D&D 3E/3.5 DuD 3.5 - Eberron - Artificer, Magic Item Creation - which spell?

[ClemLOR]

Greetings, community.

On my latest DuD Session with my players the player with the artificer and I as DM have stumbled over a question we haven't been able to solve yet.

The Eberron artificer has the ability to create almost any magic item - as long as he matches the prerequisites for the item; in order to emulate a certain spell effect, which the magic item requires, the artificer makes a Use magic Device skillcheck with a DC of 20 + casterlevel.

Now, that's quite clear. But ...

Consider this case:
The artificer likes to create a necklace enhancing the spot-skill of the wearer by +4 comptence bonus.

As a matter of fact we haven't been able to find the right spell for this effect.
We though about the 0-Level spell guidance; but this spell only grants a +1 bonus. Many other skills offer bonuses to attributes - like with cat's grace - and therefore give no competence bonus.

Any ideas?
Is guidance the right spell? And is the DC for this spell-emulation with Use Magic Device a 20? Or is it by far higher, as the effect, the artificer likes to create, is much more powerful?

One additional reason why we are a little confused about the right handling is that in the DMG there are different items offering special bonuses and by that warping the effect of the spell a lot. For instance there is this Periapt of Wisdom, which gets its magic effect from the spell Owl's Wisdom; although the spell offers a +4 Bonus, this item is available on three different efficiencies ... And then there are these rings of jumping, flying, making-me-crazy etc that don't use any spell effect for their skill-bonus ... That confuses a lot ... With the last example, in theory, it could be possible that the artificer would be able to create almost any magic item without use magic device that enhances skills of any kind - at least if the artificer has the appropriate skill level ...

Sorry for my Gernglish ...

Thanks for any help or advice.

Greetings
ClemLOR

 

[Shin Okada]

Because he is trying to make an item which is not in DMG or supplements, it is you, the DM, who should decide the prerequisite spell, if any.

The most similar item in DMG would be Eyes of the Eagle, which gives +5 competence bonus to Spot. It's prerequisite is Clairvoyance/Clairaudience. So I would use this spell if I were the DM.

 

[Herzog]

I agree, the 'eyes of the eagle' is the item you should be looking at. making it into a necklace shouldn't be too much of a difference.

other items improving specific skills do not require a spell, but simply that the creater has 5 ranks in the skill to be enhanced with a competence bonus.
As you are the DM, you should feel free to do the same, but notice (most of) these are either elixers (can be used only once) or rings (for which he should be lvl 12 first)

 

[ClemLOR]

Oh, great.

Thank you very much. The Eyes of the Eagle are really something to think about ...

But generally spoken - besides this very special case - how would you handle the situation if the artificer wishes to create a magic item only giving a competence bonus and therefore not really getting its magic effect by a specific spell - like all these rings of jumpiswimmidoodledinglings?

Point is: For any magical effect the artificer needs to make a use magic device check; but when there is no spell to be "emulated" by the artificer, what should he dice on?!?

Yes, as the DM I have the ultimate choice on things going and things not going. Period. But my personal ambition is that I understand my choices; I am not made to simply state a rule or something ... Alas, at least it kills my nerves. But this question is a challenge I'd like to master ... *g*

Greetings
ClemLOR

 

[thompsja]

Oh, great.

Thank you very much. The Eyes of the Eagle are really something to think about ...

But generally spoken - besides this very special case - how would you handle the situation if the artificer wishes to create a magic item only giving a competence bonus and therefore not really getting its magic effect by a specific spell - like all these rings of jumpiswimmidoodledinglings?

Point is: For any magical effect the artificer needs to make a use magic device check; but when there is no spell to be "emulated" by the artificer, what should he dice on?!?

Yes, as the DM I have the ultimate choice on things going and things not going. Period. But my personal ambition is that I understand my choices; I am not made to simply state a rule or something ... Alas, at least it kills my nerves. But this question is a challenge I'd like to master ... *g*

Greetings
ClemLOR

Granting specific skill bonuses to items is generally a 1st level effect. (Magecraft, Jump as examples) The key for emulating a magical effect is to find its class level, which sets the difficulty. There is a key rule there: Artificers cannot emulate feat or skill requirements for item creation, although they can fake race, class, and alignment. So the design doesn't want it to be particularly easy to make items that provide high skill bonuses. I don't see much wrong in allowing creation of Hide or Move Silently items. However, watch for Use Magic Device enhancers, or high level Artificiers will be really laying down the smack when they use their Metamagic Spell Completion class feature. Everything will be Twinned or Quickened.

My thinking would be along these lines:

up to +5 bonus on a specific skill - 1st level spell

+10 bonus on a specific skill - 3rd level

+5 bonus on a group of skills (knowledge, say) 3rd level spell

+10 on a group of skills - 5th level

+5 to every skill - 5th level.

Note that this emulation sets up the time/money issue. If the character wants a +5 in every skill, he has to make something that can provide a use-activated 5th level spell. This is 9 * 5 * 2000, which is pretty damned expensive. Otherwise if, it's just a single skill, it will cost bonus^2 * 100.

 

[irdeggman]

Did you try looking in the Magic Item Compendium for something that "matches" what the PC wants to create?

 

[ClemLOR]

Hello, there.

No, I haven't I don't own the "Magic Item Compendium".

But, alas, at least I have found a solution. And this it, how 'it' works. My player is not happy with it. But I ruled out that it is a DM decision covering a rule-gap. ^^

When an Artificer wishes to create a Wondrous Item, hi binds his personal knowledge to - just like a wizard creating magical rings. The Caster Level equals the required skillrank, which the Artificer has to have, and the skill rank equals the "emulated" spell level. The maximum competence bonus posible is limited to +5, as any skill knowledge above this is so specialized that it cannot be bound to a magical item.

Rank 1 skill = spell level 1 => required cl of the artificer = 1 => use magic device DC 21
Rank 2 skill = spllvl 2 => cl 3 => use magic device gegen 23
Rank 3 = spllvl 3 => cl 5 => use magic device DC 25
Rank 4 = spllvl 4 => cl 7 => use magic device DC 27
Rank 5 = spllvl 5 => cl 9 => use magic device DC 29

It is the mixture of the DMG table 7:33 and the rules about creating magic items. With this on the one hand I open the opportunity to the artificer, but I also limit it that way that the artificer does not get more potent in creating these items then a magician. I think it is a rule that should do ...

Greetings
ClemLOR

 

[Shin Okada]

But beware. I guess the first item he creates is a UMD +X item.

 

[ClemLOR]

Hello.

Ok, maybe ... But, alas, my English is not so good ... What do you mean with "first item is a UMD +x". What does this "first" refer to?

Greetings
ClemLOR

 

[Shin Okada]

My English is not so good, too. I am not a native speaker of English.

Anyway, UMD = Use Magic Device.

You did not set spell prerequisite for skill bonus items. That means, with appropriately high UMD check and Caster Level, he can create items for any skills he like.

Use Magic Device is one of the strongest skill in the entire game. And as far as I know there is no item which gives bonus to UMD skill checks (though there are Charisma boosting items) in official supplements.

If I were the player and my DM just showed that kind of guideline, I will make UMD +X item for sure.