Alternate magic item system [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate magic item system [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
codexia
09-11-05, 11:15 AM Didn't get any reply's to this in Houserule or Equipment sections...so lets try magic ^^; Need to find out if this is balanaced so I can actually run my new game next week. Anyway...in my campaign, I want a different way of creating Magic Items. I have a system set up...I'm just not sure if it will work. If it's balanced, or even if it's a good idea at all. Let me know what you think =/

Masterwork and Alchemy DC: 20 + 2/level

Masterwork Tiers for Weapons
Tier 1: +1 attack <2,000>
Tier 2: +2 attack <4,000>
Tier 3: +3 attack <8,000>
Tier 4: +4 attack <16,000>
Tier 5: +5 attack <32,000>

Masterwork Tiers for Armor
Tier 1: -1 Check Penalty <500>
Tier 2: -2 Check Penalty <1,000>
Tier 3: -3 Check Penalty <2,000>
Tier 4: -4 Check Penalty <4,000>
Tier 5: -5 Check Penalty <8,000>

Mastercraft Tiers for Weapons
Tier 1: +1 damage <1,000>
Tier 2: +2 damage <3,000>
Tier 3: +3 damage <6,000>
Tier 4: +4 damage <12,000>
Tier 5: +5 damage <24,000>

Mastercraft Tiers for Armor
Tier 1: +1 AC <1,000>
Tier 2: +2 AC <2,000>
Tier 3: +3 AC <4,000>
Tier 4: +4 AC <8,000>
Tier 5: +5 AC <16,000>

Slots in Weapons cost 1,000 per level. Armor is 500 per level. Slots can only be placed into a weapon or armor with a craft rating equal to or higher then the enchantment slot. (A slot for +1 enchantments would need a Work/Craft of +1/+1). Once a slot is filled with an orb, the enhancement from crafting is gone until the orb is removed. Magical orbs can be removed and inserted into other items without repurchasing the orb. Orbs can only be placed in one type of slot. Orbs designed for weapons are round. Orbs designed for armor are square. Wondrous items do not contain orbs, and cannot be interchanged.

The powers of a slot will not stack (having two +1 orbs doesn't work, although a +1 orb and a Flaming orb will). Different sized weapons have different slots, as well as different sized armor. Light shields have room for 1, medium 2, and tower 3. Light armor is 1, medium 2, heavy 3. Light weapons have 1, one handed 2, two-handed 3. Arrows and Bolts cannot be enchanted alchemicaly, but there are pre-made alchemical arrows (in various books).

Alchemical Items: Can be placed in any slot. These function as magical items, except that they do not remove the +1/+1 granted by your crafted weapons. Alchemical orbs cost 1,000 gold pieces, and require a DC 25 alchemy check to create. Ask the DM for specifics if you want an alchemical version of a weapon or armor enchantment. Not all enchantments can be made through alchemy.

Chances for finding orbs in items:
1-90% - No slots
91-94 – 1 slot
95-97 – 2 slots
98-99 – 3 slots
100 – 4 slots

Chances for type of slot:
1-90% - +1
91-94 – +2
95-97 – +3
98-99 – +4
100 – +5

Chance for filled slot:
1-79 – No
80-85 - Alchemical
86-90% - +1
91-94 – +2
95-97 – +3
98-99 – +4
100 – +5

When pricing a weapon or armor, you add it's Masterwork cost + Mastercraft cost + slots. (Example: Long Sword + Masterwork T2 + Mastercraft T1 + (+1) Slot x1 = 3,015 gold)

True Magical Items: Some items are truly magical, and have no slots. These items are double the normal cost. The reason being that an item with orbs in it does not count as a magical item (the orbs do though) so they will not bypass damage reduction. Damage reduction is more powerful in this world, since it is now harder to bypass.

To create a true magic item, you must have that item specially prepared. To prepare a weapon costs 2,000 gold, 1,000 for armor. Preparing does not give it any benefits. Once prepared, you can pay to have the weapon or armor enchanted. You are not required to make your weapon +1 before enchanting. True magical items in this game bypass damage reduction normally.

-----

The biggest problem I have with this system is...not sure what to do about the pricing for Wondrous items, scrolls, wands, etc. Do I double that also...or leave it how it is...*frowns*

Sorry if this is just a nonsense idea, it seemed like a good idea to me when I made it. I'm still new to DMing, trying to make a magic system that fits better with my world (low magic, which is why i'm introducing alchemy and some better masterwork styles so you can get bonuses without magic). Just not sure how balanced this is...
Ace the Dead
09-11-05, 11:43 AM It doesn't seem extrodinarily abusive, excpet for the really low Armor check penalties, although it seems needlessly complicated to me. And that's not so much broken as silly: It shouldn't be possible to swim in fullplate with only a
-2 penalty, no matter how well made the armor is.

If you really like it, see how it holds up durring playtesting.
codexia
09-11-05, 03:07 PM An alternative may just be to use the normal magic system =/ but...a little background might help, I should have put this into the first post I guess.

The campaign world has very rare magic, but I needed someway to give the players ways to upgrade their weapons and armor without magic. The Tiers and Alchemy seemed to be a good way of doing it...but the Tiers themselves are still a bit off =/ If anybody has a better way of doing things, I would appreciate some advice greatly.

