Do you ever use item creation feats?

[Ahnehnois]

Downtime not an issue for you (surprisingly somewhat numerous) yes folks? My campaigns certainly don't need players stopping to work on magic for months at a time.

 

[Celebrim]

I'd go so far as to suggest that Craft Wand, Scribe Scroll, and Brew Potion are essential to a Wizard's success, and they aren't bad for a cleric either.

The big stuff you can find along the way, but you can never have too much of the little stuff and its relatively cheap and easy to create in 3rd edition.

Some of the low level utility spells are just needed to infrequently to justify memorizing, but are essential to have when they are. Wizards can quickly turn into swiss army knives with a scrolled spell for every non-combat problem, and can then fill up their prepared spell lists with the daily supply of artillery without worrying about needing spells for special circumstances.

Remember, an ounce of prevention will save a pound of healing. If the cleric doesn't have to spontaneously cast cure spells, then he can help the party take down the monster which reduces the ammount of healing that has to go around, which in turn reduces the ammount of heal spells he has to cast, and so on.

There is nothing quite like having a wand of cure light wounds. If you make a minor goof up, you only have to spend a few XP and gold to make the consequences of that mistake go away. Wands containing first level spells like Burning Hands and Magic Missiles can be created at moderate caster levels to give wizards a way to contribute to winning the attrition battles (medium difficulty mooks that soak up party resources) without wasting spells that are going to be important for defeating the 'stage bosses'.

Having a decent healing potion handy for reviving the party cleric can go along ways toward preventing TPK's.

In short, I've found item creation feats are great things for the party to have and I wouldn't want to try to do serious dungeon crawling without them.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Downtime not an issue for you (surprisingly somewhat numerous) yes folks?

Nope.

My campaigns certainly don't need players stopping to work on magic for months at a time.

And that's a problem, as I see it.

Part of a wizard's schtick is that, given time and resources, he can come up with just about any solution required. Whether that is through item production or spell research, he should be able to do it.

A campaign which has no down time at all severely weakens the wizard.

EDIT:

Also, such a mentality reinforces one of the 3E detractors' favorite lines of attack: chiefly, that character start at 1st level at the age of 18 and by the time they're 20, they're demigods.

Ample downtime spreads out the leveling.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

Downtime not an issue for you (surprisingly somewhat numerous) yes folks? My campaigns certainly don't need players stopping to work on magic for months at a time.

Months?! A few days, a week at most and my players are happy with the wands, wonderous items etc they create. I have a ranger who is gearing up to make some boots of striding and springing. It is only 1 day/1000gp after all. I don't think I have ever had a person make an item worth more than 7000 during an adventure.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I see few wizards in my games-sorcerers are more common. Do player not make items because they aren't wizards or not play wizards becvause they don't want to make items. I don't know. I played a wizard briefly and I most certainly did not want to risk having to wait even longer for the next caster level. I might have made a few scrolls given more time, but not likely.

And that's a problem, as I see it.

You enjoy campaign downtime? What do the non-crafters do during this time? What else is happening in the campaign world while all this is going on? My games are a moving plot that doesn't stand long interruptions, and the players don't stay in one place long enough to have a lab. Most games I've played in were similar.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Downtime not an issue for you (surprisingly somewhat numerous) yes folks? My campaigns certainly don't need players stopping to work on magic for months at a time.

Lack of downtime would be a problem yes, but winter is a three month downtime in my campaign, with only an event or to to break it up. There is a reason that March is named after the god of War - everything stops until the armies can start moving again.

I see few wizards in my games-sorcerers are more common. Do player not make items because they aren't wizards or not play wizards becvause they don't want to make items. I don't know. I played a wizard briefly and I most certainly did not want to risk having to wait even longer for the next caster level. I might have made a few scrolls given more time, but not likely.

You enjoy campaign downtime? What do the non-crafters do during this time? What else is happening in the campaign world while all this is going on? My games are a moving plot that doesn't stand long interruptions, and the players don't stay in one place long enough to have a lab. Most games I've played in were similar.

Generally it takes only part of a session, one or two hours, and the noncrafters also have things they can do - if only telling the crafters what they want. Then time passes in the matter of a couple of paragraphs.

The Auld Grump

 

[Ahnehnois]

Months?! A few days, a week at most and my players are happy with the wands, wonderous items etc they create. I have a ranger who is gearing up to make some boots of striding and springing. It is only 1 day/1000gp after all. I don't think I have ever had a person make an item worth more than 7000 during an adventure.

That's why I made a "small stuff category". You can make magic items in a short time, but you can't make your character's new powerful sword unless you've got some spare time on your hands.

 

[Kershek]

Our group liberally uses item creation feats. The XP we lose gets regained between levels, so it's not a big issue for us. When our group gets lots of cash from adventures and converts it to items, it's like doubling our net wealth. When someone has the Craft Artisan feat, it's even better. It's a no-brainer for us.

The only problem can be time to make the items, I agree. During an adventure, it can be tough. However, the DM needs to at least give the opportunity for time to pass between plot hooks so that the spellcaster can make items. At 13th level or so, this can easily end up being 3 months, when weapon/armor upgrades cost 10k+ for each character that wants them.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I see few wizards in my games-sorcerers are more common.

Which is probably support for my position.

You enjoy campaign downtime?

Absolutely. Not only for item-creation purposes, of course, but for other reasons.

First, while balls-to-the-wall, non-stop adventure is fun, so is having a couple months off in the town of your choice, spending your hard-earned loot on ale and whores (in the proper proportions, of course!).

What do the non-crafters do during this time?

Depends. Maybe they start up a business, or practice Craft checks. Maybe they spend some time with the wife and kids, or making inroads with the local Thieves' Guild. Maybe they hire themselves out as a retainer to the local lord, and spend a few months training militia. Maybe they bury themselves in a library, researching the villain's mysterious past or a new spell or prayer.

There are lots of things for non-crafters to do during this time.

What else is happening in the campaign world while all this is going on?

Pretty much the same thing that happens when all this is not going on. Even villains - and their dark armies of destruction - need some downtime from time to time.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Hey, if your style allows for laid-back times in game (realism ), that's fine. I've just never been in such a game.