Item pricing question <answered by Sage and CS>

[kreynolds]

Ignore the actual spell, it's not important. A continuous 3rd-level spell effect (whose normal spell duration is 10 minutes/level) as a secondary nonsimilar power on a magic item would have two price increases; x1.5 for the duration becoming continuous and x1.5 for it being a secondary nonsimilar power.

My question is this: How do they apply? Do they "stack", per say? IOW, do the price increases only apply to the base cost? Here's what the difference would look like...

Stacking: 3*5*2,000*1.5*1.5=67,500
Nonstacking: 3*5*2,000+(30,000*1.5)+(30,000*1.5)=60,000

Here's another example, same as above but whose normal spell duration is 1 minute/level...

Stacking: 3*5*2,000*2*1.5=90,000
Nonstacking: 3*5*2,000+(30,000*2)+(30,000*1.5)=75,000

What do you folks think?

 

[Darklone]

Standard stacking rules. Two 1.5 multipliers are one 2 multiplier.

 

[Thanee]

I'd probably just use the regular application for multiple multipliers (isn't that a general rule?), that is, two x1.5 multipliers become one x2 multiplier, which results in the same as your nonstacking example.

EDIT:

Bye
Thanee

 

[kreynolds]

That's what I was thinking as well. Thanks, fellas!

 

[Darklone]

Feat yerself, laddy!

 

[kreynolds]

Feat yerself, laddy!

OMG, I totally forgot about that.

 

[kreynolds]

For those that are interested, here are the responses I got from CS and Skip...

CS first...

-----Original Message-----
From: Wizards Customer Service [mailto:custserv@wizards.com]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 12:05 PM
To: Reynolds,Kelly
Subject: RE: Item pricing...


Now that you've pointed that out specifically, I do no what you mean... At this point, until we come up with errata to the contrary, it is up to the DM which one they use. I see that the table contradicts the text, which is definitely strange. I'll add this observation to our growing list of concerns however. Thanks...

*******************************************
Chris
Wizards of the Coast - Customer Support
Website: <http://www.wizards.com>
Game Support Phone: 1-800-324-6496
Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
Corporate Phone: (425) 226-6500
*******************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Reynolds,Kelly [mailto:kreynolds@Mannatech.com]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 7:34 AM
To: Wizards Customer Service
Subject: RE: Item pricing...


"Now the chart on page 285 refers to doubling the cost for a magic item (such as the belt of giant strength) that normally takes up a 'body space' but now doesn't."

That's not the line I was referring to though. It's this one...

"Multiple different abilities Multiply higher item cost by 2 Helm of brilliance"

That line is in referrence to slotted items, not slotless. See where my confusion is stemming from?


Kelly Reynolds

-----Original Message-----
From: Wizards Customer Service [mailto:custserv@wizards.com]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 9:20 AM
To: Reynolds,Kelly
Subject: RE: Item pricing...


It really depends on the item which one you use... These are two completely different things, though they may both seem applicable. The paragraph on page 282 is referring specifically to items with multiple different powers. To confuse matters, they use the belt of strength and dexterity as an example... However the cost increase referred to there can really be applied to any magic item that has multiple different power, whether they take up a 'body space' or not.

Now the chart on page 285 refers to doubling the cost for a magic item (such as the belt of giant strength) that normally takes up a 'body space' but now doesn't.

So... for instance... if you were going to create a belt of strength +4 and dexterity +4 that doesn't actually take up the belt slot.. you would start with the base abilities... (16,000 gp for each.) You increase the dexterity cost by 50%, which increases its cost to 24,000 gp, increasing the overall cost of the item to 40,000 gp. Now Dexterity doesn't match the affinity for magic belts, and so you add another 50% to the total price, increasing it to 60,000gp. This is the base item according to page 282 and 288. Now... finally, because we don't want the belt to actually take up the belt slot... we double the price... to 120,000 gp. Yes, this is expensive... but if you want to wear multiple magic belts, it is the price you pay for power.

I hope this clears things up.
*******************************************
Chris
Wizards of the Coast - Customer Support
Website: <http://www.wizards.com>
Game Support Phone: 1-800-324-6496
Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM PST
Corporate Phone: (425) 226-6500
*******************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Reynolds,Kelly [mailto:kreynolds@Mannatech.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 7:20 AM
To: Wizards Customer Service
Subject: Item pricing...


The sidebar on page 282 on the DMG states that each additionl (nonsimilar or different) power has a 50% increase in price. This implies that you leave the first power's price alone, then apply the increase to additional abilities. However, Table: 7-33 on page 285 conflicts with this, having an entry in the table for "Multiple different abilities" as "Multiply higher item cost by 2.

Which one is correct?

Kelly Reynolds

...and Skip...

-----Original Message-----
From: TSRsage@aol.com [mailto:TSRsage@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 10:32 AM
To: kreynolds@Mannatech.com
Subject: Re: Item pricing...



In a message dated 9/25/03 9:17:40 AM, kreynolds@Mannatech.com writes:

<< The sidebar on page 282 on the DMG states that each additionl (nonsimilar
or
different) power has a 50% increase in price. This implies that you leave the first power's price alone, then apply the increase to additional abilities. However, Table: 7-33 on page 285 conflicts with this, having an entry in the table for "Multiple different abilities" as "Multiply higher item cost by 2.

Which one is correct? >>

Both of them. In most cases, use the table (mutlible abilities are usually
worth more than either ability alone).

 

[kreynolds]

No input from you folks? Man, this forum is just dyin'.

 

[mikebr99]

No input from you folks? Man, this forum is just dyin'.

heh... it's the weekend buddy... we're playing now, not debating. That is what work time is for.

I would go with whatever makes it more expensive for my players...

YMMV

Mike

ps: Good to know what the k stands for finally...

 

[kreynolds]

heh... it's the weekend buddy... we're playing now, not debating. That is what work time is for.

Cute. But, it's been like this for a couple of weeks now. Scary thing is that the WotC boards have proven far more useful to me as of late. It's a strange trade-off. Here, you've got a lot of people that are extremely knowledgeable in the rules, but nowadays, they just tend to wine back and forth about the most tedious topics. Over there, you've got a lot of people that know little to nothing about the rules, but they tend to be far more aware of the intent of the rules, rather than fixating like Cujo with a Pinto on the words "the" and "is" in an item or spell description.

Mostly, they've just been really helpful with custom elements, especially with providing their own ideas to supplement my own.

I just miss the old ENWorld.

ps: Good to know what the k stands for finally...

My name has been on these boards for quite some time, and you're a registered user, so you have no excuse.

Here's a bit of trivia for ya' though...do you remember what Caliban's name is?