Constant 'detect magic' item priced at 2,000gp. Reasonable?

[Rudy2]

As the title says. The rules for magic item creation gives this as the price, just wondering if people thought that was reasonable or not, as constant 'detect magic' is a very nice thing to have.

[Silverline]

Well, considering the rather unfortunate side-effects that you get when looking at stuff that is higher level than you are, I consider it to not be too unreasonable. Hell, it is a level-0 spell on some spell lists

[PathlessBeth]

The actual cost cannot be determined from the chart. The footnote for continuous item prices says

Quote:

2 If a continuous item has an effect based on a spell with a duration measured in rounds, multiply the cost by 4. If the duration of the spell is 1 minute/level, multiply the cost by 2, and if the duration is 10 minutes/level, multiply the cost by 1.5. If the spell has a 24-hour duration or greater, divide the cost in half.

Detect Magic does not have a fixed time-duration, it has a duration of Concentration (up to 1 minute/level). The chart does not provide a factor for making a spell which requires concentration not require concentration, so RAW there is no default price for such an item.

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As for what a reasonable price would be...it should be higher than 2000, since that is the price for a continuous cantrip item with a duration longer than concentration.

[Claxon]

The problem is that you would still have to concentrate on it to use it.

So, to that end. Yes, 2000 gp for an at-will detect magic effect is fine. Actually, for at will it should only cost 1000 gp. I don't believe you can actually make a continuous Detct Magic due to the concentration problem.

And honestly, as Detct Magic is a0 level spell this would really only be useful for non-casters.

[Crow81]

I think so it is a zero level spell that any class that has it can cast it unlimitedly. I for one would love one for Prestidigitation

[Rudy2]

Claxon wrote:

And honestly, as Detct Magic is a0 level spell this would really only be useful for non-casters.

As it so happens, I'm building a party with no 6/9 casters, but that's another thread =D

I think you *could* make it continuous, after all, it's on the 'permanency' list, but you'd still have to do the concentrate 1, 2, 3 rounds thing in order to get the successive information. Of course, it would make more sense to just make it "at will" at that point, you're correct.

[claudekennilol]

Rudy2 wrote:

Claxon wrote:

And honestly, as Detct Magic is a0 level spell this would really only be useful for non-casters.

As it so happens, I'm building a party with no 6/9 casters, but that's another thread =D

I think you *could* make it continuous, after all, it's on the 'permanency' list, but you'd still have to do the concentrate 1, 2, 3 rounds thing in order to get the successive information. Of course, it would make more sense to just make it "at will" at that point, you're correct.

You could make it permanent on a player, but there are no rules governing how to craft it permanently. Like Claxon said the best you can do is at will, which is more than sufficient and frankly better than permanency unless you're literally trying to do it mid combat. I know our gm would throw some kind of saves at me if I was walking around and happened to stumble across something more magical than I was expecting.

[Akerlof]

There's the Discerning Wayfinder, an enhancement to a standard Wayfinder found in the Pathfinder Society Primer, that replaces the ability to cast Light at will with the ability to cast Detect Magic at will.

It doesn't have a GP price but costs 5 Prestige Points, which is roughly equivalent to 1650GP, plus the base 500GP cost of a Wayfinder. Since Wayfinders also do extra stuff and are slotless items, 1,000gp is certainly a reasonable price for something that just casts Detect Magic. (Looking at what they do makes me think basic Wayfinders might be underpriced...)

And it's exceptionally useful for characters like Alchemists who have a high Spellcraft score but no way to cast Detect Magic via their class. Rogues and Investigators are naturals to use something like that as well.

[Angry Wiggles]

I would say you would be fine using the permanency rules for Detect Magic.

[Kiinyan]

Well the Divination Cloak of the hedge wizard gives detect magic at will for 2500, as well as 1/day true strike and detect secret doors.