Does the game have a max + to competence bonus you can get to skills from creating your own magic item?
For example, if I crafted a wondrous item with a competence bonus to spellcraft, how high can I push it? I know in 3.5 is was +30, but that seems incredibly high in PF.
Does the game have a max + to competence bonus you can get to skills from creating your own magic item?
For example, if I crafted a wondrous item with a competence bonus to spellcraft, how high can I push it? I know in 3.5 is was +30, but that seems incredibly high in PF.
+30 actually wasn't the cap in 3.5 D&D. That was just the cut off where it stopped being a normal item and became an epic item, with a x10 cost multiplier.
Does the game have a max + to competence bonus you can get to skills from creating your own magic item?
For example, if I crafted a wondrous item with a competence bonus to spellcraft, how high can I push it? I know in 3.5 is was +30, but that seems incredibly high in PF.
The rules do not set a maximum. Your GM might set one, or might change the pricing formula above some point to make it steeper, or both.
I note that the +30 item would be worth 90,000 gp. That's almost all the wealth by level of a 12th-level PC. If we use the guideline of no more than 25% of WBL being in one item, a PC would need to be 17th level to have one of these. Okay, only 14th if they craft it themselves. Still, at those levels, and at that expense, I don't think it's that unreasonable.
The maximum competence bonus I have seen in the permanent published items is +10. While the pricing table allow you to go above that, it is strongly recommended to compare new items to existing items for pricing
Ultimate campaign wrote:
Pricing New Items
The correct way to price an item is by comparing its abilities to similar items (see Magic Item Gold Piece Values), and only if there are no similar items should you use the pricing formulas to determine an approximate price for the item. If you discover a loophole that allows an item to have an ability for a much lower price than is given for a comparable item in the Core Rulebook, the GM should require using the price of the Core Rulebook item, as that is the standard cost for such an effect. Most of these loopholes stem from trying to get unlimited uses per day of a spell effect from "command word" or "use-activated or continuous" descriptions.
so creating a new items that surpass every existing published items isn't something intended to be done.
It all depend on your GM. If you are the GM I suggest to stay with the the +10 limit of the published items.
This exquisite telescope is crafted of brass, ivory, wood, and carefully polished crystal lenses and silver mirrors, and is over 10 feet long. Anyone using a farwatcher must possess at least 5 ranks in Profession (astronomy) in order to use it-the device is simply too complex for anyone with less training to use it properly. An observer using this device gains a +20 circumstance bonus on Perception checks to discern celestial bodies, as well as a +20 circumstance bonus on any Profession (astronomer) checks made while using it at night. A farwatcher can be used during either the night or day to look at celestial or terrestrial objects, though any object within 1 mile viewed through the telescope is obscured beyond recognition. A farwatcher allows its user to see things through it as though under the effects of true seeing for up to 1 hour per day. These minutes need not be consecutive, but must be expended in minimum increments of 10 minutes each.
Chariot Of The Conqueror(20):
This fantastic vehicle was fashioned specifically for General Tawaret, who rode it into battle throughout her military career. The chariot of the conqueror is a light chariot pulled by a team of two ghostly manticores controlled by beaded reigns. The manticores can only draw the chariot; they cannot attack or otherwise act. The chariot's statistics are Hardness 10, hp 180, Base Save +2, Maximum Speed 200 ft., fly 200 ft. (perfect); Acceleration 100 ft., fly 100 ft.; all other statistics conform to those of a standard light chariot (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 181). The chariot of the conqueror treats all terrain as normal, including water-the vehicle glides smoothly over liquid as though it were pavement-and can even fly. On command, the chariot can drive itself for up to 1 hour with a +20 bonus on drive checks, following the driver's verbal orders. Otherwise, the driver must attempt driving checks to control the ghostly steeds drawing the chariot as normal (Ultimate Combat 170). The chariot of the conqueror can carry up to two Medium creatures: one driver and one passenger. Creatures riding in the chariot gain a +4 cover bonus to AC. Passengers balance perfectly while riding in the vehicle, even if it's moving sideways or upside down, making it a perfect platform for archers or others making ranged attacks. Damage to the chariot can be magically repaired, but if reduced to 0 hit points, it's destroyed.
Draddeth Edge(12):
This +1 defiantUE transformativeUE warhammer houses the mind of a cunning schemer and brilliant military tactician. The weapon has a deep sense of patriotism for the nation of Molthune, and it seeks to help its owner rise through the ranks of that militant nation. The weapon never willingly reveals its name until it feels its job as a military tutor is nearing completion. The Draddeth Edge enjoys listening to military strategies, and empathically communicates its feelings on tactics to its owner. It evaluates its owner's underlings and despises incompetent or untrustworthy comrades, generals, and commanders, urging its owner to dismiss them from service. When dealing with a well-meaning but tactically inept owner, The Draddeth Edge attempts to exert its ego during military matters. The weapon has a +12 bonus on Profession (soldier) checks, and a +7 bonus on Sense Motive checks. It can cast magic aura on itself at will (Will DC 13 disbelieves) and teleport on itself once per day. The Draddeth Edge can read and understand Common and Varisian. Owners who think too highly of Molthune's rival nations (especially Nirmathas), or who frequently argue with the weapon, find The Draddeth Edge missing at critical moments. The warhammer uses a combination of its transformative, magic aura, and teleport abilities to evade service to these potential owners, and to leave its current owner when it feels its purpose is complete.
