What type of bonus would this be, and where does it cap at?
And when does it determine the lowest stat?
I could see a character coming in with all his stats fairly equal and waiting some 30 years to come out with a bonus to each and every stat.
+1 Stat bonus, just cut the cost for a +2 in half. 2000gp. I think the rp for the senario could just be simple. Each character feels a peaceful serenity, and sits down to contemplate their life for a moment. When they are finished, that one aspect of them is strengthened.
As far as where the lowest stat increase goes, let it be player choice or literally, their lowest stat.
+1 Stat bonus, just cut the cost for a +2 in half. 2000gp.
If you go straight to the standard values, the standard formula would make more sense: X² x 1000gp, where x is the enhancement bonus. That's 1000gp for +1.
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First note: generally speaking, I recommend you price magic items assuming the PCs make the most efficient use of them. In this case, the mirror would be most useful for a character who already has all her stats equal. It would raise an attribute of her choice.
Second note: there are unresolved details, as Abraham observes. Presumably the increase is permanent. Presumaly this is an inherent bonus (like that given by a tome of clear thought or a wish) rather than an enhancement bonus (like that given by a headband of intellect).
Third note: A magical manual that gives the user a one-time bonus to an attribute costs 27,500 gp. The mirror has some small advantages over the tome: it does renew itself slowly, it doesn't require 48 hours of study, and the same mirror can increase different attributes. Its one down-side is that the miror tries to shore up weaknesses rather than give characters unbalanced strengths. Let's call all that a wash. I'd think that 25,000 gp to 30,000 gp would be a fair price.
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Also, the PCs will not know at first what this item does.
Hey there, Doug.
We never factor that into an item's price. Either they don't figure it out and never use it, or else they figure it out and its obscurity doesn't matter going forward. (You certainly wouldn't want to give your party powerful magic weapons, arguing that the weapons should have a deep discount because they didn't have tags explaining their powers.)
It is very easy for Pathfinder characters to analyze magic items. A 2nd-level Wizard with a 16 Intelligence and 2 ranks in Spellcraft (and using identify) rolls 1d20 + 18 vs. a DC of 15 + caster level. Once characters reach 5th or 7th level, the divination and analysis spells at their disposal are considerable.
If you want to stymie that, one of the best ways is to make the mirror a minor artifact.
A point of Int or Cha for a tank is nice, but it just doesn't compare to a point of Str.
It's your campaign, and I'm not going to argue that you're wrong, but rather that my experience has been different. A point of Strength may do very little for a heavy fighter. If his Strength is already at an even value, another point of strength probably only (a) improves his carrying capacity, (b) gives him access to some feats, and (c) provides a little cushion the next time he's atttacked with Strength-damaging poison.
But a point of Intelligence or Charisma might bring a score of 9 up to 10, or 11 up to 12. For Intelligence, that's an additional skill rank per level, and +1 to all knowledges. (That last is worth a feat all by itself).
Shoring up weaknesses is likely to help out a low saving throw or, in the case of spell-casters, maybe increase hit points or armor class. It's not as sexy as a higher primary stat, in the same way that magic armor isn't as sexy as magic weapons, but I've played plenty of characters where a sky-high primary stat wasn't all that important.
And from a DM's point of view, improving, say, the Rogue's weak Wisdom is just as big a jump in power as another +1 to her Dexterity.
If the item ends up being a pool, then I wouldn't attribute any cash value to it. I'd just call it a localized magical effect and not sweat it.
If it is a mirror or other item that can be transported but used only once a year (or even less frequently), then I think making it a minor artifact and considering it worth 30,000 gp or so would be fine. Kept over the course of many years, it could be a tremendous boon in bumping up a character's stats. Truly a interesting artifact, but one with a subtle power that helps to keep the owner hale and sharp over many years, but wouldn't be terribly overpowering in a typical campaign.
If you wanted to price it like a manual/tome that gives off a +1 inherent bonus, I'd price it cheaper than one of the tomes simply because the PCs have no real control over the item. I'd consider some of the value of the stat boosting tomes to come from the ability to choose which tome to craft or obtain - or even save it to trade/give to another character to make better use of it. While getting a bonus on your lowest stat may be of noticeable benefit, if it's going to a dump stat, chances are you aren't geared up to make that much use of it anyway. I think 10-15,000 gp would be an ample cash value if you had to assign one.
Interesting idea.
First up, in my estimation a wearable item that grants a +1 enhancement bonus should cost 3,000gp. There's no rule stating that, but my rationale is that a +1 item is going to be used in exactly the same way that +2 item is; to increase the ability modifier by +1. Someone with an even ability score isn't going to care about this item at all. Someone with an odd ability score is going to get the same practical benefit out of it than they would out of a +2 item. For that reason I can't justify a halved price, or KaeYoss' accurate formulaic 1,000gp.
Secondly, this item interestingly targets the ability score the player has designated the least important/useful. Typical ability boosting items have a set price but this is visibly less useful than that. Given that, assuming verbiage were added that if the character has more than one ability scores sharing the lowest value they must pick one and that decision cannot be changed until and unless another score breaks the tie by becoming the lowest, I would consider halving the above price.
Something like this... whipped up quickly.
ring of reclamation
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 7th
Slot ring; Price 1,500 gp; Weight —
Description
This ring seems to find the worst in its wearer and subtly fills the gaps in the fabric of his or her substance. The first time a creature dons this ring, whichever ability score is lowest (before application of any temporary modifiers) gains a +2 enhancement bonus. If the creature has more than one ability score sharing the lowest value the wearer must designate one of them as the recipient of this ring's benefit. This decision is permanent though it can be overridden should another ability score be permanently lowered below the one chosen.
Construction
Requirements Forge Ring, bear's endurance, bull's strength, cat's grace, eagle's splendor, fox' cunning, owl's wisdom; Cost 750 gp
As a magical pool...cost is irrelevant, and I wouldn't sweat it, unless the party ends up living at the location.
As a mobile magical item...there is a game logic to the pricing as noted above...but I'd put the retail price around 100,000gp, because that's what some king is going to be willing to pay for it in order to raise his heir in the presence of such a device.
As a magical pool...cost is irrelevant, and I wouldn't sweat it, unless the party ends up living at the location.
As a mobile magical item...there is a game logic to the pricing as noted above...but I'd put the retail price around 100,000gp, because that's what some king is going to be willing to pay for it in order to raise his heir in the presence of such a device.
If it is a permanent bonus then it is completely relevant just like the books that increase stats are still relevant after they are used.