Quote: If the item is one that occupies a specific place on a
character’s body, the cost of adding any additional ability to
that item increases by 50%. For example, if a character adds
the power to confer invisibility to her ring of protection +2, the
cost of adding this ability is the same as for creating a ring of
invisibility multiplied by 1.5.
I have a problem with this.
Lets use the example above, a ring of protection + 2 (8000 gp) and invisibility (20000 gp). Creating it new should cost 32000 gp item. According to the chart on page 550, the lesser ability cost is increased by 50%.
However, adding new abilities as mentioned on page 553, has the cost of the new (and more expensive ability) increased by 50%. This makes the item 38000 gp (a 6000 gp increase).
I don't like this inconsistency. I think the less expensive ability should have its price increased, not the new one (unless its a less expensive ability). Make it work like creating a new magic item.
Am I reading this wrong? Has it been fixed somewhere else? Cause I think the mentioned rules are wrong and need fixing.
I'm fairly certain its there to discourage people from just adding expensive enchantments to already existing equipment. If you don't like spending the extra gold, sell your old item and enchant the entire item you want to create from scratch. All that costs you is additional time.
I agree, it's not specified well. Most GMs go with the table text in this case despite it technically contradicting the body text. The good news is that custom magic item pricing guidelines are just that--guidelines. The GM is supposed to use their judgment. If time isn't an issue (ha), selling the old ring and crafting the new one in the desired order has the same effect, assuming you're crafting the thing yourself. For that reason, the only rational choice IMO is to use the "scale lower item cost" version. It also has the benefit of following the same principle used in upgrading items that grant numeric bonuses--take the cost of crafting the final item, subtract the cost of the current item, and you get the cost to upgrade.
But since it's a guideline, if a GM chooses to be rigid about the whole order of operations thing, that's their choice.
I did some math with the rings of wizardry. Combining them all would make a ring valued at 295,000 gp. That would take nearly a year to make from scratch.
However, if I tried to craft a ring at level 1, then sell it when I can craft the 2nd level version and add the previous version to it, and repeat, it would take me 440 days. That is about a 50% increase in time over making from scratch.
However, if I tried upgrading, it would cost me 335,000 gp. Thats about a 13% increase.
I have another question. If I'm upgrading an item, is the time to create equal to the upgrade price / 1000? So adding invisibility to a ring of protection +2 would take 30 days (30,000 gp)? Or do I use some other formula?
Yet another question. Is there a ring of wizardry 0? I mean the other rings of wizardry is nice and all, but I don't want to neglect level 0 spells.
as stated above, the process is GM dependent besides what RAW outlines.
In games I've been in upgrading wasn't an issue and the mending rules were used to alter magic items that were self crafted.
One of the bug-a-boos of upgrading is base materials and RAW descriptions. That takes a GM to make some sensible decisions to avoid nonsensical glitches in the process.
Azothath wrote: as stated above, the process is GM dependent besides what RAW outlines.
In games I've been in upgrading wasn't an issue and the mending rules were used to alter magic items that were self crafted.
One of the bug-a-boos of upgrading is base materials and RAW descriptions. That takes a GM to make some sensible decisions to avoid nonsensical glitches in the process.
I agree with Blahpers,
If I were GMing, I would read the last paragraph on 553 as reminder text rather than new rules since it conflicts page 549, and the paragraph directly above it. I would also rule the crafting time is based on the difference in market price rather than the total price.
If you want a more precise process, try Hero's Champions! system. 8^o
Merchants assume minimum possible price, but that may not be the price that it took to make.
The rule is to add 50% for extra things. Not 50% of lesser cost. So making that Ring +2 into Ring +2 of Invisibility costs 38000. However, starting with a Ring of Invisibility, it would only cost 32000. This latter price is what a merchant will value it no matter which path it was created.
This is why you never want to add expensive abilities to cheap items.
A third option is to make the Ring +2 into a slotless Ring +2 by spending an additional 4000 crafting cost. Then wear it along with the normal RoI.
For something you want to scale, it may not make sense, but for something like a Ring of Feather Falling, it could well be worth it.
/cevah
Cevah wrote:
This is why you never want to add expensive abilities to cheap items.
/cevah
Indeed using that rule as written would indicate that taking a ring of protection +1 and adding invisibility takes (20k*1.5/2) 15k gold and 15 days. However, if you were to throw out the ring of protection +1 and start from scratch, to make the exact same ring would be significantly cheaper @(20k +(1.5*2k))/2 or 11.5k in materials and take only 12 days to make.
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