The idea I have right now is double the cost of magic items, and use non-magic replacements...like a +1 sword would be the ussual 2000 gold...it just wouldnt be magic =/ Dunno...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
codexia 09-11-05, 11:15 AM	Didn't get any reply's to this in Houserule or Equipment sections...so lets try magic ^^; Need to find out if this is balanaced so I can actually run my new game next week. Anyway...in my campaign, I want a different way of creating Magic Items. I have a system set up...I'm just not sure if it will work. If it's balanced, or even if it's a good idea at all. Let me know what you think =/ Masterwork and Alchemy DC: 20 + 2/level Masterwork Tiers for Weapons Tier 1: +1 attack <2,000> Tier 2: +2 attack <4,000> Tier 3: +3 attack <8,000> Tier 4: +4 attack <16,000> Tier 5: +5 attack <32,000> Masterwork Tiers for Armor Tier 1: -1 Check Penalty <500> Tier 2: -2 Check Penalty <1,000> Tier 3: -3 Check Penalty <2,000> Tier 4: -4 Check Penalty <4,000> Tier 5: -5 Check Penalty <8,000> Mastercraft Tiers for Weapons Tier 1: +1 damage <1,000> Tier 2: +2 damage <3,000> Tier 3: +3 damage <6,000> Tier 4: +4 damage <12,000> Tier 5: +5 damage <24,000> Mastercraft Tiers for Armor Tier 1: +1 AC <1,000> Tier 2: +2 AC <2,000> Tier 3: +3 AC <4,000> Tier 4: +4 AC <8,000> Tier 5: +5 AC <16,000> Slots in Weapons cost 1,000 per level. Armor is 500 per level. Slots can only be placed into a weapon or armor with a craft rating equal to or higher then the enchantment slot. (A slot for +1 enchantments would need a Work/Craft of +1/+1). Once a slot is filled with an orb, the enhancement from crafting is gone until the orb is removed. Magical orbs can be removed and inserted into other items without repurchasing the orb. Orbs can only be placed in one type of slot. Orbs designed for weapons are round. Orbs designed for armor are square. Wondrous items do not contain orbs, and cannot be interchanged. The powers of a slot will not stack (having two +1 orbs doesn't work, although a +1 orb and a Flaming orb will). Different sized weapons have different slots, as well as different sized armor. Light shields have room for 1, medium 2, and tower 3. Light armor is 1, medium 2, heavy 3. Light weapons have 1, one handed 2, two-handed 3. Arrows and Bolts cannot be enchanted alchemicaly, but there are pre-made alchemical arrows (in various books). Alchemical Items: Can be placed in any slot. These function as magical items, except that they do not remove the +1/+1 granted by your crafted weapons. Alchemical orbs cost 1,000 gold pieces, and require a DC 25 alchemy check to create. Ask the DM for specifics if you want an alchemical version of a weapon or armor enchantment. Not all enchantments can be made through alchemy. Chances for finding orbs in items: 1-90% - No slots 91-94 – 1 slot 95-97 – 2 slots 98-99 – 3 slots 100 – 4 slots Chances for type of slot: 1-90% - +1 91-94 – +2 95-97 – +3 98-99 – +4 100 – +5 Chance for filled slot: 1-79 – No 80-85 - Alchemical 86-90% - +1 91-94 – +2 95-97 – +3 98-99 – +4 100 – +5 When pricing a weapon or armor, you add it's Masterwork cost + Mastercraft cost + slots. (Example: Long Sword + Masterwork T2 + Mastercraft T1 + (+1) Slot x1 = 3,015 gold) True Magical Items: Some items are truly magical, and have no slots. These items are double the normal cost. The reason being that an item with orbs in it does not count as a magical item (the orbs do though) so they will not bypass damage reduction. Damage reduction is more powerful in this world, since it is now harder to bypass. To create a true magic item, you must have that item specially prepared. To prepare a weapon costs 2,000 gold, 1,000 for armor. Preparing does not give it any benefits. Once prepared, you can pay to have the weapon or armor enchanted. You are not required to make your weapon +1 before enchanting. True magical items in this game bypass damage reduction normally. ----- The biggest problem I have with this system is...not sure what to do about the pricing for Wondrous items, scrolls, wands, etc. Do I double that also...or leave it how it is...frowns Sorry if this is just a nonsense idea, it seemed like a good idea to me when I made it. I'm still new to DMing, trying to make a magic system that fits better with my world (low magic, which is why i'm introducing alchemy and some better masterwork styles so you can get bonuses without magic). Just not sure how balanced this is...
Ace the Dead 09-11-05, 11:43 AM	It doesn't seem extrodinarily abusive, excpet for the really low Armor check penalties, although it seems needlessly complicated to me. And that's not so much broken as silly: It shouldn't be possible to swim in fullplate with only a -2 penalty, no matter how well made the armor is. If you really like it, see how it holds up durring playtesting.
codexia 09-11-05, 03:07 PM	An alternative may just be to use the normal magic system =/ but...a little background might help, I should have put this into the first post I guess. The campaign world has very rare magic, but I needed someway to give the players ways to upgrade their weapons and armor without magic. The Tiers and Alchemy seemed to be a good way of doing it...but the Tiers themselves are still a bit off =/ If anybody has a better way of doing things, I would appreciate some advice greatly. The idea I have right now is double the cost of magic items, and use non-magic replacements...like a +1 sword would be the ussual 2000 gold...it just wouldnt be magic =/ Dunno...