Item Creation Costs: Single Use, Use-Activated, and Charges/Day

[doktorstick]

Howdy. I have some item creation rules questions. When creating a item that duplicates a spell effect and can only be used once per day (use-activated), is the formula:

base cost = spell level * caster level * 2,000 gp
market value = base cost * 1 / 5

Secondly, under the Special section of Table 8-40 in the DMG, "Charged (50 charges)" has a base price adjustment of "1/2 unlimited use base price". What is the "unlimited use base price"? I note the ** footnote:

If item is continuous or unlimited, not charged, determine cost as if it had 100 charges. If it has some daily limit, determine cost as if it had 50 charges.

However, this applied to material component costs and I don't think applies to the previous "unlimited" statement.

Lastly, is a use-activated item that can be used 1/day considered unlimited?

My assumption would be despite my confusion that a 1st-level caster, 1st-level spell item (for simplicity) that was use-activated and usable 1/day would be 400 gp.

Now for advice. If unused "uses" could be accumulated over days (say to a maximum of 5 "uses"), how much of a market modifier would you add to the cost?

Thanks.
/ds

 

[kreynolds]

However, this applied to material component costs and I don't think applies to the previous "unlimited" statement.

You are correct. It is in regards to unlimited use items that use spells requiring costly material components.

Lastly, is a use-activated item that can be used 1/day considered unlimited?

Yes. Unlimited charges, usuable once per day. If you wanted, you could also make an item that has 50 charges but can only be used ?/day as well, which will lower the value of the item, thus giving you a discount, so to speak.

My assumption would be despite my confusion that a 1st-level caster, 1st-level spell item (for simplicity) that was use-activated and usable 1/day would be 400 gp.

Correct.

Now for advice. If unused "uses" could be accumulated over days (say to a maximum of 5 "uses"), how much of a market modifier would you add to the cost?

I can't really help you there. The idea is that a magic item can only store so much magical energy, and when used, in the case of a uses-per-day item, it takes a certain amount of time to replenish that magical energy, be it a day, a week, etc. I have no idea how one should go about extending that.

 

[KarinsDad]

Now for advice. If unused "uses" could be accumulated over days (say to a maximum of 5 "uses"), how much of a market modifier would you add to the cost?

I would do the opposite.

I would make it a 5/day item with a limitation that you have to accumulate the charges at 1/day. So, the maximum amount of charges you can use in a day is 5 if you have them, but the maximum you can accumulate is 1 in a day.

Cost-wise, I would make this similar to a 2/day item since in a week, you could at most do 14 with the 2/day item, and 11 with the 1/day max 5 item. So, you do not get nearly as many charges, but you have the option to save up and use more in a day.