Ilbranteloth
Explorer
For crafting magic items I added a feat that has a prerequisite of being able to cast 3rd level spells. All the feat does is allow the character to craft magic items of any type.
The concept behind the rules is to make it feasible, but time-consuming, expensive, and with potential permanent effects. I've never been a fan of XP cost, largely because I don't use XP in my campaigns, but it has little permanent effect on the characters. So I've settled on Strength and Constitution damage. In most cases this has little game effect, because they just have to take some additional time to recover. But there is the possibility of the loss being permanent. This has the effect of ensuring that
My process covers a lot of ground, and is still in draft form, but here's the basic process. I should note that in my campaign, ability damage is regained by making a 'death' saving throw once per day. 3 non-consecutive successes regain 1 point, 3 non-consecutive failures and the loss of 1 point is permanent. You'd roll once for each ability score that's affected. If time is not an issue (which is usually the case for downtime) you can just make all of the rolls at once.
Creating a magic item requires the raw materials of the item, the material components (if any) of the spell to be imbued (a focus cannot be used). And the mystical recipe for creating a given item. The remaining ingredients required cost 50% of the normal sale value in gp.
Imbuing an item with magic is a challenging and draining proposition. Consumable items, such as potions and scrolls are the easiest to make, followed by charged items. Permanent items are the most complex.
Creating an item causes temporary Strength and Constitution damage, regained as per the (my) normal rules. The amount drained depends on the spell slot level of each spell that is cast into the item. The ability score loss occurs upon the final day of enchanting the item.
All material components are required for each spell to be enchanted. Additional components may be required as well. A well stocked laboratory as well as appropriate material working tools are usually needed. All items must be of masterwork quality, and may require assistance from a skilled craftsman if the spell caster doesn't have the skills themselves to prepare the item. All of this is included in the cost of creating the item, although the cost can fluctuate quite a bit depending on the availability of any of these requirements.
Consumable Items (2 days/spell slot level of spell, minimum 1 day)
0-3 0 CON/STR damage
4-6 1 CON/STR damage
7-9 2 CON/STR damage
Charged Items (fixed number of charges that don't recharge) (3 days/spell slot level of spell)
0-3 1 CON/STR damage
4-6 2 CON/STR damage
7-9 3 CON/STR damage
Recharging Items (5 days/spell slot level of spell)
0-3 2 CON/STR damage
4-6 3 CON/STR damage
7-9 4 CON/STR damage
Permanent Items (10 days/spell slot level of spell)
0-3 3 CON/STR damage (adding a +1 bonus to an item expends a level 3 spell slot)
4-6 4 CON/STR damage (adding a second +1 bonus expends a level 5 spell slot)
7-9 5 CON/STR damage (adding a third +1 bonus expends a level 7 spell slot)
Aside from the creation of the item itself, the amount of time it takes to enchant an item varies. 8 hours each day must be spent in the enchantment process, at which point the spellcaster suffers 1 level of exhaustion, which is regained after a long rest so the process can begin anew in the morning.
At the end of each day, an Intelligence (Arcana) check must be made. The DC is 20 + the level of the spell slot to be enchanted. Failure indicates the enchantment process has failed for that day, and does not count toward the number of days needed for creation. The process can continue unless three non-consecutive failures occurs, at which point the item cannot be enchanted. If this occurs when attempting to add an additional spell to an item, the item must make a DC 12 save (+1 per bonus or enchanted spell) or lose all of its magical qualities. Three non-consecutive successes resets this count.
Ability score loss occurs on the final success for enchantment for a single spell. Additional spells can be added to the item at any time but is more difficult than the initial enchantment. The DC for the Intelligence Arcana check increases by +1 for each existing enchantment on the item.
The process is the same for whatever type of magic item is enchanted. In developing the process I've been updating several older types of magic as well (although WotC may usurp the Rune Magic, although it's different than this type).
A trigger or command word is defined during the process. Charged items have a limited number of charges (undefined so far), probably based on the type of item as well as the level and number of spells it holds.
Potions can only host spells that affect self.
Tattoos can only host spells that affect self or are triggered by touch.
Gems or Runes (including inscriptions upon or above items such as doors, etc.) can hold nearly any type of spell. Area of effect spells are centered on the gem or runes. Only certain gems can hold spells, and some hold only certain types of spells.
