Artificers and Shadow Magic

[kentma57]

So I am playing an Eberron game, I thought I would try the Artificer class, meanwhile one of the other players is playing a Shadowcaster. So in the game the characters are related, and at some point over the years I made a magic item that casts some of her powers(Umbral hand in this case); but we have discovered something, useactivated shadow magic is overpowered(due to how few times per day it could normaly be used) for the price I payed(in this I crafted it for 1000gp and it works as telekinesis but for 15lb).

Now for the actual question; Can you think of a way to measure Shadow magic in the normal spell level system.

ex: A level 0 power(mystery I think) might count as a level 1 spell when crafting/buying items.

[The Glyphstone]

Uhh......Mage Hand is a cantrip. A Level 0 spell. It's not overpowered in the slightest - you actually paid too much, since the Hand of the Mage costs 900 GP.

I haven't looked at ToM in forever, so your point might stand in general though...

[PinkysBrain]

The custom magic item guidelines are wonky (I wouldn't usually allow infinite use items, at standard cost I'd make it 5x a day ... and use activation is very ill defined and abusable). As far as shadow magic is concerned though, it's approximately balanced with "normal" spells of the same level.

A level 0 mystery is approximately as powerful as a level 0 spell, and for the guidelines those are counted as 1/2 level spells for the pricing formulas.

PS. Glyphstone, Hand of the Mage is not overpowered exactly ... but hot damn is it one hell of a good item for the price, so many uses.

[The Glyphstone]

Oh, no joke there. I buy one of the things whenever I have the cash and can't already cast Hand.

[kentma57]

Should have been "Umbral Hand" not "Mage Hand", sorry it's been fixed.

[Inyssius Tor]

Should have been "Umbral Hand" not "Mage Hand", sorry it's been fixed.

Doesn't matter.

[kentma57]

Doesn't matter.

First, it does.
Second, Does anyone have an answer to my question?

[The Glyphstone]

yes, exactly like normal spells. A 9th level mystery is exactly the same as a 9th level spell - when a shadowcaster first learns their mysteries, they're explicitly cast as if they were spells. When they become spell-like abilities it stays the same, since SLA's mimic specific spells, and when they finally mutate into supernatural abilities (3rd level maximum), they still have an equivalent spell level, which should be the level they were till then.

As for why it doesn't matter, use-activated normal magic is exactly as overpowered as use-activated mysteries are - that is to say, sometimes not at all, sometimes absurdly so.

[Maerok]

Shadow Magic is inherently more difficult to cajole into a magic containing vessel. (Like it is to dispel and such with normal magic.) Therefore, it costs more to do this. Treat the spell level as one or 1/2 higher.

Of course, I made that up.

Maybe Shadow Magic (ie mysteries) cannot rightfully be used in items in a sane game. Though ToM does have some sample ones. How did they price them? Was it by the normal estimating rules or was there a mark-up?

[kentma57]

Shadow Magic is inherently more difficult to cajole into a magic containing vessel. (Like it is to dispel and such with normal magic.) Therefore, it costs more to do this. Treat the spell level as one or 1/2 higher.

Of course, I made that up.

Maybe Shadow Magic (ie mysteries) cannot rightfully be used in items in a sane game. Though ToM does have some sample ones. How did they price them? Was it by the normal estimating rules or was there a mark-up?

I will have to look into those magic items, and how they where priced.