Custom magic item creation review

[Zakier]

Starting off In our campaign my dm is allowing me as the artificer to create 3 items pre game start for each player.

1 weapon, 1 armor, 1 magic item

Is the rule. Keeps it fair for everyone

I just finished designing the final item for myself and was hoping you experienced players could give it a look and see what you think about it. Feedback is appreciated.

(Yes I know final say is from the dm but he has a better chance of saying yes if it's done correctly, within the rules and cost appropriately.)

As a house ruling since we couldn't find any other rules on it. The number of spell effects on an item cannot exceed the items enhancement bonus. This also helps adjust the cost

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Artificer's Toolkit , Lesser/Greater
This custom made toolkit is the pride of an artificer trade. When using this toolkit the artificer gains a +2 Circumstance bonus to any craft check made with it just like a set of Masterwork Artisan tools.

These tools have been Enchanted to provide a (+2 Lesser)or (+4 Greater) Bonus to Intelligence when actively being used to Craft.

Additionally these tools have a number of Spells that can be activated once per day each during the crafting process and can be activated at the same time for even greater effect.

*Divine Insight 1/day
*Magecraft 1/day
(Greater adds)
*Surge of Fortunee 1/day

Requires:
Class must be Artificer

Craft Wonderous Item, Divine Insight, Magecraft, Surge of Fortune, Fox's Cunning

Moderate Transmutation

Base price:26,110g(Lesser),
106,270 g (Greater)



Base item:
Masterwork Artisan Kit
+2 Circumstance Bonus to all Craft
55gp

Enhancement Bonus
+2²×1000=4,000(Lesser)
+4²×1000=16,000(Greater)



Divine Insight (1/day)(cl 6)

(Complete Adventurer, p. 147)*

Divination*
Level:*Cleric 2,*Paladin 2,*
Components:*V,*S,*DF,*
Casting Time:*1 standard action
Range:*Personal
Target:*You
Duration:*1 hour/level or until discharged (D)

When you cast this spell, you invoke the power of your deity to guide your actions. Once during the spell's duration, you can choose to use its effect. This spell grants you an *insight*
bonus equal to 5 + your caster level (maximum bonus of +15) on any single skill check. Activating the effect requires an immediate action. You must choose to use*divine insight*before you make the check you want to modify. Once used, the spell ends.

You can't have more than one*divine insight*effect active on you at the same time.

Also appears in

Spell Compendium

Cost:
((2×6×1800)÷(5÷1))=4320gp




Magecraft (1/Day)(CL1)

(Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 113)*

Divination*
Level:*Sorcerer 1,*Wizard 1,*Magewright 1,*Spellthief 1,*
Components:*V,*AF,*
Casting Time:*1 round
Range:*Personal
Target:*You
Duration:*1 Day

You get a +5 competence bonus on one Craft check representing a day of work crafting an item. If you cast this spell every day for a week, you can make a Craft check representing the week's work and still gain the +5 competence bonus.

Focus:*The tools and other equipment normally required to use the Craft skill to which you apply the bonus.

Cost:
1×1×1800÷(5÷1)=360gp



*To be added to the item later.



Surge of Fortune(1/day)(cl9)

(Complete Champion, p. 128)*

Transmutation*
Level:*Cleric 5,*
Components:*V,*S,*DF,*
Casting Time:*1 standard action
Range:*Personal
Target:*You
Duration:*1 round/level or until discharged

The power of your deity flows through you, guiding your movements and honing your instincts.

Upon casting this spell, you gain a +2 luck bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and spell penetration checks, as well as to Armor Class.

At any point before the spell expires, you can channel some of its remaining power into a single instant of perfect fortune as an immediate action. The result of the next attack roll, saving throw, skill check, ability check, or spell penetration check you attempt is treated as a natural 20, as long as it occurs within 1 round of the time you invoked this power. (If you use it for an attack roll, you must still roll to confirm the critical hit normally). Using this option instantly ends the spell.

