Collaborative Magic Item Creation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Collaborative Magic Item Creation [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sylvaroth
02-19-07, 11:33 AM I seem to remember, there was something in one of the new 'core' books (PHB2 or DMGII) that allowed magic item creation, with characters other than the magic item creator paying the XP costs. Can anybody point me to those rules or am I mistaken and I would have to create such a mechanic myself?
Kn1ves
02-19-07, 01:26 PM That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experance to make magic items.
Loki5654
02-19-07, 03:31 PM Magic Items: Transferring XP Costs (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060526a)

Is this Web Enhancement from the PHII what you were looking for?
Loki5654
02-19-07, 03:33 PM That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experance to make magic items.If your DM were ignorant enough to allow that, yes.

However the mechanics laid out in the article require willing participation. I think that once the hireling's found out the wizard planned to drain their life-force in order to make a wand, they'd be against the idea.
Moribund
02-19-07, 03:45 PM It is possible for more than one character to cooperate in the creation of an item, with each participant providing one or more of the prerequisites. In some cases, cooperation may even be necessary.
If two or more characters cooperate to create an item, they must agree among themselves who will be considered the creator for the purpose of determinations where the creator’s level must be known. The character designated as the creator pays the XP required to make the item.

I don't really see why the Web Enhancement was necessary, but I suppose you can interpret the above quote to mean that you must meet a prerequisite to be considered the creator (and thus pay the XP). Though I guess it is kinda weird if your party's elf fighter helps the wizard make a cloak of elvenkind with a fighter considered the creator and paying XP.
TheGogmagog
02-19-07, 04:00 PM That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experience to make magic items.

That's where cursed items come from IMC.

The rules are also in the first DMG. As long as the secondary person contributes one of the prerequisites, like caster level or skill ranks, they can be designated the creator. It's a stretch of the rules, but I consider gold and exp prerequisites of the creation so anyone can contribute. I already mentioned the cost of trying to cheat the exp system in my game.
Sylvaroth
02-19-07, 06:16 PM Magic Items: Transferring XP Costs (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060526a)

Is this Web Enhancement from the PHII what you were looking for?
:w00t: Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for.

Seems like it is kind of an asset to have somebody to watch you, or is it not? ;)

Though I guess it is kinda weird if your party's elf fighter helps the wizard make a cloak of elvenkind with a fighter considered the creator and paying XP.
I see it this way, magic items are infused with the essence of an entity (XP) to power the preternatural effects they are being enchanted with.

Whether this energy is contributed by the actual spellcaster, who is considered the creator of the item, or said spellcaster extracts and uses the energy of somebody else, does only partially make a difference.

If two or more characters cooperate to create an item, they must agree among themselves who will be considered the creator for the purpose of determinations where the creator’s level must be known. The character designated as the creator pays the XP required to make the item.
This is a RAW way to let somebody (e.g. the party's fighter or the rogue with UMD) pay the XP for a magic item, somebody else has the appropriate item creation feat for. Never thought about interpreting and using this rule in that way before.

What I was actually looking for was a way to create a 500,000+ gp item without the need for an epic caster.

The article Loki provided a link to gives me some hints at how to handle collaborative magic item creation.
Kn1ves
02-19-07, 07:18 PM That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experance to make magic items.

If your DM were ignorant enough to allow that, yes.

However the mechanics laid out in the article require willing participation. I think that once the hireling's found out the wizard planned to drain their life-force in order to make a wand, they'd be against the idea.

With their full knowledge upon signing the contract for employment of course. Chaotic good all the way baby!
Loki5654
02-19-07, 07:43 PM With their full knowledge upon signing the contract for employment of course. Chaotic good all the way baby!Draining the life force of others to further your own selfish desires?

That's Evil at my table, friend.
Loki5654
02-19-07, 07:45 PM Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for.
I remember that article because it was the one thing about the PHII that actually interested me.

