The "Price That Magic Item" Game!

[Rystil Arden]

This talk of banning reminds me of when people first laid eyes on the Mystic Theurge. Give it a chance: it might not be as bad as it seems.

In building characters I am finding it awfully difficult, even with the new prices, to tear myself away from the big six.

With those boots if they really give you infinite readied actions to set against the charge, all you need is faster movement than your opponent to ensure that they can never attack you in melee without getting hit by you for double damage first (and then you zonk them on your own turn). Just attack and move away--since you have higher move, they have to charge.

 

[Mistwell]

With those boots if they really give you infinite readied actions to set against the charge, all you need is faster movement than your opponent to ensure that they can never attack you in melee without getting hit by you for double damage first (and then you zonk them on your own turn). Just attack and move away--since you have higher move, they have to charge.

If you are always fleeing, then you are making a standard attack each round and then drawing an attack of opportunity as you flee (unless you have feats or skills to try and avoid it). Which also means even your readied action is just making up for a lost attack you could have previously had, and you also just moved away from your party and gotten smacked by a charge, or else face a ranged attack. That doesn't sound like a winning tactic to me. Useful sometimes, but nothing something you are doing a whole lot.

Not to mention, there are boots that counter this in this same group (they give an extra move). You attack as a standard action and flee to draw a charge, I move as a swift action and then move as a standard action and attack you without a charge, away from your group.

Even with the more powerful interpretation, I do not in any way see this as a bannable item. Expensive, but not bannable.

 

[Cheiromancer]

With those boots if they really give you infinite readied actions to set against the charge, all you need is faster movement than your opponent to ensure that they can never attack you in melee without getting hit by you for double damage first (and then you zonk them on your own turn). Just attack and move away--since you have higher move, they have to charge.

It's the Perfect Combo!

 

[Destil]

Not to mention, there are boots that counter this in this same group (they give an extra move). You attack as a standard action and flee to draw a charge, I move as a swift action and then move as a standard action and attack you without a charge, away from your group.

Even with the more powerful interpretation, I do not in any way see this as a bannable item. Expensive, but not bannable.

My problem is they change the dynamics of combat far too much for my liking. 1/day I wouldn't have a problem with, but it's too easy as written.

 

[Mistwell]

Okay, enough time has passed for the guessing and discussion on this group I think. Here are the published prices:

GROUP ONE "THINGS FOR YOUR FEET"

1. Sandals of Sprinting - 3xday swift action to gain +30 enhancement bonus to land speed (max double your speed) until start of your next turn. 2,300 gp.

2. Boots of Sidestepping - 3xday swift action extra 5-foot step. Can use even if already moved, and doesn't prevent movement after use (even a regular 5' step). 6,000 gp.

3. Boots of Agile Leaping - Constant +Dex to Jump checks instead of Strength. If you have at least 5 ranks in Balance, constant stand up from prone as swift action, and standing from prone doesn't provoke attack of opportunity. 600 gp.

4. Cloudwalker Anklets - Constant Air Walk (as spell), can benefit from effect even if wildshaped. 50,000 gp

5. Acrobat Boots - Constant +2 tumble checks. 3 charges/day enhancement bonus to land speed for 1 rd. Bonus depends on charges you expend: 1 charge = +10, 2 = +15, 3= +20. 900 gp.

6. Skirmisher Boots - 2xday make single extra melee or ranged attack using full BAB, after having moved at least 10 feet from space you started turn (mount movement doesn't count). Also, if you have the skirmash special ability (scout), constant +2 damage when skirmishing. 3,200 gp.

7. Quicksilver Boots - 2xday swift action to move up to your land speed (as if using a move action, but not taking your move action), and gain concealment against Attacks of Opportunity caused by that movement, and can move over liquid without falling into it as long as you start and end the movement on solid ground. 3,500 gp.

