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slexlollar89
2008-01-23, 01:12 PM
Hey...
I am DMing a campaign with a 15th levl warlock in (among other things), and theis player loves the imbue item ability. However, he believe that you do not pay XP cost or gold cost when making items with the imbue item ability, and the second t last line in the ability description seems to support this. Am I reading it wrong, because if this is true then the warlock (already my favorite class) will be quite a bit better...

Also, I am not bery smart and am having quite a bit of trouble finding out a definitive way to craft items (as in XP cost and gold cost for unique items, and what feats allow what crafting). This is in part due to laziness, but also my own foolishness, so can anyone help me out? I really want to play an artificer.

Fixer
2008-01-23, 01:49 PM
All Crafting of magic items in 3.0 and 3.5 takes GP and XP. These can come from the caster or other sources but these costs must be paid.

As far as costing of items, it is an art and not a science. What you can create using the rules can be tweaked until you get something uber for a slight cost, so only use the cost guidelines in the book as guidelines only. If an item can do more than an X level spellcaster can do, be sure and make sure than that X level character couldn't purchase that item if they spent half their gold at X level to buy the item.

Telonius
2008-01-23, 02:28 PM
From the Wizards site (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20050630a):


Diversified Magic: You'll never run out of eldritch blasts and invocations, but the scope of those powers is strictly limited. You'll probably want to take advantage of your deceive item ability to add some variety to your bag of tricks. Scrolls are a cheap and handy way to carry a broad array of magic, but for effects that you use often, consider a wand. When choosing scrolls or other magic items, aim for effects that you can't duplicate with your class abilities, including utilitarian magic such as knock and haste, defenses such as shield and displacement, and mobility boosters such as expeditious retreat and gaseous form. And since your deceive item power allows you to use items of all kinds, you aren't limited to scrolls or wands that store arcane spells. You also can employ useful divine spells such as shield of faith, bless weapon, divine favor, and magic vestment. And when you gain the imbue item ability at 12th level, you can make items of all kinds yourself -- if you can spare the time and experience points.


It doesn't specifically mention gold, but it's fairly apparent that they intend the Imbue Item ability to generally function just as the other Craft feats. The difference is that, without Imbue, the Warlock would be seriously hobbled as far as crafting.

Almost all crafting requires a specific spell either known or purchased in item form, in order to craft. For example, a Rod of Absorption requires the "Spell Turning" spell. The Warlock does not know this spell. Without that Imbue Item ability, he would have to have somebody else cast the spell, or cast it from a scroll if he wants to make a Rod of Absorption.

(I am 90% sure this is how it works, but I don't have the books in front of me; please correct me if this is wrong). Since a Warlock has the Imbue Item ability, he can instead make a Use Magic Device check. Spell turning is a level 7 arcane spell, so the DC would be 22. If it succeeds, he successfully creates the item.

You can find the rules for Creating Magic Items here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm).