3E Magic Item Creation
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| Table of contents |
Issues with original rules
- Expenditure of experience points
The party spellcaster must expend a valuable resource in order to assist the party - Extended downtime
Inflexibility of rules requires an uninterrupted set of days to work on an item; this makes item creation infeasible for most campaigns - No skill basis
The creator's skill levels are not accounted for in the creation process
Item Creation Basics
The base cost to create a magic item is 75% of the market price.
The base DC to create an item is 10, plus the item's caster level.
The base time to create most magic items is the market price divided by 125, in hours. The only exception is potions, which always have a base time of eight hours.
Item Creation Skill Checks
At the end of each day of work, the creator must make a skill check. The specific skill used is dependent on the type of item being created:
| Item Type | Skill | Required Workspaces | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brew Potion | Craft (Alchemy or Herbalism) | Alchemy Lab | Magic Laboratory |
| Craft Magic Arms and Armor | Craft (Engraving/Etching) | Workspace (Engraving/Etching) | Smithy |
| Craft Rod | Craft (Artificer) | Workspace (Artificer) | Magic Laboratory |
| Craft Staff | Craft (Artificer) | Workspace (Artificer) | Magic Laboratory |
| Craft Wand | Craft (Artificer) | Workspace (Artificer) | Magic Laboratory |
| Craft Wonderous Item | Special | Special | Magic Laboratory |
| Forge Ring | Craft (Jeweler) | Workspace (Jeweler) | Magic Laboratory |
| Scribe Scroll | Craft (Calligraphy) | Study/Office | Magic Laboratory |
Required Workspaces: If the creator does not have the required stronghold spaces available to work in, apply a -2 circumstance penalty to the skill checks for each space not available (this is the equivalent of the "improvised tools" penalty). Working in a "fancy" workspace gives a +2 bonus to all skill checks, but only gains this bonus once, even if both required workspaces are "fancy".
Brew Potion: A Druid or Ranger who uses Craft (Herbalism) for potion creation may ignore the "Required Workspaces" for potion creation. In this case, the brewer must have a Herbalism Kit or take a -2 penalty to their skill roll.
Craft Wonderous Item: The skill required for constructing this type of item depends on the specific item being made. Elixirs, for example, would require Craft (Alchemy). Ioun Stones would require Craft (Jeweler). If no other Craft skill is appropriate, use Craft (Artificer). The DM has the final say in this decision. The primary required stronghold space is also related to the skill choice; use the primary space matching the skill from the table above. For example, an Alchemy Lab is required for items which use the Craft (Alchemy) skill.
Skill Check Results
When the daily check is made, reference the following table to determine the results of that day's work. A running total should be kept of hours completed, total modifier to cost, and total curse check DC.
| Skill Check - DC | Result | Progress | Next Check DC | Cost | Curse DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -14 or lower | Total Failure | - | - | - | - |
| -10 to -13 | Major Failure | -2d8 hours | +2 | +(1d6)*5% | +4 |
| -6 to -9 | Major Setback | 0% | +1 | +10% | +2 |
| -1 to -5 | Minor Setback | 50% | - | +5% | +1 |
| 0 to 5 | Normal | 100% | - | - | - |
| 6 to 9 | Minor Breakthrough | 100% | -1 | -5% | -1 |
| 10 or higher | Major Breakthrough | 125% | -2 | -10% | -2 |
Progress: The amount of progress made for the current day. Percentages are relative to the number of hours worked.
Next Check DC: Modifier to the DC of the next daily check made on this item. This is a circumstance bonus (or penalty).
Cost: Change to the actual cost to create the item. Percentages are relative to the market price of the item.
Curse DC: Keep a running count of this number for use when the item is completed (see below). Start the count at 1.
A result of "Total Failure" indicates that the project has failed beyond hope of repair. The full cost in materials (including any cost modifiers from previous work) is lost. In addition, any special materials (see below) used in the process may be used up; retain (1d10)*10% of the starting amount of the material; the remainder is lost. Roll separately for each special material.
