Pricing an Item

[Greenfield]

I'm pretty sure this is a sensitive topic here, as it has been on every other forum I've ever seen. Still, I'd like to tap your collective wisdom.

The party Cleric in our game (D&D 3.5), at 6th/7th level, has decided to start making healing items.

His idea is a simple armband that can cast a Cure Moderate once per day.

By the book, it would be Spell level x Caster level x 1800 / 5.

That works out to 2x3x1800/5, or 2,160 GP each.

But as we all know, that formula is a guideline, and far from absolute. So what would you do for a price?

Ancillary question: Presume he added the limitation that it affected the wearer only, meaning you couldn't use on on an unconscious ally since they can't activate it. What discount would you give?

Additionally, what slot should be considered "normal" for such an item (since "wrong slot" increases the cost.) Or is this naturally slotless?

 

[Rhun]

Well, a healing belt from the MIC costs 750gp, and it is more powerful than a single Cure Moderate Wounds per day, though it is limited to the wearer. So I wouldn't pay any more than maybe 500-600gp for an item that allows a single Cure Moderate Wounds per day on the wearer.

2,160 might be alright for allowing the wearer to use the Cure Moderate Wounds on himself or another once per day...though it still sounds a little high.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

For such items, I think the important point is to keep the "per day" limitation firmly in mind.

Do not allow unlimited use curing items - unless, of course, you *want* parties to be at full health in every fight.

For my own purposes, I'm kind of okay with healing to full between fights and having fewer, larger fights per adventuring day. But it's a different way of handling things that has numerous knock-on effects.

 

[Greenfield]

Thanks for the tip on Healing Belt. I don't have the Magic Item Compendium though, so I'm a bit unsure on the specifics.

As I understand it, for 750 GP you get up to 6 dice of healing per day, wearer only.

The question is, is that invoked 6 times, one dice each, or can you heal a couple dice at a time?

 

[Rhun]

Thanks for the tip on Healing Belt. I don't have the Magic Item Compendium though, so I'm a bit unsure on the specifics.

As I understand it, for 750 GP you get up to 6 dice of healing per day, wearer only.

The question is, is that invoked 6 times, one dice each, or can you heal a couple dice at a time?

It can be invoked three times per day for 2 dice each time, twice per day for 3 dice each time, or once per day for four dice.

 

[Rhun]

Also, note that for 750gp you could get a Wand of Cure Light Wounds w/50 charges (average 5.5 points healing per charge), or a Wand of Lesser Vigor w/50 charges (11 points healing per charge). If you are just looking for out-of-combat healing, it is hard to beat a Wand of Lesser Vigor.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

It can be invoked three times per day for 2 dice each time, twice per day for 3 dice each time, or once per day for four dice.

To expand on Rhun's explaination, Magic Item Compendium intruduced (or at least, made good use of) the daily charges system that many of the magic items in this book use. The belt has three charges that are renewed at dawn. You may choose to spend one, two or all three charges at a time. Activating a charge is a standard action and you can touch an ally or yourself to channel positive energy (or hurt an undead). 1 charge heals 2d8, which you can choose to do 3 times a day. 2 charges heals 3d8, which you can do once, and then have a single charge left over. 3 charges at once heals 4d8 in one shot, but that's it for the day.

As an aside, it also grants a +2 bonus to heal checks while you wear the belt.

All this for 750gp.

The idea behind these charge items (this belt and others in the book) is to make sure that there are definite limits on the number of times per day the magic item works, but still provide some fleaxability on how you choose to use it.

The prices in Magic Item Compendium are figured differently than the prices for DMG magic items. The introduction on page 3 of that book explains the thinking behind the changes, sort of a D&D 3.75 version of magic items.

So, to answer your question as to how much to price an item, the answer is it depends on which book you use as your model. Find a simmilar-styled item that already exists and price it simmilarly, or talk with your DM.

 

[Wyvernhand]

Do not allow unlimited use curing items - unless, of course, you *want* parties to be at full health in every fight.

Whats wrong with this? Past about level 3, access to unlimited or nearly unlimited OOC healing is really easy to aquire, and even from level 1 on its not terribly difficult.

As a side effect, it gives the DM a more even baseline to gauge combat challenge against, which isn't a bad thing. Its not like there aren't other consumable resources such as spells and /day item charges that will be taxed by encounters. Did you use your Anklets of Translocation already twice, and all 3 charges on your Belt of Battle? Tough cookies, you still have one more encounter today!

Another side effect, is that it allows players to play what they WANT, not what the party NEEDS. I remember my days back in 1e and 2e, we used to roll off on who had to play the cleric this time. Nobody wanted to play without one, but nobody wanted to be one. It was tedius and boring for the player to serve as mobile bandaide box for the rest of the party. 3e and 3.5 specifically introduced a fair number of mechanics to allow for much easier OOC healing. This means that nobody HAS to play the cleric, and that the cleric of war can spend more time buffing and swinging and the cleric of the elements can spend more time blasting with fire and lightning and the cleric of trickery can spend more time sneaking and beguiling. It empowers players by removing the requirement for the role, if nobody wants to fill it. You CAN still be a good healer, if you desire, and the party can spend those resources on other things, but its nice to know the option NOT to is there.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Whats wrong with this?

Nothing, obviously - provided you don't mind your players being at full health in every fight.

I don't mind that, and I adjust for its effects on my game.

If you aren't going to adjust for it, it may throw off your encounter design.

And there is a small, but non-zero, difference between "an initial cost which provides unlimited benefits thereafter" (a comman-word activated, at-will, permanent cure stick) and "a small, largely-trivial-after-awhile cost whic provides situationally limited benefits thereafter" (stocking up on wands of lessor vigor every now and then).