Lady Ninahu's Doll(13):
This well-worn doll is 18 inches tall, and its floppy limbs and fine clothing are patched in several places. Pressing the doll's left button-eye causes it to become preternaturally rigid and affix itself in space, as an immovable rod. While in this state, the doll has hardness 20. The doll can maintain this state for 1 minute before returning to its usual plush composition; pressing the doll's right eye causes it to return to its original state immediately. Pressing either eye is a move action. Lady Ninahu's Doll has the protection of children as its special purpose and particularly prioritizes the protection of its owner if its owner is a child. Lady Ninahu's Doll does not impose a negative level on an owner who is a child, regardless of the child's alignment. Lady Ninahu's Doll is satisfied to lie inert most of the time, watching its owner's environment carefully for threats (Perception +13). The doll rarely attempts to communicate other than to encourage feelings of calm and safety. If danger presents itself, the doll is able to move up to 10 feet under its own power, become immobile as above, or take the aid another action to grant its owner an AC bonus. Once per day, the doll can act as if it had the In Harms WayAPG feat. Aware that its immobility is temporary, the doll empathically urges its owner to escape while it holds the menace at bay. Lady Ninahu's Doll can move under its own power, but only to block a perceived threat.
Phylactery Of Jadis-Vel(13):
This item is a receptacle for a lich's soul. It was broken into five pieces. Individually, each piece can do no more than whisper "Jadis-Vel," the name of the lich whose fragmented soul is trapped within. When the pieces of the phylactery are all gathered within 30 feet of each other, they collectively become an intelligent item with the memories and will of the lich whose soul it contains. The spirit retains only fractured memories of its former existence, but it gains an understanding of how to escape and reclaim those memories. The combined pieces teach their owner how to find the path to lichdom, a process that is unique to each soul. They have a +13 bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks for this purpose. A prospective lich can choose the Phylactery of Jadis-Vel as her own phylactery, negating the gold cost of crafting a phylactery (though this does not bypass the other construction requirements for creating a phylactery). Once the prospective lich performs the necessary ritual to become a lich, the trickery of the phylactery comes to fruition: the new lich's spirit becomes trapped within the shards of this phylactery, and the soul of Jadis-Vel is released into the new lich's body. The freed lich is without a phylactery and must craft a new one, but is otherwise returned to the world intact, albeit in a different body.
Glass Of Veils(25):
This looking glass resembles a framed full-length mirror, 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide. A creature that knows the proper commands can operate the mirror in one of two modes. In its first mode, the mirror stores the reflection of any creature other than the user that comes within 20 feet of the device and sees its own image. A creature not aware of the nature of the device always sees its own reflection. If the creature seeks to avert its gaze in order to avoid looking at the mirror, the probability of a creature seeing its reflection drops to 50%. This mode functions continually until another command word is spoken or until 24 hours pass, whichever comes first. In its second mode, the mirror can call to its surface any reflection stored via the first mode of operation and bestow that appearance on the activator, as per the veil spell, for 24 hours. The stored reflection increases the bonus that its veil grants on Disguise checks from +10 to +20. The disguise is always the mirror image of the creature, however, which might reveal to astute observers familiar with the creature that something is wrong (for instance, a mole on the wrong side of the face); this increases the bonus on Perception checks to see through the disguise for creatures intimately familiar with the creature in question from +10 to +25. This mode can be activated up to three times per day, though it can provide only one veil effect at a time, so if anyone activates it again before the previous veil expires, the first effect ends. A glass of veils can store up to 12 different reflections. If its capacity is exceeded, the reflection that has been stored the longest is erased to accommodate the latest one. With a separate command word, the user can protect an image from being erased, or remove that protection. A glass of veils with all 12 reflections protected from erasure can't store new images until he removes the protection from at least one stored image.
Memory Box(12):
This 3-inch cubic puzzle box is coated in dark lacquer and elegantly decorated with gold leaf, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Opening the box requires 1 minute and a successful DC 22 Intelligence check, which can be attempted only once per day. The box opens into a nondimensional space, like a bag of holding, that can contain up to 2 cubic feet or 20 pounds of material. Even when the box is filled, its weight remains negligible. A memory box can store more than just material. Once per day, if the user speaks a command word when the box is open, she can recount one piece of knowledge she possesses to remove that knowledge from her mind, as repress memoryOA, and store it in the box. If the user speaks a command word when the box is closed and then opens it within 1 minute, she can mentally review any of her memories that are stored in the box and permanently erase or instantly restore any she wishes. Memories stored in the box can't be restored by other means. Once she closes the box, the user retains the knowledge that the box contains stored memories, but no details regarding which. A creature that has one or more memories stored in the box gains a +12 circumstance bonus on the Intelligence check required to reopen it. The user can't review stored memories that belong to someone else. Memories that are erased from the box can be restored to their owner only by break enchantment, psychic surgeryOA, limited wish, miracle, or wish. A memory box can contain up to 12 memories at a time. Storing a new memory when the box is already at its full capacity causes the oldest memory to be erased, regardless of whose memory it is.
In general it's rare to see skill bonuses go above +5 from Pathfinder published items, though some do go to +10. I don't think any go higher than that (that aren't to some very specific task like the Farwatcher mentioned above) and you probably shouldn't allow/try to craft higher than that.
Technically, there is no limit though.
*And as a note most of Cevah's items are skill scores for the item itself, not a bonus to the user. The other ones are for very specific and limited usefulness applications of skills.
