Cost Of Items [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cost Of Items [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheDarkSecret
04-30-07, 03:09 PM How can I calculate the customized cost of a staff. How did WotC calculated the epic staff of Winter. I would like to calculate a costumized version of that one (So that it can cost me less). I know that there is a table in the DM Guide but I doubt that it is all in there. Can anyone help please?

Thanx in advance:D
tarkin
04-30-07, 03:12 PM 1st, epic items are different. They use a very different pricing method.

2nd, if you are not epic, then forget about a lesser version of the epic item and try describing what about the epic staff of winter you like/want.

It should be so much lesser that we should start pricing it new, instead of trying to reverse engineer it from an epic item. Reverse Engineering, particularly from epic to non-epic is not reliable.

3rd: Intensify is used heavily in the staff of Winter. It is an epic feat and pretty much can not be put into a non-epic item.
TheDarkSecret
04-30-07, 03:49 PM First of all…thanx for taking the time
2nd I’m lvl27 and are playing with the carried value rule. I want an epic item where I would chose another spell to intensify and maybe not having so many. Is there a system written somewhere? I’m aware of the caster lvl x spell lvl x 750gp but it doesn’t seem to fit with the 296000gp price of the item.

Thanx again
tarkin
04-30-07, 04:42 PM The basic rule is that staves have spells.

Two is a minimum, but three and four are the standard.

These additional spells are priced at 75% normal for the 2nd one, then 50% normal for each identical one.

The more spells you have, the more expensive it gets, so players always WANT to have as few spells as possible, but it is part of the DM's job to say NO, you can't make only a fireball and a Detect Magic, try again with more spells.

Staves are supposed to be DM designed and 'themed'.

As a DM, I would allow a two-spell staff only if they were heavily themed, with both spells being very similar. I might allow a True Resurection plus a Ressurection. Or a Summon Monster IX and Summon Nature's Ally IX.

---------

Next, the way you handle Intensify is by adding in the spell levels. It is I believe +7.

Intensify a 3rd level spell, that becomesa 10th level spell.
10 spell level, caster level minimum of 21 (to get a 10th level spell you need to be 21st level.

Intensify does not affect the save DC's despite the fact that they clearly did that when they made the Staff of Winter (and for some god forsaken reason gave Ice Storm a save as well. Can you say ERROR???)

Finally, they also decided that despite the use of the epic feat Intensify, it was not sufficiently epic to deserve the x10 multiplier. That seems reasonable to me, due to the basic power of what they want and the difficulty in 'applying it only to the epic powers', but it different than most epic items.

Also, the 2 charges = 1/2 cost for that power.

If I was going to build one, this is what I would do:

Staff of Winter:
Cone of Cold 5th level, intensified +7 = 12th
Ice Storm 4th level, Intensified +7 = 11th
Freezing Sphere,6th level, intensified +7 = 13th
Wall of Ice: 4th level spell

Minium caster level = 24 to get the 13th level slot.

Freezing sphere = 13*24*750 *1/2 (charges) = 117,000
Cone of Cold = 12*24*750* 1/2 (charges)*.75 (2nd)= 81,000
Ice Storm = 11*24*750*1/2 (charges)*.5 (3+)= 49,500
Wall of Ice = 4*24*750*0.5 (3+)= 36,000
==============
Total price =283,500.

However, they also did something to the Saves.

Normally the saves should NOT be adjusted up to the spell slot levels of intensify (read Intensify) And Ice Storm gets no save, so that what just definitely an error)

The minimum saves should be Cone of Cold = 5th level = 17, and Freezing Sphere should be DC 19.

But honestly, this is not that big a deal, because usually an Epic PC should over-ride the default saves for a staff.

So apparently, they paid an extra 9,000 gp (very small) and got a nice boost to the saves.

------------------
If you are going to make a staff, I would not try to do the same boost to the DC's. That may have just been an error from somone that does not know how Intensify works.
TheDarkSecret
04-30-07, 04:55 PM Many thanx man!:dancin:
TheDarkSecret
04-30-07, 09:23 PM I was woundering on one aspect, where did you get de *750? Isn’t it suppose to be 375?

