Creating Magic Items
To Create magic items, spellcasters use special feats. They invest time, money, and their own personal energy (in the form of experience points) in an item's creation. For details on creating the different types of magic items, see the appropriate section below as well as the information on item creation feats in Item Creation Feats.
Note that all items have prerequisites in their descriptions. These prerequisites must be met for the item to be created. Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed).
While item creation costs are handled in detail elsewhere, note that normally the two primary factors are the caster level of the creator and the level of the spell or spells put into the item. A creator can create an item at a lower caster level than her own, but never lower than the minimum level needed to cast the needed spell. For example, a 15th-level wizard could craft a wand of fireball at 10th caster level, or even as low as 5th level (the minimum caster level for fireball, a 3rd-level spell), but no lower. If she did this, the fireball would in all ways be treated as if the caster was of the lower specified level (for damage, range, and so on). Using metamagic feats, a caster can place spells in items at a higher level than normal. For example, a caster could heighten a spell's level to increase its effectiveness, or quicken a spell to allow it to be used as a free action, placing it within an item at the higher metamagic level. See Metamagic Feats.
Base creation costs for items are always half of the base price in gp and 1/25 of the base price in XP. For most items, the market price equals the base price. For example, a cloak of elvenkind has a market price (and base price) of 2,000 gp. Making one costs 1,000 gp in raw materials plus 80 XP.
Some items, however, cast or replicate spells with costly material components or with XP components. For these items, the market price equals the base price plus an extra price for the components. (Each XP in the components adds 5 gp to the market price.) The cost to create these items is the base raw material cost and the base XP cost (both determined by the base price) plus the costs for the components. For example, a ring of three wishes has a market price of 97,950 gp, which includes 75,000 gp for the extra 15,000 XP that the creator must expend to forge the ring. The ring's base price is only 22,950 gp (the market price minus the extra cost for the XP expenditure). These items have a "Cost to Create" entry that lists the total cost to create the item. (You don't have to calculate creation costs for these items. It's done for you.)
The creator also needs a fairly quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in which to work. Any place suitable for preparing spells (see Magic) is suitable for making items. Creating an item requires one day per 1,000 gp in the item's base price, with a minimum of at least one day. Potions are an exception to this rule; they always take just one day to brew. The caster is assumed to work for 8 hours each day. He cannot rush the process by working longer. A character can only work on one item at a time. He can do nothing else while working. During rest periods, he can engage in light activity such as talking or walking but cannot fight, cast spells, use magic items, conduct research, or perform any other physically or mentally demanding task. The caster can take a short break from working (for naps and the like) as often as he likes, so long as he spends at least 8 hours out of every 24 working on the item. He cannot take a day off: Once the process has started, he must see it through to the end or admit defeat. If the caster is disturbed while making the item, or spends less than 8 hours working in any period of 24 hours, the process is ruined. All materials used and XP spent are wasted.
The secrets to creating artifacts are long lost.
Shadow Weave Magic Items
Magic items created by characters who use the Shadow Weave are rare and dangerous. Only the clergy of Shar and Shar's few arcane spellcasters create any number of Shadow Weave items. Shadow adepts unallied to Shar's church are rare and reclusive enough that only a handful of magic items are manufactured as Shadow Weave items.
Shadow Weave items are nearly identical with items created by Weave users, but the differences are profound.
Spell-like effects generated from Shadow Weave items have the same benefits and limitations that Shadow Weave spellcasting has:
Effects from the schools of Enchantment, Illusion, and Necromancy gain a +1 bonus on their save DCs and a +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance. The same benefits apply to effects with the darkness descriptor.
Effects from the schools of Evocation or Transmutation have their caster levels reduced by 1 (though their costs are based on the original caster level). The reduced caster level affects the spell's range, duration, damage, and any other level-dependent variables the effect might have. The effect's save DC is reduced by 1, and caster level checks to overcome spell resistance suffer a -1 penalty. The DC to dispel evocation or transmutation effects from a Shadow Weave item is 11 + the reduced caster level. (In general, Shadow Weave users do not bother to create items that include evocation or transmutation effects.) Furthermore, Shadow Weave items cannot generate effects with the light descriptor.
