Spellcraft Check on making Magic Items

[Eccles]

Is there a spellcraft check when a mage makes a magic item?

And if not, why not?

 

[StealthyMark]

Playbalance reasons. If a player would try to create an item, pays money and XP and fails the Spellcraft check, the item, money and XP would be ruined. This would be no fun and had two results in the long run: No Player would ever create an item, or wait until he always passes this check.

However, there is a chance to waste an item: if the creator is disturbed during creation and has to attack or cast a spell.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

It would be a reasonable house rule to require the crafter to make a check before beginning to create a 'magic formula' for the item.

Creating the formula might take some time. It would also create a new kind of magical 'treasure' for the PCs to find.

 

[kreynolds]

It would be a reasonable house rule to require the crafter to make a check before beginning to create a 'magic formula' for the item.

Actually, someone suggested an idea, and I can't remember who it was, but it was pretty cool.

You make a check when you attempt to create a magic item. If you succeed, you make the item. If you fail, the DM then rolls a percentile, and you either 1) completely fail in creating the item and your time and resources have been wasted, 2) you appear to have created the item, but it's cursed in some way (though you are not aware of it, or 3) The item becomes fully cursed (DM rolls on cursed treasure table) though you believe you created it perfectly.

Pretty neat idea.

 

[Vaxalon]

Under those rules, PC's probably would rarely make items.

 

[kreynolds]

Under those rules, PC's probably would rarely make items.

I don't doubt that, which is why I don't use them, even if I think a set of them is "cool".