Magic Item Creation For Non-Int Focused Classes

[Kaodi]

I imagine something like this is either common or has been discussed before, but I was wondering about creating a house rule that for any magic item creation where you meet all of the prerequisites, you add your spellcasting ability modifier to spellcraft instead of intelligence.

The reason being that even though it makes sense for wizards to be better at making items in general (hence they remain better at making items for which they lack the prerequisites), there is something pretty damn silly about a high level wizard being better at making divinely flavoured items than a high level cleric or druid. Your typical wizard is going to have a 22 intelligence by level 16, at which point they will be as good at creating holy weapons as their cleric counterparts who have an intelligence of 12, and better if the intelligence is less than 12. And that is not even considering the high level wizard is far more likely to have a +intelligence items than the cleric. And all the while from a flavour perspective the cleric in particular is supposed to have the help of their god in this process.

In any case, just my thought.

 

[LogantheBard]

I'd discuss it with a player and take it on a case by case basis for Wisdom based casters. If the player wants to be a holy blacksmith type, performing service to his deity by arming his fellow holy warriors, sure, I'd allow it, assuming what he's creating uses his own spell list, and/or makes sense for his deity, he'll gain his deity's blessing and can use Wis instead of Int. (i.e. no Cleric of Pelor making Rods of Animate Dead).

For Charisma casters, I can't see how that ability score would help them create magic items in any way; I'd have a hard time justifying that.

 

[SteelDraco]

I'm not sure I see the need. The Spellcraft DCs are quite low, and crafting is a powerful ability anyway if used well. You can take 10 on the roll, too, since any circumstance that would prevent you from doing so would prevent you from making items as well. DC 5 + caster level just isn't that daunting. I could see a low-level divine spell that gives a bonus, though. Might even let Crafter's Fortune do so.