Shadow Weave items can pose a serious danger to users who are not familiar with the mysteries of the Shadow Weave. Activating a Shadow Weave item through spell completion, spell trigger, or command word deals 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom damage to the user unless the user has the Shadow Weave Magic feat. A use-activated Shadow Weave item deals 1 point of temporary Wisdom damage the first time it is used each day unless the user has the Shadow Weave Magic feat. If the item functions continuously, the temporary Wisdom damage occurs at dusk each day or when the user takes off or puts aside the item, whichever comes first.
Masterwork Items
Masterwork items are extraordinarily well-made items. They are more expensive, but they benefit the user with improved quality. They are not magical in any way. However, only masterwork items may be enchanted to become magic armor and weapons. (Items that are not weapons or armor may or may not be masterwork items.)
Special Materials
In addition to magic items enchanted with spells, some substances have innate special properties.
Abyssal Bloodiron
In the Abyss, cataclysmic battles have raged for eons, laying down a sediment of iron, blood, and spent magic. Abyssal bloodiron is mined from thin deposits of mixed blood and ferrous mineral, compacted over the years, then forged at a low temperature to preserve its innate powers. Weapons forged of the metal usually appear dark except for their cutting edges, which are as red as freshly spilled blood.
A weapon forged of Abyssal bloodiron is treated as a cold iron weapon, except that its wielder gains a +4 bonus when rolling to confirm a critical hit.
Abyssal bloodiron has the same weight as iron or steel. A weapon made of Abyssal bloodiron costs an additional 10,000 gp, and any magical enhancements cost an additional 2,000 gp, just as with cold iron. (The price includes 300 gp for the masterwork component.)
Abyssal bloodiron has hardness 10 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Adamantine
Some folk in Faerûn believe that metallic adamantine is made by combining adamantine ore and the correct proportions of silver and electrum, or even by combining steel and mithral, but dwarves and others in the know scoff at such tales. Found only in meteorites and the rarest of veins in magical areas, this ultrahard metal adds to the quality of a weapon or suit of armor based on how much of the material is used. Thus, adamantine plate offers a greater increase in protection (as well as a higher cost) than adamantine chainmail, and an adamantine battleaxe offers a greater increase in offensive capability than an adamantine dagger. Weapons fashioned from adamantine have a natural enhancement bonus to attack and damage. Armor fashioned from adamantine has a natural enhancement bonus to AC. These bonuses do not stack with any other enhancement bonuses. Thus, an adamantine (+2) sword enchanted with a +5 enhancement bonus effectively has a +5 enhancement bonus. In an area where magic does not function, it still retains its natural +2 enhancement bonus. Weapons and armor fashioned from adamantine are treated as masterwork items with regard to creation times, but the masterwork quality does not affect the enhancement bonus of weapons or the armor check penalty of armor.
Adamantine has a hardness of 20 and 40 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Item | Enhancement Bonus | Market Price Modifier |
| Light armor | +1 | +2,000 gp |
| Medium armor | +2 | +5,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +3 | +10,000 gp |
| Shield | +1 | +2,000 gp |
| Weapon damage (1d4 or 1d6) | +1 | +3,000 gp |
| Weapon damage (1d8, 1d10, or 1d12) | +2 | +9,000 gp |
Arandur
Arandur is a rare natural metal found in igneous rock, usually as streaks of blue-green ore amid vitreous glass. When refined and forged, the metal is silver-blue with a green reflective shine. It is famous for holding a sharp edge even when abused and is the favored material for making keen weapons.
Armor made from arandur grants sonic resistance 2. Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A suit of chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is not.)
Arandur weighs the same as steel, has hardness 12, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier: Armor +2,000 gp.
Astral Drift Metal
This extraordinarily rare mineral is mined only on Tu'narath and other islands of matter floating in the Astral Plane. It is very similar to iron but has a single remarkable feature. Armor crafted from astral driftmetal is fully effective against incorporeal attacks, as if it were made of force. The armor's full armor bonus to Armor Class (including any enhancement bonus) applies to the wearer's touch Armor Class against incorporeal attacks.
