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When DC 15 just doesn't cut it...
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<blockquote data-quote="Jack Simth" data-source="post: 2962270" data-attributes="member: 29252"><p>Well, staves already use the wielder's relavant ability score and feats (as well as caster level, if it's higher than the staff's), so a simple formula on a Heightened spell as the higher spell level should deal with staves (in the hands of primary spellcasters, anyway - Bards and Rogues with UMD are still going to have issues). </p><p></p><p>For other items....</p><p></p><p>We have an item that comes in two versions: Slaying Arrow/Greater Slaying arrows; DC 20/23, market prices 2,282 / 4,057. Hmm. Requires Finger of Death / Heightened Finger of Death. Caster level 13, price for a masterwork arrow is, what, 7 gp/arrow? So the enchantment would then be 2,275/4,050. </p><p></p><p>Finger of Death is Sor/Wiz 7; minimum casting stat 17, a +3 modifier, leading to the DC 20. 2,275/(13*7)=25; 4,050/25=162=2*3*3*3*3; a 9th level Finger of Death would leave a caster level of 18 for the arrow, price wise - which is curious, normally, it would be 17 - would have a DC of 10+9+4=23 (as listed). </p><p></p><p>A Superb Slaying Arrow (DC, oh, 25 say) should then be as a 10th level spell (ignorning the epic *10 for a moment) and require a casting stat of 20 (+5) and would need a caster level of 19 (extrapolating from non-epic progressions on spells, that is); 19*10*25=4,750 gp. DC 28 would take, what, a 12th level spell equivalent, caster level 23, stat mod +6, for 6,900; DC 31 would be 14th, 27th, +7: 9,450 gp. DC 34 16th, 31st, +8: 12,400 gp (this is for the enchantment, and doesn't include the cost of the arrow).</p><p></p><p>Pipes of Pain: DC 14 would be a 3rd level spell with a minimimum casting stat; list price is 12,000 gp. 4,000 gp per spell level. Listed caster level is 6th, and... hmm. Doesn't divide readily; "base" value looks to be 666 and two thirds. Working with that, DC 31 would be 14th, 27th, and +7 for 252,000 gp (again, ignoring the Epic *10 modifier).</p><p></p><p>Eyes of Petrification: DC 19, caster level 11, 6th level spell, 98,000 gp. "base" price seems to be 1484.8484...., so for DC 31 (14th spell level, 27th caster level) would be 561,272.72.... (ignoring the Epic *10 modifier).</p><p></p><p></p><p>As for changing the +1/+2/+3/+whatever equivalent abilities? I don't know of anything official; if we reverse-engeneer the above, and take a look at the prices on the enchantments of things....</p><p></p><p>+1: 2,000</p><p>+2: 8,000</p><p>+3: 18,000</p><p>+4: 32,000</p><p>+5: 50,000</p><p>+6: 72,000</p><p>+7: 98,000</p><p>+8: 128,000 </p><p>+9: 162,000</p><p>+10: 200,000</p><p></p><p>Well, really, it's the same overarching order as the wondrous items - O(n^2); a Dagger of Venom is priced as a +2 Dagger; as it has a +1 Enhancement bonus of it's own, the DC 14 (3rd level spell) 1/day free action Poison effect is a +1 equivalent enhancement. If we shrug and say each +1 is equivalent to +3 spell levels, then each +1 adds 4.5 to the save DC.</p><p></p><p>Check with different item: the Life Drinker has a 40,000 gp cost tacked onto the price of the masterwork axe; closest price is +4 at 32,000 gp, with an 8,000 gp offset. DC 16 would be a 4th level spell (which Enervation is). The Greataxe itself is a +1 Weapon, so... hmm. We have pricing for a +3 equivalent, plus 8,000 gp. Hmm.... that doesn't fit the earlier hypothesis. But then, the Lifedrinker has a continuous effect (each strike) whereas the Dagger of Venom is once/day. That might be worth, say, a +1 or +2 Equivalent, with the 8,000 being change for the distinction between the 3rd and 4th level spell.... pattern could work. </p><p></p><p>Then the question, of course, becomes: is a +1 equivalent balanced as a +4.5 to the save DC of a selected special ability on the item?