Cost:
((5×9×1800)÷(5×1))*2=32,400
(Multiplied it since multiple different ability says higher cost is multiplied by 2)


Final Modifiers and Cost:

Usable only by an artificer


4000+(4320×2)+360+(base item 55)

Slot less
13055×2=26110

After Reductions

4626g 3s 7c
412xp
10 days




32400+16000+
4320+360+(base item 55)

Slotless 53135x2
Base cost 106270gp

Reductions.
Craft .50
Only usable by Artificer, .70
Mag art .75
Extr art .75
Appr .90

Final cost: 18829g 7s 1c
Xp 1674
80 days




Note*
Before creating item make a scroll of adept Spirit doing so should allow creation at level 6 Artificer.

[Troacctid]

A few problems:
1. You have your +5 competence bonus to a skill priced at 360 gp. A +5 competence bonus to a skill normally costs 2500 gp, so this is underpriced.
2. You are using the wrong formula for multiple effects on the same item. First off, you should not get a discount for similar effects, because unlike staffs, your spells all function separately and do not share their charges. As they all function independently and stack with each other, they aren't actually similar enough to qualify for the reduced cost. Second, none of your effects are priced as slotless, so the formula wouldn't apply anyway.
3. Speaking of which, a toolbox presumably does not take up a body slot. As a rule of thumb, slotless items are supposed to cost more than their slotted counterparts.

[Zakier]

The plus 5 competence bonus is a spell with 1 charge per day. The MICG for a command Active spell is

Spell level x caster level x 1800

Then for charges per day
Price/(5/charges)


Didn't consider the Slot less part as pertaining to magical tools. I thought that was in regards to things like ion stones. They give a constant bonus but take up no space. The bonuses here are only active when actively using the item.

Your right about the different abilities thing. I had not looked at it that way thinking 3 spells that all specifically give bonus's to skill checks we similar but your right, they stack and are applied in different ways. I'll make the adjustment to the math.

I did just notice on the table for cost adjustment that items with multiple different abilities multiply item higher cost by 2

[Zakier]

Corrections to the math have been made and the original post edited to reflect those changes.

[Coventry]

Note: My answer was based on the original post


That looks very underpriced to me. Since this is a "No Space Limitation" item, all costs are multiplied by 2.

The +3 Intelligence bonus should be priced at (3^2) * 1000 * 2 = 18,000 for being on a slotless magic item. See the Ioun Stones which cost 8,000 (2^2 * 1000 * 2) for a +2 enhancement as a reference. The Magic Item Compendium allows that to be added to an item with no multiplier, but you also do not get the "Multiple Similar Attribute" discount.

Your most expensive spell is the Surge of Fortune at (5x9)*1800/(5/1)*2 = 32,400
Second is Divine Insight at (2x6)*1800/(5/1) * 2 * .75 = 6,480
Third is Magecraft at (1x1)*1800/(5/1) * 2 * .50 = 360

Total value: 32,400 + 18,000 + 6,480 + 360 + 55 = 57,295

"Only usable by me" is not something I would give a discount for.

Restricting to "having 5 ranks in a craft skill" is no penalty at all when the next line is "restricted to Artificer". You only get the 30% discount, but *not* for the attribute bonus.

The cost thus drops to 32,400 + (18,000 + 6,480 + 360) * 0.7 + 55 = 49,843 gp

Base crafting cost would be 24,921.5 gp, and 1,994 XP.

Magical Artisan and Extraordinary Artisan both multiply that by 0.75. Apprentice Craftsman is 0.9.

By my count, your crafting cost would be 12,616.5 gp and 1009 XP

[Troacctid]

Oh, another thing—a +3 enhancement bonus to Intelligence is nonstandard. Bonuses to ability scores are conventionally in multiples of 2. I'd recommend changing it to either a +2 or a +4.


The plus 5 competence bonus is a spell with 1 charge per day. The MICG for a command Active spell is

Spell level x caster level x 1800

Then for charges per day
Price/(5/charges)
1 charge per day that lasts 24 hours is functionally the same as being always on, so there's no discount. Since the spell provides a competence bonus and is always on, it is more accurately priced as a competence bonus, not as a spell—much like how a continuous mage armor effect is actually just a +4 armor bonus to AC, so it costs 16,000 gp rather than 4,000.

