Magic Item Creation Question: Spell Damage Dice


Homebrew and House Rules


I'm trying to create a new item but can't find anywhere in the rules that say how to determine it's damage.

So take fireball for example, does 1d6 per cl (Max 10d6). If I were to say make a glove that flings fireballs, how would I calculate it's damage dice? (Ignoring any possible premade item that accomplishes this effect, this is for purposes of building homebrew items)

Is it based on the wielder's CL? Unlikely

Is it based on the Creator's CL? Possible

Is it based on the minimum caster level required to cast a spell of that level? Most likely but can't find anywhere that says so and find several examples that seem to contradict this.

Is it something else entirely?


For a Wondrous Item

Magic Item Creation wrote:
Spell level × caster level × 1,800 gp

The caster level can be no lower than needs to be to cast the spell, but can be as high as you like. If it’s higher than your CL, the DC to create it increases by 5 (subjective of your GM).

For a Staff

Magic Item Creation wrote:
400 gp × the level of the highest-level spell × the level of the caster

The caster level can be no lower than 8th or what is needs to be to cast the spell, which ever is higher. But can be as higher if you like. If it’s higher than your CL, the DC to create it increases by 5 (subjective of your GM). But if the user of the Staff has a higher CL, than you use there’s.


It is based on the item's CL, the only restriction on which is that it must be at least the minimum required to cast the spell. The creator's CL does not factor into it at all.

So decide how much damage you want it to do, set the item's CL accordingly, and then---if you're using the CRB guidelines to estimate the price---plug in that same CL to the appropriate formula. Double the CL, double the price.

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