I've always been weary of making magical equipment, even if I have the time and need. Now that Pathfinder has changed the exp portion of creating gear for the better (even though the costs got pretty big), I still don't feel like making magic items because it just takes too damn long.
I understand why they make it take as long as it did: adventurers should be out doing quests and things, not sitting at home making items. But all they did was perpetuate that issue, not deter it.
My following proposals are what I use in my game. I find it speeds up magic item creation, which the DM shouldn't and can't really stop anyhow, and instead of putting the game on hold, possibly ruining any plot time, helps let players feel useful, witty and creative without punishment.
I originally got this idea from Epic Crafting (it's a feat.)
- Reduce the time required to make an item to 10,000gp = 1 day
- Partial days are just that: Average the time by hours, not days. Potions shouldn't take a day to make.
Anyone else have good rules to go by?
I've always been weary of making magical equipment, even if I have the time and need. Now that Pathfinder has changed the exp portion of creating gear for the better (even though the costs got pretty big), I still don't feel like making magic items because it just takes too damn long.
I understand why they make it take as long as it did: adventurers should be out doing quests and things, not sitting at home making items. But all they did was perpetuate that issue, not deter it.
My following proposals are what I use in my game. I find it speeds up magic item creation, which the DM shouldn't and can't really stop anyhow, and instead of putting the game on hold, possibly ruining any plot time, helps let players feel useful, witty and creative without punishment.
I originally got this idea from Epic Crafting (it's a feat.)
- Reduce the time required to make an item to 10,000gp = 1 day
- Partial days are just that: Average the time by hours, not days. Potions shouldn't take a day to make.
Anyone else have good rules to go by?
In our campaign, my character has made a couple magic items in between adventures. We use a crafting system that has a base time, like 8 hours, 4 days, 4 weeks, etc, and for every 5 points by which you exceed the DC reduced the actual time it takes to craft. For the last +1 lance I enchanted it ended up taking only 2 hours IIRC (but then I play an artificer with pretty hefty spellcraft).
An interesting thing we discovered is it almost always behooves a crafter to take 10 on the roll. Most of the DC's are really low for minor magic items. You only get into rolling when you are in danger of being out of your depth. My artificer is 6th level, and if he had infinite pile of cash he could have conceivably craft a +2 Vorpal sword at a DC 33, but there would be about 75% chance that it would be cursed (edit: actually 50% chance, I forgot that I have to fail by 5 or more) :D And even for lesser magic items, no matter what your skill bonus, if you roll you could always fumble.
An interesting thing we discovered is it almost always behooves a crafter to take 10 on the roll. Most of the DC's are really low for minor magic items. You only get into rolling when you are in danger of being out of your depth. My artificer is 6th level, and if he had infinite pile of cash he could have conceivably craft a +2 Vorpal sword at a DC 33, but there would be about 75% chance that it would be cursed (edit: actually 50% chance, I forgot that I have to fail by 5 or more) :D And even for lesser magic items, no matter what your skill...
Normally you can't fumble (auto-fail on a 1) for a skill check. Minor quibble that may or may not apply since we're talking about house rules. :)