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KoDT69
2007-10-17, 10:25 AM
I justy have a question on required caster level for crafting magic items. The SRD states:


Creating a magic weapon has a special prerequisite: The creator’s caster level must be at least three times the enhancement bonus of the weapon. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met.

So the example is a +1 vorpal scimitar.
Does it require a caster level 15 because vorpal is the highest property?
Does it require caster level 18 because +6 is the total bonus?
If only 15, how many extra enhancements can you add at level 15?

Anxe
2007-10-17, 10:28 AM
It's 15 for that one. And your caster can add as many enhancements he wants as long as they don't go over +10 total.

Iku Rex
2007-10-17, 11:00 AM
Special abilities have their own caster level requirement. In your example the minimum caster level for the +1 component is 3 (3x1) and the minimum caster level for vorpal is 18 (see DMG description). That means you must have CL 18 to make a +1 vorpal scimitar.

KoDT69
2007-10-17, 11:45 AM
Yah sorry I missed the vorpal CL requirement of 18 my bad. So barring that mistake, a 15th level caster could make a +5 keen flaming burst wounding scimitar given enough gold, XP, and time to craft?

Oh, what about multi-classed characters? And PrC's like Mystic Theurge?
Let's say we have a Cleric 5 / Wizard 5 / Mystic Theurge 10 just for example (I know it's a suboptimal choice but humor me huh? :smalltongue: )
Would the caster level for crafting be considered 15 because that is the highest of the 2 progressions? Or would it be 30 because they get added? How does the PrC interact?

Jasdoif
2007-10-17, 11:54 AM
Yah sorry I missed the vorpal CL requirement of 18 my bad. So barring that mistake, a 15th level caster could make a +5 keen flaming burst wounding scimitar given enough gold, XP, and time to craft?Yes. Let's step through this:

The weapon has a +5 enhancement bonus, which requires a CL of 15.
The weapon has the keen property, which requires a CL of 10.
The weapon has the flaming burst property, which requires a CL of 12.
The weapon has the wounding property, which requires a CL of 10.

The highest CL required is 15, which is thus the minimum CL you need to craft the weapon.


Oh, what about multi-classed characters? And PrC's like Mystic Theurge?
Let's say we have a Cleric 5 / Wizard 5 / Mystic Theurge 10 just for example (I know it's a suboptimal choice but humor me huh? :smalltongue: )
Would the caster level for crafting be considered 15 because that is the highest of the 2 progressions? Or would it be 30 because they get added? How does the PrC interact?Your cleric caster level is 15. Your wizard caster level is 15. Your highest caster level is, as you might guess, 15. That's the CL you would use when crafting magic items.

Zherog
2007-10-17, 12:04 PM
Special abilities have their own caster level requirement. In your example the minimum caster level for the +1 component is 3 (3x1) and the minimum caster level for vorpal is 18 (see DMG description). That means you must have CL 18 to make a +1 vorpal scimitar.

Nope. The "caster level" listed on a magic item is not a pre-req.



The rules for magic item creation permit a character creating an item to use scrolls, wands, or even another caster as the source of the spells to be placed in the item. The rules do not, however, state clearly whether the character crafting the item has to be of a level sufficient to cast a given spell. Is the caster level of the character with the item creation feat being used to create the item (the “creator”) a limit on the power of the item? For example, can a 3rd-level wizard with the Craft Wondrous Item feat create items containing any spell (assuming access to the spells by other means), or is he limited to 2nd-level spells?

Unless stated specifically, items never have a minimum caster level as a prerequisite. (The “CL” entry is the default caster level of the item, not a requirement for creation.) A 3rd-level wizard with Craft Wondrous Item could create a harp of charming (even though he’s not high-enough level to cast suggestion, a prerequisite for creation), as long he had access to the suggestion spell during creation (such as from an item or another character).

Jasdoif
2007-10-17, 12:15 PM
Nope. The "caster level" listed on a magic item is not a pre-req.It is a requirement for magic weapons.


Caster Level for Weapons

The caster level of a weapon with a special ability is given in the item description. For an item with only an enhancement bonus and no other abilities, the caster level is three times the enhancement bonus. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability, the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met.

Kaelik
2007-10-17, 01:39 PM
I'm pretty sure this is an example of the FAQ being flat out wrong.

First of all, a level 3 Wizard can't have the Craft Wondrous Item Feat anyway. Secondly, in the DMG it pretty clearly says (in the above quote) that there are CL requirements. Finally, what would be the point of the Battlesmith PrC in Races of Stone? It specifically advances caster level for item crafting even for classes with a Caster level of zero and states that they can meet Caster level pre-reqs for items and then just use scrolls.

kamikasei
2007-10-17, 01:51 PM
First of all, a level 3 Wizard can't have the Craft Wondrous Item Feat anyway.

I'm pretty sure that's false.

KoDT69
2007-10-17, 02:23 PM
Oh and I forgot about half-casters... How do they figure in? And yes the Craft Wondrous Item feat is a 3rd level option. I'm just trying to get it all staright for my newest campaign. The PC's just turned 4th level on the top end, so it's not really a pressing matter yet. Are there any good variant rules for crafting without XP?

Swooper
2007-10-17, 02:24 PM
I'm pretty sure that's false.
I'll have to agree there. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#craftWondrousItem)

Kaelik
2007-10-17, 02:49 PM
I'm pretty sure that's false.

Hmm. Don't know why I remembered it as CL 6.

Jasdoif
2007-10-17, 03:06 PM
Oh and I forgot about half-casters... How do they figure in?Half-casters, such as the Paladin and Ranger, have a caster level equal to half their class level, once they gain the ability to cast spells. This is mentioned in their class descriptions.

So a Ranger 20 has a CL of 10.