a Belt of Buffness, which improved Str and Con by +2 apiece, it would be cheaper than two separate items, each of which affected a different ability score? For some reason, I thought there was a penalty associated with this kind of stacking, rather than a deal.

Two separate items would cost 4000 apiece, total 8000. If you add 75% of the second ability, the single item would cost 7000. Which seems odd to me.

 

[Nail]

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding the rule about magical items with multiple effects:.....

You are, but that's because it's written poorly.

A belt does take up space on a character's body, and therefore does not use the rule you just quoted. It uses a different rule, the next one along:

Multiple Different Abilities: Abilities such as an attack roll bonus or saving throw bonus and a spell-like function are not similar, and their values are simply added together to determine the cost. For items that do take up a space on a character’s body each additional power not only has no discount but instead has a 50% increase in price.

 

[Nail]

BTW: the DMG (not SRD!) has as its example of an item with "different abilities" a belt that gives +4 to Str and Con. ...Just like your example! Convenient!

 

[DanMcS]

Mmm, so that rule was for things like ioun stones and wondrous items like, um, mirrors and boats and that kind of thing. Gotcha, thanks.

Followup question: is there a caster level prereq for creating items? For instance, what's to stop a 3rd level caster from crafting a +6 stat item? I suppose the GP cost, because XPwise, it's a big chunk, but doable.

In item descriptions, there's a caster level listed, but that's the effective caster level for bought or found items, I believe; I'm fairly certain it's not a prereq.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Am I mistaken, or wasn't it 2x the cost of additional powers on slotted items in 3.0? So this has changed to 1.5x the cost in 3.5?

 

[Dthamilaye]

I think it was changed to 1.5x ... or lets say, it was written more clearly.

As non-slotted items cost 2.0x to do, why would anyone put secondary abilities to slotted items for the same price? After all, non-slotted, separate items are much easier to sell and trade, and use too, as you don't need to wear them. It is enough that they are somewhere on your person (pocket etc).

 

[Bauglir]

Mmm, so that rule was for things like ioun stones and wondrous items like, um, mirrors and boats and that kind of thing. Gotcha, thanks.

I think it was largely meant to cover staffs. For example a staff of fire would qualify as holding 'multiple similar abilities'

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

From SRD: "For potions, scrolls, and wands, the creator can set the caster level of an item at any number high enough to cast the stored spell and not higher than her own caster level. For other magic items, the caster level is determined by the item itself. In this case, the creator’s caster level must be as high as the item’s caster level (and prerequisites may effectively put a higher minimum on the creator’s level" (emphasis added).

Mmm, so that rule was for things like ioun stones and wondrous items like, um, mirrors and boats and that kind of thing. Gotcha, thanks.

Followup question: is there a caster level prereq for creating items? For instance, what's to stop a 3rd level caster from crafting a +6 stat item? I suppose the GP cost, because XPwise, it's a big chunk, but doable.

In item descriptions, there's a caster level listed, but that's the effective caster level for bought or found items, I believe; I'm fairly certain it's not a prereq.

 

[Antoine]

Followup question: is there a caster level prereq for creating items? For instance, what's to stop a 3rd level caster from crafting a +6 stat item? I suppose the GP cost, because XPwise, it's a big chunk, but doable.

After DMG errata, money alone's going to stop you. Except for items which list CL in prerequisites, be it progressive - such as bracers of armor, weapon-armor-shield enhancement, cloaks of resistance - or fixed - such as ioun stones.

 

[dcollins]

...the creator’s caster level must be as high as the item’s caster level...

The single most problematic phrase in all of 3.0 and 3.5 D&D. The 3.0 designers denied that it was in the book. Recent 3.5 DMG errata asserts that it doesn't mean what you think it means ("these are not the droids you're looking for").

More on the topic: http://superdan.net.home.comcast.net/dndfaq2.html