Magic Item creation Q's

[dcollins]

Gizzard: The most important thing to realize is that by the core rules, players do not have the automatic right to invent their own "new items". There is a big difference between "creating items" and "inventing new items". Table 8-40 is only there for DMs inserting new items into their campaigns. All your problems would go away if you just point players to the existing item descriptions and say, "pick from these".

www.superdan.net/dndfaq3.html

With respect to the specific new items under consideration, Monte Cook has the following to say: "When someone asks me, 'Can I really make an item that will cast cure light wounds at will, activated by a command word, for only 900 gp?' I now reply, 'Only if your DM isn't paying attention.'"

http://www.montecook.com/arch_dmonly3.html#marketvalue

 

[Gizzard]

Basicly, it takes up the Vest slot. Has 50 charges. Whenever the caster takes damage from an attack, it casts Cure LIght wounds.

How much was this priced at? Its just a like a Wand with some sort of nutty Contingency effect. I'll guess G1250; just under double the normal since it requires no effort, but the spell might be somewhat wasted.

The most important thing to realize is that by the core rules, players do not have the automatic right to invent their own "new items".

I ended up talking to two other DMs today who recommended not letting players make items. My Wizard will be very sad if I go this route, he's already a bit touchy about me suggesting that some of the objects he has proposed might be significantly more than their "DMG price".

 

[Firzair]

Hi everybody,
IMC there are only command word activated items with spells castable x times per day. If someone wants an unlimited use per day I price it as an item with a spell castable 14400 times per day, that's quite costly (even for a cantrip it would be 1800 (base command word) *0.5 (level 0) * 2880 (14400 / 5) = 2.592.000 gp).

And just for the record, no you can't make use activated permanent items from spells with duration instantanious!
IMC I even divided the costs for permanent active spells for their duration with spells that have a round/level duration costing 7500gp times (spell level squared).

Greetings
Firzair

 

[Destil]

I don't feel that a Wondrous Item should be a Wand. Although, something like a Holy Symbol that does the properties of a Wand is sort've okay, I guess.

I wouldn't get too caught up in the specifics of an item's physical form, myself. If it quacks like a duck, as they say. In my game, at least, you can make all manners of things with craft wands / potions / scribe scroll, but you still need the right feat for it. So a holy symbol that functions as a wand is still covered under craft wand. Sorcerers can imbune dragon scales to function as scrolls with scribe scroll, likewise for clerics of a god of knowladge making spell trigger pages of a holy tome.

 

[dcollins]

I ended up talking to two other DMs today who recommended not letting players make items. My Wizard will be very sad if I go this route, he's already a bit touchy about me suggesting that some of the objects he has proposed might be significantly more than their "DMG price".

Your game will be better for it. I encourage you to not let yourself be bullied by your players.