Astral driftmetal is not malleable enough to be worked into chainmail or scale mail; only a breastplate, shield, or any form of heavy armor can be made from it.
A suit of driftmetal armor weighs the same as a suit of armor made of steel. Other statistics of the armor (maximum Dexterity bonus, armor check penalty, and arcane spell failure chance) are unchanged.
Astral driftmetal has hardness 12 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness. Its market price modifier is +12,000 gp.
Bluewood
The priests and mages of the East sometimes work in materials with innate special properties.
Bluewood: Volodni craftsfolk often fashion art or and weapons from the wood of blueleaf trees grown with care, sculpted with wood shape, and then magically treated to be as hard as steel. A bluewood weapon has the same hardness and characteristics as a normal metal armor or weapon of that sort but weighs half as much. Bluewood armor and weapons created in this fashion are considered masterwork items and gain the appropriate bonuses.
Bluewood items have the following additional costs:
| Light armor | +300 gp |
| Medium armor | +600 gp |
| Heavy armor | +1,200 gp |
| Shield | +300 gp |
| Weapon (1d4 or 1d6) | +400 gp |
| Weapon (any other) | +800 gp |
The process of treating bluewood to harden it requires ten days of work by someone knowledgeable in the process. This is either a volodni with 10 ranks in Craft (alchemy or woodworking), or a nonvolodni with the same skills and 2 ranks in Knowledge (local-volodni).
Copper
Quite familiar to poor folk across the world, copper is known by spellcasters to be a magical purifier, aiding in magic that negates sickness and poison. While its brilliant color makes it popular for ornamental items, its relative softness makes it unsuitable for armor or weapons unless magically treated (which also activates its resistance). However, it is often used in items that provide protection from cold.
Armor made from magically treated copper grants cold resistance 2. Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A suit of chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is not.)
Magically treated copper weighs the same as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier: Armor +2,000 gp.
Darksteel
Darksteel is silvery in hue when polished or cut, but its exposed surfaces have a deep, gleaming purple luster. The process for making this type of steel was once lost, but has been recently rediscovered thanks to some ancient dwarven texts. The alloy is made from meteoric iron tempered with a variety of special oils.
Armor made from darksteel grants acid resistance 2. Weapons forged of darksteel inflict +1 point of electricity damage each time they hit (this is cumulative with other abilities, such as shock or shocking burst). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A longsword or a suit of chainmail is affected, while a spear or a suit of studded leather is not.)
Darksteel weighs the same as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier: Armor +2,000 gp; weapon +1,500 gp.
Darkwood
This rare magic wood is as hard as normal wood but very light. Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow, an arrow, or a spear) made from darkwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half as much as a normal wooden item of that type. Items not normally made of wood or only partially of wood (such as a battleaxe or a mace) either cannot be made from darkwood or do not gain any special benefit from being made of darkwood. Armor check penalties for darkwood shields are reduced by 2. To determine the price of darkwood items, use the original weight but add +10 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item.
Darkwood has a hardness of 5 and 10 hit points per inch of thickness.
Dlarun
This bone-white metal, sometimes known as icesteel, can take a high polish and is often mistaken for ivory when seen in finished items, but has a distinctive greenish sheen in candlelight. Dlarun ore is found in the clay dug from riverbanks, and when first refined it is soft and easily carved. A second heating makes it hard and durable. This property makes the metal ideal for decorative work and figurines.
Armor made from dlarun grants fire resistance 2. Weapons forged of dlarun inflict +1 point of frost damage each time they hit (this is cumulative with other abilities, such as frost or icy burst). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A longsword or a suit of chainmail is affected, while a spear or a suit of studded leather is not.) Dlarun can never be used in a magic item that uses fire effects, such as a flaming or flaming burst weapon.
Dlarun weighs the same as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier. Armor +2,000 gp; weapon +1,500 gp.
