Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stryfe_Raven 02-15-07, 05:05 PM	For a up coming adventure Path I plan on running for a group of PC's starting at 1st level and ending near 12th level, I wanted them to encounter a hidden kingdom where thanks to a ancient Mythallar quasi-magic items are abundant within the border but cease to function once outside this Field (much like modern metrolists with power grids). However I don't want to strip the PC's bare once they step out side the field so I was trying to think how to create batteries / charged items out of normally non-charged continuous items and hit a small wall and was hoping for some help on pricing. Basically a normal +1 magic weapon is 2000 gp and armor is 1000, now if I go strictly by the DMG by making they with 50 charges instead of continuous (10 min / CL per charge) they should cost roughly half that meaning 1000 gp or 500 gp respectively or does it seem more balanced to require the item to draw a number of charges equal to half the minimum caster level for the item rounded up. Example 1: A a masterwork Breast plate with the property of +2 and moderate fortification has 50 charges (total the enchantments draw from the same charge reserve like a staff). The normal price would be 36000 plus 350 for the breastplate, as it is a charged item it costs only 18350. When the wearer wishes to activate the added protection he spends 2 charges one for each property and the effect lasts for 130 minutes (as CL 13 is the lowest caster level such a item could be created at) Example 2: The item is the same as the above example however instead of spending 2 charges to activate the added protection the wearer would needed to spend 7 charges (CL 13 / 2 = 6.5 rounded up to 7) with the effects lasting the same duration. Thoughts
Mentar 02-20-07, 08:28 PM	Old Dragon magazines had ideas for charged magical items, usable with 1st or 2nd edition. There were no recommendations on pricing for them though. Another issue had suggestions for rules on recharging charged items such as wands. Add one charge to the wand by casting the spell into the wand after speaking a "recharging" command word. From my understanding of the pricing policy of charged items the reason for the price reduction is the fact that once the charges are gone the item is useless. Making them rechargable would make them more expensive. Should you create a charged magical sword, it will still have the masterwork bonus to hit, and because there is magic in the weapon (even if it is not active at the time) it will still bypass damage reduction /magic. Be very careful with pricing these things, I would say they should cost 75% - 90% of normal for non-rechargeable magic weapons and armor. Rechargeable weapons and armor should cost 90% - 150% of normal, depending on how you do the charging requirements. If it requires the casting of a 2nd level spell for each charge of a +1 weapon, and the casting of a 4th level spell for a charge in a +2 weapon, does this mean a +1 charged mace can be enhanced with the casting of a 4th level spell? If various spells or levels of spells are used will the duration and power of the bonus be affected by the spells used to charge it? You could also state that the charged magic weapon requires (bonus) spell levels per charge renewed, thus a +1 rechargeable magic sword could regain a charge from having a magic missile cast into it, or three charges from a fireball. But if you allow this some players may try to turn it against you, speaking the recharging word any time they are targeted by a spell in order to absorb the spell targeted at them. Thus you would have to make such weapons cost at least 5 times as much as a normal +1 sword. As for charges used, use the rules for items with multiple properties (eg staff) to determine charges used. If you want to give your players items they can use for the rest of thier adventuring lives then allow items that can take on different properties based on the spells used to charge them (see spell storing items). Increase the cost of the item by the spell storing item price, plus the charged item price. Doing this would allow multiple castings of the same spell to be held, and activated one at a time with a command word. This item would cost [(masterwork item cost) + (spell storing cost)] +50%. The reason it's +50% instead of /2 is because you can not only recharge the item, but you can change the spell stored in the item and charge it with the new spell. Using this method a dagger of spell storing (max 50 charges) would cost [302 (masterwork dagger cost) +2000 (spell storing=+1 bonus)] +50% = 3453gp. A spell storing buckler would cost [165 (mwk buckler) +1000 (even though spell storing is not listed as an armor ability)] +50% = 1747gp 5sp.