Item Caster Level & Pricing

[KarmicPlaneswalker]

This is a multi-part question, as I'm still learning the ins & outs on crafting to help my party.

If you craft a magical item and increase its caster level, does this also increase the cost from the listed price? If so, by how much? If it is a magical item that casts a spell, does raising the CL increase the spell's DC and/or duration?

Example A (Benefits):
If you craft a Profane Seal Signet at caster level 12, does this gives it the full benefit of the Wrath spell and the Improved Critical feat?

If crafting at CL12, does this increase the Signet's price? Or will it remain a constant 1,500gp?

Example B (Duration):
A Ring of Invisibility starts at CL3. If you crafted it at CL10, would that mean each use of the ring's Invisibilty lasts for 10 minutes? As opposed to 3 minutes from the base ring at CL3?

And again, does raising the item's level increase the price? Or will it remain 10,000gp to craft?

Example C (Save DC & Damage):
If you craft a pair of Vampiric Gloves at CL20, does the DC to resist its Bleed spell increase? Also, does its Vampiric Touch apply the full 10d8 damage from being at max level?

Does raising the item's caster level increase its price? Or is it always 9,000gp?

[Name Violation]

link to relevant faq
link to magic item creation
you multiply by caster level, so a 12th level CL will cost 7x more than a 5th caster level

[KarmicPlaneswalker]

"For example, a 3rd-level wizard with Craft Wondrous Item can create a 1st-level pearl, with a minimum caster level of 1. He can set the caster level to whatever he wants (assuming he can meet the crafting DC), though the pearl's caster level has no effect on its powers"

Everyone always cites the pearl example when referencing an item's CL, but I must be misunderstanding the language of how that pertains to the inquiry.

Same with the Magic Item creation link, which I was told only pertains to custom-made magic items, not preexisting ones.

[Diego Rossi]

KarmicPlaneswalker wrote:

Same with the Magic Item creation link, which I was told only pertains to custom-made magic items, not preexisting ones.

As soon as you change something, even the caster level, it is custom made.

From what I recall of posts by SKR and FAQs (currently I am too lazy to search the citations), an item's caster level (CL) matters if it changes the effect.

With the Profane Seal Signet, changing the CL makes a difference if you reach a new milestone. When you reach CL 6, the bonus becomes +2; when you reach CL 9, it becomes +3; and when you reach CL 12, you get Improved Critical. The protection part has a completely different pricing, as it is not CL dependent, but instead is based on the cost of a ring of protection.

The math would be fairly complicated depending on what combination of effects you want (+1 protection and CL Wrath is different from +3 protection and CL 6 Wrath) but, if the GM allows custom items, it can be done.

[OmniMage]

Unfortunately most magic items don't show the math that was used to make the item. A weakness of the dnd 3.5 system. It makes it difficult to copy or edit magic items, especially for those who likes crafting and customizing magic items.

Another thing to note is that some magic items don't follow any pricing rules. A handy haversack should cost 90,000 gp because it uses a 5th level spell (5 * 9 * 2000 gp), but instead they cost 2000 gp.

When it comes to making custom magic items, you are in some part playing rule maker as the price can play a big role of when you get a power or whether you get a power at all. For instance, the handy haversack and related items makes it easy to carry a lot of loot at low levels. The bag itself is 5 lbs, but can carry 120 lbs. 120 lbs is enough to encumber all but the strongest humans, but the handy haversack makes it trivial to carry that much. Even a weak wizard can easily carry 5 lbs without encumbrance.