New magic Item, what should it cost (my players stay out)

[Mapleaxe]

I'm starting a new campaign this weekend with a couple of friends. Among the groups that their going to tangle with is a serpent cult. I've got an idea for a fairly simple magic item that some members of the cult will own (thereby making it easier to identify them), but I'm not sure how much the item should cost or what the caster level should be.

The magic item would be a pendant in the shape of an ourorboros worn on a chain around the neck (and usually hidden under clothes). The pendant would grant the wearer the ability to talk to serpents of serpent-related creatures (yuan-ti, ophidians, etc.) as a Speak with Animal or Tongues spell 3/day and the ability to Charm Person 1/day.

Any ideas how I should price this out?

 

[Goobermunch]

I'm basing caster level and spell levels off of the bard list since tongues is 2nd level for them and speak with animals is 3rd.

Bards get their first 3rd level spell at 7th level.

7*3*1800 (CL*SL*1800 for command word activated)= 37800
37800/(5/3)= 22680
That gets you the communication part . . .

Plus, we'll call Charm Person a similar ability, so we add 75% of its price.

7*1*1800=12600
12600/5=2520 (1/day)
2520*.75=1890

22680+1890=24570.

Base Price (and market value) is 24570.
Cost to Create is 12285 + 983xp.

--G

 

[Feyd Rautha]

I'm basing caster level and spell levels off of the bard list since tongues is 2nd level for them and speak with animals is 3rd.

Bards get their first 3rd level spell at 7th level.

7*3*1800 (CL*SL*1800 for command word activated)= 37800
37800/(5/3)= 22680
That gets you the communication part . . .

Plus, we'll call Charm Person a similar ability, so we add 75% of its price.

7*1*1800=12600
12600/5=2520 (1/day)
2520*.75=1890

22680+1890=24570.

Base Price (and market value) is 24570.
Cost to Create is 12285 + 983xp.

--G

I don't have the creation rules memorized, but I think there is a caveat for "limited" powers. Since the communication spells only work on snakes and Yuan-ti then wouldn't the cost be lower? What about the "Tongues" being replaced with "knows Draconic" instead?

Anyway... It would be expensive still (charm person 1/day is almost enough for that), but not THAT expensive because it's not infinitely useful... Definitely not as useful as a ring of invisibility (20k gold).

Peace,

 

[Mapleaxe]

Hey, thanks.

I didn't realize when I originally posted the the SRD had such a detailed set of guidelines for item cost.

I've calculated the cost based on a wizard's spell list as approximately 17,550 gp, which makes it too expensive for cult flunkies. I may have to tone it down a bit, probably dropping the speaking with serpents ability which will greatly reduce the cost.

 

[jodyjohnson]

I'd take the 2520gp for Charm 1/day and then add the speaking part from a different direction.

Since you could learn to speak, understand and read a language for 2 skill points I'd go with the cost for a +2 skill item (+2^2x200gp).

With 3 uses per day = 800*2/5 or 320gp.

So 800gp for an Amulet of Speaking [x] or less for an item with limited uses. Combined with an item of Charming [x] I'd use the least beneficial modifier since it increases the power of Charm.

Should be much closer to being available to lower level characters. The prereqs could still be Tongues or Comprehend but it doesn't give all the abilities of those spells.