Is this ring too cheap?

[Thelemic_Noun]

Ring of the Reckoning Runes (working title)

Activating this ring is a swift action. Once activated, the next arcane spell you cast before the end of the round gains a +2 bonus to caster level and a +1 bonus to saving throw DCs, if applicable.

Market Price: 50,500 gp
Prerequisite: Mnemonic enhancer, CL 12th.

[Victor Zajic]

Yes, way too cheap. it's a double powered +1 caster level ion stone, with a DC buff, and a fairly trivial 1 spell/round restriction. That price would be better if it was only 3/day or something like that.

[Thelemic_Noun]

Maybe a 1 minute interval between uses?

[Squaba]

In my game, too cheap.

In your game? Is the Caster under-powered? Do they need a buff like this?

The Ion stone argument is pretty valid... A limit on uses per day would probably be best, make it have different values based on frequency of use. The cheapest one would be 1 time a day, going up as high as 5 or more if you want.

[Drachasor]

It's hard to say. But I'd definitely not leave those bonuses Untyped.

Sure there's an Ioun Stone for 30k that gives +1 Caster Level. As a ring that would just be 15k since the Stone is slotless.

How much would +2 CL on a ring be worth if we accept the Stone as a good guideline? Well, more than 30k, certainly. I'd tentatively say 60k (CL^2*15k). However, using up your swift action is a pretty big deal. It means you don't get any quickened spells that round. By the time you can pay 60k for a ring, that is quite significant. That would certainly drop the price down. Maybe halve it to 30k or just lower it to 40k.

Now, the +1 to DCs is another and more significant matter. Generally speaking, +1 to DCs is going to be worth a lot more than +1 CL, imho. Sure, you can get up to +3 to DC with a headband, but you can't go beyond that and the game rather assumes to you get such an item. Outside of that getting a DC bonus is very difficult. However, it is hard to tell how much this is worth.

In general pumping up DCs is a very dangerous thing. I'd say it is best to simply not allow any magical item outside of stat-boosters to do this. Consider that even at 30k for a +1 DC boost it would be a must buy. Probably the same is true at 60k. Maybe not the first thing you buy, but every 20th level primary spellcaster, for instance, would have it.

[Thelemic_Noun]

Drachasor wrote:

In general pumping up DCs is a very dangerous thing. I'd say it is best to simply not allow any magical item outside of stat-boosters to do this. Consider that even at 30k for a +1 DC boost it would be a must buy. Probably the same is true at 60k. Maybe not the first thing you buy, but every 20th level primary spellcaster, for instance, would have it.

Of course, there is the action economy issue for high-level casters. It definitely interferes with the most valuable caster item in the game, the greater Quicken rod. A "must wear for 24 hours" clause on the ring would help prevent abuse.

[Drachasor]

Thelemic_Noun wrote:

Drachasor wrote:

In general pumping up DCs is a very dangerous thing. I'd say it is best to simply not allow any magical item outside of stat-boosters to do this. Consider that even at 30k for a +1 DC boost it would be a must buy. Probably the same is true at 60k. Maybe not the first thing you buy, but every 20th level primary spellcaster, for instance, would have it.

Of course, there is the action economy issue for high-level casters. It definitely interferes with the most valuable caster item in the game, the greater Quicken rod. A "must wear for 24 hours" clause on the ring would help prevent abuse.

Well, now I want you to tell me why is it so important that this item pump up spell DCs.

[Peter Stewart]

Looks fine to me. Eats a item slot and eats your swift action.

[Aranna]

Why not change the +1 DC to an enhancement bonus to DC that doesn't stack with any stat boosters? That way the +1 DC becomes cheap (similar to a +2 stat booster)... in fact if you did this then the ring is probably over priced not under priced. Maybe ~30k would be fair as written except with the DC boost NOT stacking with any other enhancements.

[Cap. Darling]

If it was one School only i think it would be fine. But if it is every School i would charge double. It is a High end item but it gives the stuff full casters will pay pay anything to get at the late levels.

[Thelemic_Noun]

Squaba wrote:

A limit on uses per day would probably be best, make it have different values based on frequency of use. The cheapest one would be 1 time a day, going up as high as 5 or more if you want.

Oddly enough, I was going through my old 3.5 stuff, and I'll be damned if someone else didn't have the same idea already. I almost feel like my subconscious plagiarized a 7-year-old book.

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, pg 211. Once per day, price 10,080 gp.

[Atarlost]

It depends on your group.

If you use a fixed array with no 16s it's fine.
If you use 15 point buy it's iffy.
If you roll stats it depends what the people who wound up playing full primary* casters rolled.

* those for whom casting is almost everything eg. not battle clerics or melee shaper druids

[Thelemic_Noun]

Thelemic_Noun wrote:

Squaba wrote:

A limit on uses per day would probably be best, make it have different values based on frequency of use. The cheapest one would be 1 time a day, going up as high as 5 or more if you want.

Oddly enough, I was going through my old 3.5 stuff, and I'll be damned if someone else didn't have the same idea already. I almost feel like my subconscious plagiarized a 7-year-old book.

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, pg 211. Once per day, price 10,080 gp.

Huh. They even used mnemonic enhancer as the prereq spell.