Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tiarn Sep 10, 2015 8:01:48	One of my players wants a consummable item of some sort that raises the spellslot level by one when she cast a spell.  (so if she cast magic missile, it would become a 2nd level spellslot and thus make 4 missiles, if she cast it at 4th level, it would raise it to 5th, etc)   I'd already tentatively decided it would be a bonus action to use it on a spell you then cast.  However, it's the pricing I'm having trouble with,  how much should this cost?   I believe the spell level matters, so likely something like (final spellslot level)(x) = gp amount.  But I don't know what to use for x.  Suggestions?   Is there anything like this already out there?   Thanks.
#2 iserith Sep 10, 2015 8:11:19	I think 100 gp per level of the spell slot is reasonable. You control the flow of gold, so ultimately it's up to you how many the character can get.   I'd have the creator and seller of this consumable be a wild mage. Any spell cast using one of these boosters comes with the danger of a wild magic surge. After getting some experience with these items, the PC might be able to craft more reliable ones on his or her own, but only after a series of adventures to learn how and gather rare reagents from dangerous locations.
#3 Ralif_Redhammer Sep 10, 2015 8:39:05	It's not the same thing, but I'd maybe benchmark it on the Ring of Spell Storing. They both involve giving spellcasters additional spellpower.   In addition to the cost, though, I'd also involve a quest in making the magic item, but that's just my preference. Like, in addition to gold, they have to get some strange ingredient. I just don’t like the idea that you put time and gold in one end and out the other pops a magic item.
#4 MJP Sep 11, 2015 5:04:00	This type of item is open for some serious abuse at higher levels. I would not allow the player to buy/create/have such a thing.
(Reply to #4) Yunru	MJP wrote:
#6 Elfcrusher Sep 11, 2015 5:49:38	Spell level squared, times 100.
(Reply to #6) Yunru	Elfcrusher wrote:
#8 Elfcrusher Sep 11, 2015 7:15:17	Yunru wrote:
#9 Yunru Sep 11, 2015 8:30:42	Yeah but how do you know what level spell they're going to cast? If you set the cost according to a third level spell and they cast a 2nd, they've overpaid. If they cast a 5th, you've undercharged.
#10 Nevvur Sep 11, 2015 11:40:21	Decide in advance what is the maximum level spell slot the potion can upcast. For example, potion A can increase any spell by one level, up to 3rd. Potion B can increase it up to 6th level. The cost varies by its max. I second Elfcrusher's suggestion, (max) spell slot squared x 100.   A note, drinking a potion or adminstering it to another person normally requires an action (p.139 DMG). You can make it a bonus action if you want, though for the sake of consistency, I recommend treating all potions with the same action type.
#11 Awakened_Gazebo Sep 12, 2015 12:36:43	Just brainstorming here, in totally random order, with no regard to what might or might not be combined.   I would also go with a high incremental cost. Mostly because of how wealth works in the game. What might be a high price for a level 1 guy, only to be used sparingly. Would be peanuts for a high level hero, even if he ended up paying 5 or 10 times as much because of his higher spell levels, and would be used as a standard in each situation.   Regarding Yunrus valid point, about determining its fixed cost and uses, maybe have it work like non-rechargable charges? Say it has a 100 charges, each spell level would cost current (or new) spell level squared in charges. ( with a risk of too much math/book keeping depending on preferences)   Have a maximum spell slot capability? like it can never increase to a spellslot above 5th level, (or whatever rocks your boat)   Alternatively you could ask the player what he would be willing to pay for such an item. There is no point in spending hours of brainpower in creating an item, if its cost turns out to be so high that the player wont spend resources on it. Hopefully you will both come up with a solution that leaves both parties happy. He should have a subjective feeling that says Item value/coolness> cost, and you should have a feeling saying balance/fairness= price.       Maybe something like: Lesser amulet of spell potency 10 charges and 1000 Gold amulet of spell potency      30 charges and 3000 Gold Greater amulet of spell potency 50 charges and 5000 Gold Peerless amulet of spell potency 100 Charges and 10.000 Gold   Casting a spell with the amulet of spell potency increases its spell slot by 1. It requires a Bonus action and expends New slot^2 charges. When the last charge is expended either roll on the wild magic table or roll on the GM imaginary table of adventuring twists. (I would most likely allow the player to recharge the item, by expending magical reagents costing charge X gold, so as to not leave the item with 3 useless charges) Alternatively if you think the price is too high, and it might be as a 2nd lvl heightened to 3rd costs 900gp. you could have it use charges based on the current spell level, so a 2nd level spell buffed to 3rd, would only cost 400gp)   *whoops ninjaed a bit by nevvur (thats what you get when you write ½ a post an leave for dinner without posting)
#12 shintashi Sep 12, 2015 12:56:31	500 gp per level it maxes to. If it maxes to 9th then 4500, although, it's a bit subjective, depending on the gold flow. If an item costs 2000 gold in a game where 20th level characters have 2 million gold, then it is only so expensive that level 1-3 people can't afford it.Meanwhile, someone who blows a half million on these things could feasibly cast a hundred spells at max level.   Most evocation spells aren't noticeably different when overcast, but some spells have changes in duration with higher level casting. Some have weird effects, even permanent effects. Those are the spells you should examine when calculating cost. In any event, the item shouldn't cost more than a scroll that duplicates the new effect.
