Cost of a charged limited-space item?

[Nellisir]

Assume a spellcaster has the requisite feats (Craft Wand, Craft Staff, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, and/or Craft Wonderous Item) and choses to make a charged item (ie, a wand or staff) in a non-standard shape (one that takes up a body slot), what's the modifier to cost?

The normal cost for a wand (spell trigger) is spell level x caster level x 750.

Craft Wonderous Item is required if you're making a charged item in a nonstandard shape. A normal (noncharged) wonderous item that DOESN'T occupy a slot has a x2 modifier to cost. Wands and staffs don't really occupy slots, though you can only use one per round (since activating a spell trigger item is almost always a standard round action),and they're not continously functioning items.

If you stack nonsimilar powers in an item that occupies a body slot (ie, a belt of strength and dexterity), the cost is 100% of the first power and 110% of the second.

a 1st level standard wand...1x1x750 = 750 gp, with 50 charges, and spell trigger activation.

So...what's the cost of a 1st-level helm of magic missiles (50 charges, spell trigger activation, no other powers)? 750gp? 375gp (1/2 price for occupying a body slot)? 563 gp (75% of base cost)? More?

Ideas or answers? I haven't found a solution in the D&D FAQ.

Thanks,
Nell.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

There isnt anything to suggest that a helm of magic missiles would cost less than caster level X spell level X 750 gold (assuming it has 50 charges).

Even moreso, if you look at table 8-40 (p.242 DMG), in the "Special" section, it states that a charged item would cost "1/2 unlimited use base price", and in the footnotes, "If item is continuous or unlimited, not charged, determine cost as if it had 100 charges".

So basically it comes back to saying "same as wand".

Maitre D

 

[Pielorinho]

I'd go with wand pricing, although I might give someone a slight discount if the power were one that was useful only in battle (e.g., haste).

If it's something that's useful outside of battle (e.g., mage armor), then people could pass the limited-slot item around to use it, making it little more than a wand in another form; people could also equip it, use it, and unequip it.

I think it'd be easiest just to go for normal wand pricing.

Daniel

 

[Nellisir]

"If item is continuous or unlimited, not charged, determine cost as if it had 100 charges".

Good point, I missed that. Thanks.


Nell.

Trying to do this very, very quickly...

 

[Conaill]

Wands and staffs don't really occupy slots

Well, you have to hold them in your hand, so effectively they *do* occupy a slot. A slotted version might actually be *more* useful, especially if you pick a rarely used slot.

 

[dcollins]

Up to the DM, assuming he makes a house-rule to allow it.
www.superdan.net/dndfaq3.html

 

[Nellisir]

Re: Re: Cost of a charged limited-space item?

Well, you have to hold them in your hand, so effectively they *do* occupy a slot. A slotted version might actually be *more* useful, especially if you pick a rarely used slot.

I almost said the same thing myself, but my reading of the DMG doesn't really bear that out. On page 176 (of my DMG), the listing of body slots is titled "Limit on Magic Items Worn", worn being the operable word (not "held", or "carried"). Weapons, notably, do not appear on that list, even though weapons occupy a "palm slot". Furthermore, most slotless magic items listed in the DMG needs to be held in order to function, ergo they all might be considered to occupy a "palm slot", and thus, in their pricing, not suffer the x2 penalty. But I don't think the pricing in the DMG supports that.

Anywho, I'll stick with the standard pricing.


Nell.