Use existing magic items as guidelines. Some effects don't have corresponding spells. Those will need further research, or their manufacture may have been lost in time.
Ilbranteloth
The concept behind the rules is to make it feasible, but time-consuming, expensive, and with potential permanent effects. I've never been a fan of XP cost, largely because I don't use XP in my campaigns, but it has little permanent effect on the characters. So I've settled on Strength and Constitution damage. In most cases this has little game effect, because they just have to take some additional time to recover. But there is the possibility of the loss being permanent. This has the effect of ensuring that
My process covers a lot of ground, and is still in draft form, but here's the basic process. I should note that in my campaign, ability damage is regained by making a 'death' saving throw once per day. 3 non-consecutive successes regain 1 point, 3 non-consecutive failures and the loss of 1 point is permanent. You'd roll once for each ability score that's affected. If time is not an issue (which is usually the case for downtime) you can just make all of the rolls at once.
Creating a magic item requires the raw materials of the item, the material components (if any) of the spell to be imbued (a focus cannot be used). And the mystical recipe for creating a given item. The remaining ingredients required cost 50% of the normal sale value in gp.
Imbuing an item with magic is a challenging and draining proposition. Consumable items, such as potions and scrolls are the easiest to make, followed by charged items. Permanent items are the most complex.
Creating an item causes temporary Strength and Constitution damage, regained as per the (my) normal rules. The amount drained depends on the spell slot level of each spell that is cast into the item. The ability score loss occurs upon the final day of enchanting the item.
All material components are required for each spell to be enchanted. Additional components may be required as well. A well stocked laboratory as well as appropriate material working tools are usually needed. All items must be of masterwork quality, and may require assistance from a skilled craftsman if the spell caster doesn't have the skills themselves to prepare the item. All of this is included in the cost of creating the item, although the cost can fluctuate quite a bit depending on the availability of any of these requirements.
Consumable Items (2 days/spell slot level of spell, minimum 1 day)
0-3 0 CON/STR damage
4-6 1 CON/STR damage
7-9 2 CON/STR damage
Charged Items (fixed number of charges that don't recharge) (3 days/spell slot level of spell)
0-3 1 CON/STR damage
4-6 2 CON/STR damage
7-9 3 CON/STR damage
Recharging Items (5 days/spell slot level of spell)
0-3 2 CON/STR damage
4-6 3 CON/STR damage
7-9 4 CON/STR damage
Permanent Items (10 days/spell slot level of spell)
0-3 3 CON/STR damage (adding a +1 bonus to an item expends a level 3 spell slot)
4-6 4 CON/STR damage (adding a second +1 bonus expends a level 5 spell slot)
7-9 5 CON/STR damage (adding a third +1 bonus expends a level 7 spell slot)
Aside from the creation of the item itself, the amount of time it takes to enchant an item varies. 8 hours each day must be spent in the enchantment process, at which point the spellcaster suffers 1 level of exhaustion, which is regained after a long rest so the process can begin anew in the morning.
At the end of each day, an Intelligence (Arcana) check must be made. The DC is 20 + the level of the spell slot to be enchanted. Failure indicates the enchantment process has failed for that day, and does not count toward the number of days needed for creation. The process can continue unless three non-consecutive failures occurs, at which point the item cannot be enchanted. If this occurs when attempting to add an additional spell to an item, the item must make a DC 12 save (+1 per bonus or enchanted spell) or lose all of its magical qualities. Three non-consecutive successes resets this count.
Ability score loss occurs on the final success for enchantment for a single spell. Additional spells can be added to the item at any time but is more difficult than the initial enchantment. The DC for the Intelligence Arcana check increases by +1 for each existing enchantment on the item.
The process is the same for whatever type of magic item is enchanted. In developing the process I've been updating several older types of magic as well (although WotC may usurp the Rune Magic, although it's different than this type).
A trigger or command word is defined during the process. Charged items have a limited number of charges (undefined so far), probably based on the type of item as well as the level and number of spells it holds.
Potions can only host spells that affect self.
Tattoos can only host spells that affect self or are triggered by touch.
Gems or Runes (including inscriptions upon or above items such as doors, etc.) can hold nearly any type of spell. Area of effect spells are centered on the gem or runes. Only certain gems can hold spells, and some hold only certain types of spells.
Use existing magic items as guidelines. Some effects don't have corresponding spells. Those will need further research, or their manufacture may have been lost in time.
Ilbranteloth