Duskwood
This species of tree grows widely all over Faerûn, and is named for the eerie appearance of its tightly growing groves. Smooth, with small branches at the top of 60-foot trunks, duskwood trees have black bark and smoky gray wood that is as tough as iron.
Any steel or mostly steel weapon (such as a sword or a mace) made from duskwood is considered a masterwork item and weighs only half as much as a normal steel item of that type. Weapons not normally made of steel or only partially of steel (such as a club or a battleaxe) either cannot be made from duskwood or do not gain any special benefit or penalty from being made of duskwood.
Duskwood doesn't work well as armor; it can't be shaped into rings like steel, and overlapping plates don't flex well. (Even the wood shape spell can't create the level of detail needed.) However, duskwood breastplates are possible, with the following statistics: armor bonus +5, maximum Dex bonus +4, armor check penalty -2, arcane spell failure 20%. A duskwood breastplate is treated as light armor for the purposes of movement and other limitations.
Duskwood weighs half as much as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market-Price Modifier: Weapon +1,500 gp; breastplate +3,000 gp.
Fever Iron
In some volcanic craters, pools of molten metal collect and are never allowed to fully cool. Sometimes these pools of semisolid metal attract the raw energy of the Weave and are transformed into what the dwarves call fever iron. Fever iron can be made fully solid through a magical process that includes application of intense cold, after which it can be worked like normal iron.
Armor made from fever iron grants fire resistance 2. Weapons forged of fever iron inflict +1 point of fire damage each time they hit (this is cumulative with other abilities, such as flaming or flaming burst). Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A longsword or a suit of chainmail is affected, while a spear or a suit of studded leather is not.) Fever iron can never be used in a magic item that uses cold effects, such as a frost or icy burst weapon.
Fever iron weighs the same as steel, has hardness 12, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier: Armor +2,000 gp; weapon +1,500 gp.
Gold
While most use gold as a currency, spellcasters know of gold's magical properties. When magically refined and treated, gold can be made as hard as steel. The following information refers to magically treated gold.
Armor made from treated gold grants acid and fire resistance 2. Gold armors are one category heavier than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations (for example, whether a barbarian can use his fast movement ability while wearing the armor or not). Light armors are treated as medium, and medium and heavy armors are treated as heavy. Spell failure chances for armor and shields made from gold are increased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is decreased by 2 (which may bring it below 0), and armor check penalties are increased by 3.
Gold weapons are considered heavy weapons (see the sidebar on Heavy Weapons).
Magically treated gold weighs twice as much as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Item | Market Price Modifier |
| Armor | 4,000 gp |
| Weapon damage up to 1d3 | +1,500 gp |
| Weapon damage 1d4 or 1d6 | +2,500 gp |
| Weapon damage 1d8 or higher | +7,000 gp |
Hizagkuur
Hizagkuur is a pale, silvery gray metal that forever retains a fiery spark of its smelting fires; making it magically resistant to cold. Thus, armor made from hizagkuur grants its wearer cold resistance 2. Any weapon forged of hizagkuur deals +1 point of electricity damage and +1 point of fire damage each time it hits. This effect is cumulative with any other special abilities the weapon may possess Hizagkuur cannot be used in a magic item that uses cold effects, such as a frost or icy burst weapon.
Hizagkuur weighs the same as steel, and it has a hardness of 10 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness. A hizagkuur weapon is treated as silver for the purpose of defeating damage reduction, but it takes no penalty on its damage roll.
Market Price Modifier: Armor +2,000 gp; weapon +12,500 gp.
Iron, Cold
This iron mined deep underground, known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties. Weapons made of cold iron cost twice as much to make as their normal counterparts. Also, any magical enhancements cost an additional 2,000 gp. For example, a +2 longsword made of cold iron would cost 10,330 gp, because the price doubles for the longsword itself (15 gp to 30 gp), the +2 enhancement bonus costs 8,000 gp, and enhancing cold iron costs an additional 2,000 gp. (The price includes 300 gp for the master-work component.)
Items without metal parts cannot be made from cold iron. An arrow could be made of cold iron, but a quarterstaff could not.
