Magic Item Creation: 30% cost reduction for class or alignment restriction

[Jay R]

According to the srd, if a magic item requires a specific class or alignment to use, that reduces the cost by 30%.

When you are making or commissioning an item for your own PC's use, is there any reason not to take this reduction? Why would anybody make themselves an item at full price?

[One Step Two]

According to the srd, if a magic item requires a specific class or alignment to use, that reduces the cost by 30%.

When you are making or commissioning an item for your own PC's use, is there any reason not to take this reduction? Why would anybody make themselves an item at full price?

For some items, like a Healing belt, where someone else might want to use the charges in a pinch, the restrictions might get someone killed.
However, if you're making a custom suit of magic armor that your character never takes off, have at it!

In essence, the more utility it has, the less likely it should carry restrictions. Of course, as a DM, creating a magic item usable by Lawful Evil Wizards only means that it becomes a cash only reward, which isn't too bad to give the NPC some Oomph the players cant use, till they get high enough UMD to emulate class and alignment anyway.

[Biggus]

The FAQ (p.63) says the follwing:


Don’t overdo discounts for restricted use—a character making a magic item for herself typically only intends for it to be used by her, and a restriction on use can be a lot like getting something for nothing (since the restriction doesn’t really penalize the character in any way).

Since the suggested pricing is the DMG is a guideline for DMs rather than a hard-and-fast rule, ultimately it comes down to whether the DM feels like letting you have the discount or not.

[Feldar]

According to the srd, if a magic item requires a specific class or alignment to use, that reduces the cost by 30%.

When you are making or commissioning an item for your own PC's use, is there any reason not to take this reduction? Why would anybody make themselves an item at full price?

Nope, there is precisely no reason not to do this when creating items for your own use, which is why I don't allow it. MIC is damaging enough to campaigns without making it cheaper.

[Nifft]

Personally I regard those price reductions as flaws rather than efficiency boosts.

They reflect a reduction in store prices (since the item was flawed / cursed / etc.), but don't affect magic item creation.

[Xervous]

Nope, there is precisely no reason not to do this when creating items for your own use, which is why I don't allow it. MIC is damaging enough to campaigns without making it cheaper.

Out of curiosity what other features are you flagging as hazardous?

[aglondier]

I hear a lot of grumbles on this forum about how item creation is broken, unbalancing to wbl, or just plain ruinous to a campaign.
To which my opinion remains, if you don't like it, don't use it, but stop spoiling everyone else's fun.
If you are making items for your own use, that can only be used by your character, then it's really no different than the paladin with his holy avenger. If you are creating stuff to enhance your character concept, to enhance your fun, then shoot for the moon, go crazy with it. Design and create items that make you more able to do the things you love about your character concept.
Turn your wizards hat into a bag of holding, make your walking stick into a broom of flying, have your pipe work like a censer of efreet summoning, get an intimate piercing of stoneskin (to make you hard), have ioun stones that are actually pearls of power, make a belt of physical attributes +6 and wade into the frontline fights like you belong there.
The item creation feats can be used to munchkin, and if that is what you enjoy the most, go for it, but the best use is making things the DMG has no idea about. Creativity. Imagination. Fun. Go wild, and make things that your table will talk about for years afterwards...

[Jay R]

I started this thread because my PC has an Ancestral Relic. That feat requires use of the magic item creation rules just to use the feat.

I've asked my DM about the 30% reduction, since the Ancestral Relic is supposed to be usable by him alone. He has been chosen by it (or by his god, or by some illusion, or perhaps he is not quite sane; I have deliberately left that up to the DM.) My character Gwystyl is convinced that it has a quest he must fulfill. He is convinced that he must research its history and find out what the quest is. It is of course the DM's decision whether there really is a quest, and if so, when Gwystyl will learn about it.

I assume that when he answers, that answer will be in part based on what he knows about the Relic that I do not.

[aglondier]

For an Ancestral Relic you're probably looking at full price. I doubt your GM is going to give you a discount for something that is an assumed feature of the item. That said, definitely look for options that will give you unrelated bonuses or abilities that can make it more interesting. In a story by a popular author, the avatar of death was caught by a spell that removed all oxygen in a 5ft sphere centred on his head, he discovered that his scythe of office was hollowed out, enabling him to use it like a snorkel. Add interesting quirks to your gear, you never know when they could be handy.

[Nifft]

I hear a lot of grumbles on this forum about how item creation is broken, unbalancing to wbl, or just plain ruinous to a campaign.

No, item creation is part of the game.

What's broken is using the guidelines as if they were rules.