[Zakier]

Ah good point. Seems I was under the assumption that the was gone when the crafting is done. But thTs the other spell. My bad. More adjustments to make lol.

[Zakier]

Please review the costs again to be sure I've done them correctly this time.

[Zakier]

I feel like I've messed up somewhere again.

[Khedrac]

...
Artificer's Toolkit(masterwork)(+3)
This custom made toolkit is the pride of an artificer trade. When using this toolkit the artificer gains a +2 Circumstance bonus to any craft check made with it just like a set of Masterwork Artisan tools.

These tools have been Enchanted to provide a +4 Bonus to Intelligence.

You need to be very careful witht he above wording.
A toolkit is something you carry, that contains or consists of a number of tools
The Tools are things you use when carrying out the tasks they assist with.

As such, I don't see you getting the intelligence bonus from carrying the toolkit - you would only get it when using the tools for a specific task unless you stated that you are using one of the tools all the time. Normally this would mean "held in hand" but could mean 'worn on head' if it was something like an artificer's monocle.
Yes you have made the item slotless, but you still need to tate where it is worn/carried otherwise it will probably be in your pack at which point it definitely is not usable (for any of the effects) until you get it out.
Do you need to re-price? - 'No with caveat (I haven't checked the prices)'; but you do need to re-fluff.

Speaking of price - you have said "base item 55gp" - it needs to be of masterwork quality to be enchanted - have you added that in?

[Zakier]

For this itemn I dont expect to receive the Bonus unless I'm actively using the device.

The 55 gold is the price of a set of masterwork artisan tools.

[P.F.]

I'm going to throw in that you do not need to double this item's price because it isn't "slotless," that's for things like toe rings and lucky rocks, things which you wear or carry on your body but which do not take up one of the body slots. It doesn't apply to things which you hold in your hand and use but which have no effect when put away. Absolutely no one in any of my gaming groups thinks that the "slotless" surcharge applies to items which have to be held in hand. I had never heard anyone even suggest that it might until reading these boards.

Here, my interpretation of this rule is in the minority, and many other folks on this forum believe, that, Rules As Written, an item which weighs 8,000 pounds, is mounted on a wagon, and requires four hands and your teeth to activate should have the same price as a magic earring which you rub against your shoulder for the same effect. I personally think the latter should cost double, while the former should not.

But please, do check with your DM to get the correct interpretation on this very expensive rule.

Furthermore, I suspect you may be overpaying for the Intelligence bonus, which if placed on a worn item (including, yes, a slotless item at double the cost) would provide you a continuous bonus to all intelligence-based checks, DC's, etc. If you are already wearing a magic hat which makes you smarter, this item would not stack with that item's effects.

Are you including that effect simply to have an "enhancement bonus" to match the item's spell effects with?

[Zakier]

Yes the house rule we have is an item can have no more spells added to it then it's enhancement bonus. This is to prevent items with cheesy amounts s of unlimited use spells. Enhancement is required and only active while the item is held.

[Jay R]

I'm going to throw in that you do not need to double this item's price because it isn't "slotless," that's for things like toe rings and lucky rocks, things which you wear or carry on your body but which do not take up one of the body slots. It doesn't apply to things which you hold in your hand and use but which have no effect when put away. Absolutely no one in any of my gaming groups thinks that the "slotless" surcharge applies to items which have to be held in hand. I had never heard anyone even suggest that it might until reading these boards.

I agree, for any effect that can only work when you're using the tools. That's no more "slotless" than a sword is.

But that might be modified by how you intend to use it.

For instance, you intend to use the Surge of Fortune in combat when the tools are in your backpack, that would be slotless.

[Zakier]

Alright, mind showing me how you would price each bit? And do you think requiring limiting it to only being used for skills you have trained is acceptable for the 10%discount?

[P.F.]

do you think requiring limiting it to only being used for skills you have trained is acceptable for the 10%discount?

