My Magic Item Creation Rules (Spin-Off Topic)

[Bendris Noulg]

Continued from My Campaign's Item Creation Feats, so as not to derail the topic...

Incidentally, I think its rather shortsighted to require the spell-caster to mix his own ink, forge his own weapons, and make his own robes which he will then use for the purpose of enchanting.

No, it's actually long sighted.

It's one thing to say that a campaign is "item light", but steps have to be taken to ensure that the PCs don't (or, more to the point, can't) do anything to change that fundamental principle. If the PCs are suddenly mass-producing items, than they become significantly more powerful than the challenges being set forth unless those challenges start to also bring in such elements. Of course, once that happens, it's no long an "item light" game.

Most wizards are rather eccentric and egotistical because of their high intellect, and from an intellectual standpoint its far better to let the dwarf weaponsmith make the weapons, the alchemist to mix his inks, and the people working the looms make his robes.

Okay, don't take this personally, because this is aimed at egocentrical Wizards:

Get over it!

Now forcing the wizard to go on a quest to get the requisite materials, I agree with that, and if a wizard (or more likely a sorceror) wants to make his own base item, thats cool too. I don't think all item enchanters are necessarily item crafters.

Depends. In Aedon, they are. If they're not, they aren't enhancing any items.

 

[Technik4]

Well, hey if thats how you like to do things, then I hope it works out for you. Incidentally I had a rogue/wizard who insisted on crafting most of his items out of leather, however he would pay someone else! to do the enchanting. His take was anyone can do the requisite enchanting, it was a formulaic matter that took too much time from adventuring and crafting things out of leather. He was also borderline psychotic and CN, but thats a different story.

My criticism boils down to this: D&D 3rd Edition was designed to give more options to players and dms alike, by restricting item crafters to make their own items from scratch, you limit their options, and in my opinion will have less people willing to experiment with item creation in general.

Technik

 

[Bendris Noulg]

My criticism boils down to this: D&D 3rd Edition was designed to give more options to players and dms alike, by restricting item crafters to make their own items from scratch, you limit their options, and in my opinion will have less people willing to experiment with item creation in general.

Quite the contrary, my friend, as they still have plenty of options. However, choosing these options becomes far more critical of a choice.

And yes, there will be less item creation occuring, as that's indeed the intended purpose.

 

[FireLance]

You could houserule that any spellcaster that makes the pre-requisites can make any item, but at double the GP and XP cost. Given the core D&D economics (silly though they may be - but that's another thread), you would actually be better off buying the item from a "trained" crafter (same GP cost, and no XP cost). However, if a spellcaster wants to make an item in secret, or if there are no other spellcaster capable of doing what he wants, it is possible for him do it without spending a feat, but at a prohibitively high cost.