I bought the book because of that web enhancement only to find out the book really wasn't anything I wanted/needed.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sylvaroth 02-19-07, 11:33 AM	I seem to remember, there was something in one of the new 'core' books (PHB2 or DMGII) that allowed magic item creation, with characters other than the magic item creator paying the XP costs. Can anybody point me to those rules or am I mistaken and I would have to create such a mechanic myself?
Kn1ves 02-19-07, 01:26 PM	That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experance to make magic items.
Loki5654 02-19-07, 03:31 PM	Magic Items: Transferring XP Costs (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060526a) Is this Web Enhancement from the PHII what you were looking for?
Loki5654 02-19-07, 03:33 PM	That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experance to make magic items.If your DM were ignorant enough to allow that, yes. However the mechanics laid out in the article require willing participation. I think that once the hireling's found out the wizard planned to drain their life-force in order to make a wand, they'd be against the idea.
Moribund 02-19-07, 03:45 PM	It is possible for more than one character to cooperate in the creation of an item, with each participant providing one or more of the prerequisites. In some cases, cooperation may even be necessary. If two or more characters cooperate to create an item, they must agree among themselves who will be considered the creator for the purpose of determinations where the creator’s level must be known. The character designated as the creator pays the XP required to make the item. I don't really see why the Web Enhancement was necessary, but I suppose you can interpret the above quote to mean that you must meet a prerequisite to be considered the creator (and thus pay the XP). Though I guess it is kinda weird if your party's elf fighter helps the wizard make a cloak of elvenkind with a fighter considered the creator and paying XP.
TheGogmagog 02-19-07, 04:00 PM	That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experience to make magic items. That's where cursed items come from IMC. The rules are also in the first DMG. As long as the secondary person contributes one of the prerequisites, like caster level or skill ranks, they can be designated the creator. It's a stretch of the rules, but I consider gold and exp prerequisites of the creation so anyone can contribute. I already mentioned the cost of trying to cheat the exp system in my game.
Sylvaroth 02-19-07, 06:16 PM	Magic Items: Transferring XP Costs (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060526a) Is this Web Enhancement from the PHII what you were looking for? :w00t: Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for. Seems like it is kind of an asset to have somebody to watch you, or is it not? ;) Though I guess it is kinda weird if your party's elf fighter helps the wizard make a cloak of elvenkind with a fighter considered the creator and paying XP. I see it this way, magic items are infused with the essence of an entity (XP) to power the preternatural effects they are being enchanted with. Whether this energy is contributed by the actual spellcaster, who is considered the creator of the item, or said spellcaster extracts and uses the energy of somebody else, does only partially make a difference. If two or more characters cooperate to create an item, they must agree among themselves who will be considered the creator for the purpose of determinations where the creator’s level must be known. The character designated as the creator pays the XP required to make the item. This is a RAW way to let somebody (e.g. the party's fighter or the rogue with UMD) pay the XP for a magic item, somebody else has the appropriate item creation feat for. Never thought about interpreting and using this rule in that way before. What I was actually looking for was a way to create a 500,000+ gp item without the need for an epic caster. The article Loki provided a link to gives me some hints at how to handle collaborative magic item creation.
Kn1ves 02-19-07, 07:18 PM	That means that I can play a Wizard and just pay a hireling or two to adventure around with me and then siphon off their experance to make magic items. If your DM were ignorant enough to allow that, yes. However the mechanics laid out in the article require willing participation. I think that once the hireling's found out the wizard planned to drain their life-force in order to make a wand, they'd be against the idea. With their full knowledge upon signing the contract for employment of course. Chaotic good all the way baby!
Loki5654 02-19-07, 07:43 PM	With their full knowledge upon signing the contract for employment of course. Chaotic good all the way baby!Draining the life force of others to further your own selfish desires? That's Evil at my table, friend.
Loki5654 02-19-07, 07:45 PM	Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for. I remember that article because it was the one thing about the PHII that actually interested me. I bought the book because of that web enhancement only to find out the book really wasn't anything I wanted/needed.