Talk to me about item crafting

[jodyjohnson]

...during the crafting both spells, spider climb and web, must be cast once each per day.

Just a quick note here. You actually don't cast the spells during crafting (which would expend material components and XP components). The spells are expended (probably not the official word). You lose them but they are not cast.

The XP and material component costs are worked into the item separately if needed (especially scrolls and potions).

 

[Hussar]

From the DMG, the best and most popular wondrous items are probably the six stat boosters - amulet of health, gloves of ogre power/belt of giant strength, gloves of dexterity, cloak of charisma, headband of intellect and periapt of wisdom. The minimum caster level for these is 8th (or 10th for the belt), /snip

Also note, that the caster level is not actually a requirement for creating an item. That is the average caster level of any item you find - so you can determine how hard it is to dispel and the like. Caster Level is not a prerequisite for item creation.

 

[der_kluge]

Also note, that the caster level is not actually a requirement for creating an item. That is the average caster level of any item you find - so you can determine how hard it is to dispel and the like. Caster Level is not a prerequisite for item creation.

Right. Unless you're making a construct. Right.

Er, unless it requires a spell of a certain level. But otherwise, dead on.

And unless there are level requirements for the feat itself, of course.

But otherwise, yea, Hussar is spot on.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Right. Unless you're making a construct. Right.

Which, you'll note, actually specifies "caster must be at least 11th level" in the prereqs section (for a Clay Golem).

Er, unless it requires a spell of a certain level. But otherwise, dead on.

Again, covered by acutally listing the spell.

And unless there are level requirements for the feat itself, of course.

If you don't have the feat, then the prereqs don't matter. If you do have the feat, the level requirement for the feat (for instance, CL 3 for Craft Wondrous Item) is not itself a limit; you can make CL 1 wondrous items.

But otherwise, yea, Hussar is spot on.

Har, har; I know you really like your system (and, apparently, so do a lot of other people), but there's no need to spread misinformation.

 

[Delta]

Right. Unless you're making a construct. Right.
Er, unless it requires a spell of a certain level. But otherwise, dead on.
And unless there are level requirements for the feat itself, of course.
But otherwise, yea, Hussar is spot on.

Or unless you're playing 3.0, or 3.5 sans errata, or by Skip Williams "Rules of the Game" articles, etc.

Or simply reading directly out of the DMG like the OP is.

 

[Quartz]

Go for Brew Potion rather than CWI. Think of your mage with two bandoleers - one of potions and one of scrolls. To start with your potions should be the stat boosters - Cats Grace etc - and spells like Invisibility.

Don't worry about being a level behind the other characters: you'll make up for it in versatility and usefulness.

There's a big but with Item Creation: speak to your GM to ensure that there's going to be enough downtime between adventures. Nothing sucks more than a feat that you can't use.

If you're going the crafting route, I suggest Craft Wand (Fireball, Lightning Bolt) at 5th level and Craft Wondrous Item at 6th. A trick with wands is to create them with only a few charges, then charge them up fully later.

 

[green slime]

If you're going the crafting route, I suggest Craft Wand (Fireball, Lightning Bolt) at 5th level and Craft Wondrous Item at 6th. A trick with wands is to create them with only a few charges, then charge them up fully later.

No. Never, ever craft offensive wands with spells that require saves. The save DC is far too low: it is set to the minimum of Intelligence to cast the wand (fireball is set to DC 14!)

Wands are best utilized for those utility spells you might need lots of one day (to cover the entire party), but rather wouldn't memorize, or boosts. Good spells for this is water breathing, protection from elements, cures (obviously), shield, knock, and the like.

And that is a kind DM that'll allow you to create a partially charged wand. Not IMC, anyway.

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

If you're going the crafting route, I suggest Craft Wand (Fireball, Lightning Bolt) at 5th level and Craft Wondrous Item at 6th. A trick with wands is to create them with only a few charges, then charge them up fully later.

Maybe I missread something, but I always believed that you crafted a charged item fully powered. I thought you could only buy a partial discharged item. And where are the rules for recharging wands? I've wanted to do that for ages.

 

[Li Shenron]

I'm playing a wizard in a new campaign. We just reached 3rd level, and I'm trying to decide what feat to take. I was considering Craft Wondrous Item.

Go ahead and treat me like I don't know anything. I've read the feat description and the DMG section on crafting wondrous items, but I'd like to see someone else explain it.