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Oh, and if you're shooting off five Sleep Arrows each round, there's that pesky 1 that keeps coming into the equation; a 5% chance of knocking your opponent unconscious has a slightly meaningful probability of occurrence after three or four rounds.... assuming all the arrows hit.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jack Simth, post: 2962270, member: 29252"] Well, staves already use the wielder's relavant ability score and feats (as well as caster level, if it's higher than the staff's), so a simple formula on a Heightened spell as the higher spell level should deal with staves (in the hands of primary spellcasters, anyway - Bards and Rogues with UMD are still going to have issues). For other items.... We have an item that comes in two versions: Slaying Arrow/Greater Slaying arrows; DC 20/23, market prices 2,282 / 4,057. Hmm. Requires Finger of Death / Heightened Finger of Death. Caster level 13, price for a masterwork arrow is, what, 7 gp/arrow? So the enchantment would then be 2,275/4,050. Finger of Death is Sor/Wiz 7; minimum casting stat 17, a +3 modifier, leading to the DC 20. 2,275/(13*7)=25; 4,050/25=162=2*3*3*3*3; a 9th level Finger of Death would leave a caster level of 18 for the arrow, price wise - which is curious, normally, it would be 17 - would have a DC of 10+9+4=23 (as listed). A Superb Slaying Arrow (DC, oh, 25 say) should then be as a 10th level spell (ignorning the epic *10 for a moment) and require a casting stat of 20 (+5) and would need a caster level of 19 (extrapolating from non-epic progressions on spells, that is); 19*10*25=4,750 gp. DC 28 would take, what, a 12th level spell equivalent, caster level 23, stat mod +6, for 6,900; DC 31 would be 14th, 27th, +7: 9,450 gp. DC 34 16th, 31st, +8: 12,400 gp (this is for the enchantment, and doesn't include the cost of the arrow). Pipes of Pain: DC 14 would be a 3rd level spell with a minimimum casting stat; list price is 12,000 gp. 4,000 gp per spell level. Listed caster level is 6th, and... hmm. Doesn't divide readily; "base" value looks to be 666 and two thirds. Working with that, DC 31 would be 14th, 27th, and +7 for 252,000 gp (again, ignoring the Epic *10 modifier). Eyes of Petrification: DC 19, caster level 11, 6th level spell, 98,000 gp. "base" price seems to be 1484.8484...., so for DC 31 (14th spell level, 27th caster level) would be 561,272.72.... (ignoring the Epic *10 modifier). As for changing the +1/+2/+3/+whatever equivalent abilities? I don't know of anything official; if we reverse-engeneer the above, and take a look at the prices on the enchantments of things.... +1: 2,000 +2: 8,000 +3: 18,000 +4: 32,000 +5: 50,000 +6: 72,000 +7: 98,000 +8: 128,000 +9: 162,000 +10: 200,000 Well, really, it's the same overarching order as the wondrous items - O(n^2); a Dagger of Venom is priced as a +2 Dagger; as it has a +1 Enhancement bonus of it's own, the DC 14 (3rd level spell) 1/day free action Poison effect is a +1 equivalent enhancement. If we shrug and say each +1 is equivalent to +3 spell levels, then each +1 adds 4.5 to the save DC. Check with different item: the Life Drinker has a 40,000 gp cost tacked onto the price of the masterwork axe; closest price is +4 at 32,000 gp, with an 8,000 gp offset. DC 16 would be a 4th level spell (which Enervation is). The Greataxe itself is a +1 Weapon, so... hmm. We have pricing for a +3 equivalent, plus 8,000 gp. Hmm.... that doesn't fit the earlier hypothesis. But then, the Lifedrinker has a continuous effect (each strike) whereas the Dagger of Venom is once/day. That might be worth, say, a +1 or +2 Equivalent, with the 8,000 being change for the distinction between the 3rd and 4th level spell.... pattern could work. Then the question, of course, becomes: is a +1 equivalent balanced as a +4.5 to the save DC of a selected special ability on the item? Oh, and if you're shooting off five Sleep Arrows each round, there's that pesky 1 that keeps coming into the equation; a 5% chance of knocking your opponent unconscious has a slightly meaningful probability of occurrence after three or four rounds.... assuming all the arrows hit. [/QUOTE]
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