If you click the link text to open the PRD pages on item creation, there is a table listing all of the main calculations. You use the ones you think apply to your item.
The same table should be on page 550 of the core rules - look at the table 15-29 Estimating Magic Item Gold Piece Values
Hope that helps.
Fuller details below to help ...
In my print, the 4 th line of the effect section, I used to account for negation of flanking in swarm form by treating at the equivalent Ac bonus under that circumstance.
I then used the last choice of Spell Effect section to account for the spell construction.
totalled these.
Then used the charges per day choice of the Special section and the number references to adjust the total to get my starting price for reviewing against the wondrous item tables.
I find the best way to price an item is to use the system in the magic item rules to get a ball park idea of what my item's price should be. Then I take that number and look at the Ultimate Equipment Guide's lists of wondrous items by item slot. I find where the price of my item falls on the appropriate list and compare it to the items at the same price as my item (or as close as possible). When I do this comparison I take the mind set that I am a power gamer who is trying to create the most powerful character I can based on my item or one of the items at the same cost on the list. This hypothetical power gamer doesn't care what class or race he plays and these and all other character choices can be changed to best take advantage of the magic item I will select. If, given these parameters, my item is the obvious choice, I move my item up to the next closest item price and do the comparison again. If I would rather have one of the other items over my own item, I move it down and compare it to the next cheaper items. I do this repeatedly until the decision becomes very difficult, or I find that I would rather chose my item at one price, but not choose it over the price level above that. Then I will place it at the level where the choice is even, or in the middle of the two levels that seem weaker on one side and more powerful on the other. To fine tune it further and check my work, I will then use this same method on the whole wondrous item list (of all item slots) in the Core Rules SRD. I hope that makes sense.
Good luck to everyone who entered this year and I hope to see an even stronger group of items in the voting.
I find the best way to price an item is to use the system in the magic item rules to get a ball park idea of what my item's price should be. Then I take that number and look at the Ultimate Equipment Guide's lists of wondrous items by item slot. I find where the price of my item falls on the appropriate list and compare it to the items at the same price as my item (or as close as possible). When I do this comparison I take the mind set that I am a power gamer who is trying to create the most powerful character I can based on my item or one of the items at the same cost on the list. This hypothetical power gamer doesn't care what class or race he plays and these and all other character choices can be changed to best take advantage of the magic item I will select. If, given these parameters, my item is the obvious choice, I move my item up to the next closest item price and do the comparison again. If I would rather have one of the other items over my own item, I move it down and compare it to the next cheaper items. I do this repeatedly until the decision becomes very difficult, or I find that I would rather chose my item at one price, but not choose it over the price level above that. Then I will place it at the level where the choice is even, or in the middle of the two levels that seem weaker on one side and more powerful on the other. To fine tune it further and check my work, I will then use this same method on the whole wondrous item list (of all item slots) in the Core Rules SRD. I hope that makes sense.
Good luck to everyone who entered this year and I hope to see an even stronger group of items in the voting.
Thanks for sharing this, pricing is such a difficult thing because of the comparison to other items and the "power gamer" mindset here can really open our designer eyes to how the item will be used. It can also be a litmus test if the item is too powerful/weak to be a successful item for the character level it is being considered for.