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So I had a question regarding creating a wand of cure light wounds. I play an oracle who has access to the spell and as a class skill, I took craft wands. Now my question is this: How do I determine the cost of making the wand myself? I bought a WoCLW for 750 gold (50 charges) at the start of the campaign (we started at level 7 so I had the gold for it). However, when my DM and I were trying to determine the cost of my character making one, it seemed strange that I only spent 750 gold to buy one but it was going to cost way more than that to create one.
Can anyone help me to understand what formula I use for creating wands? I've searched and I've seen different answers. Just need something cut and dry.
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The cost of a wand is 750g x spell level x effective or minimum caster level of the spell. So for a basic wand of Cure Light Wounds which heals 1d8 + 1, you'd spend:
Now, let's say that instead of healing 1d8 +1, you want it to heal 1d8+3 - you'd have to be casting the spell at as a 3rd-level caster, so now it looks like this:
Now, to craft a wand, you take the final base price of the wand and divide by 2. So using our above examples:
[edit]
Fixed my typo, CLW is 1d8, not 2d8.
And just to point out, it would be sort of a waste to make the 3rd level CLW wand; however, if you take something like a Wand of Magic Missile, and you're getting an extra missile out of it, it might be more worth it.
One other quick note. The first time I read your post it appeared that you are putting ranks into craft wand as a skill. If you want to actually make the wand you need to have the feat craft wand then you will need to make a spellcraft check.
There IS no craft wand skill, KainPen. It doesn't exist, therefore he can't take ranks in it or use it.
Zhayne, there are craft skills for anything. Most are not listed.
In any case, what I think KainPen is referencing is that there are rules for using skills other than spellcraft in combination with crafting feats.
For Crafting Wands the following skills are listed as possibilities (in addition to the feat): Spellcraft, Craft (jewelry), Craft (sculptures), or Profession (woodcutter)
- Gauss
Nefreet, that is not entirely true. You do not need any craft skill to make a wand. All you need is the feat and Spellcraft.
What I was referencing was alternate skills in place of spellcraft. If I have the Craft Wand feat and Craft (sculptures) I do not need Spellcraft to make a wand. I make a Craft (sculptures) check when I would normally make a spellcraft check.
Lets take another item, the Immovable Rod.
Requirements: Craft Rod (feat) and Levitate (spell)
DC to craft: 10+5 = 15
Skill to craft: Spellcraft OR Craft (jewelry) OR Craft (weapons)
Any of the three skills may be used to craft it. Not just spellcraft.
- Gauss
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Thanks for all the help guys. I get what you are saying about the monetary cost and I will take that into account.
As for the wand, I didn't know I had to have the feat. I guess I'll need to take that into consideration as the game carries on. Last session was our first go with these new characters so I'll keep everything in mind.
As to my skills, yes, I was taking ranks in Craft: Wand. Would putting ranks into this not make any sense at all? Or, if I decided to continue having the skill, would it mean I just make really awesome looking wands that may or may not have awesome spells to them? Would this skill end up being just something I would roleplay with rather than get an actual use out of?
Take either Craft (jewelery, sculptures, or woodcutter) or Spellcraft. Do not do both unless you have a roleplay reason to do so.
Craft (wand) does not help you craft wands. You need one of the other three Craft skills OR Spellcraft. Of course, not forgetting that the skill requirement is in addition to the crafting feat.
- Gauss
Wow. Sure enough. Did that change from 3.5? Now I can't recall having a Pathfinder character that crafted anything. Must've been my last Wizard in D&D.
Yeah, I believe it's new for PF.
The idea of using Spellcraft is less that you're "making" a wand, and more that you're "enchanting" an already existing wand, or infusing magic into a thin stick.
Exactly as Ashram says, Spellcraft is what you'd want your ranks in, especially for purposes of fast-crafting. The DC to create magic items is 5 + caster level of the item, so 6 for that level 1 wand of Cure Light Wounds. If you add 5 to the DC and make the check, though, you can double the progress you make in the items base cost per day from 1000 gp to 2000 gp. So, if you're going to craft magic items, keep Spellcraft maxed.
Also, keep in mind that the feats for Item Creation typically have a minimum caster level requirement. For Weapons / Armor and Wands, it's 5. For Potions and Wonderous Items, it's 3. If you don't meet this minimum level, no feat and thus no crafting of that particular type of item.
@Cerberus Seven:
I am not so sure that you can craft 2,000gp per day by raising the DC. The actual rule says you can complete the normal amount of crafting in 4 hours instead of 8 but it doesn't say you can then spend the next 4 hours doing extra crafting. In fact, it says:
"He cannot rush the process by working longer each day" which implies that even if you accelerate the 8 hour day into just 4 hours (+5 DC), you still cannot work longer that day.
So why do it?
Maybe the guy making magic items wants to work for only 4 hours, then go home to his wife and kids. Or maybe he wants to tend his shop in the bazaar. Or maybe he just wants to watch some afternoon soap operas instead of slaving away making his magic item all afternoon.
Admittedly, some GMs allow exactly what you suggested; they let you accelerate and rush the process, working 8 hours in two accelerated 4-hour shifts so that you can create 2,000gp worth of progress each day. That might even be RAI.
I can see both sides of this debate.
Most GMs I know, myself included, don't allow this kind of "rushed" progress.
So all I am saying is that it might be best to check with each specific GM before assuming it's OK to "rush the process" when the CRB says you cannot "rush the process".
@DM_Blake: found this on the SRD, bolded parts that were relevant...
The creator also needs a fairly quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in which to work. Any place suitable for preparing spells is suitable for making items. Creating an item requires 8 hours of work per 1,000 gp in the item's base price (or fraction thereof), with a minimum of at least 8 hours. Potions and scrolls are an exception to this rule; they can take as little as 2 hours to create (if their base price is 250 gp or less). Scrolls and potions whose base price is more than 250 gp, but less than 1,000 gp, take 8 hours to create, just like any other magic item. The character must spend the gold at the beginning of the construction process. Regardless of the time needed for construction, a caster can create no more than one magic item per day. This process can be accelerated to 4 hours of work per 1,000 gp in the item's base price (or fraction thereof) by increasing the DC to create the item by 5.
The caster can work for up to 8 hours each day. He cannot rush the process by working longer each day, but the days need not be consecutive, and the caster can use the rest of his time as he sees fit. If the caster is out adventuring, he can devote 4 hours each day to item creation, although he nets only 2 hours' worth of work. This time is not spent in one continuous period, but rather during lunch, morning preparation, and during watches at night. If time is dedicated to creation, it must be spent in uninterrupted 4-hour blocks. This work is generally done in a controlled environment, where distractions are at a minimum, such as a laboratory or shrine. Work that is performed in a distracting or dangerous environment nets only half the amount of progress (just as with the adventuring caster).
That seems to say you can't work more than 8 hours in a day total, but two four-hour shifts of double speed in an 8 hour crafting period CAN net 2000 gp of progress.
Cerberus Seven is correct. While accelerating will not get you more items in a day it will get you more progress in a day's worth of work.
- Gauss