Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ostrakon Jul 26, 2008 16:42:02	My DM and I (well, our whole playgroup) decided that we didn't like the rules for enchanting magic items, where you have to spend the full price instead of the 3.X 'half gp plus XP" rule. We were going to come here and start a flamewar about it, but then we all figured that we could better spend that energy coming up with some magic item design/crafting rules. We also decided that we didn't like the fact that a flaming weapon doesn't deal an extra die of damage on every hit, simply because a few years of 3.X really made us used to things like that. A lot of the new items are well-designed, and I love that everything is so balanced now. Too bad our DM loves throwing encounters four levels higher than us at us. We're gonna need something unbalanced :P. But we realized that not spending XP was a good thing: they took XP loss out for a reason: so parties wouldn't get unbalanced level-wise (we assumed.) So we added a new kind of XP: Crafting XP, or CXP. CXP is rewarded to players in several ways. The first way is as "bonus XP" for particularly well-played sessions or encounters, to reward role-playing and thinking outside the box. The second is to use the Disenchant Magic Item ritual: residuum has a CXP value that can be used as a component when enchanting. (Disenchanting a magic item gets a residuum amount equal to a fourth of the CXP needed to craft that particular item.) The third way is to find ancient reliquaries of certain deities, which also have a CXP value, in addition to having certain other bonus effects. The rules for crafting and designing magic items (high powered ones, specifically), are as follows: Base costs for normal magic items, as in the PHB: ½ the “market value” in gp and 1/10 that amount in CXP. Options: 1) Upgrading use frequency - Magic items with a Daily or Encounter power can have that power “upgraded” to be used more often. To make a Daily power an Encounter power, or to turn an Encounter power into an At-Will power, it costs twice the amount of CXP. (Or, 1/5 the market value.) The DM can rule that some daily powers can't be made into encounter powers this way. To make a Daily power an At-will power, it would cost five times the normal amount of CXP. In other words, it would cost an amount of CXP equal to the amount of gp needed. (This is, of course, an astronomical sum, making it impossible even for high level characters to make a daily power of a weapon an at-will on a weapon greater than +3) 2) Creating items of a level higher than the enchanter’s level – Normally, someone casting the Enchant Magic Item can only create items of his own level and lower. He may spend additional CXP to make higher-level items. The gp cost is unchanged, because a higher-level item inherently has a higher gp cost. The formula for the new CXP cost is the original CXP cost times 1 + (.2 x level difference). For example, a level 10 character could enchant a level 15 item by spending twice the CXP: original cost x (1 + (.2 x 5)). 3) Magic Item design rules Basic premise: start with base cost (the cost for the most expensive magic weapon of that enhancement value, since items designed this way are intended to be more powerful than that) and add multipliers from there. Certain “faults” can reduce the cost. Final cost is (normal cost) x (1 + multipliers - faults). Most of these rules are designed to make items that would be considered overpowered by general 4E standards, and should only be used in high-powered games. As is always the case, the DM has the final say in classifying magic effects and general item creatability. Properties: Properties are effects that are built-into the item. They are always on. Properties that are only useful in very specific situations, such as changing the damage type to be fire, or stopping a troll’s regeneration, or granting an additional weapon property (such as high crit), only carry a .1 multiplier. Properties that are generally useful, but hardly game breaking, such as providing a small bonus to AC, an extra die of damage, several dice of damage against specific targets, stopping 10 points of any regeneration, or granting the benefit of a heroic or paragon feat carry a .25 multiplier. Properties that are very powerful, such as stopping all regeneration, several extra dice of damage against most or all targets, or granting class features carry a .5 multiplier, and require the base weapon or item to be at least +3. Properties that mimic or enhance class features are properties of this nature, rather than appropriate encounter powers. Any property that creates an otherwise impossible effect, such as allowing Arcane powers to crit on a roll of 19, fall into this category. Powers: All powers start as dailies, and follow the upgrading rule to make them encounter or at-will powers. An added power is a .5 multiplier if it is a “replacement” effect or a very small additive power, such as a thundering weapon’s ability to make an AoE effect instead of a normal attack, or dealing a single extra die of damage, or gaining a short boost to Reflex. It is a multiplier of 1 if the power is a significant additive effect, such as gaining resist all damage 10 for a short period, or dealing several extra dice of damage, or dealing an encounter-lasting -2 penalty to a target’s attack rolls. Faults: Faults are designed to let the player lower the cost of creating a given magic item. They are not meant to allow the player to “game” the system to make a cheap, powerful item. The DM should disallow obvious attempts do so. Some faults should never stack, like deity restrictions that would become redundant with alignment restrictions. Faults subtract from the item’s multipliers, as follows. (The players and DM can suggest additional faults.) -Can only be one specific type of weapon/armor - .5 -Can only be a specific group of weapons (Ranged, Heavy Blade, Etc.) - .25 -Can only be one of a small group of weapons/armor (three maximum) - .1 -Can only be used by member s of a specific race/origin -.25 -Can only be used by worshippers of a specific deity - .25 -Can only be used by members of a specific alignment -.25 -Can only be used by a specific “half” of an alignment (Lawful Good and Good, etc.) -.1 -Requires a class feature (inappropriate for weapons that enhance a class feature) -.25 -Has power that can only be used while bloodied - .25 -Has power that can only be used at a certain time, like during the day, or at night: -.25 -Requires the relic and blessing of a specific deity to make (see suggestion 4) -.5 - Must be