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General Tabletop Discussion
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Magic Item Construction - Spell effect vs. Item Description
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<blockquote data-quote="Ridley's Cohort" data-source="post: 884660" data-attributes="member: 545"><p>Here are a few pointers to add to kreynolds excellent advice:</p><p></p><p>(1) If in doubt, trust existing magic item prices or a specific function formula (e.g. Bracers of Armor) over a formula based on a spell level.</p><p></p><p>(2) Spell levels are not too be trusted when it comes to power in a magic item. D&D is combatcentric and spell levels more reflect the usefulness of a prepped spell in a dungeon crawl than anything else. Always compare with items in the DMG.</p><p></p><p>(3) In the majority of cases the formula <spell lvl> x <caster lvl> x <base cost> will give <em>too high</em> a price (when compared to standard DMG items). But it can fail very badly the other way, e.g. Boots of Striding and Springing.</p><p></p><p>(4) Note that magic items based on 1st level spells are very cheap compared to ones built on 2nd level spells (because 1x1 is much smaller than 2x3). That is not necessarily a problem, but you should as a DM keep it in mind.</p><p></p><p>(5) Be wary of items that turn short duration spells (1 round/minute per level) into a continuous effect. Such spells are really "one combat only" spells that maybe should not be continous. Continuous (always on) Improved Invisibility can be disruptive in a way that Bull's Strength will not be. (But consider the Ring of Blink as a counterexample. It is a powerful combat spell with a short duration. It also has many downsides if worn for long periods, like getting bushwacked from the Ethereal Plane while your comrades stand around as spectators.)</p><p></p><p>(6) Be careful of items that allow infinite uses per day. A 2000 gp Medaillion of Infinite Cure Light Wounds is a bad idea. A 2000 gp Ring of True Strike is not a problem becase the ture "cost" is the action required to activate it during combat. Some items should be restricted to 5 uses per day at the normal full price.</p><p></p><p>(7a) Be careful of items that have less than one use per day. These may be too cheap. Extreme example: The base price of a "one use per 20 days item" is 25 gp. The base price of a scroll is 25 gp. Obviously a "reusuable anyone-can-use scroll" should not be the same price as a scroll.</p><p></p><p>(7b) A once per day item is probably a fair way to apply the formula in some cases (because IMO the formula often gives too high a price). Just nod and let the player think he is getting a good deal.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ridley's Cohort, post: 884660, member: 545"] Here are a few pointers to add to kreynolds excellent advice: (1) If in doubt, trust existing magic item prices or a specific function formula (e.g. Bracers of Armor) over a formula based on a spell level. (2) Spell levels are not too be trusted when it comes to power in a magic item. D&D is combatcentric and spell levels more reflect the usefulness of a prepped spell in a dungeon crawl than anything else. Always compare with items in the DMG. (3) In the majority of cases the formula <spell lvl> x <caster lvl> x <base cost> will give [i]too high[/i] a price (when compared to standard DMG items). But it can fail very badly the other way, e.g. Boots of Striding and Springing. (4) Note that magic items based on 1st level spells are very cheap compared to ones built on 2nd level spells (because 1x1 is much smaller than 2x3). That is not necessarily a problem, but you should as a DM keep it in mind. (5) Be wary of items that turn short duration spells (1 round/minute per level) into a continuous effect. Such spells are really "one combat only" spells that maybe should not be continous. Continuous (always on) Improved Invisibility can be disruptive in a way that Bull's Strength will not be. (But consider the Ring of Blink as a counterexample. It is a powerful combat spell with a short duration. It also has many downsides if worn for long periods, like getting bushwacked from the Ethereal Plane while your comrades stand around as spectators.) (6) Be careful of items that allow infinite uses per day. A 2000 gp Medaillion of Infinite Cure Light Wounds is a bad idea. A 2000 gp Ring of True Strike is not a problem becase the ture "cost" is the action required to activate it during combat. Some items should be restricted to 5 uses per day at the normal full price. (7a) Be careful of items that have less than one use per day. These may be too cheap. Extreme example: The base price of a "one use per 20 days item" is 25 gp. The base price of a scroll is 25 gp. Obviously a "reusuable anyone-can-use scroll" should not be the same price as a scroll. (7b) A once per day item is probably a fair way to apply the formula in some cases (because IMO the formula often gives too high a price). Just nod and let the player think he is getting a good deal. [/QUOTE]
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