MAGIC ITEM CREATION
ALTERNATE MAGIC ITEM CREATION In this system, designed for use with the
Casting Threshold magic system, every magic item has an Item Creation Threshold, a number that must be reached using daily Item Creation rolls to determine how long it takes to create the magical item; see Table
8-1 to figure Item Creation Threshold.
Objects also have a minimum level pre-requisite: the minimum level to create a particular item is one-tenth (1/10) its Item Creation Threshold.
Two steps are involved in creating magical items: preparation and enchantment.
Preparation
Preparation time is used to make the materials ready to receive the enchantment, for if the tiniest detail is wrong the enchantment might fail. Preparation takes 1 day for every 1,000 argents in the item’s base or market price (rounded up). For example, a rod of the blueroot has a market price of 5,709 argents. Thus it would take 6 days to prepare the materials for Table 8-1: magic iTem creaTion THresHold
Effect Creation Threhold Example
Ability bonus (enhancement) Bonus x 50 Ring of Zimir el’Timin Armor bonus (enhancement) Bonus x 50 Karval’s finger
Bonus spell Maximum CT x 1.5 Pearl of power
AC bonus (deflection) Bonus x 75 Gwynen’s circlet AC bonus (other) Bonus x 100 Pecwae turquoise pendant Natural armor bonus (enhancement) Bonus x 75 Boots of Irwen Save bonus (resistance) Bonus x 50 Shadow gloves
Save bonus (other) Bonus x 75 Stone of good luck
Save bonus (limited) Bonus x 15 Torc of Kalatorin Skill bonus (competence) Bonus x 5 Spectacles of notice
Spell resistance SR x 15 Robe of the ether
Weapon bonus (enhancement) Bonus x 75 Eflan’s maul
Spell Effect Creation Threshold Example
Single use, spell completion Spell CT Scroll of haste Single use, use-activated Spell CT Pecwae sweetbread 50 charges, spell trigger Spell CT x 2 Wand of fireball Command word Spell CT x 3 Brooch of the falling star Use-activated or continuous Spell CT x 4 Torok’s tube
Special Creation Threshold Example
Charges per day Divide by (5 divided by charges per day) G’tar’s scrying bowl No space limitation Entire Creation Threshold x 2 Pecwae’s friendship token Charged (50 charges) 1/2 unlimited Creation Threshold Assassin’s crossbow
Component Creation Threshold Example
Amore, shield, or weapon Unaffected Telwyn’s leather Spell has material component cost Unaffected Rod of blueroot
enchantment.
Assistance from others at this stage does not speed up the process. (Potions and scrolls do not require preparation time.
You may begin enchanting these items as soon as you have the necessary materials.) Enchantment
Enchantment is the next step, when magical spells are placed on the prepared item.
Whenever spells are used to enchant an object, you the creator must know the spells at Intimate Knowledge or Quick Reference. (If known at Quick Reference, a spellbook or suitable reference must be present.)
Each day of creation, you must make an Item Creation roll, which is 1d20 + your spellcasting bonus for that magical element, and keep a running total every day. Once the cumulative Item Creation roll results equal or exceed the Item Creation Threshold for creating the item, the item is completed on that day. Each day of item creation also requires a Fortitude saving throw: DC 8 for advantaged magic, DC 10 for neutral magic, DC 12 for disadvantaged magic. The DC of this check does not increase during item creation. Failing the Fortitude save causes the spellcaster to suffer 1d6 points of nonlethal damage for elemental magic or 1d6 hit points of normal damage for Void magic.
In rare cases, an item may cast or replicate a spell with an expensive mundane focus. For such an item, the market price equals the base price, plus extra price for the mundane focus. The cost to create an item like this is the base raw material cost (derived from the base price) plus the costs for the mundane focus. If you choos not to include the mundane focus, the enchantment will work only if one is provided every time the item is used.
You also need a quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in which to work. Any place suitable for preparing spells is suitable for crafting items. You are assumed to work
for 8 hours each day, and cannot rush the process by working longer. You can work on only one item at a time, doing nothing else while working. During rest, you can engage in light activity such as talking or walking but cannot fight, cast spells, use magic items, conduct research, or perform any other physically or mentally demanding task. You can take a short break from working (for naps and such) as often as you like, so long as you dedicate at least 8 hours out of every 24 to the creation process. You cannot take a day off. Once the process has started, you must see it through to the end or admit defeat. If you are disturbed while making the item, or spends less than 8 hours working in any period of 24 hours, the process is ruined.
Shared Spellcasting and Item Creation Item creation can be accomplished more quickly when multiple spellcasters work toward its creation. In fact, some items are so challenging they can only be made by parties of spellcasters.
Two or more spellcasters can collaborate in creating a magical item, provided they have the appropriate prerequisites between them such as item creation feat, shared spellcasting ability or feat, knowledge (at Quick Reference or Intimate Knowledge) of any spells being incorporated into the item (if required), and any metamagic feats required. Their combined levels must be equal to or greater than the level requirement. Items are listed by minimum caster level, even if it is beyond that of any lone spellcaster. For example, the magical sword wizard’s bane requires an 18th-level Air mage to create. A trio of 6th-level Air mages, all with the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat and the Cabalistic Spellcasting feat, could pool their efforts together to duplicate the weapon.
Unlike normal shared spellcasting, only the primary maker of the item makes the Item Creation roll, adding the collective spellcasting bonuses of all the participating
mages. This is usually the highest-level mage, but it can be anyone agreed upon by the party.
Dual-Element Magic Item Creation
The creation of any magical item sometimes requires a certain level of power, represented by caster level. If the minimum level is beyond the reach of the spellcaster, he can make use of a Shared Spellcasting feat to have others help him.
To create a magical item based on
dual-element magic, the combined caster levels must be equal or greater than the minimum, but your lowest level cannot be less than half of your highest. For example, boots of Irwen are an Earth/Fire item with a minimum level of 15. A mage with 10 levels in Earth magic and 5 levels in Fire could create the boots, while another mage with 13 levels of Earth magic and 2 levels of Fire could not.