#13 Lord_Kadarian Sep 14, 2015 9:44:28	a thought you could also make a magic item that devours gold  Yunru made a valid point about Spell level squared, times 100.     but if we set it up so that we have to pay either something of value or gold of that value as a spell component at the time of casting the magic item could be inexpensive due to the cost of use being expensive   if I want to cast a magic missile as a 2nd level spell I am now paying 400 gold when I cast this spell. Which means if I consistently use this ability I can burn through a lot of wealth and may even have to sacrifice magic items every now and then to the item if I run low on cash.   Another way to go about it is as above an item with charges (although most charged items recover some points each day) Gazebo's concept of charges is a great starting point I would probably advise to refine it a bit further since as Gazebo said it is just brain storming and not the finished product perhaps consider charges equal to the new spell level must be expended. Lesser can only improve something from 1-2, amulet from 3-4, and greater from 5-6, and peerless 7-8 (in the case of a 9th we could just say that we can't improve 9th level spells)   Lesser amulet: (uncommon) 5 charges (recovery 1d4+1 at dawn) you may increase the effective spell slot used for a spell slot of 1st or 2nd level and increase it into a 2nd or 3rd level slot (can only increaes a slot by a single step) this costs a number of charges equal to the new effective spell slot. IE 2 charges for a spell that is effectivily 2nd level. To activate this ability you must spend a bonus action If the last charge is used then you must role a d20 on a role of a natural 1 the amulet is destroyed Amulet: (rare) 7 charges (recovery 1d6+1 at dawn) you may increase the effective spell slot used for a spell slot of 1st through 4th level and increase it into a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th level slot (can only increaes a slot by a single step) this costs a number of charges equal to the new effective spell slot. IE 2 charges for a spell that is effectivily 2nd level. To activate this ability you must spend a bonus action If the last charge is used then you must role a d20 on a role of a natural 1 the amulet is destroyed Greater Amulet (very rare): 10 charges: (recovery 1d6+4 at dawn) you may increase the effective spell slot used for a spell slot of 1st through 6th level and increase it into a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th level slot (can only increaes a slot by a single step) this costs a number of charges equal to the new effective spell slot. IE 2 charges for a spell that is effectivily 2nd level. To activate this ability you must spend a bonus action. If the last charge is used then you must role a d20 on a role of a natural 1 the amulet is destroyed Peerless amulet (legendary): 15 charges (recovery 1d10+5 at dawn)   you may increase the effective spell slot used for a spell slot of 1st through 8th level and increase it into a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th level slot (this amulet can increase by multiple steps but costs an additional charge to do so, IE 1st level magic missile to 3rd level would cost 4 charges) this costs a number of charges equal to the new effective spell slot. IE 2 charges for a spell that is effectivily 2nd level. To activate this ability you must spend a bonus action. If the last charge is used then you must role a d20 on a role of a natural 1 the amulet is rendered unuasable for 1 full week.    Reasoning: being used at their highest level of effectiveness these items run out of joice pretty darn quick and run a lot of risk of being destroyed if you are not careful. For the peerless amulet being a legendary item and thus very costly I felt it necessary to instead of destroying it to instead make it useless for a week forcing either down time, or reducing the characters power while adventuring.    a third thought would be an item that has a different kind of cost one that is a bit higher risk.  Exhaustion, each use of the item takes a bonus action and adds another point to the exhuastion track (at 6 points you die, and you can only heal 1 a day) at this stage I would rate the item as a rare and grant it the abiltiy to increase the power of any spell slot of 4th or lower. then create a very rare version that can handle 6th or lower and a legendary version that can handle 8th or lower they don't wear out but the price of using them is very risky and takes time to recover from. (although I need to do research into spells that can counter act exhaustion, which may change the value or add charges to these items in addition)   just some thoughts nothing perfect but some where to start.    I also I noticed that they are looking for a consumable item so the last one may not be what they are looking for.
#14 Saeviomagy Sep 14, 2015 20:45:36	Just bear in mind that scaling a spell to levels above 6th should be way more expensive than scaling up to 5th - there are quite a few spells that gain a big boost from requiring a slot above 5th level.