Hey there guys,
I was sitting down to create stats for a simple magic item that my player's saw a NPC using, and I came into a small issue on pricing versus power. The item is a cloak that allows for invisibility a limited number of minutes, or rounds, per day. It is activated as a move action and canceled as a swift action. I was hoping to price it somewhere in the 2000 to 5000 gold piece price range.
Does anybody have any ideas concerning where I should set the price? I know it will tie in with the amount of time given daily, but I'm having a hard time balancing the usefulness of the item with the given price range.
Thanks in advance,
Tolroy
You might have luck reducing the price by using the spell Vanish from the APG. It's a shorter 1st level spell, so that may help. Are there any restrictions you could place on the item to lower the price, like a required so many ranks in a skill or race or whatever. I'm not familiar on the rules, but could putting a curse or drawback on the item help with the price? I'm guessing since it's an NPC, you might be able to get away with something.
Note that usually, activating an item is a standard action. Turning it into a move action makes it significantly more powerful, which the pricing should reflect.
Note that usually, activating an item is a standard action. Turning it into a move action makes it significantly more powerful, which the pricing should reflect.
Really? I find most wondrous items to be mental actions (and so are free or swift).
I would first look at the price range which you have already done...
A general estimate can be had from the magic item creation in the book... the minimum CL of invisibility is 3 so 3 minute increments, so;
Level 2 spell x CL 3 x 1800 x 5(charges)/5 = 9,000 gp(4,500 to craft)
That 9000 cost is much cheaper than 20,000 unlimited use ring of invisibility.
This being with 5 charges per day of three minutes, each charge taken off is a 20% price decrease so 2 charges would be 3600. This of course is a standard action activation. If this item is for the npc only you could add some class and alignment resrictions. Hell you could even attune it to the npc so it is worthless to the PCs.
the Vanish Spell would be cheaper if you only wanted the invisibility for 4 rounds or less at a time, otherwise it is just as expensive as the Invisibility spell
The Vanish cloak value would be 1800 x number of rounds you want it to last(AKA CL) x Charges per Day/5.
But you already went through all of that... for a custom item I would give for 5000 it should be able to be activated with a move action and grant 10 rounds of invisibility per day granted in 1 round increments.
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A cloak of invisibility that can be activated twice a day by standard action would cost 4320 (3x2x1800/(5/2)). As it is move action activation I would price it as at least use activated which would increase the price to at least 4800 (3x2x2000/(5/2)).
As mentioned there are discounts possible for a skill required (10%) or alignment/class specific items (30%).
You could make it a charged item and half the cost.
from PRD:
Unless stated otherwise, activating a use-activated magic item is either a standard action or not an action at all and does not provoke attacks of opportunity, unless the use involves performing an action that provokes an attack of opportunity in itself. If the use of the item takes time before a magical effect occurs, then use activation is a standard action. If the item's activation is subsumed in its use and takes no extra time use, activation is not an action at all.
So unless the item says otherwise, it is a standard action whether it requires a command word or not.
-S
Really? I find most wondrous items to be mental actions (and so are free or swift).
Magic Item activation is generally a standard action unless otherwise noted.
If no activation method is suggested either in the magic item description or by the nature of the item, assume that a command word is needed to activate it. Command word activation means that a character speaks the word and the item activates. No other special knowledge is needed.
A command word can be a real word, but when this is the case, the holder of the item runs the risk of activating the item accidentally by speaking the word in normal conversation. More often, the command word is some seemingly nonsensical word, or a word or phrase from an ancient language no longer in common use. Activating a command word magic item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Ninja'd
Note that usually, activating an item is a standard action. Turning it into a move action makes it significantly more powerful, which the pricing should reflect.Really? I find most wondrous items to be mental actions (and so are free or swift).
Beyond what the others already said, it's always important to go beyond mere technical fact when pricing magic items. Intent and how useful it's going to be are important, too.
For example, this item could be called "cloak of allowing you to backstab most luckless bastards just like that". Sure, see invisibility, uncanny dodge, or stuff like that can foil this, but not everyone has any of those, and without it, this is basically improved feint, but without the need to get two feats, and with no need to win a bluff check.
Mention an item that lets you turn invisible as a move action to any player who likes to play rogues a lot and you'll be in danger of drowning in a pavlovian deluge!
My group just started a new game (and someone else is GMing, yay!) and my wizard is making a very minor magic item for the rogue as soon as I hit 3rd level.
Cape of Vanishing.
Use activated, 1 charge per day. Upon activation, the wearer becomes invisible for two rounds.
Cost 800 gold (Cost to create 400)
Vanish cast at CL 2
It's just enough invisibility to let the TWF rogue get in a full-round attack with sneak attack when it's really needed.
If he likes the ability, I can increase the number of charges per day for 800 (400 create) gold per charge. I may just start with 3/day for 2400 (1200 create) instead of monkeying around with 1 charge. Also, increasing the duration is fairly inexpensive, if you find it to be necessary.
Thanks for all the help guys. I think I have a good idea where to go from here.
I think the Cloak of Vanishing, thank you Blueluck, is a pretty good idea for the NPC's I need to give this to, but I think the other ideas for working with the concept are also close to what a slightly upgraded version of the cloak would become.