It is an obvious premise of the game that magic items are made somewhere
by someone or something. A properly run campaign will be relatively
stringent with respect to the number of available magic items, so your players
will sooner or later express a desire to manufacture their own. Do not tell
them how this is to be accomplished! In order to find out, they must consult
with a sage (q.v.) or a high level character of the proper profession, the latter
being detailed a bit hereafter.
Magic items are made by high level magic-users, except those items which are
restricted to clerics and special racial items and books, artifacts and relics.
Books (including tomes, librams and manuals), artifacts, and relics are of
ancient manufacture, possibly from superior human or demi-human
technology, perhaps of divine origin; thus books, artifacts, and relics cannot
be made by players and come only from the Dungeon Master. Dwarven and
elven manufactured items — the +3 dwarven war hammer, certain other
magic axes and hammers, cloaks and boots of elvenkind, magic arrows,
magic bows in some cases, and even some magic daggers and swords — are
likewise beyond the ken of player characters of these races. Only very old,
very intelligent and wise dwarves and elves who have attained maximum level
advancement are able to properly forge, fashion, and/or make these items
and have the appropriate magicks and spells to change them into special
items — i.e., these items are likewise the precinct of the DM exclusively.
This still leaves an incredible range of magic items which player characters
can aspire to manufacture. It is a sad fact, however, that these aspirations
must be unsatisfied until the player character achieves a level of ability which
is one greater than nominal highest level — high priest, druid, wizard,
illusionist. That is, a player character must be at least an 11th level high priest,
an archdruid, a 12th level wizard or an 11th level illusionist in order to
manufacture magic items (except with respect to potions and scrolls, as will be
discussed hereafter). Furthermore, a player character may manufacture only
those items particular to his or her profession or items which are usable by
professions not able to so make magic items only. Thus, a cleric is unable to
fashion a wand usable by magic-users or illusionists, a magic-user cannot
manufacture a clerical magic item, etc. There is a further prohibition upon
clerics regarding the making of items which are prohibited to their profession
or which are of opposite alignments; this restraint does not extend into the
sphere of magic-users as a class. Thus, clerics cannot manufacture magic
swords, though magic-users can.
Manufacture Of Potions:
Potions may be made by any magic-user of 7th level or above, if he or she
enlists the aid of an alchemist (q.v.). At levels above the 11th, such assistance is
no longer mandatory, although it will reduce the amount of money and time
the player character must spend making the potion by 50% of the
compounding/infusing time normally required, as the alchemist will be so
employed instead.
In order to begin manufacture of a potion (and they may be made only one
at a time), the magic-user must have a proper laboratory with fire-place,
workbench, brazier, and several dozen alembics, flasks, dishes, mortar and
pestle, basins, jugs, retorts, measuring devices, scales, and so forth! Such
implements are not easily obtained, being found only at alchemical shops or
produced upon special orders by stone masons, potters, glass blowers, etc.
Initial outlay for the creation of a workshop, assuming that the place already
has a fireplace, would cost between 200 and 1,000 g.p. This cost is based on
the relative availability of the tradesmen and goods necessary to complete the
work room and stock it properly. The DM may certainly require a greater
expenditure if the campaign has inflation and/or shortages. In addition,
upkeep of the laboratory requires a further monthly outlay of 10% of the total
cost of the place, exclusive of any special provisions or protections, in order to
stock basic fuel and supplies, replace broken equipment, and so on when the
laboratory is in use. (Note: The place is always in use if the player character
has an alchemist in his or her employ, for the alchemist will continually putter
and experiment, always to no particular end, when not engaged in specific
work for the magic-user.)
In order to avoid the length and complication of separate formulae for each
type of potion, the following simple system is given. Both the cost in gold
pieces and the days of compounding and infusing are determined by use of
the experience points award (as shown on the list of magic items) amounts. If
no experience points are shown, then the potion has a 200 g.p. base for cost
and time determination. The point award for a given potion is also the
amount of gold pieces the magic-user must pay in order to concoct the basic
formula — with rare herbs and spices and even more exotic ingredients. The
number of days required to brew the potion is the same figure, each hundred
or fraction thereof indicating one full day of compounding time to
manufacture the liquid, i.e., 250 x.p. = 250 g.p. basic costs and 3 full days
of time.
Most important to the manufacture of a potion is the substance of its power,
the special ingredient. The list of potions and special ingredients possible is
given for your convenience only. You may opt for any reasonable special
ingredient you deem suitable for a potion, keeping in mind difficulty of
obtaining the material (hopefully high or greater) and its sympathetic
equivalency or relationship to the end result of quaffing the potion.