No, I think that the 10% discount is for an item that requires a skill check to activate, typically a perform check for magical musical instruments.

[Zakier]

Alright, my dm said by his opinion the skill requirement is met because you have to be crafting which is a skill check to use the item and all its abilities are inactive if the item isn't actively being used. With all of your help ok checking where I've needed to fix the math i have the final version created. .

Behold is glory and its dm approved.

Artificer's Toolkit (CL 10)

This custom made toolkit is the pride of an artificer trade. When using this toolkit the artificer gains a +2 Circumstance to any craft check made with it just like a set of Masterwork Artisan tools.

These tools have been Enchanted to provide a +4 Bonus to Intelligence when actively being used to Craft.

Additionally these tools have a number of Spells that can be activated once per day each during the crafting process and can be activated at the same time for even greater effect.

*Divine Insight (CL 10) 1/day
*Magecraft (CL 1) 1/day
*Surge of Fortune (CL 9) 1/day

Requires:
Class must be Artificer,
Cannot be used on any craft skill that is untrained.

Moderate Transmutation, CL 10th, Craft Wonderous Item, Divine Insight, Magecraft, Surge of Fortune, Fox's Cunning
Price 56,015gp



Base item:
Masterwork Artisan Kit
+2 Circumstance Bonus to all Craft
55gp

Enhancement Bonus
+4²×1000=16,000(Greater)



Divine Insight (1/day)(cl 6)

(Complete Adventurer, p. 147)*

Divination*
Level:*Cleric 2,*Paladin 2,*
Components:*V,*S,*DF,*
Casting Time:*1 standard action
Range:*Personal
Target:*You
Duration:*1 hour/level or until discharged (D)

When you cast this spell, you invoke the power of your deity to guide your actions. Once during the spell's duration, you can choose to use its effect. This spell grants you an *insight*
bonus equal to 5 + your caster level (maximum bonus of +15) on any single skill check. Activating the effect requires an immediate action. You must choose to use*divine insight*before you make the check you want to modify. Once used, the spell ends.

You can't have more than one*divine insight*effect active on you at the same time.

Also appears in

Spell Compendium

Cost:
((2×10×1800)÷(5÷1))=7200gp




Magecraft (1/Day)(CL1)

(Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 113)*

Divination*
Level:*Sorcerer 1,*Wizard 1,*Magewright 1,*Spellthief 1,*
Components:*V,*AF,*
Casting Time:*1 round
Range:*Personal
Target:*You
Duration:*1 Day

You get a +5 competence bonus on one Craft check representing a day of work crafting an item. If you cast this spell every day for a week, you can make a Craft check representing the week's work and still gain the +5 competence bonus.

Focus:*The tools and other equipment normally required to use the Craft skill to which you apply the bonus.

Cost:
1×1×1800÷(5÷1)=360gp



*To be added to the item later.


Surge of Fortune(1/day)(cl9)

(Complete Champion, p. 128)*

Transmutation*
Level:*Cleric 5,*
Components:*V,*S,*DF,*
Casting Time:*1 standard action
Range:*Personal
Target:*You
Duration:*1 round/level or until discharged

The power of your deity flows through you, guiding your movements and honing your instincts.

Upon casting this spell, you gain a +2 luck bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and spell penetration checks, as well as to Armor Class.

At any point before the spell expires, you can channel some of its remaining power into a single instant of perfect fortune as an immediate action. The result of the next attack roll, saving throw, skill check, ability check, or spell penetration check you attempt is treated as a natural 20, as long as it occurs within 1 round of the time you invoked this power. (If you use it for an attack roll, you must still roll to confirm the critical hit normally). Using this option instantly ends the spell.

Cost:
((5×9×1800)÷(5×1))*2=32,400
(Multiplied it since multiple different ability says higher cost is multiplied by 2)


Final Modifiers and Cost:

Usable only by an artificer.


32400+16000+
7200+360+(base item 55)

Base cost: 56015g


Reductions.
Craft .50
Only usable by Artificer, .70
Mag art .75
Extr art .75
Appr .90
Craft skill restriction .90