Creating new rods [Archive] - Wizards Community

Creating new rods [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
dragynson1
03-06-07, 03:58 PM As a pc, i can tell how to create new wands, new staves, new weapons and armors even new Wondrous items. I have not yet figured out how to go about creating new rods.
Rods in the dmg and in most sourcebooks have some of the funkiest powers. They seem to be a cross between weapons, staves and misc magic items with powers thrown in no spell can replicate. It seems rods can do anything any other magic item can according to the various powers and abilities the printed ones have. the only difference ebtween them and staves is anyone can use rods and the caster level doesnt change all spell levels are available. Lets nto forget rods can be inteligent also.
For instance there is no pricing the rod of lordly might per formula, or the rod of absorbtion. The metamagic rods defy all pricing formula
Anyway my main question is how would you go about creating new rods that have effects similair to those in print alrd, how would you price them formaically?. What rods are possible.
InkBlot
03-06-07, 04:38 PM How do you price them formuliacaly? You simply don't. You and your DM work out a price you can both agree on as fair, based on the price of similar magic items. Also consider what level anyone would be able to have access to the item (according the the Dungeon Master's Guide's wealth-by-level table on page 134).

The magic item pricing table on page 285 of the DMG is merely a guideline. Whenever it fails, use the above method.
RavenDrake
03-06-07, 07:54 PM Despite being segregated into thier own category, Rods are really just an extension of Wonderous Items(or a mix of Wonderous item and Specific Weapon in many cases). None of their functions would be overpowered on a wonderous item of the same price, they just got lumped together as "rods" because of nostalgia. "Rod of Lordly Might" sounds much cooler and more iconic than "Six Weapon Stick". While they get the bonus of not requiring body slots, they can bascially be seen as "Wonderous Items that would look silly if activated from your body."

Many rods also function as weapons, so a good place to start is simply to shop around for a similar wonderous item and add the weapon value(if any) to the wonderous item value(adjusted for being slotless if not already, of course).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
dragynson1 03-06-07, 03:58 PM	As a pc, i can tell how to create new wands, new staves, new weapons and armors even new Wondrous items. I have not yet figured out how to go about creating new rods. Rods in the dmg and in most sourcebooks have some of the funkiest powers. They seem to be a cross between weapons, staves and misc magic items with powers thrown in no spell can replicate. It seems rods can do anything any other magic item can according to the various powers and abilities the printed ones have. the only difference ebtween them and staves is anyone can use rods and the caster level doesnt change all spell levels are available. Lets nto forget rods can be inteligent also. For instance there is no pricing the rod of lordly might per formula, or the rod of absorbtion. The metamagic rods defy all pricing formula Anyway my main question is how would you go about creating new rods that have effects similair to those in print alrd, how would you price them formaically?. What rods are possible.
InkBlot 03-06-07, 04:38 PM	How do you price them formuliacaly? You simply don't. You and your DM work out a price you can both agree on as fair, based on the price of similar magic items. Also consider what level anyone would be able to have access to the item (according the the Dungeon Master's Guide's wealth-by-level table on page 134). The magic item pricing table on page 285 of the DMG is merely a guideline. Whenever it fails, use the above method.
RavenDrake 03-06-07, 07:54 PM	Despite being segregated into thier own category, Rods are really just an extension of Wonderous Items(or a mix of Wonderous item and Specific Weapon in many cases). None of their functions would be overpowered on a wonderous item of the same price, they just got lumped together as "rods" because of nostalgia. "Rod of Lordly Might" sounds much cooler and more iconic than "Six Weapon Stick". While they get the bonus of not requiring body slots, they can bascially be seen as "Wonderous Items that would look silly if activated from your body." Many rods also function as weapons, so a good place to start is simply to shop around for a similar wonderous item and add the weapon value(if any) to the wonderous item value(adjusted for being slotless if not already, of course).