Poison: Only assassins of 9th or higher level may concoct “potions” of poison
— or any other sort of poison, for that matter. Refer to the section on assassins
for details of special forms of poison. No laboratory or alchemist is needed, but
cost and time are found as if a normal potion was being prepared.
Suggested Special Ingredients For Potions:
Type of Potion Suggested Special Ingredient(s)
animal control organ or gland from representative type or types to
be controlled
clairaudience human or simian thalamus gland or ear from an
animal with keen hearing
clairvoyance human or simian thalamus gland or eye from an
animal with keen sight
climbing insect legs (giant)
delusion* doppleganger flesh or rakshasa ichor
diminution powdered kobold horn and wererat blood
dragon control brain of the appropriate dragon type
ESP mind flayer brain
extra-healing troll blood or hair of a saint**
fire resistance fire elemental phlogiston or salamander scales
flying hippogriff feathers and wyvern blood
gaseous form vampire dust or ogre magi teeth
giant control brain of appropriate giant type
giant strength drops of sweat from appropriate giant type
growth ogre magi gland
healing ogre magi blood or thread of saint’s garment**
heroism heart of lion or similar giant cat
human control vampire eye or nixie blood
invisibility invisible stalker ichor
invulnerability gargoyle horn or lycanthrope skin
levitation beholder eye (from stalk) or will-o-wisp essence
longevity dragon blood and treant sap or elf blood
oil of etherealness shedu fat or demon brain
oil of slipperiness purple worm gland or liver of giant pike
philter of love dryad hair
philter of persuasiveness harpies’ tongues or devil tongue
plant control shrieker spores and umber hulk eye
polymorph (self) mimic skin or succubus hair
poison special
speed pegasus heart and giant weasel blood
super-heroism giant wolverine blood and minotaur heart
sweet water water elemental eye or triton blood
treasure finding gold dragon scale and six different powdered gem
stones
undead control dust of freshly destroyed spectres or vampire brain or
ghost ectoplasm or lich tongue
water breathing water naga blood or nixie organs
* Alternatively, a 5% to 20% failure percentage can be assigned to all potion
manufacture, and those which are failures become delusion potions of the sort
which was being attempted, i.e., animal control, flying, etc.
** Possible only if a cleric compounds the potion.
Manufacture of Scrolls:
Scrolls are exceptional in that they are simply storage space for spells of one
sort or another. Clerics, druids, magic-users, and illusionists inscribe scrolls with
spells applicable to their particular professions. Protection spells are scribed by
either magic-users or clerics, the determination being as follows:
Clerical Protection Spells Magic-User Protection Spells
DEVILS DEMONS
POSSESSION ELEMENTALS
UNDEAD LYCANTHROPES
MAGIC
PETRIFICATION
Curse scrolls can be made by any sort of spell user noted above.
Scrolls may be inscribed only by characters of 7th or higher level, and the spells
placed upon the scroll must be of a level which the inscribing character is able to
employ, i.e. a 9th level magic-user could not place a 7th level spell on a scroll.
(Note that the write spell enables the magic-user to inscribe his or her own
reference works so as to be able to read and remember higher level spells than
he or she is currently able to use; it does not enable casting or scroll inscription.)
A scroll of spells may be inscribed only upon pure and unblemished papyrus,
parchment, or vellum — the latter being the most desirable. Any mistake will
doom the effort to failure. A fresh, virgin quill must be used for each spell
transcribed. The quill must be from a creature of strange or magical nature, i.e.
a griffon, harpy, hippogriff, pegasus, roc, sphinx of any sort, and similar
monsters you elect to include (demons, devils, lammasu, etc.).
The material upon which the scroll of spells is to be written can be purchased at
the following cost guidelines:
papyrus, per sheet 2 g.p. and up +5% chance of failure
parchment, per sheet 4 g.p. and up ±0% chance of failure
vellum, per sheet 8 g.p. and up −5% chance of failure
The type of material used will affect the likelihood of successful transcription,
as listed above. Special quills cannot normally be purchased, for only
common goose or similar feather instruments are available in shops. The
would-be inscriber must arrange for the special writing tools as he or she can.
Ink is a very special requirement. Scroll spell ink, just as the ink for detailing
spells in spell books, is compounded only by the inscriber from secret and
strange ingredients. The basic medium should be sepia from a giant squid or
ink from a giant octopus. To this liquid must be added blood, powdered gems,
herbal and spice infusions, draughts concocted from parts of monsters, and so
on. An example of a formula for the ink required to scribe a protection from
petrification spell is shown below:
1 oz. giant squid sepia
1 basilisk eye
3 cockatrice feathers
1 scruple of venom from a medusa’s snakes
1 large peridot, powdered
1 medium topaz, powdered
2 drams holy water
6 pumpkin seeds
Harvest the pumpkin in the dark of the moon and dry the seeds over a
slow fire of sandalwood and horse dung. Select three perfect ones and
grind them into a coarse meal, husks and all. Boil the basilisk eye and
cockatrice feathers for exactly 5 minutes in a saline solution, drain, and
place in a jar. Add the medusa’s snake venom and gem powders. Allow
to stand for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Pour off liquid into bottle, add
sepia and holy water, mixing contents with a silver rod, stirring
widdershins. Makes ink sufficient for one scroll.
