Similar Abilities

[interwyrm]

When creating magic items, you get a discount on abilities if they are similar. However, there aren't really very good guidelines for what is similar... so let me ask the peanut gallery.

Item one:
Helm of Clarity:
Detect thoughts at will
Clairvoyance 1/day
Detect scrying 1/day
Intelligence bonus +2


Item two:
Greater Helm of Clarity:
Detect thoughts at will
greater scrying 1/day
mind blank 1/day
intelligence bonus +6


So the question is, do I get the discount on these items, or is it full price?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Full price.

A good rule of thumb to determine whether or not two abilities should be considered "similar" is: Can I benefit from them both at once?

A staff has multiple similar abilities, because all the spells within it draw from the same pool of charges. Thus, a charge used to power a Magic Missile spell cannot also be used to power a Fireball; the charges, and therefore the abilities that draw on them, are similar.

An ability to Detect Thoughts at will can be used in conjunction with the Intelligence bonus. Therefore, they are not similar.

The ability to cast Greater Scrying 1 / Day and Mind Blank 1 / Day can be used simultaneously. They are not similar. The ability to cast Greater Scrying or Mind Blank 1 / Day would probably be similar.

Another good rule of thumb when determining whether two abilities are similar is, "They aren't."