8. Boots of the Battle Charger - 2xday make charge attack as a standard action instead of full-round action. Can only move your speed, not double your speed. Must make the attack in the round you activate the boots. Also, if you have a magic item that grants enhancement bonus to Dex, you can move across terrain and through squares occupied by allies when making this standard action charge. 2,000 gp

9. Boots of Swift Passage - 5 x day move action to teleport without error up to 20 feet in any direction (need line of sight and effect, can't be an object or creature in destination, cannot bring other creatures with you). 5,000 gp

10. Steadfast Boots - Constant +4 bonus on checks to avoid bull rush, overrun, or trip. Also, if carrying two-handed weapon, constant treatment as if readied weapon against a charge (double damage if you hit), even if weapon cannot normally be set against charges. 1,400 gp.

By the way, on that last item, the caster level is 3rd, the appropriate character level is 5th, and the prerequisite is bull's strength. These are some of the reasons I think it does not grant an actual extra readied action, just the option to use your weapon as readied against a charge if you actually readied an action as normal to begin with. It just doesn't seem to involve anything along the power of things that benefit speed, or extra moves or actions, in the prerequisites or the pricing or the level.

Okay, so after some discussion about how outrageous or reasonable these prices are, the next group will be THINGS TO WEAR ON YOUR WAIST.

I'd love it if someone could calculate who was overall closest in guessing, and who was closest on the most number of items. I do not have the math patience for such a calculation. It's not necessary, I just thought it might be fun.

 

[Slaved]

1. Sandals of Sprinting - 3xday swift action to gain +30 enhancement bonus to land speed (max double your speed) until start of your next turn. 2,300 gp.

Very odd price. I thought they were trying to make less useful items on the cheap.

Expedius retreat boots, constantly active: 4kgp

Constant +30 enhancement bonus to movement without the double limitation.

I know that not all spells make a decent price using the guidelines but that one is probably more or less ok.

I might actually get the expedius boots, depending on the build, but not those sandals.

 

[Mistwell]

Very odd price. I thought they were trying to make less useful items on the cheap.

Expedius retreat boots, constantly active: 4kgp. Constant +30 enhancement bonus to movement without the double limitation.

No sane DM would allow such an item at anywhere near that price, however.

I know that not all spells make a decent price using the guidelines but that one is probably more or less ok.

In bizzaro world maybe. You think a constant +30 move to speed for 4k is reasonable?!? It's three times the bonus of Boots of Striding and Springing, for a lower price than that item!

 

[Slaved]

You think a constant +30 move to speed for 4k is reasonable?!? It's three times the bonus of Boots of Striding and Springing, for a lower price than that item!

Boots of striding and springing give +10' and +5 to jump, plus they are overpriced. +5 to jump is 2500gp base, +10' is based off of longstrider and so it 2000gp, multiplying the smaller cost by 1.5 gives a total cost of 5500gp so the formula works out but they are certainly not worth that price tag.

4kgp is kindof reasonable. A bit on the high side though.

The movement bonus is nice but not that great. It just does not do that much. It is also of the most common type for speed boosting.

Occasionally useful while normally not doing much of anything. Fits right in with the situational items that were getting reduced for this book.

2300 for +30 for up to 3 rounds in a single day and each use costing an action? Overpriced by an order of magnitude.

 

[hong]

Always-on 60' movement is awesome for any skirmishing build, including those involving blast spells.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Always-on 60' movement is awesome for any skirmishing build, including those involving blast spells.

Who needs 60' movement when you can have those ridiculous Quicksilver Boots for 3500? That item is so terribly priced that I must be reading it wrong somehow...Are they really trying to make it that easy to get extra actions and full attacks? Have they not learned from 3.0 Haste For that price, I'd buy 5, one for each battle with a spare pair left over. You'll hardly need to use its abilities more than that, though it is nice for more than just dashing through everything to get to your target and then killing them with an opening full attack.

I agree with Mistwell on the Steadfast Boots--with the given prereqs and pricing, it would make no sense to grant infinite readied actions as well.