So tell me about item crafting. How does it work? Is it something my character can do at this level or will I have to wait until I'm higher level for it to be beneficial? What constitutes a wondrous item? Can I craft multiple-use items, or only single-use?

I've you've never used the item creation rules before, I suggest you start with SIMPLE things.

You can craft any item under the DMG "Wondrous items" section, and similar section from other books.
Focus on those listed items rather than coming up with totally new items.

Crafting an item will cost you: HALF the market price, an amount of XP equal to 1/25 of the market price, and 1 day every 1000gp of value.

So I suggest:

1) consider how much money you can afford to spend (or will be able to afford after a reasonable amount of time)
2) take a look at the master list of wondrous items, and find a bunch of items within your cost range (remember that it will cost you HALF the market price)
3) go to the individual items' descriptions and see if you like any of them; take a look at the prerequisite spells

If you like an item but don't have the prerequisite spells, but the spells are anyway on the Wiz/Sor list, you can either try to buy a scroll/wand or plan to learn that spell when you level up.

Then when you want to craft the item you will spend the gp and xp, and (normally) you just use each day of downtime for crafting the item. In 3.5 those days need not be consecutive, so it should be relatively easy to craft even the most expensive items. At 3rd level anyway, your items will be cheap and take only a few days to craft...
2)

 

[Evilhalfling]

Right, so I worked up this list for E6 (a version of D&D that caps level advancement at 6th level)- see House Rules Forum. It my be helpful to you when considering taking a craft feat at low levels.

Here is a list of all minor wondrous items (in dmg) that require only spells
3rd lvl or lower to create.
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Elixir of love 150 gp
Unguent of timelessness 150 gp
Dust of tracelessness 250 gp
Elixir of hiding 250 gp
Elixir of sneaking 250 gp
Elixir of swimming 250 gp
Silversheen 250 gp
Elixir of truth 500 gp
Bag of tricks, gray 900 gp
Hand of the mage 900 gp
Bracers of armor +1 1,000 gp
Cloak of resistance +1 1,000 gp
Pearl of power, 1st-level spell 1,000 gp
Phylactery of faithfulness 1,000 gp
Salve of slipperiness 1,000 gp
Elixir of fire breath 1,100 gp
Pipes of the sewers 1,150 gp
Dust of illusion 1,200 gp
Brooch of shielding 1,500 gp
Necklace of fireballs type I 1,650 gp
Dust of appearance 1,800 gp
Hat of disguise 1,800 gp
Pipes of sounding 1,800 gp
Amulet of natural armor +1 2,000 gp
Horn of fog 2,000 gp
Robe of bones 2,400 gp
Sovereign glue 2,400 gp
Boots of elvenkind 2,500 gp
Boots of the winterlands 2,500 gp
Candle of truth 2,500 gp
Cloak of elvenkind 2,500 gp
Scarab, golembane 2,500 gp
Necklace of fireballs type II 2,700 gp
Stone of alarm 2,700 gp
Bag of tricks, rust 3,000 gp
Chime of opening 3,000 gp
Horseshoes of speed 3,000 gp
Rope of climbing 3,000 gp
Dust of disappearance 3,500 gp
Lens of detection 3,500 gp 57
Bracers of armor +2 4,000 gp
Cloak of resistance +2 4,000 gp
Gloves of arrow snaring 4,000 gp
Restorative ointment 4,000 gp 68
Pearl of power, 2nd-level spell 4,000 gp
Circlet of persuasion 4,500 gp 7
Slippers of spider climbing 4,800 gp
Bracers of archery, lesser 5,000 gp
Helm of comprehend languages and read magic 5,200 gp
Vest of escape 5,200 gp
Eversmoking bottle 5,400 gp
Sustaining spoon 5,400 gp
Boots of striding and springing 5,500 gp
Wind fan 5,500 gp
Amulet of mighty fists +1 6,000 gp
Horseshoes of a zephyr 6,000 gp
Pipes of haunting 6,000 gp
Gloves of swimming and climbing 6,250 gp
Circlet of blasting, minor 6,480 gp
Horn of goodness/evil 6,500 gp
Bottle of air 7,250 gp
Periapt of health

Medium Items
Bracers or armor +3
Amulet of NAC +2
Boots of haste
Cloak of Arcadia
Minor cloak of displacement
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