Price of a true seeing item?

[Nicht]

I was hoping to get a price on a magic item that would allow for casting true seeing a limited number of times per day, each use lasting 1 minute (I'm expecting to use it almost exclusively for combat, more than a minute per use is probably just wasted).

Depending on the price, 10 times per day would be fantastic, 3 times per day probably more realistic, once per day is my worst case option. I know true seeing is a 5th level cleric spell and the caster level would be 9th, but I can't get much farther than that - the item creation rules are kinda hard for me to figure out! Any ideas?

[x93edwards]

This is how I would calculate the costs:

Use-Activated:
Spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp*

Spell Level (5th) x caster level (9th) x 2,000 gp = 90,000 gp

* Multiply the cost by 2 for true seeing's one minute per level duration
90,000 x 2 = 180,000 gp

Add Component Cost:
50 (for item with daily limit) x 250 gp = + 12,500 gp
180,000 gp + 12,500 gp = 192,500 gp

Charges per Day (3)
Divide by (5 divided by charges per day)

In our example, that would mean dividing by 5/3 or alternately multiplying by 3/5 (i.e. 60%)

so 192,500 gp x 5/3 = 115,500 gp

As far as I know there isn't a way to get a discount for having the duration reduced to 1 minute per use as opposed to the 9 minutes you get for a 9th level caster, however as a GM I might give a 30% discount
on the item making the final cost of 80,850 gp (115,500 gp x .70)

Also, it's possible that the component costs might be added after the charges per day multiplier--I'm not clear on that point myself.

Good luck.

[Majuba]

edwards has it right, except there is no multiplier for the duration, because this is not a continuous item, and assuming you're using a command word type activation, it's x1800 instead of 2000.

Step 1: Compare to other items in the game with similar effects... None really.

Step 2: Pick activation type (Command)
Base: 9x5x1800 = 81,000
+ Material: 50 x 250 = 12500
= 93,500
* 60% (3 uses per day)
= 56,100 gp

If you did want it to be continuous, it would be the 192,500 figure above.

A reasonable compromise with your GM might be something like take the cost for 1/day @ caster level 10 (20500 gp), double that (41000 gp), and call it usable for 10 minutes, in 1 minute increments.

[pad300]

Majuba wrote:

edwards has it right, except there is no multiplier for the duration, because this is not a continuous item, and assuming you're using a command word type activation, it's x1800 instead of 2000.

Step 1: Compare to other items in the game with similar effects... None really.

Step 2: Pick activation type (Command)
Base: 9x5x1800 = 81,000
+ Material: 50 x 250 = 12500
= 93,500
* 60% (3 uses per day)
= 56,100 gp

If you did want it to be continuous, it would be the 192,500 figure above.

A reasonable compromise with your GM might be something like take the cost for 1/day @ caster level 10 (20500 gp), double that (41000 gp), and call it usable for 10 minutes, in 1 minute increments.

You don't think a gem of seeing isn't a similar effect?

75000 gp, true seeing for 30 minutes/day in 5 minute blocks, slotless

lets see the proposed effect is of shorter duration (1 min vs 5) and is usable 3x per day vs. 6... Call it roughly 1/2 price

Lesser Gem of Seeing
Aura moderate divination; CL 9th

Slot —; Price 37,500 gp; Weight —
Description

This finely cut and polished stone is indistinguishable from an ordinary jewel in appearance. When it is gazed through, a gem of seeing enables the user to see as though she were affected by the true seeing spell. a gem of seeing can be used for as many as 3 minutes a day, in increments of 1 minutes. These increments do not need to be consecutive.
Construction Requirements

Craft Wondrous Item, true seeing; Cost 18,750 gp

Ta Da!

[Nicht]

First of all, thanks for all the quick responses! This at least gives me an idea of what's involved.

Pad300, I had seen the gem of seeing in the core rulebook, but as it was 5 minutes per use and slotless it was just too far off from what I was looking for. I like the idea for a lesser gem of seeing, except I want to use a slot for the item (maybe a ring). I read in the core rulebook that an item that does not take up one of the spaces on a body costs double, so does that mean I should cut the price you came up with in half to make a 'ring of seeing'?

Also, I'm still seeing quite a wide range of prices (80850 gp, 41000 gp, 18750 gp), I'm wondering if maybe I could get a tighter concensus as to the cost? Thanks again for everyone's help, pricing something like this is obviously not simple!

[Elf Zordlon]

there's an item in the magic item compendium, a scout's headband that allows true seeing for 1 minute. cost 3400. It is a single use for true seeing, but if you wanted to stack uses, just put 3 into one item and follow pricing guide. That should be much less than any of the quoted prices here.