A double weapon that has only half of it made of cold iron increases its cost by 50%. A two-bladed sword with one end of cold iron and the other end steel would cost 150 gp.
Cold iron has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.
Living Metal
Powerful sources of life energy, such as druid circles or sites holy to Chauntea, sometimes leach energy into the soil, which changes the properties of the natural deposits of iron buried nearby. This living metal usually has a light gray-green color and has properties of natural repair and reshaping. It is favored in the construction of rings of regeneration.
Over time, armor made of living metal naturally shapes itself to fit its wearer. After one tenday of regular wearing, increase the maximum Dexterity bonus by 1, reduce the armor check penalty by 1, and reduce the arcane spell failure chance by 5% for living metal armor. Armor not primarily of metal is not meaningfully affected. (A suit of chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is not.)
In addition, an item made of living metal naturally repairs damage to itself, healing 1 hit point per minute. It cannot repair itself if brought to 0 hit points or destroyed (such as through disintegration).
Living metal weighs the same as steel, has hardness 12, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Item | Market Price Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light armor | +700 gp |
| Medium armor | +2,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +4,500 gp |
| Other items | +100 gp/lb. |
Mithral
Mithral is a very rare silvery, glistening metal that is lighter than iron but just as hard. Some foolish bards believe that mithral can be combined with steel to form adamantine, but such tales only cause uproarious laughter in dwarven communities.
When worked like steel, it becomes a wonderful material from which to create armor and is occasionally used for other items as well. Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations (for example, whether a barbarian can use her fast movement ability while wearing the armor or not). Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3. Non-armor or non-shield items made from mithral weigh half as much as the same item made from other metals. Note that items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected. (A longsword is affected, while a spear is not.)
Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are treated as masterwork items with regard to creation times, but the masterwork quality does nor affect the enhancement bonus of weapons or the armor check penalty of armor.
Mithral has a hardness of 15 and 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Item | Market Price Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light armor | +1,000 gp |
| Medium armor | +4,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +9,000 gp |
| Shield | +1 000 gp |
| Other items | +500 gp/lb. |
Silver, Alchemical
A complex process involving metallurgy and alchemy can bond silver to a weapon made of steel so that it bypasses the damage reduction of creatures such as lycanthropes. On a successful attack with a silvered weapon, the wielder takes a -1 penalty on the damage roll (with the usual minimum of 1 point of damage). The alchemical silvering process can't be applied to nonmetal items, and it doesn't work on rare metals such as adamantine, cold iron, and mithral.
Alchemical silver has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8.
| Item | Market Price Modifier |
|---|---|
| Ammunition | +2 gp |
| Light weapon | +20 gp |
| One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon | +90 gp |
| Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon | +180 gp |
Silver, Pandemonic
Mined from thin veins of ore on the plane of Pandemonium, pandemonic silver has all the properties of alchemical silver. In addition, a thin, unearthly scream issues forth from a bladed weapon made of pandemonic silver whenever it's unsheathed in at least a light breeze. This scream is a sonic, mind-affecting compulsion that is a fear effect. Other than the wielder, those within 30 feet who hear the scream must succeed on a Will save or cower for 1d4 rounds. The DC of the Will save depends on the strength of the wind, as indicated on the table below.
| Wind Force | Save DC |
| Light (0-10 mph) | 10 |
| Moderate (11-20 mph) | 13 |
| Strong (21-30 mph) | 16 |
| Severe (31-50 mph) | 19 |
| Windstorm (51-74 mph) | 22 |
| Hurricane (75-154 mph) | 25 |
| Tornado (175-300 mph) | 28 |
Pandemonic silver can be used to coat the striking surface of any slashing or piercing weapon made of steel. The cost of the weapon increases as shown below.
| Type of Pandemonic Silver Item | Item Cost Modifier |
| Light slashing or piercing weapon | +9,000 gp |
| One-handed slashing or piercing weapon, or one head of a slashing or piercing double weapon | +11,000 gp |
| Two-handed slashing or piercing weapon, or both heads of a slashing or piercing double weapon | +13,000 gp |
Platinum
This silvery-white metal superficially resembles aluminum but is extremely heavy. Because it is so malleable, it must be magically altered to the rigidity of steel so it can maintain its shape even when used in combat. This process also catalyzes its magical properties. The following information refers to magically treated platinum.
