Lawst
2013-03-29, 04:00 AM
Hey all, I'm a DM looking for ways to build interesting items and hoping to find some help. Any and all advice is welcome, for my skills in the ways of Google have brought me nil on the subject.
Trying to figure out a cost system for constructing magic items that allows for drawbacks to be built into the item. For example, the +1 weapon ability that grants 2d6 damage to target, but also backlashes the wielder for an additional d6. There are other various abilities that grant +d6 damage at a +1 without a backlash. From this can we derive that if the initial effect is doubled, and you take an equivalent initial effect as penalty, is it the same cost? Does this work the +# abilities for weapons and armor? And what about other style of items?
So say you wanted to build an item that granted +4 STR but reduced your Dex by -2... A +4 STR item normally costs 16,000. Using the above system, if we take a -2 Dex does that make it only cost what a +2 STR would cost (i.e. 4,000)? That doesn't seem to work in my mind, but I could be wrong.
Or would it be more effective to subtract the cost of the negative ability, or half the negative ability. Using the same example above (+4 STR, -2 DEX), to completely subtract the cost we would get 12k (16-4), and for half we would get 14k (16-2). I guess the real question is what is the value of decreasing ability scores?
And then from there, being inflicted with spells/abilities whilst gaining the benefits/effects of other spells/abilities? Would you take the cost of one spell/ability and subtract it from the other, or half? This second part is what I'm really after, but I thought trying to think in straight numbers like ability scores would help give a base to work from.
Hope my questions aren't lost in lack of clarity. Again, your contemplations and thoughts are appreciated.
Trying to figure out a cost system for constructing magic items that allows for drawbacks to be built into the item. For example, the +1 weapon ability that grants 2d6 damage to target, but also backlashes the wielder for an additional d6. There are other various abilities that grant +d6 damage at a +1 without a backlash. From this can we derive that if the initial effect is doubled, and you take an equivalent initial effect as penalty, is it the same cost? Does this work the +# abilities for weapons and armor? And what about other style of items?
So say you wanted to build an item that granted +4 STR but reduced your Dex by -2... A +4 STR item normally costs 16,000. Using the above system, if we take a -2 Dex does that make it only cost what a +2 STR would cost (i.e. 4,000)? That doesn't seem to work in my mind, but I could be wrong.
Or would it be more effective to subtract the cost of the negative ability, or half the negative ability. Using the same example above (+4 STR, -2 DEX), to completely subtract the cost we would get 12k (16-4), and for half we would get 14k (16-2). I guess the real question is what is the value of decreasing ability scores?
And then from there, being inflicted with spells/abilities whilst gaining the benefits/effects of other spells/abilities? Would you take the cost of one spell/ability and subtract it from the other, or half? This second part is what I'm really after, but I thought trying to think in straight numbers like ability scores would help give a base to work from.
Hope my questions aren't lost in lack of clarity. Again, your contemplations and thoughts are appreciated.