Creating Magic Items

[warderbrad]

I have been reading in the DMG and there are places that imply that you only have to be able to cast the spell to be able to caft an item, other places it seems to imply that the Caster Level of the item is the minimum caster level the character must be to create the item. I am currently playing a 4th level Mage and want to make a pair of +1 Bracers of Armor but it says the caster level is 7 but the spell is a 1st level spell, so am I able to make them or not.

 

[Sil]

Look at the feats required for the bracers.

 

[Alzrius]

I have been reading in the DMG and there are places that imply that you only have to be able to cast the spell to be able to caft an item, other places it seems to imply that the Caster Level of the item is the minimum caster level the character must be to create the item. I am currently playing a 4th level Mage and want to make a pair of +1 Bracers of Armor but it says the caster level is 7 but the spell is a 1st level spell, so am I able to make them or not.

This comes up periodically, and is something of an unresolved debate. I recommend reading the excellent article on this, stating that you do need to be of the listed caster level to make the magic item, found here: http://home.comcast.net/~superdan.net/dndfaq2b.html

 

[Li Shenron]

This comes up periodically, and is something of an unresolved debate. I recommend reading the excellent article on this, stating that you do need to be of the listed caster level to make the magic item, found here: http://home.comcast.net/~superdan.net/dndfaq2b.html

I suggest you too to read that article.

Then ask yourself: do you believe what is written in the book, or do you believe what the author of the same book says about it?

I believe the author. Monte Cook wrote the DMG, he designed the item creation rules. He explained more than once that in his design the caster level listed for each item is not a requirement, but admitted that the wording in the book is misleading. He complained that the misleading wording was never corrected, not even in the 3.5 reprint.

The author of the article above prefers to play in a different way, which is not at all worse. But in the articles he just argues that there is a discussion with two points of view who cannot agree, and his conclusion is that therefore the "best" way is to play is (doh!) his favourite. It seems that D.R.Collins even twisted this Monte's phrase, in order to support the idea that the discussion is confusing enough to give no credit to Monte himself:

"Things that should have changed, but didn’t: Caster level is still a prerequisite for magic item creation. This was an error in the 3.0 DMG and remains."

Monte here is saying that the 3.5 DMG should have corrected the misleading wording which seems to suggest that CL is a prerequisite, but unfortunately it still seems from the current wording that CL is a prerequisite indeed. He's complaining that this should not be the case.

Daniel interprets Monte's sentence as he was intending that CL should be the prerequisite, therefore he says that since even Monte contradicts himself, then the solution to the question is to read the rules as they are written. But Monte (the one in charge of deisigning the 3.0 DMG) never changed his mind at all.

 

[Staffan]

The DMG errata makes it clear that only the things listed in the "Prerequisites" section is a prereq. Some items have caster level as a prerequisite (notably weapons and armor, which have a prerequisite of bonus*3), but most don't.

 

[VorpalStare]

Take a look at the Errata for the DMG:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/DMG_Errata032004.zip

This changes the text at the bottom page 215 from

For other magic items, the caster level is determined by the item itself. In this case, the creator's caster level must be as high as the item's caster level (and prerequisites may effectively put a higher minimum on the creator's level).

to

​

​

For other magic items, the caster level is determined by the creator. The minimum caster level is that which is needed to meet the prerequisites given.

Where Prerequisites and Caster Level are distinct categories. This clearly says that the creator does not need any particular caster level, unless either it is explicitly listed in the item's prerequisites or is a requirement to meet those prerequisites.




​

 

[dcollins]

I have been reading in the DMG and there are places that imply that you only have to be able to cast the spell to be able to caft an item, other places it seems to imply that the Caster Level of the item is the minimum caster level the character must be to create the item.

Thanks to those above who've pointed out my website.

Warderbrad, you're not mistaken, as published the DMG does definitely say that Caster Levels are prerequisites for some magic item items. Note that there are two distinct categories: (a) potions/scrolls/wands, which the creator can set to any caster level (formulas are in the PHB under "Feats") and (b) any other item, for which caster levels are fixed as listed (prices and caster levels only found in the DMG). You can see this in the Magic Items chapter under "Caster Level".

I recommend running it by the book as published, because no one's ever really given a coherent communication of how to handle the problems that arise when you ignore this rule (such as market prices for altered-caster-level items, etc.) For what it's worth, the most recently published "Rules of the Game" articles on the Wizards site reiterates that caster levels for armor/weapons/rings/staffs/wondrous items are fixed, and thus serve as creator minimums.

 

[Alzrius]

For what it's worth, the most recently published "Rules of the Game" articles on the Wizards site reiterates that caster levels for armor/weapons/rings/staffs/wondrous items are fixed, and thus serve as creator minimums.

For convenience, here's where it says in Rules of the Game that the caster levels are prerequisites:

When creating items, the creator's caster level must be at least as high as the item's caster level.

 

[warderbrad]

Ok here is what I got when I called Wizards. They suggested making a new Wonderous Item that useus the spell, I did the math and for an item that uses the Mage Armor spell as a use activated or command word (ie better than the Bracers) it is 2000 gp vs 1000 for the +1 version I was looking for, yes the new item would be easier to dispell and what not but in the end stronger. So I am going with their suggestion.

 

[Infiniti2000]

That's not a good idea, warderbrad. The pricing guidelines are just that, guidelines. You then need to compare the item you created to existing items and price it appropriately. For example, don't use that pricing system for a ring of cure minor wounds (e.g.). I recommend you follow VorpalStare's post as it's correct per the rules and has been more than sufficiently playtested.