Assigning item levels for homebrew magic items

[Mutty06]

I had an idea for a magic item but I'm unsure how to go about assigning an item level or gp value to it. I'm looking for more general advice that I could hopefully use for future creations. That said the item I'm currently trying to assign a value to is a magic quiver. It would reduce the reload value of wielded weapons to a minimum of 1. Essentially allowing my player with a crossbow ace ranger to use a heavy crossbow.

[Henro]

Unique effects like that are pretty tough to set a level for, since there isn't much of a precedent in printed material.

The best you can do is look at what effects become available at different levels to try to get a feel for when your effect would be appropriate.

[Siro]

The best general advice I could offer is to see if there other items which provide a somewhat comparable effect, and from there take into account the differences between the items to see areas which yours may be weaker or stronger then the ones in the book. From there, using the books items as a baseline, and using your own judgment as to how stronger/weaker your item is by comparison, assign a item level, and using other items of that level as a baseline for GP value. Also, do note about interactions that the item may have with other actions and abilities. If you find the item to powerful to your liking, perhaps add other restrictions {ie it can only be used so many times a day/it has a chance of breaking if used more then once ect..), or too weak, perhaps add a smaller ability to it.

Lets take a look at the Quiver for example. The closet thing I could find at a glance {ie there could be a better comparison} is the 'Speed' Rune {a 'Rare' Level 16 item}. Both give an 'additional' action, the Speed Rune through the quicken condition, while the Quiver does it through saving an action of the reload. Both are restricted in these gained actions involve weapon attacks in some way. However the Rune as the advantage of flexibility, it can be applied to any weapon {ie you could remove the rune an place it on something else/ it could be used on any weapon}, unlike the Quiver. Because I would assume the Quiver would be following normal worn item rules and investment, the Rune also as the advantage of not taking up 1 of your 10 investment slots. However the Quiver would have the advantage as it would not be taking up one of the weapons Rune slots {which even with a +3 potency rune on a weapon, a weapon only gets 3 slots}. Plus, that 'saved' action could potentially open up other combos, as it would be more 'stackable' then the Runes Quicken Condition, and could be use more then once a turn.

Anyways, that's just may quick glance and sorry for the long post. The last piece of advice is to Test, and Test again. If you do introduce it in game, let the players know this may not be the end product and its subject to change. {in game reason could be the magic as not fully set into the item yet/it was made with a bit of 'Wild Magic' ect.}

[Captain Morgan]

So an item that let you at will speed up the Reload of a crossbow would be bad balance wise. It would effectively make the normal crossbow defunct compared to the heavy, unless it also applied to the normal crossbow at which point you've basically just made them better than anything else.

I think most items which improve action economy are limited use. Talismans are the most obvious example, but there's also stuff like boots of elvenkind which have limited uses per day. Other items recharge after at least a minute.

I'd say a once per day item that lets you fully load any crossbow as a free action seems like a cool balance point. That can let you pull off a turn you couldn't otherwise, but you'd really have to make it count. My gut pegs that about level 8, but you could make a level 13+ version that works once every 10 minutes or something.

[Ascalaphus]

I agree with Captain Morgan, action cost reduction is one of the most precious things there are in this edition.

[Timeshadow]

How about instead of a Quiver have a reload Rune. This way it takes a valuable rune slot that could be extra damage or something. I'd make it 8th lvl same as an elemental rune.