If item creation didn't use Xp, what should it use?
- Thread starter Stalker0
- Start date
Gold Roger
First Post
DM fiat.
What?
What?
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Hear, hear!Aeric said:
And failing that, the exotic-components idea is best, for two reasons: one, it gives a nigh-endless supply of reasons to adventure, and two, it inherently limits what's out there.
For scrolls and potions the ingredients can be simple. For some reason, 3e treats wands as relatively minor items, but even there the material to make the wand from might be hard to find (as in the wands used in Harry Potter).
And, unlike some others here, I have no problem with making it hard for PC's to make items while allowing stay-at-home NPC's to have "artificer" as a career, and make them (slowly). By adventuring, the PC's come by items by finding what others have made...and if said items aren't precisely what the PC's want, well...tough. Go to an artificer and commission something, and be prepared to wait a year or two...oh, and payment up front, please.
Lanefan
bbarrington
First Post
In my campaign we kept the normal XP/GP costs but the player who is requesting the item be created is the one who pays the XP cost. If the fighter wants his Gauntlets of Ogre Power he's going to have to give up the XP, not the party's wizard. Keeps it a little more fair and allows us to say "You're life force is fueling the power of this item" and also explains why there might be so many magic items out in the world.
Nyeshet
First Post
I too prefer the idea of exotic components, but I also wish that - should WotC follow this route - they would also include a 'frequency' for each monster in the SRD (ie: MMs). While not all DMs will follow such, it may offer a guideline - especially as some creatures that may not be overly difficult may have 'rare' or 'very rare' due to the spells / items associated with them.
I wouldn't mind stat damage or drain, but it would work better, I think, if the 'damage' or 'drain' healed itself at a different rate. That is to say, that damage due to this would heal - but far slower than typical. So slow, in fact, that many would view it as stat drain instead of mere damage. Also, as it was magically imposed, I would think that normal spells for curing such should have reduced (minimized?) effect - if any. So a belt that increases Str would reduce the Wizard's own Str by a similar amount, and it would heal at perhaps 1 pt per week or two.
Hmm, the idea of Stat drain somehow reminds me of the 'Runelords' series. Maybe it is just due to the fact that a new book for it recently came out . . . .
I wouldn't mind stat damage or drain, but it would work better, I think, if the 'damage' or 'drain' healed itself at a different rate. That is to say, that damage due to this would heal - but far slower than typical. So slow, in fact, that many would view it as stat drain instead of mere damage. Also, as it was magically imposed, I would think that normal spells for curing such should have reduced (minimized?) effect - if any. So a belt that increases Str would reduce the Wizard's own Str by a similar amount, and it would heal at perhaps 1 pt per week or two.
Hmm, the idea of Stat drain somehow reminds me of the 'Runelords' series. Maybe it is just due to the fact that a new book for it recently came out . . . .
Dark Psion
First Post
I have been considering this topic since I am currently playing Castlevania: Curse of Darkness and the main character Hector is an Artificer. His "Innocent Devils" are constructs and he creates his magic items with exotic materials droped by the enemies.
I was thinking that certain material could represent either the spells, gp or XP cost for an item. To create a Displacer Cloak you will need the hide of a Displacer Beast and the hide itself could replace the spell needed to create it.
Some items might have a more "universal" use. they might be usefull based on what feat you are using. Elemental Charcoal might make a forge hotter and aid in Craft Weapon or Armor, certain chemicals in Alchemy, specific metals for rings and the Alchemist Stone might aid any craft feat.
Some of the interesting materials in the game are;
Memory: A fosslized stone that holds an ancient memory like the Akashic stones in Arcana Unearthed.
Vein: Solidified blood; Holy Man, Swordsman, Devil or Vampire
Amber: There are several of these, one has a fly of Beelzebub in one, another is a fragment from a ceremony and one contains an echo of death.
Elemetal: A solidified example of another plane; Ether, Frenzy of Wind, Philogston, Lightning Stone, or Sun Tears.
Contaminated material: An altered version of a basic material; Red Steel, White Steel, Indigo Steel and Damascus Steel.
Pure Mateial: An element in it's purest form; Midas' Gold, True Jade or Orichalcum
I was thinking that certain material could represent either the spells, gp or XP cost for an item. To create a Displacer Cloak you will need the hide of a Displacer Beast and the hide itself could replace the spell needed to create it.
Some items might have a more "universal" use. they might be usefull based on what feat you are using. Elemental Charcoal might make a forge hotter and aid in Craft Weapon or Armor, certain chemicals in Alchemy, specific metals for rings and the Alchemist Stone might aid any craft feat.
Some of the interesting materials in the game are;
Memory: A fosslized stone that holds an ancient memory like the Akashic stones in Arcana Unearthed.
Vein: Solidified blood; Holy Man, Swordsman, Devil or Vampire
Amber: There are several of these, one has a fly of Beelzebub in one, another is a fragment from a ceremony and one contains an echo of death.
Elemetal: A solidified example of another plane; Ether, Frenzy of Wind, Philogston, Lightning Stone, or Sun Tears.
Contaminated material: An altered version of a basic material; Red Steel, White Steel, Indigo Steel and Damascus Steel.
Pure Mateial: An element in it's purest form; Midas' Gold, True Jade or Orichalcum
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