Magic item price: Magical Thief's Tools!

[Nail]

A fellow DM asked what the price might be on masterwork Thief's Tools that provide a +5 competance bonus on Disable Device and Open Locks checks. Being the rule-head that I am, I knocked off a market price. But now I'm thinking this might be too cheap.

Here's the first cut at the cost:

• +5 competance bonus to disable device: 5*5*100= 2500 gp.
• +5 competance bonus to open locks: 5*5*100=2500gp
• Each extra power after the 1st is multiplied by 1.5 ...so that extra skill bonus costs: 2500gp * 1.5= 3750 gp
• Slotless item: (2500gp + 3750gp) * 2 = 12500 gp
• add the cost of masterwork thief's tools: +100 gp
• TOTAL PRICE: 12,600 gp

You could also argue that the "masterwork" bonus (+2 circumstance) stacks with the +5 competance bonus, giving him a total of +7 on both skill checks.

That's actually pretty cheap.

Would you let your PC thieves have one of these?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The masterwork bonus absolutely stacks with the competence bonus in this case.

To compare, Cloaks and Boots of Elvenkind are 2,500 each, and they take up slots.

I'd say your price seems spot on, and I'd allow it.

Note that, like most skill-based items, the creator would likely need to have 5 or more ranks in the skill in order to make them (a restriction I don't always agree with).

 

[Ferret]

I agree they seem fine.

 

[Nail]

Could someone else, with the appropriate skills, help make the magic item? I think that's allowable.

 

[Terwox]

Sounds perfect.
I think that technically you can't have help without the skill? I'm not sure, if you can't, I certainly always ignored that.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Could someone else, with the appropriate skills, help make the magic item? I think that's allowable.

It is, however...

If you use the same requirement that other such items have, you generally run into a problem. Take, for instance, the boots of striding and springing:

Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, longstrider, creator must have 5 ranks in the Jump skill; Price 5,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Specifically, the prequisites for the item includes "Creator must have 5 ranks in the Jump skill."

Now, when cooperatively creating magic items, anyone can provide any of the prerequisites. The creator, however, is the character who both sets the caster level and loses the experience points.

And, as you can see above, the *creator* must have the ranks in the skill in order to create such an item. So, a jumping fighter could not provide those prerequisistes, because he has a caster level of 0, and likely doesn't have the proper item creation feat.

I think this requirement is ripe for a house ruling, myself, but there you are.

 

[Pyrex]

Just a couple of notes:
You shouldn't "stack" the multiple-power modifier with the slotless multiplier as thy both represent the same cost increase.

Also, the thieves tools aren't slotless. You have to hold them in your hands (magical weapon slot) to use them.

 

[Nail]

Just a couple of notes:
You shouldn't "stack" the multiple-power modifier with the slotless multiplier as thy both represent the same cost increase.

Also, the thieves tools aren't slotless. You have to hold them in your hands (magical weapon slot) to use them.

I'm afraid both these assertions are wrong. Simply wrong.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Before you start charging outlandish prices for them, check the price on the vest of escape which comes with magical thieves' tools that grant a +4 bonus instead of the +2 for masterwork.

 

[Nail]

The Vest of Escape is a "sloted" item, therefore no x2 cost....

Moreover, the "item" is actually two magic items: a vest and a set of Thieves tools. Given that, it's not surprising the total market price is the sum of the tow item's individual market prices.

Vest of Escape: Hidden within secret pockets of this simple silk vest are lockpicks that provide a +4 competence bonus on Open Lock checks. The vest also grants its wearer a +6 competence bonus on Escape Artist checks.

Faint conjuration and transmutation; CL 4th; Craft Wondrous Item, knock, grease; Price 5,200 gp.

What do you know: the item in the DMG follows the pricing guidlines! (mostly!)