Crafting Magic Items Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Crafting Magic Items Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dracspero
11-20-05, 10:55 AM Hi all,

I have a couple questions resulting from my looking at the warlock and wondering about magic item creation prior to 12th level, which they should be able to do since they have the required caster levels.

1. Can spell-like abilities (e.g. warlock's invocations) be used in place of actual spells for creation of magic items?

2. What are the standard requirements (i.e. any spells) for a skill enhancing item. For example, what would be involved in crafting an item that gives +10 to Use Magic Device, and what location (headband?) would have the affinity?

Opinions, logic, and links are all welcome. :-)

Thanks.
Tyler Do'Urden
11-20-05, 02:23 PM 1. If it duplicates an actual spell, then absolutely.

2. Skill bonus items vary so widely, you can't make any generalizations about them. They don't all require ranks in the skill, they don't all require spells, boots of elvenkind only require that you be an elf.
For Use Magic Device, I'd say read magic, 5 ranks in Use Magic Device, and make it a headband. It's a fairly potent skill, so I'd be tempted to price it at bonus squared times 110 gp.
Jaid
11-20-05, 02:28 PM i don't believe invocations can generally replace any prerequisite of spells.

the standard requirements for any custom item are whatever the DM decides they include.

generally speaking, any spells that the item duplicates are required, as is the appropriate feat(s). any spells that are in some way related to the item may also be used as prerequisites, as the GM likes.

and generally speaking, for items that grant skill bonuses, they tend to require the crafter to have a number of ranks equal to the bonus they are trying to give. so for example, an item that gives a +10 competence bonus to UMD would generally require 10 ranks in UMD, the appropriate craft feat (probably wondrous item or ring), and anything else the DM deems appropriate.

i don't know of anything that would explicitly have the appropriate affinity slot, but if i was to houserule one i would say gloves (as you typically must handle the item), or just say that you must either make it as a ring or suffer non-affinity. i suppose you could argue it is a mental improvement though, so that could work i guess.
Kendrick
11-20-05, 06:35 PM on UMD:

Check out the Spellsight Spectacles. They cost 2500 gp, and they give 2 +5 competence bonuses to specific uses of skills, rather than a straight competence bonus. (Which tells you that bonuses to those two skills are worth significantly more than bonuses to other skills). For a +5 bonus to one out of 8 uses of UMD, you're paying 1250 gp, which is 50 gp * bonus squared. Multiply it by 8 to get the cost of a straight bonus, and you're paying 400 gp times bonus squared. Given how powerful UMD is, you'll be lucky if you can get a DM to permit it at all, but if he does, that's the minimum price you should expect.

An item that gives a straight bonus to UMD should be crafted as glasses/goggles, a headband, or a ring, and it should cost at least 400gp * (bonus squared).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dracspero 11-20-05, 10:55 AM	Hi all, I have a couple questions resulting from my looking at the warlock and wondering about magic item creation prior to 12th level, which they should be able to do since they have the required caster levels. 1. Can spell-like abilities (e.g. warlock's invocations) be used in place of actual spells for creation of magic items? 2. What are the standard requirements (i.e. any spells) for a skill enhancing item. For example, what would be involved in crafting an item that gives +10 to Use Magic Device, and what location (headband?) would have the affinity? Opinions, logic, and links are all welcome. :-) Thanks.
Tyler Do'Urden 11-20-05, 02:23 PM	1. If it duplicates an actual spell, then absolutely. 2. Skill bonus items vary so widely, you can't make any generalizations about them. They don't all require ranks in the skill, they don't all require spells, boots of elvenkind only require that you be an elf. For Use Magic Device, I'd say read magic, 5 ranks in Use Magic Device, and make it a headband. It's a fairly potent skill, so I'd be tempted to price it at bonus squared times 110 gp.
Jaid 11-20-05, 02:28 PM	i don't believe invocations can generally replace any prerequisite of spells. the standard requirements for any custom item are whatever the DM decides they include. generally speaking, any spells that the item duplicates are required, as is the appropriate feat(s). any spells that are in some way related to the item may also be used as prerequisites, as the GM likes. and generally speaking, for items that grant skill bonuses, they tend to require the crafter to have a number of ranks equal to the bonus they are trying to give. so for example, an item that gives a +10 competence bonus to UMD would generally require 10 ranks in UMD, the appropriate craft feat (probably wondrous item or ring), and anything else the DM deems appropriate. i don't know of anything that would explicitly have the appropriate affinity slot, but if i was to houserule one i would say gloves (as you typically must handle the item), or just say that you must either make it as a ring or suffer non-affinity. i suppose you could argue it is a mental improvement though, so that could work i guess.
Kendrick 11-20-05, 06:35 PM	on UMD: Check out the Spellsight Spectacles. They cost 2500 gp, and they give 2 +5 competence bonuses to specific uses of skills, rather than a straight competence bonus. (Which tells you that bonuses to those two skills are worth significantly more than bonuses to other skills). For a +5 bonus to one out of 8 uses of UMD, you're paying 1250 gp, which is 50 gp * bonus squared. Multiply it by 8 to get the cost of a straight bonus, and you're paying 400 gp times bonus squared. Given how powerful UMD is, you'll be lucky if you can get a DM to permit it at all, but if he does, that's the minimum price you should expect. An item that gives a straight bonus to UMD should be crafted as glasses/goggles, a headband, or a ring, and it should cost at least 400gp * (bonus squared).