Other ink formulas will be devised similarly according to the dictates of the
DM. Ingredients should suit the overall purpose of the ink. It is recommended
that each different spell to be transcribed require a different ink compound
— clerical spells requiring more venerated and holy materials, druid spells
being basically rare roots and herbs in infusions, and so on. Garments,
wrappings, dust, sweat, tears, teeth, fangs, organs, blood, and so forth are
all ideal components.
Once material, quill, and ink are ready, the spell scriber must actually write
the magical runes, glyphs, symbols, characters, pictograms, and words upon
the surface of the scroll. Transcription must be from his or her scroll books or
upon an altar (for clerics and druids). Special candles and incense must be
burning while the inscription is in progress. Clerics must have prayed and
specially sacrificed to their deity, while magic-users must have drawn a magic
circle and remain uninterrupted. PREPARATION REQUIRES ONE FULL DAY
FOR EACH LEVEL OF THE SPELL BEING SCRIBED ON THE SCROLL. A 1st level
spell takes one day, a 2nd level spell two, etc. Time so spent must be
continuous with interruptions only for rest, food, sleep. and the like. If the
inscriber leaves the scroll to do anything else, the magic is broken, and the
whole effort is for naught.
Failure: There is a basic 20% chance that a mistake, smudge, or flaw in the
scroll will make the spell useless. To this base chance is added 1% per level
of the spell being inscribed, so that total failure chance is from 21% to 29%,
minus the level of the character attempting to write the spell. Thus, if a 14th
level cleric is attempting to write a 7th level spell on a parchment scroll, the
failure chance is 20% + 7% − 14% = a 13% chance. After the requisite
materials and preparations have been taken care of, the player character
must then spend the full time necessary to inscribe the scroll spell. Thereafter,
a percentile dice roll greater than the percentage chance of failure equals
success.
If multiple spells are being scribed, a failure of one means that no further
spells may be placed upon the scroll. In any event, a maximum of seven
spells may be written on a single scroll. As a spell is read from the scroll, its
letters and figures writhe and glow, the magic is effected, and then the lines
fade and are gone forever. (In order for a magic-user or illusionist to
transcribe a heretofore unknown spell from a scroll to his or her books, a
read magic and then a period of time equal to that necessary to place the
spell on the scroll are required; this likewise causes the spell to disappear
from the scroll.)
The scriber of the spell does not need a read magic spell to use his or her own
scroll spells, just as clerics and druids never need the aid of magic to read
appropriate scroll spells.
Fabrication Of Other Magic Items:
All of the various other magic items will require the use of the magic spell,
enchant an item, save clerical items.
With respect to the former, you must determine which spells and ingredients
are necessary to the manufacture of each specific magic item. For example, a
player character wizard of 15th level desires to make a ring of spell storing.
He or she commissions a platinumsmith to fashion a ring of the finest quality,
and pays 5,000 g.p. for materials and labor. He or she then casts the enchant
an item spell according to the PLAYERS HANDBOOK instructions. As DM,
you now inform him or her that in order to contain and accept the spells he or
she desires to store in the device, a scroll bearing the desired spells must be
scribed, then a permanency spell cast upon the scroll, then the scroll must be
merged with the ring by some means (typically a wish spell). As all of that
could not be done in time, the ring would have to be prepared with the
enchant an item spell again. Of course, you could tell the player before, if you
are soft-hearted or he or she is intelligent enough to ask before starting the
ball rolling.
The above-mentioned ring of spell storing could be made without the benefit of
a permanency spell, and spells could be stored within, but they could only be
called forth once, and then the ring would be useless. Wands and other
chargeable items do not require permanency, and of course they are used up
when all the charges are gone. Items with a permanent dweomer (such as
weapons, armor, most rings and miscellaneous magic items) do require a
permanency spell to be made continuously operational.
Clerics and druids making an item which is applicable to their profession must
spend a fortnight in retreat, meditating in complete isolation. Thereafter, he or
she must spend a sennight fasting. Finally, he or she must pray over and purify
the item to become magical (this process takes but a day). Of course, the item
must be of the finest quality just as detailed in the enchant an item spell
description. Thereafter the cleric or druid must place the item upon his or her
altar and invoke the direct favor of his or her deity to instill a special power into
the item. There is a 1% per day cumulative chance that the item will then be
empowered as desired, providing the cleric or druid has been absolutely
exemplary in his or her faith and alignment requirements. Furthermore, if the
item is one with charges, the cleric or druid must then take it into seclusion and
cast the requisite spells upon it, doing so within 24 hours of its being favored by
the deity. In other cases, the item need only be sanctified to the appropriate
deity in order to complete its manufacture.
