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Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 02:06 PM
I've been mullling over the idea of a magic item that, when worn, would temporarily give the wearer the appropriate Half-Elemental template from Manual of the Planes. My simple question is, how much would such an item be worth?

My own estimates put it anywhere between 70,000gp and 200,000gp, but this doesn't put into account Immunity to Disease, Immunity to Elemental Damage Type, or Spell Like Abilities (which are dependant on the base creature's HD). Personally, it seems a bit harsh.

What would the Playground's opinion on this matter be?

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-01, 02:40 PM
If you're the DM, make the item a relic/artifact so that it's priceless, it'll be epic level stuff anyways if it's not. If you're not the DM, then I really wouldn't suggest this, as there's certain PrC's that are supposed to do this.


Elemental Immunity (rings) cost 240,000. The spell-like abilities can be calculated as normal value, and given a 30% discount similar to the class-specific abilities before calculating in to final price. Immunity to disease can be simulated by a spell, if I remember right, then you just need to calculate the value of that spell and tack it on.

Tyndmyr
2010-10-01, 02:56 PM
Yeah. Immunity is huge in terms of cost alone.

If you make a magic item based on this, it'll likely be so expensive that players will never buy one, and if found in loot, will just sell it. Going the artifact route sidesteps that, and it's frankly of an appropriate power level for that anyway.

Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 03:09 PM
I'll make them minor artifacts then. They're supposed to be a sort of refined version of Elemental Cores, a magic item I've already come up with that act as the "hearts" of Elementals, and if you can retrieve an intact one they increase your caster level for that sort of elemental spell by +1.

While we're at it, what would that sort of item be worth? As it is they're only worth 500gp, mainly because they're relatively easy to obtain.

-----

Here's the Cores themselves, just because:

Kardia Petra
Carrier gains +1 Caster Level when casting Earth Element spells. Multiple Kardia Petra do not stack.
(DC 10 Search Check on Earth Elemental corpse. +5% chance of it being destroyed for every hit the Elemental took, +10% for each critical hit.)
500 gp

Kardia Fotia
Carrier Gains +1 Caster Level when casting Fire Element spells. Multiple Kardia Fotia do not stack.
(DC 10 Search Check on Fire Elemental corpse. +5% chance of it being destroyed for every hit the Elemental took, +10% for each critcal hit.)
500 gp

Kardia Thalassa
Carrier gains +1 Caster Level when casting Water Element spells. Multiple Kardia Thalassa do not stack.
(DC 10 Search Check on Water Elemental corpse. +5% chance of it being destroyed for every hit the Elemental took, +10% for each critical hit.)
500 gp

Kardia Ourano
Carrier Gains +1 Caster Level when casting Air Element spells. Multiple Kardia Ourano do not stack.
(DC 10 Search Check on Air Elemental corpse. +5% chance of it being destroyed for every hit the Elemental took, +10% for each critcal hit.)
500 gp

Tyndmyr
2010-10-01, 03:15 PM
The pricing is significantly off. Those are by far cheaper than raising CL by any other means.

For comparison, in core, an orange ioun stone raises the CL of all spells by 1, and runs 90,000 gold. Even dividing by a significant amount because they're element specific, it should be substantially higher.

Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 03:23 PM
The pricing is significantly off. Those are by far cheaper than raising CL by any other means.

For comparison, in core, an orange ioun stone raises the CL of all spells by 1, and runs 90,000 gold. Even dividing by a significant amount because they're element specific, it should be substantially higher.

I should also probably significantly increase the Search DC and chance of destruction as well, then. Especially when you factor in my Rifts, an appropriate price could mean the PCs gaining several times their WBL with ease at lower levels.

Just a related observation:

Total Number of Fire* Spells: 17
Total Number of Water* Spells: 15
Total Number of Air* Spells: 11
Total Number of Earth* Spells: 8

*(Not strictly by subtype, but by the standards I set up for unrelated reasons in this campaign.)

Tyndmyr
2010-10-01, 03:26 PM
Chance of destruction? Rifts?

Never mind. This is one of those threads, where the info keeps changing. I've had enough of Shrodinger's (topic of choice) for quite a while. Later all.

Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 03:29 PM
Chance of destruction? Rifts?

Never mind. This is one of those threads, where the info keeps changing. I've had enough of Shrodinger's (topic of choice) for quite a while. Later all.


(...+5% chance of it being destroyed for every hit the Elemental took, +10% for each critical hit.)

This chance of destruction. No Shrondinger here.

The Rifts... well, I've mentioned that in other topics. This is a rare instance where it works in the victim's favor.

sdream
2010-10-01, 03:30 PM
An easy and common solution to getting powerful abilities cheap is the drawback.

Since these are elementally themed, perhaps:
- vulnerability to the opposing element (may not have been obvious)
- only function in that elemental plane
- bar all non-[element] spells

Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 03:32 PM
So, for example with the Cores, they also give a -1 Caster Level to spells of the opposite element? Makes sense. Having one of each would just cancel each other out. :smalltongue:

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-01, 03:35 PM
What I would have done is have some similarly valuable jewel come from lower level elementals (value depending on their CR,) and only off of the Greater and Elder elementals would the hearts be worth more than a coincidental spell component or a form of vendor trash

Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 03:53 PM
What I would have done is have some similarly valuable jewel come from lower level elementals (value depending on their CR,) and only off of the Greater and Elder elementals would the hearts be worth more than a coincidental spell component or a form of vendor trash

I suppose it'd either have to be vender trash or as a single-use item.

How much would it be worth, then? :smallconfused:

Tyndmyr
2010-10-01, 03:54 PM
This chance of destruction. No Shrondinger here.

The Rifts... well, I've mentioned that in other topics. This is a rare instance where it works in the victim's favor.

It became a bit unclear if the chance of breaking applies to the character when the character is hit while using one. Obviously, this would be a major cost adjuster. As for the Rifts, I'm afraid I don't know the details of them. There's simply too many posters in the playground to keep track of what sort of games each one plays.

Anyways, as it's become clear that it's not generated via the DMG custom magic item methods, and instead, is some sort of custom crafting system, with custom looting in custom encounters, Im afraid I won't be able to accurately assess the value of them. Might I suggest you consider trying the homebrew forum instead, as a place where you're likely to find parties interested in such things?

Drakevarg
2010-10-01, 04:00 PM
Fair enough. The only reason I didn't put it there in the first placeis that it didn't occur to me at the time that I might have questions about the Cores.

Thurbane
2010-10-01, 07:58 PM
Closest item I could compare it to would be the Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis - the permanent version gives the Dark Creature template (+1 LA) for 22,000gp.

The Half-elemental template is LA +3, so I would suggest 198,000gp (3*3*22000), since LA +1 is (1*1*22000). Just a thought. :smalltongue: