New FAQ at Wizards - Behind the Screen with magic item creation

[Artoomis]

I'm still right; you're still wrong; nyah!

By caveats, I mean: "Pick the method for determining what you mean when you say, 'no lower than that needed for the spells needed.'"

For instance, CLW may be cast by Druids and Clerics at CL 1 and by Bards, Paladins, and Rangers at CL 2.

When you create the scroll / ring / whatever, what's the minimum CL?

That depends on who is casting it, I think. In this case, minimum would be CL 1 if a druid or cleric contributed the spell, or 2 otherwise.

Thats independent of who the creator is.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Right - but it's never explicitly called out that one must use that method for determining the minimum CL.

Is CL 1 enough to cast cure light wounds? Obviously, it is; I know lots of people that do it all the time.

 

[Artoomis]

Right - but it's never explicitly called out that one must use that method for determining the minimum CL.

Is CL 1 enough to cast cure light wounds? Obviously, it is; I know lots of people that do it all the time.

Perhaps there is wiggle room for that view, but it seems pretty clear that minimum caster level required for a spell can NEVER be independent of who the caster is since some classes can cast it at different levels.

In other words, minimum caster level for a spell is class-specific.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Seems pretty clear so far. Anyone can cast the spells needed, or they can be off of scrolls, and the caster level can be no lower than that needed for the spells required.

While I think it's a good rule of thumb the following items in the DMG will disagree.


Wondrous in the SRD/DMG.

Periapt of Wound Closure: ... 6th level spell
Moderate conjuration; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, heal; Price 15,000 gp.

Lyre of Building: ... 5th level spell
Faint transmutation; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, fabricate; Price 13,000 gp;Weight 5 lb.

Horseshoes of Speed: ... 3rd level spell
Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, haste; Price 3,000 gp;Weight 12 lb. (for four).

Horn of the Tritons: ... 5th level spell
Moderate conjuration and transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, fear, summon monster V, control water, creator must be a triton or get construction aid from a triton; Price 15,100 gp; Weight 2 lb.

Goggles of Minute Seeing: ... 5th level spell
Faint divination; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, true seeing; Price 1,250 gp.

Eyes of the Eagle: ... 3rd level spell
Faint divination; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, clairaudience/clairvoyance; Price 2,500 gp.

Elixir of Vision: ... 5th level spell
Faint divination; CL 2nd; Craft Wondrous Item, true seeing; Price 250 gp.

Cloak of Displacement, Minor: ... 3rd level spell
Faint illusion; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, displacement; Price 24,000 gp;Weight 1 lb.

Boat, Folding: ... 5th level spell
Faint transmutation; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, fabricate, creator must have 2 ranks in the Craft (shipmaking) skill; Price 7,200 gp;Weight 4 lb.


One Staff
Life: ... 7th level spell
• Heal (1 charge)
• Raise dead (5 charges)
Moderate conjuration; CL 11th; Craft Staff, heal, resurrection; Price 155,750 gp.


Rings
Mind Shielding: ... 3rd level spell
Faint aburation; CL 3rd; Forge Ring, nondetection; Price 8,000 gp.

Wizardry: ... 7th level spell
Moderate (wizardry I) or strong (wizardry II–IV) (no school); CL 11th (I), 14th (II), 17th (III), 20th (IV); Forge Ring, limited wish; Price 20,000 gp (I), 40,000 gp (II), 70,000 gp (III), 100,000 gp (IV).

X-Ray Vision: ... 5th level spell
Moderate divination; CL 6th; Forge Ring, true seeing; Price 25,000 gp.


Weapon ability
Returning: ... 5th level spell
Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinesis; Price +1 bonus.

 

[Artoomis]

While I think it's a good rule of thumb the following items in the DMG will disagree.


Wondrous in the SRD/DMG....

Well, it appears they broke their own rules. Go figure.

 

[dcollins]

Well, it appears they broke their own rules. Go figure.

I agree. When they mangled the rule that "For other magic items the caster level is determined by the item itself", all these caster levels became nonsensical.