Fiery Diamond
2022-01-20, 07:08 PM
The Appraise skill allows characters to determine the GP value of normal, nonmagical items. Detect magic and identify allow a character to determine the properties of a magic item. Is there a way for a character to determine the GP value of magic items? Metagaming is, of course, always possible if a specific in-the-books magic item is identified. But what if we're not allowing that sort of metagaming? Or what if it's a completely custom item? Despite searching, I haven't found a way for a character (not a player) to determine the GP value of an existing magic item.
Coincidentally, this also poses another issue: when creating magic items, the character spends half the base price in crafting materials. How, in-universe, does the character know how much GP he needs to spend? It can't be a matter of trial and error just approximating out to the value listed in the books or else the first attempt would cost more than subsequent attempts, perhaps by a large margin. I mean, I suppose you could say the listed cost is if they have a blueprint and it costs more otherwise, but that's making crafting more expensive for no reason.
Now, if you're willing to completely handwave the latter matter, then it stands to reason there should be a way to do the GP appraisal of magic item value. But if there is one, I haven't found it.
Is there a way? Would you just rule that if you know an item's properties you can automatically estimate it's GP value? What do you people think?
Coincidentally, this also poses another issue: when creating magic items, the character spends half the base price in crafting materials. How, in-universe, does the character know how much GP he needs to spend? It can't be a matter of trial and error just approximating out to the value listed in the books or else the first attempt would cost more than subsequent attempts, perhaps by a large margin. I mean, I suppose you could say the listed cost is if they have a blueprint and it costs more otherwise, but that's making crafting more expensive for no reason.
Now, if you're willing to completely handwave the latter matter, then it stands to reason there should be a way to do the GP appraisal of magic item value. But if there is one, I haven't found it.
Is there a way? Would you just rule that if you know an item's properties you can automatically estimate it's GP value? What do you people think?