[3.5] Non-magical magic items

[Leeham]

So i had a thought, items that buff you in certain ways, but aren't magical (like masterwork), and i was wondering how to price these, if they were too good, etc. So, opinions?

Examples:
Bandit Leather - this normal leather armour grants a +2 to Diplomacy and Gather Information with bandits or other ne'er-do-wells

Skull Armour - Armours with this quality grant a +2 bonus to intmidate checks, but a -2 penalty to Diplomacy

[Helinon]

Makes sense for the style of certain armor to give bonuses or negatives on certain checks. For costs, well I've struggled with that too. Some things should only cost a bit more than their normal counter part, and other should cost a decent bit more. It all depends on the bonuses it gives. the higher/better the bonus, the larger the cost.

[Debihuman]

Creating items that increase skill bonuses are already listed in the DMG p285, the cost is the bonus squared X 100 gp. These are considered magical items. See for example, the Cloak of the Elvenkind, which grants +5 Competence bonus on Hide checks for 2,500 gp.

Debby

[Narazil]

Creating items that increase skill bonuses are already listed in the DMG p285, the cost is the bonus squared X 100 gp. These are considered magical items. See for example, the Cloak of the Elvenkind, which grants +5 Competence bonus on Hide checks for 2,500 gp.

Debby

I'm pretty sure the OP knows this, and that it has nothing to do with what he's trying to do. The point is non-magical skill enchancement.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Well the ambiguous Tools (masterwork) in the PHB costs 30gp for a +2 circumstance bonus, but the Disguise Kit offers the same bonus a mere 10 times and costs 50gp. Likewise, Artisan's Tools (masterwork) cost 55gp, and Thieves Tools (masterwork) cost 100gp, as does a Musical Instrument (masterwork).

As Thieves Tools (masterwork) and Musical Instrument (masterwork) follow the same formula, are well-defined, added to useful skills, and continuous, I'd use them as a basis.

My rules might appear as follows:

Mundane Enhancements

Any well-crafted object can provide bonuses to skill checks if used in the proper manner. An object can grant a Circumstance bonus to relevant skills between +1 and +4. The cost associated is (bonus squared) x 25gp.

If an object grants multiple bonuses, combine the individual prices for the total price. In an object grants a bonus only under certain circumstances (a flotation device granting a bonus to Swim checks only when remaining on the surface, for example), the amount charged is only 50%. Likewise, if the item imposes a penalty on other skill checks at least equal to the bonus granted, the cost percentage (after the first 50% reduction, if applicable) is reduced by 25%.


Your first item, therefore would be +100gp: 2x2x25+2x2x25, and then 50% for the use clause.

Your second would be +75gp: 2x2x25, then -25 for the penalty.

[Lysander]

How about you make non-magic bonus items always weaker than magic versions, but make them proportionally cheaper.

For example, instead of a magical +5 hiding cloak of elvenkind for 2,500gp you could get a non-magical +2 hiding elvish cloak for 1,000gp. If they make it, require a craft check and a proportional xp cost too (representing the love and time spent perfecting this masterpiece)

The advantage is non-magical items keep their bonus after being dispelled, disjuncted or inside an anti-magic field. You couldn't replicate blatantly magical stuff like wings of flying or flaming weapons though, just things that provide competence or morale bonuses.

[arguskos]

Well, there are alchemical items that allow you to light weapons on fire/frost/shock/whatever, it's not a long shot to see making a more expensive weapon coating that is a self-sustaining reaction of some flavor, basically giving you a small elemental damage bonus in exchange for being non-magical and lasting forever, until cleaned off or doused somehow.

Something like...

Eternal Flame
This jar of reddish paste can be applied to a bladed weapon as a standard action. The weapon bursts into a long-lasting deep crimson flame, and deals +2 fire damage on a successful hit.

Eternal Flame does not go out naturally. If left alone, it will burn forever, possibly lighting nearby objects on fire, though it itself does not spread. It can be doused as a full round action with a gallon of water or with a heavy cloth. It cannot be applied to a weapon under the effects of any other eternal alchemical substances, or a weapon with a magical energy enchantment (such as flaming or frost).

A single jar of Eternal Flame holds one use, and costs 100 gp.

[Debihuman]

First of all, the items mentioned by Djinn are for a collection of related items (tools) that gives a bonus to the pertinent skill for using those items. Both the disguise kit and healers kit are exhausted after 10 uses. Masterwork tools are expensive (50 gp more than standard items) but give you a +2 bonus to single skill check.

I would limit all non-magical items to +2 on a single skill. They can only be added to tools and skill kits. Specific items such as the Elvish Cloak of Hiding +2 would still be a magical item and would cost 400 gp.

A bandit's kit (bandanna, eye-mask, etc.) would give a +2 bonus to Intimidation. Meanwhile, Bandit Armor would still be a magical item.

Debby