Freezing sphere = 13*24*750 *1/2 (charges) = 117,000
Cone of Cold = 12*24*750* 1/2 (charges)*.75 (2nd)= 81,000
Ice Storm = 11*24*750*1/2 (charges)*.5 (3+)= 49,500
Wall of Ice = 4*24*750*0.5 (3+)= 36,000
==============
Total price =283,500.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheDarkSecret 04-30-07, 03:09 PM	How can I calculate the customized cost of a staff. How did WotC calculated the epic staff of Winter. I would like to calculate a costumized version of that one (So that it can cost me less). I know that there is a table in the DM Guide but I doubt that it is all in there. Can anyone help please? Thanx in advance:D
tarkin 04-30-07, 03:12 PM	1st, epic items are different. They use a very different pricing method. 2nd, if you are not epic, then forget about a lesser version of the epic item and try describing what about the epic staff of winter you like/want. It should be so much lesser that we should start pricing it new, instead of trying to reverse engineer it from an epic item. Reverse Engineering, particularly from epic to non-epic is not reliable. 3rd: Intensify is used heavily in the staff of Winter. It is an epic feat and pretty much can not be put into a non-epic item.
TheDarkSecret 04-30-07, 03:49 PM	First of all…thanx for taking the time 2nd I’m lvl27 and are playing with the carried value rule. I want an epic item where I would chose another spell to intensify and maybe not having so many. Is there a system written somewhere? I’m aware of the caster lvl x spell lvl x 750gp but it doesn’t seem to fit with the 296000gp price of the item. Thanx again
tarkin 04-30-07, 04:42 PM	The basic rule is that staves have spells. Two is a minimum, but three and four are the standard. These additional spells are priced at 75% normal for the 2nd one, then 50% normal for each identical one. The more spells you have, the more expensive it gets, so players always WANT to have as few spells as possible, but it is part of the DM's job to say NO, you can't make only a fireball and a Detect Magic, try again with more spells. Staves are supposed to be DM designed and 'themed'. As a DM, I would allow a two-spell staff only if they were heavily themed, with both spells being very similar. I might allow a True Resurection plus a Ressurection. Or a Summon Monster IX and Summon Nature's Ally IX. --------- Next, the way you handle Intensify is by adding in the spell levels. It is I believe +7. Intensify a 3rd level spell, that becomesa 10th level spell. 10 spell level, caster level minimum of 21 (to get a 10th level spell you need to be 21st level. Intensify does not affect the save DC's despite the fact that they clearly did that when they made the Staff of Winter (and for some god forsaken reason gave Ice Storm a save as well. Can you say ERROR???) Finally, they also decided that despite the use of the epic feat Intensify, it was not sufficiently epic to deserve the x10 multiplier. That seems reasonable to me, due to the basic power of what they want and the difficulty in 'applying it only to the epic powers', but it different than most epic items. Also, the 2 charges = 1/2 cost for that power. If I was going to build one, this is what I would do: Staff of Winter: Cone of Cold 5th level, intensified +7 = 12th Ice Storm 4th level, Intensified +7 = 11th Freezing Sphere,6th level, intensified +7 = 13th Wall of Ice: 4th level spell Minium caster level = 24 to get the 13th level slot. Freezing sphere = 1324750 1/2 (charges) = 117,000 Cone of Cold = 1224750 1/2 (charges).75 (2nd)= 81,000 Ice Storm = 11247501/2 (charges).5 (3+)= 49,500 Wall of Ice = 4247500.5 (3+)= 36,000 ============== Total price =283,500. However, they also did something to the Saves. Normally the saves should NOT be adjusted up to the spell slot levels of intensify (read Intensify) And Ice Storm gets no save, so that what just definitely an error) The minimum saves should be Cone of Cold = 5th level = 17, and Freezing Sphere should be DC 19. But honestly, this is not that big a deal, because usually an Epic PC should over-ride the default saves for a staff. So apparently, they paid an extra 9,000 gp (very small) and got a nice boost to the saves. ------------------ If you are going to make a staff, I would not try to do the same boost to the DC's. That may have just been an error from somone that does not know how Intensify works.
TheDarkSecret 04-30-07, 04:55 PM	Many thanx man!:dancin:
TheDarkSecret 04-30-07, 09:23 PM	I was woundering on one aspect, where did you get de 750? Isn’t it suppose to be 375? Freezing sphere = 1324750 1/2 (charges) = 117,000 Cone of Cold = 1224750* 1/2 (charges).75 (2nd)= 81,000 Ice Storm = 11247501/2 (charges).5 (3+)= 49,500 Wall of Ice = 4247500.5 (3+)= 36,000 ============== Total price =283,500.