Conditional Modifiers
The creator of a magic item may make certain decisions about the process. Will he opt for higher quality materials? Rush to complete the item? These decisions can affect the cost, time required, or work progress check DCs.
Overall Construction Modifiers
These modifiers affect all of the checks made for a given item.
| Action | Effect | Multiple | DC Modifier | Curse DC Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Careful Work | Increase base time required | Per 10% (max 50%) | -1 | - |
| Quick Work | Decrease base time required | Per 5% (max 25%) | +1 | - |
| Quality Materials | Increase base price | Per 5% (max 25%) | -1 | - |
| Discount Materials | Decrease base price | Per 5% (max 25%) | +1 | - |
| Cooperative Construction | More than one crafter (to meet prerequisites) | Per additional crafter | +2 | - |
| Special Materials | Utilize valuable materials related to item purpose | Per 10% of base price, max 50% | -1 | -1 |
Special Materials: These are rare or especially expensive materials which the DM has determined bear a significant relationship to the item being crafted. For instance, the blood from a green dragon might assist in the creation of a Potion of Gaseous Form, while the scales of a black dragon might assist in creating Armor with the Acid Resistance property.
Cooperative Construction: More than one crafter may be involved in the item creation. This does not provide any assistance bonuses. However, it does allow creators to "pool" resources in order to create an item. For example, a wizard with the Brew Potion feat could work with a Cleric in order to create a Potion of Cure Light Wounds.
Daily Modifiers
These are decisions which affect the work check from a single day.
| Action | Effect | DC Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| Shortened Workday | You work less than four hours, on a project with more than four hours remaining | +2 |
| Extended Workday | You work additional hours beyond the standard eight in a day | Special |
| Lack of Sleep | You work with less than eight hours of sleep the previous night | +2 per hour under eight |
| Multitasking | You work on more than one magic item in a single day | +2 per item |
| Time Off | You take a break from work on your item | +1 per day (Max +10) |
| Split Day | Your work is interrupted during a given day | +2 (see below) |
Extended Workday: A normal workday is eight hours. For each additional hour worked in a given day the crafter must roll a Concentration check. For this purpose, count any work done on any projects toward the total. The DC for this check is eight plus the total number of hours worked so far in the current day. Failure on this check adds +2 to the DC of the daily work check. Example: A wizard attempts to spend 10 hours working on a given day. He must make a Concentration check against DC 16 for the first additional hour, and against 17 for the second additional hour. Count hours spent adventuring or other strenuous work toward the total number of hours worked in a day; if a character adventures for eight hours, then begins work on a project, they will need to make a concentration check for each hour worked.
Lack of Sleep: It is expected that a full nights rest precedes each workday. Assess this penalty if the caster, willingly or otherwise, does not spend enough time asleep before the current workday.
Time Off: if the caster skips a day (or more) of work, apply this penalty to the first day of work performed after returning to the project, at a rate of +1 DC per day skipped.
Split Day: If the caster leaves in the middle of a workday, then returns to the project, he will make two work checks, one for each period. Apply the Shortened Workday penalty if either period is less than four hours. Apply the Split Day penalty only to the second work period.
The crafter may make these decisions as the work day progresses, without additional penalty. For instance, if the crafter is called away in the middle of a work day, assess the "Shortened Workday" action. If the crafter then returns to work on the project, assess the "Time Off" penalty. If the crafter has failed the first two checks for "Extended Workday" actions, they may decide to stop working for the day, even if they originally planned to work for additional hours.
Potion Specific Rules
An alchemist may attempt to brew a "batch" of potions. This will create multiple uses of the same type of potion.
| Action | Effect | DC Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| Brew Batch | You create a larger amount of potion than normal | +2 per additional potion |
Note that if you have an ability which already allows you to brew multiple potions per day, start with that number as the base amount of potions created, then add the above modifier for any potions in excess of that number. For example, an alchemist has the ability to brew two of the same potion in a single day, instead of just one. If he wanted to make three uses of the potion instead, his crafting check would be at +2 for the one additional potion.
