Save DCs on items

[apesamongus]

OK, I'm running a bit of an overpowered game, but I think this would happen to a lesser degree in any game that goes to higher levels. Basically, the saving throw DCs for item abilities suck. They're based on the minimum score necessary to cast the spell, so anything that has a chance against the high stated, focused, buffed caster is going to laugh at most items.

Now, I'm not talking about wands, as you can use a staff to get much the same effect with a better DC, but things like a dagger of poison look like a big waste as you go up in levels, and that shield enchantment that causes a flash of light seems like a total waste of a +1 equivalent once you get to mid-levels.

Is there any official/semi-official way to jack the DCs of items (the items themselves, not feats/PrCs that let you use them better)? Also, is there any balance reason you couldn't have a "cast spell X/day" item that functioned like a staff (using caster level and stat)? It seems a bit odd to have character ability affect a spell being cast entirely by an item, but the stunning weapon enchantment in DMG2 works that way, so it's not toally out of line.

 

[comrade raoul]

This bothers me too. I think it mainly comes up with weapon and armor enhancements that are priced equivalent to an enhancement bonus: these should have about the same utility throughout a character's life, the way an attack or damage bonus does. As you point out, fixed DC enhancements obviously don't.

One solution is to convert all of the prices of these abilities from bonus equivalents to fixed prices, the way they converted many of the armor enhancements. Since fixed price enhancements use a smaller portion of a character's total resources as the character grows more experienced, they don't have to scale. Another solution, which I also like and which is more like the one you're looking for, is to peg the DC to the wielder's level, the way they peg the DC of lots of feats and class abilities.

As a first pass, I'd set the DC for effects like this at 10 + half the wielder's character level + the wielder's Charisma modifier. (Charisma seems balanced and, since it's the key ability for Use Magic Device, is a good conceptual fit.) If the DC for an item effect is supposed to seem unusually high or low, I'd increase or reduce the base DC by up to 4 points. (The disruption ability is an example here; DC 14 is low for its level, and the disruption effect is intended to be easy to save against, so I might reduce the base DC by 4. On the other hand, I'd use the full normal DC for a dislocator weapon's ability, and a substantially increased DC for a coup de grace weapon.)

 

[Joker]

There is a feat in either the Epic Level Handbook or Unearthed Arcana, I don't quite remember which although I think it's in the former.

It allows you to pick an Item Creation Feat. From then on all the items you create (with that feat) use your ability modifier to determine the save DC.

Sorry, don't know the name of the feat. I have the memory capacity of a horny chipmunk.

 

[Sravoff]

Why not have characters *ive* something in order to use magic items? Like a dagger of poison could deal con damage, prolly too much, or nonleathal damage. This would help with the reason why the DC increases.

Dagger of Venom
This dagger, when hits deals poison damage in addition to its normal damage. Poison deals 1d4 str/1d4 con per point of con the wielder takes from activating the ability. The DC is 10 +1/2 character level+con bonus or 14, whichever is higher.

May need a different type of DC formular or something. This would also bee cool looking. The dagger uncoils and attaches itself to the character....

Prolly a +1 enhance ment.

-Sravoff