xp loss and wizards keeping up

[fl8m]

I'm playing my first wizard under 3rd edition and have just hit 4th level. I plan on taking craft wonderous item as my bonus feat at 5th level. however, i'm concerned about the xp loss of creating items, i'm already behind 22pts from scrolls and with the advent of cloaks of resistance, bracers of armor, amulets of natural armor, etc.... i can just see my xp total dropping further and further behind the rest of the party. I understand i can't drop my experience level enough to actually lose a level and the cash required for these items is another limiting factor.

still my question is have any of you run into this problem? is everybody's item making character a level or 2 below the average? should i skip the item creation feats and go straight metamagic to avoid the exp loss?

 

[Dagger75]

I wouldn't worry about it

If your whole group all gets the same amount of xp, the worst that will happen to you is they will level one week, you would level the next week.

My group has 2 characters that make magic items, they are making the +5 stuff and once you get that high a 1000xp is almost nothing.

I also have a house rule, re-roll your hit points for the leve but it costs you 100 xp each roll. They spend close to 500 -1000 each time they level for hit points.

So I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[bret]

Assuming that you are making items for others as well as yourself, the group should support you in making items. Making items for others should help finance expanding your spellbook and creating other items.

As for the XP cost, unless you go overboard it shouldn't pose a problem. You might also inquire with your GM about the optional rule in the DMG for having power components that provide some of the XP needed for enchantment. If he uses something like that, the group could look for such items when someone wants a particular item created.

 

[Victim]

Don't die. If other characters die, and the wizard doesn't, then you catch up on XP.

I found this method to be both simple and effective.

 

[Bonedagger]

It has been discussed here.

 

[AuraSeer]

IMC, we don't receive experience every session. Since we only level upon returning to town (every month or two), the DM saves up all the XP, and awards it to us in one lump. Up 'til now we've always made the next level by a wide margin, so even though the sorcerer has spent XP on some items, he's still the same level as everyone else.

 

[Thanee]

Don't die. If other characters die, and the wizard doesn't, then you catch up on XP.

I found this method to be both simple and effective.

But what if the other characters also follow this strategy?

Anyways, we are using the FRCS XP system, which allows the characters, that have a lower character level (be it because of character death, magic item creation, multiclass penalties, or whatnot) to catch up with the ones ahead.

Sure, it somewhat defies the purpose of these penalties, but they can still be felt for some time (just eventually you'll get back to your full ability, which you would have had without the penalty), so that's not a bad thing, really.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

There are two ways of looking at it, the unselfish way and the selfish way.

From the unselfish POV, that experience is well spent on creating items that help the party as a whole. That will more than make up for you being very slightly less effective in combat.

From the selfish POV, that experience is well spent if it gives to cash to buy protective items for yourself.

Either way, you win.

Let's take an extreme example. Suppose you spend 10% of your xp on creating magic items. At 10th level, when everyone else has ~50k xp you have ~45k xp. So you were a little slower to reach 10th, and you will be a little slower to reach 11th. On the plus side, you have effectively gained 62,500 gp of custom magic items. From a minmax POV, that should be a win for you.

When I play a wizard, I am always enthusiastic to make items for my comrades, and I give them a 10% discount. That translates into being paid 10 gp per 1 xp spent on items. I think that is a good deal on both sides.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Let's take an extreme example. Suppose you spend 10% of your xp on creating magic items. At 10th level, when everyone else has ~50k xp you have ~45k xp. So you were a little slower to reach 10th, and you will be a little slower to reach 11th. On the plus side, you have effectively gained62,500 gp of custom magic items. From a minmax POV, that should be a win for you.

When I play a wizard, I am always enthusiastic to make items for my comrades, and I give them a 10% discount. That translates into being paid 10 gp per 1 xp spent on items. I think that is a good deal on both sides.

I gave a better dicount(25%) and I still consider it a big win. More money to buy stuff for me(protective and cool gear), and the party was better equiped to keep things from killing me.

 

[fl8m]

thanks for the link to the other thread.

Since we are actually playing drow and my "party members" have already stolen the only magic item we've run into(i was unconsious and the monk swallowed the magic ring), I do think I'll charge full market price if they'd like any specific items created by me. even if i am behind on exp i'll have twice the money giving me twice the equipment, seems like a fair trade off.