Crafting

[Arioch]

In the 3.5 edition rules, does a caster need anything except the requisite feat and required spells, gold and XP in order to make a magical item? As far as I can tell, they don't and this doesn't really make sense. It implies, for example, that any caster that has Craft Wondrous Item and can cast create undead can create a shadow veil, even if that caster has never heard of the veil before. And every shadow veil created by these inspired ameteurs is identical.

To me, this does not make sense.

[Theli]

Well, once the crafter is making the attempt doesn't it sort of indicate that they know what they're trying to create?

No, there's no solid rules on exactly what items somebody has ever heard of. If the character has probably never encountered such an item, and has never learned it through research or knowledge checks, then it's pretty much metagaming to assume that the character knows he's capable of creating it.

Though in most cases it's up to the DM to decide what the character would likely know about. So it's up to the DM to restrict this metagaming.

Do you have a complaining player that assumes that they can craft, or use, anything ever published by WotC? Man...those are really annoying... I can't really help ya with that. Just gotta work it out through DM fiat and/or bargaining.

[Fizban]

Well think of it this way: the character knows what they want, and they try and make it. Considering that they took a crafting feat, it's reasonable to assume that they know what's within their capability. If it's a really unique item, the DMG does suggest having players research item crafting if it would stretch credibility too much. But that's just putting more cost on it. You could require a knowledge or maybe spellcraft check high enough to identify the item before you can craft it (rules found in the Magic Item Compendium).

But yes, it is ultimately a question of how much metagaming. Most characters are going to be buying the standard items (stat booster, save booster, etc) without having "heard" of them before. Sure a strength or int booster is easy enough to imagine, or a sword or armor, but what's a "save"? The cloak of resistance makes you dodge things, and get physically tougher, and resist mind control. Kind of a disparate combination.

[Button Jockey]

To make a magical item a character needs a base item to enchant, specifically a masterwork item. The caster would also need any spell components of spells used to enchant the item. If the item produces a spell effect, it needs spell components for each charge. I think most of this info is covered in detail throughout the PHB, mostly between the skill section and the feat section. Most magic items, in the descriptive text, will give at least a small idea of how they are created. This includes constructs.

As far as limiting what a character can make, it is up to the DM. Meta-gaming can be a pain in the butt though. I've heard a lot of arguments for something modern spun off as "magic item".

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Who says you need to have heard of someone else combining the raw materials in a specific way to do so yourself? If you know enough about magic to have the feat, you're likely smart enough to think, "Hey, I need an item that does x, and I have a spell that does x'. I bet I could slightly modify the spell to create the necessary item." That's how independent development works.

The fact that every wizard that individually "invents" a particular item winds up with a virtually identical product is merely a convenience for the game's sake.

[Rift_Wolf]

I kind of like the variant rule described where you can negate the XP cost by going on a quest to find component pieces for wondrous items. If you decided minor wondrous items would be commonly known magic items to a trained wizard, then they had to go and find rarer items to either retro-engineer or they find a recipe for making it in a tome, or something, you could make a bit of a side quest out of it.

[Burley]

I kind of like the variant rule described where you can negate the XP cost by going on a quest to find component pieces for wondrous items. If you decided minor wondrous items would be commonly known magic items to a trained wizard, then they had to go and find rarer items to either retro-engineer or they find a recipe for making it in a tome, or something, you could make a bit of a side quest out of it.

Is this variant rule from a publication, or from somebody's table? I'd love to convince my DM to let me use that rule.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Is this variant rule from a publication, or from somebody's table? I'd love to convince my DM to let me use that rule.

It is just another form of treasure. Instead of going on an adventure to find gold you go on an adventure and find parts/ingredients for magic items. Similarly you could have a side quest where the goal was to find adamantium or star metal for the fighter's new sword.

Whether the DM should implement this or just hand wave the item gathering part of the creation process in exchange for gold depends solely on how it fits into the campaign.

Is there time for side quests, as in would the DM rather progress the storyline about finding the evil Lich and would the other party members find it enjoyable to go look for these ingredients.

[shaggz076]

In the 3.5 edition rules, does a caster need anything except the requisite feat and required spells, gold and XP in order to make a magical item? As far as I can tell, they don't and this doesn't really make sense. It implies, for example, that any caster that has Craft Wondrous Item and can cast create undead can create a shadow veil, even if that caster has never heard of the veil before. And every shadow veil created by these inspired ameteurs is identical.

To me, this does not make sense.

The way I am interpreting this you are asking if you need to have craft in the specific field to create a magical version of an item (ie. Heward's Handy Haversack is a magical version of a backpack) If this is whta your asking then the answer is no you don't need craft to do so. What you DO need is a masterworked version of the item. You could talk to a leathercrafter to make the MW backpack and then subsequently enhant it. The catch here is you need to pay full price for the materials (MW backpack in this instance) instead of the lower cost to make the item yourself and then enchant it.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

The catch here is you need to pay full price for the materials (MW backpack in this instance) instead of the lower cost to make the item yourself and then enchant it.
The cost of materials is subsumed into the cost to craft all items except for magical armor or weapons.

Likely because aside from "Masterwork Tools", those are the only items with set masterwork prices.

[mostlyharmful]

You also need a ridiculous amount of time which is usually one of the main limitations on crafting in DnD, making a mid to high level item can take months and can only be done in downtime. During downtime you've got time on your hands bu the cashflow and xp resevoirs soon dry up.:smallsmile:

You also need somekind of preperation area, a small forge for rings, a writing desk for scrolls, etc.. which rules it out during most adventures until the caster can afford to tote around a spare portable hole to stash their workshop in, by which point casters are already well past ludicrous.