I'll open with: I've not used the magic item creation tables to make my own magic items despite having played 3.5 for a number of years now. Just haven't had the need to until now and I'm looking for some assistance.
I'm looking to create an item, was thinking initially a ring but after going through the Magic Item Compendium I'm thinking it could be an Augment Crystal.
What I'm looking to do is create an item that'll allow the user to use a weapon they wouldn't otherwise be able to do, effectively giving the user the Martial Weapon Proficiency, either for a specific weapon or have it be generic, allowing the user the "emulated" proficiency with whatever martial weapon the crystal is attached to. Assumingly, it could also be done for Exotic Weapon Proficiency, at a higher cost I imagine.
I guess what I need is to know how to price a feat as accurately as one can.
I did find Gloves of the Balanced Hand (Magic Item Compendium) that emulates the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Would the cost of that be essentially interchangeable with a Martial Weapon Proficiency (or cost less if it allows only a specific type of weapon instead of whatever it's attached to?).
Or, should all this be for naught, is there a magic item somewhere (even non-WotC-sourced) that does what I'm looking for here?
Thanks to any and all that can help me iron this out.
- Chris Shadowens
Check out the Skillful weapon special ability in The Complete Arcane (pg. 144). It negates the non-proficient penalty as well as changing your base attack to a minimum of that of a cleric of equal level for a +2 bonus. If you just wanted the proficiency then a +1 bonus would probably be enough. I haven't read the augment crystals but they can be added to weapons and can hold weapon special abilities if I understand correctly.
RPG Superstar 2013
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My first thought also was the Complete Arcane skillful weapon. But to answer your question directly, emulating a feat in a slot with the correct affinities shold be about 10k. To be balanced, the value of the feat or the synergies of the weapon's abilities might make it more or less.
Seems like my group's consensus on 10K was derived from the Sage, but I can't point you to the article except perhaps to say it was before 3.5. Of course, an article that old wouldn't mention affinities, but you should consider that if your party tries hard to be fairly balanced in power level.
I think it's better just to make the weapon skillful and add abilities that achieve the weapon's purpose in the campaign: meant to make your wizard a wizard-fighter? meant to qualify for a prestige class without un-optimizing? meant to be a sagely weapon that instructs in owner in the proper use of a bastard sword? Skillful will do all these, but skillful might be too expensive a price tag if the weapon has a lot of other abilities.
I haven't looked: Does skillful have a gp value instead of a + in MIC?
I haven't looked: Does skillful have a gp value instead of a + in MIC?
Despite the extensive list the Magic Item Compendium has, I couldn't find Skillful on it. Complete Arcane lists it at +2, no monetary equivalent.
I initiated a similar debate a few months ago and through comparisons we established the cost of a feat at about 5k. Placing it on a magic weapon (and thus not using an item slot) might make it a +1 or +2 adjustment instead.
After reading the above suggestions 4k-5k could be about right, or a +1 enhancement (which, on it's own, is only 2k). Using Skillful as a base for the idea was very helpful (I hadn't seen that weapon enhancement before), but since I don't need it to emulate the Base Attack stuff that could effectively drop it to a +1 enhancement instead of the +2 that Skillful is.
As I was looking at building it into an Augment Crystal instead I looked at the prices of those to see if something was roughly an equivalent cost. A Crystal of Energy Assault (Lesser) is 3k, adds +1d6 damage which is the same as the various +1 weapon bonuses that add damage. Maybe this is better gauge of cost?
On a different branch, I looked at something as basic as Bull's Strength for simply offsetting the -4 to attacks for being non-proficient (which is really all I'm trying to work around with this magic item). Gauntlets of Ogre Power (which uses Bull's Strength in their creation) give a +2 strength bonus for attacks and damage but if something could instead give +4 to attack, no damage bonus, that could effectively cancel out the non-proficiency penalty. Further, if it's placed into an Augment Crystal it'd have to be attached to a Martial Weapon (Exotic Weapons could have a crystal, too) to be useful and would ultimately only emulate having the appropriate feat, not actually give a +4 bonus. Thusly, it could feasibly still cost 4000gp.
Or am I way off? Man, making magic items is exhausting!
- Chris Shadowens
Contributor
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I think a sword (or other Martial Weapon) that allows free Martial Weapon Proficiency: Sword really doesn't need to be that expensive. Martial Weapon Proficiency is likely the weakest feat in the game. For the same cost (1 feat) and the same pre-req (+1 BAB), you could take Exotic Weapon Proficiency, a feat superior in all ways. I'd probably let it tack on 500 or 1000 gp to the cost, since the ability doesn't help 4 classes at all (Ftr, Pal, Bbn, Rng), has a minimal effect on a few others (Rog, Brd, Clr, Drd all get some Martial proficiencies; Monk doesn't need any), and the classes taht it really helps don't really matter in melee (Barring extraordinary circumstances).
Seriously, this isn't worth 5000-10000 gp.
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RPG Superstar 2013
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I think it can be a semi-big deal. I'd gladly pay 500 gp for the crystal rather than spend a feat to qualify for a prestige class, like raumathari battlemage. I am sure there are others. Hammer of Moradin. Anything that requires you be proficient in a single type of weapon. You then are talking about a superior build for that character, an extra feat, in some cases an extra class level.
But that's the hard part. You have to decide whether it's balanced.
Steve
This might be completely unrelated, but Action Points, as presented in Unearthed Arcana, allow you to emulate a feat that you don't have, but meet the prerequisites for.
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I think a sword (or other Martial Weapon) that allows free Martial Weapon Proficiency: Sword really doesn't need to be that expensive. Martial Weapon Proficiency is likely the weakest feat in the game. For the same cost (1 feat) and the same pre-req (+1 BAB), you could take Exotic Weapon Proficiency, a feat superior in all ways. I'd probably let it tack on 500 or 1000 gp to the cost, since the ability doesn't help 4 classes at all (Ftr, Pal, Bbn, Rng), has a minimal effect on a few others (Rog, Brd, Clr, Drd all get some Martial proficiencies; Monk doesn't need any), and the classes taht it really helps don't really matter in melee (Barring extraordinary circumstances).
Seriously, this isn't worth 5000-10000 gp.
Don't be so quick to judge Martial Weapon Proficiency so harshly. I'm currently playing a Monk with Martial Weapon Proficiency: Longbow and am currently the best ranged combatant in my party.
Of course, having an AC of 21 at level 5 doesn't hurt, either.