One example is a: Keen Dwarven War Axe +2 of Undead Bane with 3 charges per day of Mirror Image Per day. I understand that the weapon with the keen and undead bane mods come to a +4 weapon... but how does one factor in the Mirror Image image uses?
You might be able to do Mirror Image at a cost of 2*3*2000*3/5 = 7,200gp. Then, there's the issue of it being in an item with other powers, so you might multiply this by 1.5 for a total of 10,800gp, added to the cost of the +4 equivalent weapon. HOWEVER, this spell is Personal use only, so if I were the DM, I'd rule it could only be used by a spellcaster with that spell on his spell list, and I'd charge 1800 instead of 2000 in the above calculation (for spell-completion instead of use-activation). I simply wouldn't allow it for someone who doesn't have the spell on their class spell list - but others here may have different opinions on that issue.
Another is a: Belt of Giants Str, with Continual Shield of Faith (1st level caster).
This is another interesting one. If a spell provides a benefit that is priced out on the chart, you're supposed to use the chart price, not the spell price. This goes for any weapon and armor class bonuses, as well as saving throw bonuses. So this belt would be the normal cost of the belt, plus the cost of the deflection bonus times 1.5 for being combined in the same item (so a Belt of Giant's Strength +4 is 16,000, a +2 deflection bonus is normally 8,000 which gets multiplied by 1.5, for a total of 16,000+12,000= 28,000gp).
Another is: Celestial Armor with 2 charges per day of Displacement. (5th level caster)
Displacement isn't a personal use spell, so this one would be the normal cost for Celestial Armor, plus 1.5 times (spell level * caster level * 2000 * charges per day/5) = 1.5*3*5*2000*2/5= 18,000gp. Each of the two charges per day would last only 5 rounds (since it's priced at caster level 5).
I agree with the previous poster but would let the PCs have the Mirror Image spell at:
2 (spell level) x 3 (caster level) x 1,800 (activation by command word) x 3/5 times a day x 1.5 because it is adding on to an additional spot for a number that is the same as what he got, the only difference is that the spell completion should only cost 1,500 for activation.
This adds up to: 9,720 gps. Which I think is fair considering that the spell can be dispelled almost automatically with the 3rd level caster and thatat the levels the PCs are getting it 'True Seeing' spells also become available.
I would also encourage them to get a permanent emanation of Magic Circle against Evil which can be added on for 10,000 gp as per the special abilities section of weapons section.
At least your PCs are being smart, items with a limited number of charges per day can be very usefull especially those with a range of personal. I don't recall anywhere in the rules however that spells like that need to be spell completion items.
Why not just give the items spell storing.
Then they can put the spells in the items before they go in.
As for the weilder having to have the spell on their list,
you are just forcing them to take one level of Wizard or
Cleric.
When every member of the party is taking -10 on experience
it will cease to be a punishment.
This might also solve the problem of wizards spending too much
experience on making magic items.
Why not just give the items spell storing.
You mean like a Ring of Spell Storing? Well, they're freakin' expensive, for one. This guy is looking for a specific spell to be castable many times, whereas a Ring of Spell Storing is any spell cast into it, usable once. Quite different.
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As far as adding displacement to the armor, there is another option from Oriental Adventures. If you can still find a copy, there's an armor special ability in there called displacement. It carries a pretty hefty price tag, but what you get for that price tag is probably worth it since its actually an improvement over the requested boost. As for the axe, yes it is a +4 weapon which gives it a base price of 32k. For the mirror image charges, I wouldn't go with the spell completion item, rather I would go with requiring a skill check such as Concentration or Perform (weapon drill) [see Complete Warrior for details] and thus we would have a formula looking about like this .75((SL X CL x 2000)/(5/3)) For this weapon, you have to have a minimum CL of 10, so we'll go with that for simplicity. Our spell level for mirror image is 2, so our formula becomes .75 ((2 x 10 x 2000)/ (5/3) = 18000. The .75 is the discount for requiring a skill check to use it. If I was doing this, I would make it a DC 20 Perform Weapon Drill) check. And of course you could adjust the DC along with the cost modifier, but going on. Now to add that to our nifty axe is going to cost 27k on top of the price for the axe (18000 x 1.5) which gives us a grand total of 59k for the axe that can create 1d4+3 images 3 times a day or if you only want the minimum power level with 1d4+1 images per day, the price will go down to 40,100 gp. For 1d4+2 images you would pay 48,200. The proper price for 1d4+3 images is 56,300 gp and for the maximum power level of the mirror images, you would be looking at 64,400 gp.
This might also solve the problem of wizards spending too much
experience on making magic items.
Is there such a problem? Wizard is my favorite class but I have never even considered taking any item creation feat. Maybe my DM is just a little too fast and loose with magic shoppes...?
.75 ((2 x 10 x 2000)/ (5/3) = 18000.
as you can see raising the caster level makes the spell much much more expensive, however there is no reason why the item should use the continuously active modifier, i.e. 2,000, unless you are going to do something like was done with boots of speed and let the PC activate the power as a free action and use it in increments of 1 round.
Is there such a problem? Wizard is my favorite class but I have never even considered taking any item creation feat. Maybe my DM is just a little too fast and loose with magic shoppes...?
This might also solve the problem of wizards spending too much
experience on making magic items.
I've had experience with the magic item feats, and I think they're pretty good to take. At the higher levels you can save literally tens of thousands of gold, and make items that you normally wouldn't be able to get access to for 4 or 5 levels. The experience cost can set you back, so don't make items frivolously, but the CR system will eventually correct that.
I hate not using a feat I've taken or class feature I'm granted. Scribe Scroll and the familiar are two things that I see people never using again and again. Take a closer look at those features. There's a reason Wizards get them.
I've had experience with the magic item feats, and I think they're pretty good to take. At the higher levels you can save literally tens of thousands of gold, and make items that you normally wouldn't be able to get access to for 4 or 5 levels. The experience cost can set you back, so don't make items frivolously, but the CR system will eventually correct that.
Better items by 4-5 levels?! I'll have to take that into consideration. I guess I've just always thought of magic item creation as an NPC thing, as I have a great personal stigma against spending any of my hard earned XP. It must be worth it though if so many other PCs do it.
TS