2 Epic questions

[Crothian]

Imagine the wizard slowly improving an item that increases his spellcraft ability. He starts it at +5, then increases it to 10, then 15, 20, 25, and finally 30. He's had a good amount of of success and after a little while feels he needs it to be a little better. So, he tries to increase it. He has trouble becasue for some reason he needs an insane increase in resources to make this increase.

Now, out of game I can understand that they had to draw the line somewhere and the increase in gold needed is a balancing issue. However, how is it described in game? I really wish they would create in game reasons for some of the rules. I think it would really help out the system and role playing in general.

 

[Caliber]

The in game reason that I have come up with in campaigns that I run (which, truthfully, will rarely run into Epic rules but anyway ...) go something like this:

The arcane energies that you are infusing into the item are reaching levels that are beyond the items capability to contain. To contain the additional enchantments being placed into the item, you must perform extremely costly and taxing rituals to contain the magical force. In fact, these rituals are so draining that the knowledge of them is rare.

These rituals are what a character gains when taking an Epic Creation Feat in my campaign. I guess I might allow a player to make an epic item without going through epic costs (and without using an epic feat) but I would make it VERY dangerous and hazardous, to the point of being useless.

Obviously, I would allow this mostly so my NPCs can do dastardly evil things that my players are too smart to try.