Armor made from treated platinum grants cold and sonic resistance 2. Platinum armors are one category heavier than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations (for example, whether a barbarian can use his fast movement ability while wearing the armor or not). Light armors are treated as medium, and medium and heavy armors are treated as heavy. Spell failure chances for armor and shields made from platinum are increased by 10%, the maximum Dexterity bonus is decreased by 2 (which may bring it below 0), and armor check penalties are increased by 3. Armor not primarily of metal is not meaningfully affected. (A suit of chainmail is affected, while a suit of studded leather is not.)
Platinum weapons are considered heavy weapons.
Magically treated platinum weighs twice as much as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
| Item | Market Price Modifier |
| Armor | +5,000 gp |
| Weapon damage up to 1d3 | +1,100 gp |
| Weapon damage 1d4 or 1d6 | +2,100 gp |
| Weapon damage 1d8 or higher | +7,000 gp |
Silver
Long valued for its purity and beauty, silver is also used to make weapons and armor. It is commonly used in items involving light and moon magic, as well as bane weapons dedicated to battling shapechangers. With the proper magical treatments, silver gains the rigidity of steel. The following information refers to magically treated silver.
Armor made from silver grants electricity resistance 2. Weapons forged of treated silver can damage creatures whose damage reduction type is silver, and they deal +1 damage to such creatures. Items whose striking point or surface is not primarily metal are not meaningfully affected. (A longsword or a spear is affected, while a club is not.)
Magically treated silver weighs as much as steel, has hardness 10, and has 30 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier. Armor +2,000 gp; weapon +1,000 gp.
Starmetal
This superior alloy is made from meteoric iron - specifically, ore refined from meteors that fall during the rare appearances of the comet Alhazarde. Starmetal is extraordinarily hard, and is equal to adamantine for all purposes, including overcoming damage reduction or granting damage reduction when used in armor construction. Starmetal also possesses an inherent magical connection to the Material Plane, meaning that weapons made of the alloy are especially effective against creatures from other planes. Weapons made of starmetal deal an extra 1d6 points of damage to any extraplanar creatures while they are on the Material Plane.
Creating a weapon from starmetal costs 5,000 gp more than creating a similar weapon of steel. Creating armor from starmetal has the same costs as armor created from adamantine.
Members of the Green Star adept prestige class rely on starmetal to gain their distinctive abilities.
Susalian Chainweave
Made by a technique known only to the greatest elven armorsmiths, susalian chainweave is an elaborate system of chainmail links knitted together to provide additional protection against some blows. When an attack with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon hits a character wearing susalian chainweave, the armor stiffens at the point of contact and disperses the force of the attack. This quality gives the wearer damage reduction 3/piercing as long as the susalian chainweave armor is worn.
| Type of Susalian Chainweave Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light armor | +28,000 gp |
| Medium armor | +35,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +42,000 gp |
Thinaun
This dark, glittering steel alloy holds an attraction to souls recently released from their bodies. Obviously, this has application for melee weapons. If a thinaun melee weapon is touching a creature when it dies, that creature's soul is sucked into the weapon rather than passing on to its final reward. The soul remains in the thinaun weapon until the weapon is destroyed or another creature dies while touching the thinaun weapon (the new soul displaces the old one). Raise dead, resurrection, and similar spells won't bring back a creature whose soul is trapped by a thinaun weapon unless the caster has the weapon in his possession. Because the soul is nearby, fewer material components are required for such spells: Reincarnation, raise dead, resurrection, and true resurrection require half as much of the relevant material component (unguents or diamonds) to cast if the soul is within a thinaun weapon.
A thinaun weapon captures a soul from anyone killed while touching the weapon. This means that if the thinaun weapon's wielder dies, her weapon captures her soul.
