Starting with items with runes


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I have a question regarding the budgeting of magic items for the playtest scenario.

For example, I think, if a player wants to buy a +1 glaive for their character, this counts as one 4th level item from their "budget" (see Rulebook p. 397, "Magic Weapon"). But if they want to buy a +1 disrupting glaive, do they have to buy the +1 glaive (4th level) and the disrupting rune (5th level) separately, costing two items from their budget, or does the following rule condense this into a single 5th level item, so they only have to spend one item from their budget?

Rulebook p. 370 wrote:
The level of an item with runes etched on it is equal to the highest level among the base item and all runes etched on it; therefore, a +1 mace (4th level) with a disrupting rune (5th level) would be a 5th-level item.

And would the same apply to a staff of healing (3rd level) with a disrupting rune (5th level)?


Specific armor and weapons, page 370 wrote:

. Specific magic armor

and weapons can’t gain property runes. However, you can add
or improve their potency runes...

I'd say that a staff of healing probably counts as a specific magic weapon.

I think that based off the bit you quoted though the +1 disrupting glaive is a 5th level item.

Edit: I missed the bit saying that staffs can be etched with runes as normal. So I guess your answer is yes.


I think the +1 disrupting glaive is two picks. Level 4 for the "+1 Magic Weapon" item and level 5 for the "Disrupting Rune" item.

Yes, once you have them, you make a single item out of it. That item is considered level 5 as per the OP's quote from p.370.

However, there is not an item on the level 5 list (or elsewhere) that is "+1 Weapon that also has a Property Rune on it". The lack of such an entry on the list leads me to my original conclusion that it requires two item picks.

Designer

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Agreed with DM_Blake. You buy the things you need off the list. If we have listed a weapon that comes built in with runes (think flametongue) you get everything, but for a "Do It Yourself" style item with property runes, you count everything you purchased separately. The rule about counting as a higher level item when you etch a property rune is to make the item harder to dispel, etc.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Interesting, your explanation makes sense just as well. Except maybe, what good is a rule that tells me what level the combined item is when I already own it? Is the item level actually relevant for anything after acquisition? It would be nice to know the intention.

Designer

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Zaister wrote:
Interesting, your explanation makes sense just as well. Except maybe, what good is a rule that tells me what level the combined item is when I already own it? Is the item level actually relevant for anything after acquisition? It would be nice to know the intention.

My last sentence above: The item level of the combined level is not about acquisition at all; it's for game effects that care about the item level in play. For instance, imagine you had a +2 sword with a higher level property rune like holy; you use the higher level to determine how easy it is to dispel.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Thanks, Mark, for explaining, that is very helpful. My last post was in answer to DM_Blake, your post wasn't visible yet when I wrote it.


Mark Seifter wrote:
Zaister wrote:
Interesting, your explanation makes sense just as well. Except maybe, what good is a rule that tells me what level the combined item is when I already own it? Is the item level actually relevant for anything after acquisition? It would be nice to know the intention.
My last sentence above: The item level of the combined level is not about acquisition at all; it's for game effects that care about the item level in play. For instance, imagine you had a +2 sword with a higher level property rune like holy; you use the higher level to determine how easy it is to dispel.

Sadly, there are quite a lot of language uncertainties like this in the playtest rules.

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Furthermore, I am of the opinion that Table 10-2 should be destroyed

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