I can not find an explanation for the price of a magic item.

[Lacy]

We are making characters and when calculating the price of magic items we find a doubt that comes as an example.
according to the Gdm page 285, table 7-33, the example of spell effect is:
spell level x caster level x 1800 and as the example object Cape of the Mountebank.
if we go to page 252, the Cape of the Mountebank, costs 10,080 po, NL9.
well with these data I can not do the calculation to cost that price.
SLxCLx1800 =
* 4 x 9 x 1800 = 64,800 does not look anything like 10,080
We've been thinking, but we can not get the result.

[Diarmuid]

That basic pricing is for unlimited uses. In this case, the Cape isnt the best example to be given as it can only be used once per day. If you take that pricing and apply the Charges per Day pricing to it, it likely will work out correctly:


Special Base Price Adjustment Example
Charges per day Divide by (5 divided by charges per day) Boots of teleportation


But even if it doesnt come out exactly, those are the guidelines for creating new items. There are many DMG items that do not properly follow the rules for magic item creation/pricing because in many cases it doesnt "work". For the same reason you see people asking for items of Mage Armor rather than using the costs for adding an Armor Bonus to something or trying to price out an item of Use Activated True Strike for a pittance, when constant +20 to hit should cost hundreds of thousands.

[Telonius]

We are making characters and when calculating the price of magic items we find a doubt that comes as an example.
according to the Gdm page 285, table 7-33, the example of spell effect is:
spell level x caster level x 1800 and as the example object Cape of the Mountebank.
if we go to page 252, the Cape of the Mountebank, costs 10,080 po, NL9.
well with these data I can not do the calculation to cost that price.
SLxCLx1800 =
* 4 x 9 x 1800 = 64,800 does not look anything like 10,080
We've been thinking, but we can not get the result.

Two things to consider. First, the "Caster level" listed in the item itself is not the caster level of the spell. The item's caster level (within the item listing) is used mainly to determine how hard it is to dispel the effect. This is often identical to the caster level of the spells involved, but not always. (Sovereign Glue, for example). The minimum Wizard level you need to cast dimension door is 7. So for Cape of the Mountebank, it would be 4*7*1800=50400.

The other consideration is that Cape of the Mountebank is a 1/day item. So, you take the 50,400 total and divide it by (5/charges per day). Plugging in the numbers, you get 50,400/(5/1) = 50,400/5 = 10,080.

[Mr Adventurer]

I'm not sure that's right; something with CL 20 shouldn't cost the same as something with CL 5 even if they both just grant you Fly (not real examples).

[Lacy]

Two things to consider. First, the "Caster level" listed in the item itself is not the caster level of the spell. The item's caster level (within the item listing) is used mainly to determine how hard it is to dispel the effect. This is often identical to the caster level of the spells involved, but not always. (Sovereign Glue, for example). The minimum Wizard level you need to cast dimension door is 7. So for Cape of the Mountebank, it would be 4*7*1800=50400.

The other consideration is that Cape of the Mountebank is a 1/day item. So, you take the 50,400 total and divide it by (5/charges per day). Plugging in the numbers, you get 50,400/(5/1) = 50,400/5 = 10,080.

Your formula works with the cape, but not with other similar items, try it for item that appears as an example: Boots of Teleportation (6 level spell 3/day and cost 49000):

118800 / 1,666666666666667= 71279,9999...

Also, if you calculate in the same way the cost of low-level objects, its cost is... weird, too cheap

Item with 1 level 1 spell 1/day: 360 gp

[Telonius]

Similar "caster level" issue with an item that does grant you the ability to fly; a Carpet of Flying. (By dumb luck it's the next entry right after Cape of the Mountebank). The two spells required for Carpet of Flying are Permanency and Overland Flight. They're both cast-able by a Wizard at Wizard9, but the item's caster level is 10. There are a large number of other Wondrous Items where the item's caster level doesn't match up with the caster level of the highest spell used to create it.

All of the prices assume that you're using the lowest caster level possible to create the item, unless it's explicitly stated otherwise (like in the wands of 7th-level Magic Missile). If you want to increase the spell's caster level, you're perfectly able to do that. The only constraints are that you have to use at least the minimum caster level required to cast the spell, and that if you do increase the caster level past the standard it does cost more.

EDIT: Teleport is a 5th-level spell. 5(spell level)*9(caster level)*1800=81000, 81000/(5/3)=48600. Price is listed at 49,000gp; I assume generations of Wizards have been pocketing the extra 400gp.

[Jeraa]

Your formula works with the cape, but not with other similar items, try it for item that appears as an example: Boots of Teleportation (6 level spell 3/day and cost 49000):

118800 / 1,666666666666667= 71279,9999...

Also, if you calculate in the same way the cost of low-level objects, its cost is... weird, too cheap

Item with 1 level 1 spell 1/day: 360 gp

Teleport is a 5th level spell, not 6th. 5 x9 x 1800 = 81000 / 1.667 = 48,590 gp. Rounded for convenience = 49,000gp. Which is what is listed.

Also, not all items follow the formulas. Many items have their costs adjusted or just made up. The formulas a are guidelines, not hard rules.

And the caster level of the item is what is used when determining the spell effects, not the minimum needed to cast the spell.


The next item in a notational entry gives the caster level of the item, indicating its relative power. The caster level determines the item’s saving throw bonus, as well as range or other level-dependent aspects of the powers of the item (if variable). It also determines the level that must be contended with should the item come under the effect of a dispel magic spell or similar situation. This information is given in the form "CL x," where "CL" is an abbreviation for caster level and "x" is an ordinal number representing the caster level itself.

[Lacy]

OK you are right and thank you for your feedback. But the problem of low level objects is still there, they are very cheap. And the formula does not scale well with them, in my opinion. Probably the DM has to increase their price so they are not so cheap

[KillianHawkeye]

OK you are right and thank you for your feedback. But the problem of low level objects is still there, they are very cheap. And the formula does not scale well with them, in my opinion. Probably the DM has to increase their price so they are not so cheap

Low level characters don't have a lot of money, so low level magic items are usually pretty affordable.