How things have changed

[tony gent]

Hi all just read this on an old D&D forum and thought it was worth a read
To create a magic item, the spell caster must first gather rare materials from which the item will be made.

A scroll might require special parchment and a different formula of ink for each spell effect.

Weapons might require rare metals, powdered gems forged into the metal, or the blood or skins of creatures to be specially affected by the weapon.

These items should be difficult to obtain, and the spell caster will often have to adventure to acquire them, for there are no magic shops.
How much things have changed your thoughts please

[DungeonmasterCal]

It actually reads more like the recipe for creating the magic item than a technical manual. I miss the days when the books were written like this.

[djdust]

i like it. gives good excuses for side quests.

[Gorbacz]

Aaand that how it still works in 0e, 1e, 2e and 5e. 3e/3.5e/Pathfinder works under a different paradigm. If you don't liken the paradigm, play the systems which don't use it, simple.

[Distant Scholar]

One thought I had for simulating old-school magic item creation without tossing out 3.0/3.5/Pathfinder-stype magic item creation is something along the following:

• Everyone gets access to crafting feats, if they have ranks in Spellcraft equal to the caster level requirement for the crafting feat in question.
• The CRs for creating a magic item go up by (at least) 20. Or, alternately, you have to beat the CR by (at least) 20 or the item has a minor curse.
• Special ingredients and whatnot give bonuses to the CR to craft the item.
• Magic shops, if they exist, only have the items with minor curses.

I've never had the chance to actually try it out in play, though.