Creating magic items

[Laprof]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I try.

My PCs killed a shadow mastiff who dropped a peculiar coat. I'd like them to use it to create a magic cape, something that grants the user stealth bonus or some kind of protection when fighting in the dark (the beast had both). What skill is needed to create it? And what's its cost? It could be like the Cloak od Elvenkind which is 2500gp, but they have raw material...or something like the cloak of displacement.

[OmniMage]

The rules for item creation start on p. 548 of the core rulebook, and the chart is on p. 550.

According to the chart, a skill bonus would cost the bonus squared * 100 gp. AC bonus (deflection) is bonus squared * 2000 gp.

Adding multiple abilities to magic items cost extra. Increase the cost of the less expensive ability by 50%. So:
+5 stealth 2500 gp
+1 AC deflection 2000 gp
Would be 5500 gp.

Another example, a +10 stealth (10000 gp) +2 AC deflection (8000 gp) would be 22000 gp.

Since the magic item would only work in the dark, you might want to consider a discount of 10% to 30%. I would take 10% since you can choose to adventure at night or adventure in the underdark.

Magic item creation is light on the rules for special materials for magic item creation. No need to find wood from a tree struck by lightning or some other special material. You can fill in the fluff yourself if you care about such details.

You need the skill spellcraft to make magic items. You could use craft skills instead if you prefer. You also need the appropriate item creation feat like craft wondrous items. The spellcraft DC is 5 + the caster level of the item.

[Jared Walter 356]

Laprof wrote:

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I try.

My PCs killed a shadow mastiff who dropped a peculiar coat. I'd like them to use it to create a magic cape, something that grants the user stealth bonus or some kind of protection when fighting in the dark (the beast had both). What skill is needed to create it? And what's its cost? It could be like the Cloak od Elvenkind which is 2500gp, but they have raw material...or something like the cloak of displacement.

The cleanest way to handle something like this is to attach a GP value worth of crafting materials to the dropped Coat. This is RAW a Craft Wonderous Items Feat application, and would require a spellcraft check and the time (1 day per 1000 gp)

Where this is homebrew you could hand-wave the feat requirement if you wanted, and require a Craft: Sewing skill check.

A cloak of displacement (minor) fits the Shadow Mastif best, but is a relatively high cost item 24k (12k in crafting supplies). The cloak of elevenkind is lower cost to make 2500 gp value(1,250 gp).

It would make sense that they might still need some additional components, so you could say the coat is worth 500gp of crafting, or 1000 gp or any number you wanted for game balance.

[Laprof]

Thanks to both of you.

[OmniMage]

More help.

Displacement
3 (spell level) * 5 (caster level) * 1800 gp (command word) = 27000 gp

However, you will probably want to reduce the price a bit more. So lets give it 1 charge per day.

27000 gp / 5 = 5400 gp.

On the other hand, you might want to see what a continuous version will look like.

3 (spell level) * 5 (caster level) * 2000 gp (continuous) * 4 (duration) = 120000 gp

Because the spell displacement has a duration measured in rounds, you had to multiply by 4 at the end. Suffice to say, this has a major impact on the price.

I hope this gives you a better idea of how to use the rules.

[Laprof]

Thank you OmniMage.
I guess the item will be more like the cloack of elevnkind since my PCs are a bit short of money. Or maybe they could put the coat aside and create a better item (displacement) when they have enough gp.

Your example are very useful, the "1 charge per day" version is something they could afford in a short time.

[Laprof]

*examples

[OmniMage]

Well, you can upgrade magic items. Your cloak might still become a powerful magic item.

The rules state that new abilities cost 50% more when being added to existing items. I don't like that rule. My house rule is when you upgrade magic items, the cost is the difference between the new item and old item.

[Quixote]

All of the offical, rigid rules aside, you can be considerably more generous with magic items the characters find compared to ones that their players hand pick.

A couple of quick points:

-the +50% premium for extra abilities only matters when (a) characters are a high enough level to afford magic items for all their slots and (b) multiple useful items that take up one slot are available to them.
At level 5, there is zero difference between wearing amulet that gives you +1 AC along with a cloak that grants +1 to saves and a ring that has both abilities.

-some ablities are more potent on certain items, and some items are more potent with certain characters.
For example, a +2 javelin isn't as good as a +2 greatsword. But if there are no big tough fighters in the game, that greatsword isn't nearly as useful as something else supposedly in the same price range.

-the exponential price on bonuses is a safety net. We don't want to grant access to certain abilities (or potentcy levels of those abilities) too early.
But really, what's it matter? A +2 dagger is 5% more likely to hit than a +1 dagger, and does one more damage. Hardly worth the 6,000gp price hike (+300%!) for most characters.

If you are willing to bend the rules a bit, you can offer your characters magic items that have multiple abilities, that both improve what they can already do and grant them new options, and that feel strange and unique. Magic items that, in short, feel magical.

If they end up seeming a little too juiced up from all their mystic goodies, there are always more monsters.

[Quixote]

Maybe something like-

Shadow Mantle: this dark threadbare cloak seems to move in a breeze that isn't there. It's wearer gains a +1 Deflection bonus to AC, a +5 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks and can duplicate the effects of the Blur spell 1/day (caster level 5).
The Shadow Mantle only functions in shadowy or dimly lit areas. In places of full light or complete darkness, it is nothing more than a strange cloak.

3,500gp

[Laprof]

Well, the limitation on its use is worth the "discount". One more good idea. Thank you guys, your help is priceless.

[Zepheri]

Another solution is to ask your gm for more information about the coat maybe have special property that enhance shadow effect if it's do you can apply a shadow step in the coat, or apply the dimension door whit the silent image, remember that book show you some examples, you can create a unique coat