crafted in a specific environment -.5 -Weapon has a particular weakness allowing it to be destroyed more easily - 1 -User takes a penalty to attack rolls, AC, or defenses - .25 per -1 of the penalty 4) Relics, deity’s blessing as a CXP alternative. An enchanter (or participant in enchanting) may make a Religion check to seek their deity’s blessing in creating an item. This will help offset the high CXP cost of powerful items. Relics of deities also exist to provide a substitute for a user’s CXP, whereas a deity’s blessing serves as a sort of discount. A participant may only beseech one deity per day. The enchanter may substitute his religion check for the participant’s, using the participant’s bonuses, as if he were performing the ritual as his proxy. Alternatively, a quest could be substituted for the roll. Religion Check modifiers: -10 if the enchanter worships one of the deity’s enemies. -5 per “step” beyond the first the enchanter’s alignment is different from the deity’s. +5 if the enchanter is the deity’s patron profession or race. +5 if the enchanter worships that deity +5 if the enchanter is the exact alignment of that deity +5 if the enchanter is using a relic of that deity for the ritual. The DC target for this check is 15 plus the weapon’s level. Check result: Natural 1 – The angered deity directly intervenes in the ritual, causing you to waste your components. You may not again beseech this deity for aid without receiving forgiveness from one of its clerics. DC – 15 or lower – The angered deity intervenes, causing you to spend an extra 1.2 in resources. If you can’t afford this, the ritual simply fails. You don’t lose any resources, but you can’t beseech the deity for aid without first seeking forgiveness. DC -14 to DC -1 : No effect. Ritual works normally. DC to DC + 4 – The deity is pleased. Your CXP cost is reduced by 1/5 Satisfies the “requires deity’s blessing” requirement for crafting. DC + 5 to DC +14 - The deity is greatly pleased. Your CXP cost is reduced by 1/2. DC + 15 or higher or natural 20 – The deity is monumentally pleased. Instead of reducing your CXP costs, the deity grants you the option of taking a weapon or armor that is +1 higher than the original target. Otherwise, you may take a ¾ reduction in CXP costs. Example Weapon: Invisible Blade +3 to +6, cost multiplier = 2.15 Light Blade only: .25 fault Critical: +1d10 per plus (negligible propery, .1 multiplier) Properties: The blade itself is visible only to its owner, something determined during creation. Any blood or other kind of non-magical entity that would otherwise allow an entity to see through the illusion using non-magical means simply does not work. (minor property, .1 multiplier) The blade’s invisibility gives the owner a +10 item bonus to Stealth checks made to conceal the blade. (minor property, .1 multiplier) The blade’s invisibility gives the owner a +5 item bonus to Bluff checks made to feint in combat. (by itself, a minor property, .1 multiplier) The user may feint twice per encounter instead of just once. He may feint as a minor action instead of a standard action. (major property, .5 multiplier.) When the user deals sneak attack damage, he deals an additional sneak attack die of damage for each plus of this weapon’s enhancement bonus. (major property, .5 multiplier) Power: (Daily, minor action): The user may turn invisible, as per the wizard utility spell Greater Invisibility, once per day. (1 multiplier) Crafting special: This blade may only be enchanted on the night of a full moon. The ritual must go entirely unwitnessed, or the ritual outright fails, and can’t be attempted again until the next full moon. Should a witness approach, the participant must succeed on a Stealth check. (.5 fault) So, tally up the multipliers: (.1 + .1 + .1 + .1 + .5 + .5 + .5 ) = 1.9 (yikes, expensive) Subtract the faults: (.25 + .5) = .75 Total multiplier: 1.15 So, since the base cost for a +3 weapon is 9000 gp, the cost of a +3 invisible dagger would be 9000 x (1 + 1.15), or 20500. To craft it would cost 10250 gp and 2050 CXP. Sorcerer’s Blade Longsword only (.5 fault) +3 to +6. Cost multiplier: 2.7 Crit: 1d10 per plus force damage (.1 property) Properties: Deals force damage (.1) May be used as an arcane implement any type a wizard has mastered. (Since this emulates the WotST class feature, it’s a major .5 property.) Proficiency bonuses apply to magic attacks made with this weapon. (moderate property, .25) When using this weapon to make basic melee attacks, it applies the user’s Intelligence modifier instead of his strength modifier. (moderate, .25) A +3 or +4 version of this weapon can "store" an additional wizard encounter power. The user must be of a high enough level to cast that spell. This "stored" spell can't be changed without re-enchanting the weapon. (major, .5) A +5 or +6 version can store an additional wizard daily spell. See above. (additional, .5) Power(Encounter): The user can separate the "blade" portion of a Sorcerer's blade to duplicate the effect of Mordenkainen's Sword. The "implement" portion remains: either an orb on the hilt of the sword, a wand that comprised the hilt itself, or a staff that comprised the "core" of the weapon. Dispelling the conjuration created by this effect destroys the weapon, leaving only the "implement" portion, which now has no enhancement bonus. (1 for being a significant power, .5 fault for having a specific weakness, double CXP cost for being an encounter power) Must be crafted using a relic of Ioun, and requires his blessing. (.5 fault) Raventouched Scythe Scythe only, .5 +3 to +6 (Cost multiplier: 2.1) Crit: 1d10 necrotic per plus (.1) Properties: Can be used as an implement, like a pact blade. (.25) Pact blade ability, but deals extra Con modifier damage (.25) Curse damage becomes d10s (.25) Deals an additional amount of curse dice equal to half the blade’s enhancement bonus (.5) Power(Daily): Spend a life spark. You regain the use of a daily ability. (1 for major ability, -.25 for life spark restriction) Requires the blessing and relic of the Raven Queen. (.5)
#2 cunning_kindred Jul 26, 2008 16:55:34	A slightly simpler solution would be leave everything as is but hand out spiritual residuum - creative energy that has a simple gp value that can be used in the casting of rituals and magic items. No need to change anything else. As for your fault system - seems very complicated but you could probably have this as a simple % reduction in the cost of making the item. In fact, if you make an item with a fault and don't tell the person you are selling it to, more money for you.