If I've learned anything from RPG Super Star it's that everyone will disagree on magic item pricing. My wizard is interested in more arcane as well as alchemal studies and currently trying to balance this with his traveling lifestyle. I want to create a magic item but am not sure how to cost it. So here's the item and what I got out of the DMG
Arcane Cabinet - A fine silver cabinet key tied to a crimson ribbon with silver arcane symbols, this key opens the door to an non-dimensional space. When the key is held before you and turned while speaking the command word, you can open the door to a 48x72x18 inch double door cabinet with adjustable shelving. Opening, closing, removing, or placing anything in the cabinet is a move equivelent action. (insert rules for bag of holding and portable hole here)
this is basically a small bag of holding and I was thinking between $1000 and $1500. The one I was really haveing trouble with is this one.
Arcane Skeleton Key - This key comes in all shapes and verieties since the creator can use whatever key suites his personality. When this key is placed against a door (not neccessarily in a lock should there not be a lock on the door) and the command word spoken the door opens to an extradimensional room. The room is 20x20x8 feet and is completely unfurnished even devoid of light. The key always opens the the same room so anything placed in the room is there the next time you visit. The key only functions on doors that you are invited to use, own, or have payed to use (innes and the like) the appearance and climate of the room is set by the preconception of the first person to use it (wood or stone walls, dirt or constructed floors, delapidated or finely crafted, hot, cold, temperate) and cannot be changed. The room creates its own oxygen. If the door to this room is shut it can only be accessed by the key or opening the door from the inside. You always return from the room through the door you entered from. If somone knocks on the "host" door it can be heard in both rooms. If you try to leave the room and the "host" door is open you can not exit however you can magically close the door by knocking on it. If more than 50lbs blocks the door you must wait untill the blockage is moved and are affectivly trapped.
according to the dm's guide the price for command word item is spell levelxcaster levelx1800g. If you use Leomunds Secure Selter as the base spell that makes it 50,400. Seems a little low to me. any thoughts?
|
The arcane cabinet -- I agree that it is basically a bag of holding. However, you don't have to fish around for something and the weight is considerably less. For those reasons I would probably still price it out as the smallest bag of holding since it doesn't hold as much. So personally I would keep it at 2,500 gp.
Arcane skeleton key -- Ok, this one is a bit more difficult. The room is nearly 4 times the size of a portable hole. It also provides its own oxygen. On the other hand, you have some serious limitations with the door -- you pretty much can only use it in a town, you can get trapped, etc. (You will want to consider what effect the spell knock has with the extradimensional space.) A portable hole has a value of 20,000 gp. With the increased size of the space and the replenishing oxygen, I actually feel that 50,000 gp is reasonable if not on the high side.
You have some rules with these items that make it rather difficult to value -- come up with a reasonable value and stick with it.
Hope that helps.
The arcane cabinet -- I agree that it is basically a bag of holding. However, you don't have to fish around for something and the weight is considerably less. For those reasons I would probably still price it out as the smallest bag of holding since it doesn't hold as much. So personally I would keep it at 2,500 gp.
weight i had not considered. as far as fishing around though thats only a move action where as it is 3 move actions to retriev something from the cabinet (unless there was only one thing in the cabinet i would probably let it slide as free). you'd still have to find the potion you were looking for amidst the other potions on the shelf for instance.
Arcane skeleton key -- Ok, this one is a bit more difficult. The room is nearly 4 times the size of a portable hole. It also provides its own oxygen. On the other hand, you have some serious limitations with the door -- you pretty much can only use it in a town, you can get trapped, etc. (You will want to consider what effect the spell knock has with the extradimensional space.) A portable hole has a value of 20,000 gp. With the increased size of the space and the replenishing oxygen, I actually feel that 50,000 gp is reasonable if not on the high side.
i know there are still problems. for instance i'm not sure what plane it exists on. any other suggestions?
You might want to study the Leomund's Secret Chest spell. It might be closer to what you want than a bag of holding for the arcane cabinet.
For arcane skeleton key, it sounds closer to a modified (higher level?) rope trick.