Alternate Craft Systems. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate Craft Systems. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AT-AT Assault
04-22-06, 12:50 AM I've heard of some magic item crafting systems that didnt use XP as the fuel. Could anybody post some links? That would be appreciated.
Lawrence
04-22-06, 01:11 AM Not sure, but this might qualify for Unearthed Arcana thread over general...but since you don't know where the things are, that might not matter.

Unearthed Arcana had a few systems for making crafting quicker, but I think it kept the xp costs.

If you find a xp-less system however, let me know!
Art_Tillary
04-22-06, 08:10 PM No help here, but I had been thinking about it.

I have seen proposals that involve players having to get rare materials, do great deeds for others, and such. That doesn't turn me on though. It sounds way to easy for a DM to "just" give the stuff as an adventure to the PCs.

I was talking with a designer from Game Mechanics last year and he had heard a rumor that WotC was rethinking the XP for spells & magic items. I'd expect a special book at some point with a PrC that doesn't use XP.

I think that the XP rule is good (but not perfect) at balanceing creation vs power, but does have problems.

Problems I have with the XP to power magic items are a few, but I can only think of one at the moment.

1) - gamer's footprint -- If I have just leveled up, I can't make magic items because it would take me back under the XP level for my new level. One day I can make a magic item, the next day after killing an Orc I can't make the magic item but can cast another spell. I don't see a good in game reason to explain the effect of this rule, hence the footprint. I'd change that to you can't use more XP than was needed to level up for current or next level. So, a second level character (with 1,001 XP) could use up to 1,000 XP immediately to make items.

2) Living campaigns (RPGA) - I notice that the RPGA doesn't allow characters to use XP to make magic items in unlimited amounts. They have nerfed the rule, saying that if you make to many items you have to retire your character. This is not a matter of not having the XP, but of just gaming the math. A character could keep on making items under the rules to keep their level down. But, they'd be very powerful because of all the magic items they have. Solutions would be to instead of taking XP away, add it to their ECL via a phantom class. So, you'd be 5th level (sor2, ftr1 plus 2 levels of magic items).

Other alternatives to the system. You can only tie up so much of your XP in magic items. You don't lose XP, but until the item is used up or destroyed, you can't make more items than your XP total can support. Or maybe the XP never returns. Hence making magic items is much more limited.

Of interest look at this thread:

Using Total XP to determine ECL (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=383140)

Spendable XP (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=408921)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AT-AT Assault 04-22-06, 12:50 AM	I've heard of some magic item crafting systems that didnt use XP as the fuel. Could anybody post some links? That would be appreciated.
Lawrence 04-22-06, 01:11 AM	Not sure, but this might qualify for Unearthed Arcana thread over general...but since you don't know where the things are, that might not matter. Unearthed Arcana had a few systems for making crafting quicker, but I think it kept the xp costs. If you find a xp-less system however, let me know!
Art_Tillary 04-22-06, 08:10 PM	No help here, but I had been thinking about it. I have seen proposals that involve players having to get rare materials, do great deeds for others, and such. That doesn't turn me on though. It sounds way to easy for a DM to "just" give the stuff as an adventure to the PCs. I was talking with a designer from Game Mechanics last year and he had heard a rumor that WotC was rethinking the XP for spells & magic items. I'd expect a special book at some point with a PrC that doesn't use XP. I think that the XP rule is good (but not perfect) at balanceing creation vs power, but does have problems. Problems I have with the XP to power magic items are a few, but I can only think of one at the moment. 1) - gamer's footprint -- If I have just leveled up, I can't make magic items because it would take me back under the XP level for my new level. One day I can make a magic item, the next day after killing an Orc I can't make the magic item but can cast another spell. I don't see a good in game reason to explain the effect of this rule, hence the footprint. I'd change that to you can't use more XP than was needed to level up for current or next level. So, a second level character (with 1,001 XP) could use up to 1,000 XP immediately to make items. 2) Living campaigns (RPGA) - I notice that the RPGA doesn't allow characters to use XP to make magic items in unlimited amounts. They have nerfed the rule, saying that if you make to many items you have to retire your character. This is not a matter of not having the XP, but of just gaming the math. A character could keep on making items under the rules to keep their level down. But, they'd be very powerful because of all the magic items they have. Solutions would be to instead of taking XP away, add it to their ECL via a phantom class. So, you'd be 5th level (sor2, ftr1 plus 2 levels of magic items). Other alternatives to the system. You can only tie up so much of your XP in magic items. You don't lose XP, but until the item is used up or destroyed, you can't make more items than your XP total can support. Or maybe the XP never returns. Hence making magic items is much more limited. Of interest look at this thread: Using Total XP to determine ECL (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=383140) Spendable XP (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=408921)