PDA

View Full Version : 3.5 Item Creation Feats fix



No brains
2011-02-10, 04:36 PM
When I open my PHB, to the treasured feats section, I see at the end a load of redundant feats that just get in the way. To me, a ring is a wonderous item, and a staff is just a fancy (though recent reading has indicated VERY fancy) wand. I had an idea that shrinks this list down to three feats so every wizard can advance their metamagic without slowing down to become the party's craft wagon.

Enhance: Give Weapons and Armor enhancement bonuses.
(a nerfy Craft Arms and Armor)
Charge: Give an item a set number of castings of a spell.
(Combines Craft Staff and Craft Wand)
Imbue: Give an item a constant or use-activated magical effect replicating a spell.
(Combines Craft Ring and Craft Wonderous Item)

Also, items that don't intuitively follow a set spell effect like a bag of holding or a flaming weapon are results of independent research (like a spell) and are still available at ther regular price (though with the feat reqs changed to match the ideas of the new ones). Minimum caster levels, known spells, and other requs for items still apply, and the normal rules of a wand vs. staff also apply.

Edit 2/12/11:
A gray area here has caught my attention: that being a continuous magic effect of magic weapon/vestiment upon equipment... this would seemingly circumvent the Enhance feat and could cause problems. What can be done?
/Edit.

I'm certain that these rules will bite me in the butt, but if I could get some feedback as to if they are game-breakers (too weak/strong) or just intuitively good, I would be grateful.

rayne_dragon
2011-02-10, 07:13 PM
Other than I don't feel that something as common as a bag of holding should require independant research, I simply love this idea. It cuts out the ridiculous amount of feats required to be a decent enchanter and replaces the rather formulaic names of the item crafting feats with more interestingly named feats.

I'm not sure that it'll actually affect gameplay too badly depending on how much your merchants are understocked and try to rip-off PCs normally. If you generally let your players have the magic items they want, you should be fine, otherwise you may regret it. This fix also gives you an excuse to hand out treasures however you want without your players complaining. It will be easy enough for them to make almost anything they want to.

Land Outcast
2011-02-10, 07:17 PM
Frankly, I like them... but I've had almost no experience with Crafting feats, mostly due to the xp cost, even the character who once picked Craft Arms and Armor kept the magicla production line on a tight leash.
Still, more options available to the characters but no "free itanz" is good.

While we leave my judgement in doubtful standing, I have something to point out...

What about Potion, Rod, and Scroll?
I could see a feat "Basic Crafting" which allows to Scribe Scrolls and Brew Potions; and Rod could fall into the "Imbue" area.

Thinking ahead: If they are deemed game-breaking, balance-tearing or any other "positive sustantive"-"negative verb", an option would be to have this "Basic Crafting" be Prerequisite for the other feats.

Just my 2cp

Drakor
2011-02-10, 08:12 PM
i like the creation feats, tho the rules on how are kind of vague. our home rule is to ignore the xp cost but we still have the cost, craft check, time and other limitations as well as all items have to be ran by the DM first. that last one usually gets mine thrown out. Personally i don't see the problem if my fighter has an orb that cast heal spell at 20th casting level every round just by caring it in his pocket:smallbiggrin:

No brains
2011-02-12, 03:16 PM
What about Potion, Rod, and Scroll?
I could see a feat "Basic Crafting" which allows to Scribe Scrolls and Brew Potions; and Rod could fall into the "Imbue" area.

The way I've seen it, though thank you for reminding me to mention it, Scrolls and Potions are "charged" items, with that charge being one. With that in mind, they should be much, much less expensive than wands (around 1/50th the price) with potions being slightly more costly due to anyone with a throat being able to use them and wands being slightly less expensive since they require more knowledge on the part of the user.

As for rods, I plum forgot about them. One again however; if they have a permanent magic effect they are imubed, limited effects are charged, and enhancements are... enhanced. The versatility of a number of features in a rod is just all different feats applied separately.