Artificer's Handbook?

[der_kluge]

Inquiring minds want to know. Do you have it? Are you using it? Has it improved your game?

Questions? Comments?


Those of you who complain about magic item creation, and who DON'T own this book yet, why haven't you gotten it??

 

[Crothian]

Ya, I have it. Ya we used it. It was nice but the lack of people wanting to craft items really made the book not so useful. So, it sits on the self waiting for the day someone will realize how freaking cool it is!!

 

[Psion]

I use it mainly for costing items. In particular, I like the way it handles scrolls and weapons/bonus items. The way it removed the dichotomy between bonus and "fixed cost" items sits well with me, and also made an effective way to continue using 3.0 weapon/armor enhancements without much of a translation issue.

I tried pricing staves with it, but I think that it makes them too expensive. I was considering a house rule adaptation for it, but never found anything I liked. For now, I have reverted to core pricing.

I don't use the feats; I consider the flavor aspect of some specific item creation feats and class abilities and important aspect of those options and don't like opening up all items to a narrow range of feats. I'm all about the flava.

I also, as I've said before, have no issue with XP costs for items, though I do allow players to defray XP costs with exotic components (using the levin rules in Green Ronin's Advanced GMs Guide).

 

[Garnfellow]

I also use it for pricing items, with good results. (Used it several times just yesterday, in fact.)

My current campaign has no house rules, but my next one would certainly pull in a lot of the AH -- especially the method-based item creation feats.

 

[blargney the second]

I like the crafting system in principle, but it's a real pain in the ass to recalculate costs for standard items. I also found there were some subtle balance issues that came up when players could create custom magic items. (An item that gives a bonus to UMD is very very very powerful.)

 

[Psion]

I like the crafting system in principle, but it's a real pain in the ass to recalculate costs for standard items.

That it is. I really can't be tasked to re-cost everything that comes into the game.

When I feel that a cost for an item is wrong (typically, this is high level bonus items, as well as some early third part products), I'll recalculate it. I have a spreadsheet that actually whips out item costs pretty quickly once I have the slots and levels (or bonuses.)

 

[Kerrick]

I bought it several months ago... and I have yet to receive it. Which is a shame, considering what you guys are saying about it.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Yes, I have it. It's even autographed by some guy named Curtis.

It doesn't see much use, though, since we do very little in the way of making items in my game. But it is a great book.

 

[der_kluge]

Yes, I have it. It's even autographed by some guy named Curtis.

Oooh! Hold on to that one, it'll be worth a fortune some day!