Earrings of Alter Self

[DarkSoldier]

Earrings of Alter Self
These gold studs pierce the earlobes (dealing 1 point of damage each if the ears are not already pierced), and allow the wearer to change her form as per alter self, except the creator of the earrings specifies the form, and the change lasts as long as both earrings are worn. The earrings do not take up a body slot.
Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, alter self; price ??? gp; weight N/A.

I'm trying to price this magic item, but it seems strange that an item that replicates a 2nd-level spell should cost 24,000 gp ([spell level 2 x caster level 3 x 2,000 gp continuous] x 2 for not taking a space), while a similar item, the hat of disguise, costs 1,800 gp.

Any advice on what I'm doing wrong in this equation?

 

[wuyanei]

Err... besides the fact that Hat of Disguise is based on the 1st level Disguise Self?

Hat of Disguise: 1 SpLv x 1 CL x 1800 gp (command word)

Earrings of Disguise: 1 SpLv x 1 CL x 1800 gp x 2 = 3600 gp

Alter Self allows you to take on all the natural qualities of you chosen shape, such as water breathing and natural swim speed for aquatic elves, natural flight speed for winged elves (Avariel), great strength for orcs or gnolls etc. It is much more powerful than disguise self. 10800 gp (2 SpLv x 3 CL x 1800 gp) is about right; double that (21600 gp) for a slot-less version.

I would probably allow a discount if the creature to be changed into is fixed. But unless it is a Earrings of Human Form or something equally useless except as a disguise, the discount would not be too significant. This is up to your DM (or your own discretion, if you are the DM).

 

[Sejs]

I'd remove the note about dealing damage if your ears arn't already pierced.

Ear-piercing isn't life threatening, much the same way cutting yourself while shaving isn't. A level 1 commoner who goes and gets 4 earrings and a nose ring isn't likely to fall unconscious and bleed to death.

 

[brellin]

you have to rember the DM`s golden rule you are the boss if you don`t like the price just change it to what you think is right

 

[ARandomGod]

Earrings of Alter SelfI'm trying to price this magic item, but it seems strange that an item that replicates a 2nd-level spell should cost 24,000 gp ([spell level 2 x caster level 3 x 2,000 gp continuous] x 2 for not taking a space), while a similar item, the hat of disguise, costs 1,800 gp.

Any advice on what I'm doing wrong in this equation?

Looks like you're doing it right. That's about what I might price the item, if I allowed it at all. Alter self is pretty powerful. Now, if you restrict it to only one form a discount would be prudent (IMO). I personally think that if I allowed it at all I'd still limit it to only a few forms, and alter the price up or down based on which forms, how useful they were, etcetera.

A properly diverse application of Alter Self can grant flight, swim speed, burrow, climb, extremely high natural armor bonus... Not all at once, of course. But that's a very, very versitile spell.