Custom Magic Item Cost

[Tvtyrant]

As a DM I am attempting to create a once per day magic item which creates a Hallow effect with an attached dimensional anchor. I'm not sure how to cost this using the custom magic item rules, since it uses two spells and not one.

[JDL]

By RAW:

Spell effect, once per day, command word activation = spell level x caster level x 1,800 gp / 5
Material component costs are multiplied by 50, total is 1,000 gp + 4,000 gp for dimensional anchor rider x50

When adding an additional effect to an item, each additional effect costs 50% more. Therefore add 50% to the cost of an item of Dimensional Anchor.
Spell level x caster level x 1,800 gp / 5 x 1.5

Thus we end up with:

Hallow: (5 x 9 x 1,8000 / 5) + (1,000 + 4,000) x 50
Total: 266,200 gp

Dimensional Anchor: 4 x 7 x 1,800 / 5 x 1.5
Total: 15,120 gp

Total item cost: 281,320 gp by RAW.

Note that this is completely debatable based on what you interpret the actual benefits to be. For example a similar item, the Darkskull, creates a permanent Unhallow effect for only 60,000 gp.

[ryu]

Wouldn't the simplest thing be to just use the rules for combining magic items with an increased cost to compensate the less use of slots? That's how druids be savin' on wilding clasps as Eggy can attest.

Edit: I've dun been swordsaged.

[Kelb_Panthera]

As a DM I am attempting to create a once per day magic item which creates a Hallow effect with an attached dimensional anchor. I'm not sure how to cost this using the custom magic item rules, since it uses two spells and not one.

Price it as an item that can produce both spells once per day then ad-hoc a discount for the fact they must be triggered simultaneously.

(9*5*1800)/5 = 16,200 for hallow

(4*7*1800)/5 = 10,080 for D. anchor

10,080*.75 = 7,560 discount for D. anchor being the cheaper of two similar abilities on the device (both are spell effect abilities)

Total comes to 23,760 for a device that produces each effect once per day.

23,760*.9 = 21,384 for an ad-hoc discount since both effects are -always- used simultaneously.

Compare to a device that only casts D. anchor with a chain spell metamagic effect:

(7*7*1800)/5 = 17,640 for a device that dimensionally locks on a similar scale without all the other effects of hallow.

Yeah, 10% feels about right. YMMV with your DM.

EDIT:

oops, forgot the material component costs.

(5000*50)/5 = 50k makes the total 73,760 before the discount.

[Shalist]

...The easiest way to come up with a price is to match the new item to an item that is already priced that price as a guide...

Thus, this is probably worth a mention:

...The statue constantly provides a hallow effect that encompasses the area where it is located, such as a temple and its grounds, with an attached death ward effect that protects all good creatures in the area.

Caster Level Equivalent: 13th; Market Price Equivalent: 55,000 gp.Permanent hallow w/ attached spell, and it also produces 1d4+1 doses of 'greater restoration' potion each month. Granted, it's likely meant to be stationary...

Darkskull is also worth a mention though; you can just add the 1/day dimensional anchor onto it for an extra (10,080 * 0.75)g.

edit: darkskull, quotes

[SiuiS]

Relics get discounted because of the only usable by good people thing.

[Telonius]

Wouldn't the Dimensional Anchor effect be covered by the Hallow spell itself? The text of Hallow says you "affix a spell effect," not cast an additional spell. For example, the Hallow and Unhallow scrolls (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm) cost 6125 gp and would hold a 4th-level effect; 1125 for the regular cost of the scroll plus the material components listed in the Hallow spell (1000gp plus 1000gp*level of attached spell). You don't add an additional cost along with it.

So here's how I'd figure it.

Command Word: spell level * caster level *1800=5*9*1800=81000
1/day: divide by 5=16200
Material Component cost: add directly. Limit per day, counts as 50 charges.
Material component =5000*50 = 250,000
Total: 266,200

You could reduce the price from there, if you want to make it skill- or alignment-restricted.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Worth a mention for comparison's sake:
Permanent hallow w/ attached spell, and it also produces 1d4+1 doses of 'greater restoration' potion each month.

Also of note, however, is that that is a "life size" statue. It qualifies for being half the price it otherwise would be because it's difficult to transport ala the rules described in the stronghold builders guidebook. It'd be discounted by 3/4 if it were completely immobile.

Let's reverse engineer that.

5*9*2000 = 90k

5000*50 = 250k

(90+250)/2 = 170k (long duation)

170/2 = 85k for being difficult to move.

Hmm. Still high and we haven't added deathward yet.

Let's try that

4*7*2000*2 = 112,000 for always on death ward.

112,000*.75 = 84,000k because similar abilities.

84k+170k = 254,000.

254000/4 = 63,500 for being immobile. That's pretty close.

There's some ad-hoc in there that I can't quite cypher without a bit more intense scrutiny.

Let's try this:

deathward comes to (4*7*2000)/2 = 28,000 because of the change in deathward's duration.