In all cases, the manufacture of any magic item other than a potion or scroll
will be so debilitating as to necessitate the maker to rest for one day for each
100 g.p. of the item’s experience point value, i.e. one with a 2,000
experience point value means 20 days of complete rest. During this period,
the character can do nothing except eat, rest, undertake mild exercise, and
sleep — all in relative isolation. No adventuring or spell use is possible during
this period!
Fabrication Of Magic Items By Illusionists:
Though different spells are employed, the process of fabrication of magic items
which illusionists use is not really very different from that used by magic-users. It
is almost exactly similar as regards costs in both time and money. Some
processes are also nearly identical, such as the making of scrolls, which may be
done at the 7th level and up.
At the 11th level illusionists may be able to create one-shot or charged magic
items, things without a permanent dweomer, such as potions or a wand of
illusion, for example. Such items are really merely storehouses of magical
energy which can be released in various ways. Like any other spell-caster, the
illusionist must fashion the item out of rare and expensive materials, but instead
of using enchant an item to prepare the item to receive its enchantment, the
illusionist uses major creation to subtly alter its structure in a magical direction
so that it can receive and retain the necessary spells. During the next 16 hours
after casting the major creation, the illusionist instills the primary initial
dweomers into the item, and if his concentration is interrupted even once during
this period, the item instantly fades and forever disappears, like an illusion that
has been dispelled.
Beginning at 14th level an illusionist may attempt to make items with a truly
permanent dweomer, such as a +1 dagger or a ring of protection, for example.
This entails a similar process to the one described above. The crucial difference
is that after a major creation spell has been used to adjust the material object,
an alter reality must be cast to fix it permanently in place and make it able to
contain a permanent magic. Thus, with a great expense in time, money and
preparation, major creation, alter reality and true sight spells, and an unflawed
gem worth not less than 10,000 g.p., an illusionist might be able to create a
gem of seeing.
The basic thing to remember if details are in question is that illusionists are a
sub-class of magic-users, and except for what has been outlined above, what
applies to magic-users applies to illusionists as well.
Fabrication Of Magic Items By Charmed Or Enslaved Magic-
Users:
It is absolutely necessary that you take note that any sort of charmed, magically
persuaded, or otherwise enslaved magic-user will be totally unable to function
in such a manner as to allow the fabrication of any sort of magic item — scroll,
potion, or otherwise. The discipline and concentration demanded by such
activity absolutely precludes individuals of this sort from manufacturing magic
items. If a player character should attempt to have such a character fabricate
items, allow the usual amounts of time and money to be expended, and then
inform him or her that the results are negative. If the player character opts to
have the enslaved individual continue, say nothing, but the attempts will
continue to be fruitless.
NON-STANDARD MAGIC ITEMS
There are two considerations respecting non-standard magic items. The first is
your invention and inclusion of them in your campaign, and this is expected
and encouraged. You should put your imagination and inventiveness to work
this way. Standard items can be varied so as to make it more interesting when
your players are familiar with the usual forms. New devices can be created to
add freshness and new dimensions to the game. Special magic items can be
devised to complement some special situation or to serve as a special reward
for overcoming some special monster or difficult area. All such creations,
however, must be made with care. The items must be such as to not unbalance
the game. They must not make one player character too strong, either with
respect to opponents or his or her fellows or to the campaign or to the game
system as a whole. Items which are expended after a single use, those with
limited usages, and those with variable effects are most desirable. As it is very
likely that every campaign will have its special items, the second consideration
comes up.
Other referees will not generally know what special powers or restrictions
such items have. Thus, they will not be usable in campaigns other than that
from which they came in most cases. You, as a referee, should simply cause
any such items brought into your campaign to disappear. Never take a
player’s word for any item. Do not allow its use in your campaign unless you
know his or her DM and get a full explanation in writing from that person
which details the properties of the item. Do not allow a player to bulldoze you
in any manner regarding this. Simply inform the person that he or she must
have left the item in his or her former area, as it is not around in yours! This
solves the problem of having a possible imbalance brought into your carefully
designed campaign. This ties directly to the section dealing with
INTEGRATION OF EXPERIENCED OR NEW PLAYERS INTO AN
EXISTING CAMPAIGN (q.v.).
Note: Altered form of a standard AD&D item is not a new or non-standard
item, i.e., a cap which causes its wearer to be invisible is the same as a
ring of invisibility.
