Magic Item Creation

[Bufon]

So... I'm geting swamped trying to calculate prices; I can't even calculate the right prices for items on the UE (Boots of teleportation)

One of my players is trying to create a Ring of False life that once per day casts itself when the user falls unconcious.
As I see it it should be: Spell Lvl: 2 CL: 1 (as he wants the cheapest one possible) Spell-trigger 750 with 3 charges so 5:3

1500*1.6~ Does that seem right? 2500 sounds a little lower on the price side...

[Jeraa]

Not all items follow the formulas. Some items have had their price increased/decreased, and others may of just been given prices that sounded right.

Spell Trigger is not the right activation method. That requires an action on the part of the user, which an unconscious character can't do. Actually, all magic items require the user to activate them or function continuously. There isn't any guideline to make one that activates upon unconsciousness.

Aside from that, the minimum caster level has to be at least 3, as that is the minimum necessary to cat the spell. If we assume the item falls under the category of use-activated (it doesn't really, but again no other category really fits either) that puts the cost at 2 (Spell level) x 3 (minimum caster level) x 2000 gp, or 12000 gp. But that allows unlimited uses per day. For a 1/day item, you divide that by 5, for a new total of 2,400 gp. It would grant 1d10+3 temporary hit points for a maximum of 3 hours, or until those hit points are lost through damage.

[Trekkie90909]

Hrrm... I just saw a similar item in the RPG SS competition which was priced around 30k...

There's a similar item if that helps you which is priced at 1,500 gp; the aegis of recovery. Major differences: the aegis is a consumable, and grants a few static bonuses until consumed. Conservatively I'd guesstimate a 15,000 gp value for a non-consumable aegis. Now a neck slot item is inherently going to cost less than a ring since there's a higher opportunity cost associated with it (you have one neck slot, but two ring slots). So I'd fudge that to around 22 k for a ring.

Actually attempting to calculate it out my math would be something like this:

The Spell level is 2, so the minimum caster level is 3. The item is neither Spell completion nor Spell Trigger -- both abilities which require conscious standard-action activation. It is use-activated, as it activates automatically regardless of turn order immediately upon the wearer hitting 0 hp. The duration of the spell is in hours per level so there is no special gold modification due to that. It occupies a slot on the body, so again no special modifications (although I price rings a bit higher than other slotted wondrous items, usually between 1.25 and 1.75 x the base price).

Math: 2*3*2,000 = 12,000 gp (my fudging would instead put it around 18 k).

Now given that it's a once-per-day thing you might be justified in lowering the cost somewhat, so we look at "charges per day" at one per day we'd divide the cost by 5 resulting in a cost of 2,400 gp (3,600 if fudging). Given that aegis is a consumable at that price range I think it's an underestimate of the item's worth and would instead stick to the 12-18 k price.

[CampinCarl9127]

Magic Item Creation

So your player wants a ring that can cast false life at a caster level of 3 (minimum required for a 2nd level spell) 1/day that only has 3 charges.

So we start with a continuous item. With a spell level of 2 and a caster level of 3, the price for this ring that would be able to be used infinitely would be 12000gp.

Now we want to make it so the ring only activates 1/day. That means we divide 12000gp by (5 divided by charges per day), which is 12000gp divided by 5, which is 2400gp. I suggest stopping here, because 2400gp sounds pretty affordable, and is both cheaper and more effective than the one with only 3 charges you suggest.

[LazarX]

Bufon wrote:

So... I'm geting swamped trying to calculate prices; I can't even calculate the right prices for items on the UE (Boots of teleportation)

One of my players is trying to create a Ring of False life that once per day casts itself when the user falls unconcious.
As I see it it should be: Spell Lvl: 2 CL: 1 (as he wants the cheapest one possible) Spell-trigger 750 with 3 charges so 5:3

1500*1.6~ Does that seem right? 2500 sounds a little lower on the price side...

Compare it to the Aegis of Recovery which is pretty close to that neighborhood of power save that it's one use only. This ring is being priced far too cheaply for what it does in comparison.

[CampinCarl9127]

You could possibly also be interested in a shawl of life keeping.

[_Ozy_]

Just get a wand. Much cheaper, lasts for hours. You'll be able to afford it much sooner in your career, it doesn't take up a slot, and by the time you run out of charges, you should be much higher level.

As long as you can make the UMD check eventually.