If the work progress table indicates less than 100% of the progress toward completion has been made on a potion, the brewer may attempt to spend extra hours (per the rules above) in order to make up the deficit, and then roll again. If the work progress table indicates no progress (or negative progress), the current potion (or batch of potions) is ruined, and the materials spent just as if a "Total Failure" result had occurred.
Completing the Item
Once all of the required hours have been spent in creating the item, one final check remains. The DM should roll 1d20-1 against the Curse DC which has been tracked during the construction process. Failure indicates that the item has a drawback of some sort (note that if the final Curse DC is zero or less, there is no chance of such a drawback). Roll percentile dice, add the Curse DC to the result, and find the drawback:
| d100 + Curse DC | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 to 74 | Item works as intended |
| 75 | Item's maximum charges are reduced by 1d10 |
| 76 | Item hums while equipped (+4 to DC of Move Silently checks) |
| 77 | Item sheds light as a hooded lantern while equipped |
| 78 | Item sheds light as a bullseye lantern while equipped |
| 79 | Item drains 1 HP from user each time it is used |
| 80 | Item has reduced effect (-1 to save DCs, -1 per die of damage) |
| 81 | Item reduces Strength by 2 while equipped |
| 82 | Item reduces Dexterity by 2 while equipped |
| 83 | Item reduces Constitution by 2 while equipped |
| 84 | Item reduces Intelligence by 2 while equipped |
| 85 | Item reduces Wisdom by 2 while equipped |
| 86 | Item reduces Charisma by 2 while equipped |
| 87 | Item reduces Fortitude saves by 2 while equipped |
| 88 | Item reduces Reflex saves by 2 while equipped |
| 89 | Item reduces Will saves by 2 while equipped |
| 90 | Item has 10% chance of not working each round while equipped |
| 91 | Item has 10% chance of causing Sound Burst when used (targeted on user) |
| 92 | Item has 5% chance of casting Dispel Magic when used (targeted on user) |
| 93 | Item reduces all saves by 1 while equipped |
| 94 | Item will only work when used by a female |
| 95 | Item will only work when used by a male |
| 96 | Item has 50% chance of not working each round while equipped |
| 97 | Item will only work during the new moon (3 days per month) |
| 98 | Item will only work during the full moon (3 days per month) |
| 99 | Each time the item is used, there is a 1% chance that it will become permanently non-magical |
| 100 | Each time the item is used, there is a 1% cumulative chance that it will become permanently non-magical |
| 101 | Item has a random effect in place of the expected effect (for multiple-use items, only a single effect is affected) |
| 102 | Item Bestows Curse on user the first time it is used by a given character (as spell; -4 to attacks, saves, checks) |
| 103 | Item has opposite of intended effect |
| 104 | Item only works once |
| 105+ | Catastrophic curse - DM story hook here! |
For purposes of the table above, "used" means drinking a potion, speaking a command word, defending against an attack while wearing armor, swinging a weapon, etc. For weapons, armor, or other permanent magic, drawbacks do not manifest until the item is used in a real-world situation; it is not possible to "test" the item for a drawback. Equipped means putting on the item, if it is clothing, armor, or jewelry; drawing the item, if it is a weapon; or, in the case of single use items, for the duration of the item's effect.
The Analyze Dweomer spell will reveal any drawbacks of a magic item.
If there is no obvious way a specific magical item would be affected by the curse rolled, consider it a result of "Item works as intended".
Notes
Unless otherwise specified, when calculating times and values, apply all percentage adjustments to the base, then round the number up to the nearest whole hour or gold piece value.
Although under these rules it is permissible to spend hours of work on more than one item creation task per day, these hours may never overlap.
