Magic item creation cost requirement

[bigbosshoss]

I have a particular group of min-max players trying to get a huge advantage of the rules and make high powered items at low level. They read the magic item creation rules and the part about increasing the DC by 5 for each pre-requisite they don't have for the item. Essentially they view the gold cost as a prerequisite and want to bypass it by making the DC 5 higher. I haven't seen anything crystal clear in the rules regarding this, if this is a prerequisite you can bypass, but if so, then it can get characters powered up very quick and really tip the scales to overpowered characters. Is there an official rule or errata I've missed or misinterpreted or did my group find a major loophole?

[seebs]

There is no need for an official rule or errata. The cost is not a prerequisite, it's a cost.

Look:

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, invisibility, creator must be an elf; Cost 1,250 gp

Note how "Requirements" and "Cost" are two separate categories.

Me, I'd just laugh at someone proposing that, and if I thought they were serious, I'd just never again try to play an RPG with them.

[Haelcione]

yeah, the cost is for the physical parts of the item (generally) and the prereqs are what make it work (sorta). An off the wall comparison would be making a gas engine work off of steam. It cost 4,000 to make, and you need gas to make it work. You have to have the engine, but you can modify it to work with steam as opposed to gas.

And yes, I talk too much in real life.

[bigbosshoss]

Was my thoughts, and I just shut down magic item creation in the campaign to avoid the argument. Thanks for your thoughts and the quick clarification.