D&D 4E Crafting Magic Items in 4E - How Would YOU Do It?

[Thornir Alekeg]

I really don't see how this:

Originally Posted by Thornir Alekeg
It is still the manipulation of arcane energies just manifested differently. Besides it is a class feature, it doesn't have to make sense

doesn't apply to this:

Making an enchantment take in a sheet of steel seems to me to be very different than in an liquid. Yes, you could say you learn both in a talent tree, but my preference would be for there to be individual choices rather than a single tree.

It comes back to the class feature aspect. As a wizard or sorcerer, your every-day job is the manipulation of arcane energies released as spells. Gaining levels in your class leads to improved ability/power in your main job. Crafting magic items is an side activity currently represented by the feat systems. You don't devote the same amount of time and effort to it, so gaining new abilities should not automatically happen when you gain levels in your main job. The selection of new feats represents making a choice to learn more things on the side. That is the way I would prefer to see this in 4e.

Now, for an Artificer class, this would be different because the creation of magic items is their main job.

 

[CleverNickName]

So, if you are fighter and want to create a "sword of spring attacking", you would take the "create magic arms and armor" feat (and perhaps also establish a certain skill level in appropriate Craft), and you could then transfer your own "spring attack" feat into the sword. Voila, sword of spring attacking.

Sort of gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "killing the warlock and taking its stuff."

All joking aside, this isn't a bad idea. Lots of flavor, good balance, makes sense.

 

[LostSoul]

I would do this:

1st step: Make an Arcana roll (DC based on level) to determine the elements needed for the magic item. These elements are determined by the DM, maybe by a random table based on the level of the item you want.

2nd step: Go and adventure for them.

3rd step: Now that you have the ingredients, perform a ritual. Probably another Arcana roll or something or other. DC is based on the level of the item you are creating.

Success: You create the item.
Failure:
- You simply fail to create the item (fail by 5 or more, and the ingredients are wasted). This is the boring one.
- You experience some sort of catastrophe, determined by the DM or a sweet % table modified by the level of the item. Things like ripping a tear to the Shadowfell, summoning a demon, it blowing up in your face, crap like that. This is more interesting.
- You create the item, but it's flawed somehow. Cursed, though it mostly does what you want it to. Determined by the DM or another awesome random table. This is interesting too.

The DM would decide what failure means, of course.

Design purpose: to create adventure!

 

[CleverNickName]

From the ENWorld 4E News Page, there's already some info on magic items:
So if feats aren't required, I don't see a talent tree being in the cards either.

Thanks for the link, and for tracking down the information. That really shines a lot of light on the subject...especially the bits about "magic item levels." Sounds like it is a step in the right direction, anyway.

I wonder what they mean by "more flexible and easier" with respect to creating magic items, if feats have nothing to do with it? My first thought was that it would be a class feature for spellcasters, but while that is certainly "easier," it doesn't really fit the "more flexible" tag...

No XP required for making magic items? Beautiful. I never liked that mechanic anyway.

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

I'd attribute unique formulas for magic items tied to recovering specific glands, body parts, horns, eyes or wings of Monster Manual creatures at release.

eg.
Vorpal Sword
Min. Level 20, Craft DC 30, 10 days
Materials:
1 Ancient Dragon claw
5 pints Dire Wolverine Blood
1 Masterwork Steel Hilt
20,000 Gold for miscellaneous material (leather, smith, magical reagents, etc...)
Keen Edge spell, Permanency spell
Craft Magic Arms ritual
10 temporary Constitution points if successful (recoverable 1/day; magic cannot cure)

Critical Success (Craft): 20 (add an additional +1 to item)
Critical Failure (Craft): 1 (take 20HP permanent damage, reversible by Heal or Restoration)

Con loss would keep people from turning into a "magic arms factory". All numbers work at 1/2 level, so take base level and add 1/2 (rounded down) to determine DC. 1/2 min. level to craft equals the number of days spent/Con lost upon completion of the ritual. Gold spend is 1k, multiplied by min. level to create a Vorpal Sword.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would expect it to be all based around rituals (which you have to find or obtain like other rituals) and for there to be a time, cost and 'power component' aspect to be included.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

No XP required for making magic items? Beautiful. I never liked that mechanic anyway.

I liked it because it meant you couldn't advance in levels by sitting in your tower and selling potions. You had to go out and earn XP the hard way and face some real risk of dying. No risk = no reward.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

I liked it because it meant you couldn't advance in levels by sitting in your tower and selling potions. You had to go out and earn XP the hard way and face some real risk of dying. No risk = no reward.

Plus, it kind of implies that to make magical items, you have to depart of your essence,your mana, your energy, like in some tales... Represented by XP.

Well, maybe HP could be used instead in this vision though...

 

[The Little Raven]

It comes back to the class feature aspect. As a wizard or sorcerer, your every-day job is the manipulation of arcane energies released as spells. Gaining levels in your class leads to improved ability/power in your main job. Crafting magic items is an side activity currently represented by the feat systems.

He's not debating this, he's debating why it's so different to enchant a spell effect into a potion than into a weapon or armor (thus represented by separate feats). You are basically transferring the arcane energies of that spell into a different medium, and why should the different mediums require such different training? You don't actually have to have Alchemy or know anything about actual brewing to make potions, nor do you have to know a thing about blacksmithing to enchant arms and armor. If I can make a potion of fly, or a wand or fly, why is it so different for me to make boots of flying? After all, it's all based on fly, which is a spell I am familiar with.

If throwing fireballs and flying are easily explained as part of manipulating arcane energies (despite being incredibly different spells), then there's no reason why potions and armor can't just be explained by the same broad enchanting of arcane energies (despite being incredibly different mediums).

 

[Ahglock]

I'd want a relatively short ritual probably in the hours per magic item level range, with a large cool down before you could attempt to enchant an item again due to the strain of the magic forces on your body. The cool down could be a a flat time based on item type, one shot items the cool down is like an hour, charged items cool down 1 week, permanent items cool down 2 weeks to a month.

This way people can actually make items if that is what they want without disrupting the flow of a campaign much, no taking a break, no your on the clock worries, and there is a reason the world isn't absolutely buried in items.

I'd personally did if it required access to a lab and research facilities so I could have my cool lab and library back form 2e. Though I do kind of like the idea of mundane craftsman being able to craft magic items as well.