Now we're at 28*.75 = 21,000 for deathward

21 + 170 = 191,000

191k/4 = 47,750 for immobility. Bingo.

then we add 3/day greater restoration (average).

7*13*1800 = 163,800

500*50*5 = 125,000

125,000+163,800 = 288,800

288,800*3/5 = 173,280

173,280/4 = 43,320.

Damn. Too high again.

..... they priced the restoration as potions?

((7*13*50) + (50*5))*3 = 14,400 for three greater restoration potions. No... not quite.

14,400/2 = 7200 for low mobility.

There it is. 47750 for the statue itself plus 7200 for the difficult to transport potions makes 54,950.

Rounded off to 55k.




........ That got a bit rambly.

[Tvtyrant]

:smalleek: So either in the 250,000K range or 75,000K range? I'm going to go with the latter amount, since I can't imagine 250,000k is within a nations budget unless they are into magical cross dimensional trade.

[SiuiS]

:smalleek: So either in the 250,000K range or 75,000K range? I'm going to go with the latter amount, since I can't imagine 250,000k is within a nations budget unless they are into magical cross dimensional trade.

Money grows on trees provided you only spend it on making magic items.

[Shalist]

@ Kelb_Panthera: Obviously you've never heard of St. Flappy, the awakened bat that once knew both great love and great sorrow; who, when things were at their bleakest, was able to conquer his doubts and his greatest fears, ultimately sacrificing himself to save the kingdom from the swarms of terrifying Hellbats that threatened to doom us all.

@ Tvtyrant: Either 67,560g or 70,080g for a permanent, portable hallow that cast dimensional anchor once per day:

Basing the cost off the darkskull (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#darkskull)is the simplest and most straightforward way of doing this.


Many factors must be considered when determining the price of new magic items. The easiest way to come up with a price is to match the new item to an item that is already priced that price as a guide. Otherwise, use the guidelines summarized on Table: Estimating Magic Item Gold Price Values.
Darkskull provides permanent, portable unhallow for 60,000, making a 'lightskull' (or however you wish to fluff it) for 60,000 would be as reasonable, and RAW acceptable, as any other method of pricing a custom magic item.

1/day dimensional anchor is normally (spell level 4 * caster level 7 * 1,800 for a command item * 1/5 for 1 charge per day) = 10,080g...


Multiple Similar Abilities

For items with multiple similar abilities that don’t take up space on a character’s body use the following formula: Calculate the price of the single most costly ability, then add 75% of the value of the next most costly ability, plus one-half the value of any other abilities.If you say the 1/day anchor is similar/related to hallow/unhallow, then it would cost just 7,560 gold to add it.


Multiple Different Abilities

Abilities such as an attack roll bonus or saving throw bonus and a spell-like function are not similar, and their values are simply added together to determine the cost. For items that do take up a space on a character’s body each additional power not only has no discount but instead has a 50% increase in price. If not, then it's still just 10,080 gold to add it.

edit: All done; just minor grammar, formatting.

[SinsI]

Ad-hock discount should apply only to the cheaper spell. Otherwise, one could add something useless to get that discount.
Also, consider increasing activation time, since you have to trigger both effects.

[Kelb_Panthera]

:smalleek: So either in the 250,000K range or 75,000K range? I'm going to go with the latter amount, since I can't imagine 250,000k is within a nations budget unless they are into magical cross dimensional trade.

Nation? That's well within a decent sized city's annual budget.

[Telonius]

My concern in comparing it to a Darkskull is that the effects aren't really comparable. Darkskull is a permanent effect, but with each item there's only ever one effect going at a time. With an item that casts Hallow (or Unhallow) 1/day, you could theoretically Hallow an entire plane. (The secondary spell effect would lapse after a year, but the instantaneous effect wouldn't; and you could still theoretically have 365 of the secondary effects running at once).

[ericgrau]

Assuming it keeps the casting time of 24 hours, there is no special advantage to combining the spells, and they are related to each other, so simply add the costs.

1/day hollow: 9*5*1800/5+5000*50/5=66,200 gp
1/day dimensional anchor:7*4*1800/5=10,080 gp

Total: 76,280 gp.

I can see the arguments for dividing or not dividing the material component cost by 5 by RAW, but this is a custom item anyway and you want what seems most fair which would be to divide by 5. Also happens to be close to the price of a darkskull.

It does seem a little abusable once it is used every day for a year so the DM may or may not allow such an item. Compare to a dimensional lock which would be 120,000 gp to be permanent for a single location, but also blocks teleporting in. Dimensional anchor would only block teleporting out AFAIK. OTOH being immobile means you're simply tagging a square a few hundred feet on each side each year, and a block takes decades. So possibly a little OP but far from the most broken use of an unlimited item. Plus one you ward that one important thing, everything else you spam ward tends to be of lesser value. There's not much advantage compared to hiring an NPC to cast hallow a dozen times on the most important sites.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Anyway, I think you got your answer.

~74,000gp should be about right.