Magic item creation - this one seems wrong...

[Ravellion]

Like on DMG p. 178, where it says (for non-potions/scrolls/wands) "the caster level is determined by the item itself. In this case, the creator's caster level must be as high as the item's caster level (and prerequisites may effectively put a higher minimum on the creator's level)."

www.superdan.net/dndfaq2.html

Hmmmm... That would mean that Monte is contradicting himself ever since.

 

[Spatzimaus]

Hmmmm... That would mean that Monte is contradicting himself ever since.

Wouldn't be the first time. Quite a few statements from developers directly contradict text in the books.

But then again, interpret it a different way: let's say there's an item in the DMG that has caster level 18, but you can meet all its prerequisites at level 10. The player could easily "research" a new item with all the effect of the old one but the lower caster level. It should still be balanced, so is there a problem doing this? As long as the DM allows the "new" item, no.

In the end, though, just go with what works. In theory, if both an item's abilities and its cost scale with caster level, it'll still be balanced. Likewise, if both don't scale, you're still fine. It's those items whose effects are independent of level but whose cost scales (all those unlimited-use items) that cause problems.

 

[officeronin]

Hey -- just make use activated boots of cure minor! Now, how many steps are there in a 30' move....?

We had great fun breaking the magic item creation charts -- the headband of Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer that allowed every spell levels 1-3 to be memorized and never forgotten was genius. Of course, it would never be allowed...

OfficeRonin

 

[AuraSeer]

Like on DMG p. 178, where it says (for non-potions/scrolls/wands) "the caster level is determined by the item itself. In this case, the creator's caster level must be as high as the item's caster level (and prerequisites may effectively put a higher minimum on the creator's level)."

Right, a character cannot create items with a caster level greater than his own. That means a Wiz7 cannot create a wand of fireball with caster level 10.

Note what it doesn't say. The book does not say that a wondrous item must have the caster level listed in the book. For instance, the standard Bead Of Force is listed as CL 11, but no rule prevents me from crafting one at CL 9.. (Maybe I'm a Wiz9 who just learned wall of force.)

I'll grant that the text could be interpreted as you say, but at the very least it's ambiguous. AFAICT the designers have clearly stated that your reading is incorrect.

 

[AuraSeer]

I know in the official living campaigns[...]

...they use lots of house rules, which means we can't use them as a reference for what the actual rules say.

 

[kreynolds]

AFAICT the designers have clearly stated that your reading is incorrect.

Yeah, but he has a website, with a link and everything, so there's no way...

Just kidding d.

 

[dcollins]

Note what it doesn't say. The book does not say that a wondrous item must have the caster level listed in the book.

It does say that, both explicitly and through context:
- For potions/scrolls/wands, caster level is up to the creator.
- For other items it's not, it's "determined by the item itself".

Even Sean Reynolds has written that for the rule to be what he wants it to be, the text needs to be rewritten. And it hasn't been.