Only melee weapons made primarily of metal can be crafted as thinaun weapons.
| Type of Thinaun Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light weapon | +10,000 gp |
| One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon | +15,000 gp |
| Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon | +20,000 gp |
Zalantar (Darkwood)
This wood from the zalantar subtropical tree is black, hence its Northern name: "blackwood." Zalantar has all the properties of darkwood, and any darkwood item manufactured on Faerûn is actually made of zalantar.
Zalantar has a hardness of 1 and 10 hit points per inch of thickness.
Market Price Modifier: As masterwork +10 gp/lb.
Exotic Materials of the Frostfell
Craftsmen of the frostfell value several exotic materials as much as any precious metal. New materials with which to construct armor and weapons, as well as other items, are described below.
Blue Ice: Found only in the depths of the most ancient glaciers, veins of blue ice are often sought our by glacier dwarves. It appears as dark blue, opaque ice that sparkles in light as if it were coated with a tiny film of gemstones; this is merely a thin layer of frost that forms over its surface when exposed to air. The material is cold and feels identical to regular ice upon casual observation, but blue ice only melts under intense and direct application of heat, similar to iron. Those who mine this material from the ancient glaciers often do so simply by melting away the surrounding ice; this is a dangerous procedure, though, since it can rapidly destabilize the surrounding ice. As a result, only the most gifted miners attempt to mine blue ice.
Blue ice can be forged, shaped, and utilized as if it were iron. Blue ice is much lighter than iron, and when forged into a slashing weapon it keeps its edge much longer and is much sharper than an equally forged iron weapon. Slashing weapons made of blue ice have a +1 enhancement bonus on damage. Bludgeoning or piercing weapons can be made of blue ice, but they gain no bonuses to damage. All weapons made of blue ice weigh half as much as normal.
Blue ice isn't just useful to make slashing weapons, though; it can be used to build anything that is normally built of iron. Many dwarven fortresses in the frostfell make heavy use of blue ice for metal components such as nails, tools, door hinges, utensils, and pretty much anything else they can think of; blue ice goblets and mugs are especially popular for export to warmer climates since they keep their contents chilled. A room lined with sheets of blue ice remains at a constant temperature of about freezing, making for an effective way to create refrigerated chambers for food storage. Items made out of blue ice weigh half as much as normal.
Blue ice armor is much lighter than normal armor, although it can be uncomfortable to wear for creatures not immune or resistant to cold. Only armor normally fashioned of metal can be made from blue ice. Most blue ice armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations, so that medium armor counts as light armor, and heavy armor counts as medium armor. Light armor remains light armor. Spell failure chances for arcane spells remains unchanged, with the exception of spells with the cold descriptor, which can be cast while wearing blue ice armor with no chance of spell failure. Maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and armor check penalties are lessened by 2. If the creature wearing the armor is not resistant or immune to cold, he takes a -1 penalty on Reflex saving throws and initiative checks from the general numbness caused by the armor. The Cold Endurance feat is enough to prevent this effect.
Blue ice has 20 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 10.
| Type of Blue Ice Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Light armor | +750 gp |
| Medium armor | +3,000 gp |
| Heavy armor | +7,000 gp |
| Shield | +750 gp |
| Slashing weapon | +500 gp |
| Other items | +400 gp/lb. |
Rimefire Ice: This form of ice is found only in icebergs inhabited by rimefire eidolons. These icebergs are approximately 95% normal ice, but the remaining 5% consists of veins of pale blue ice that glows softly, providing illumination equal to that of a torch. Rimefire ice is especially cold to the touch, and any creature that comes in contact with it takes 1 point of cold damage per round of contact. Any amount of resistance or immunity to cold or the Mark of Hleid feat provides complete protection from this cold damage.
The most unusual aspect of rimefire ice is that it is approximately as flammable as wood; it does not melt when heat is applied to it. Burning rimefire ice does not deal fire damage, though, even if it is ignited by an open flame. Rather, burning rimefire ice deals cold damage on anything unfortunate enough to get too close.
Rimefire ice could make an interesting material to forge weapons out of; rimefire ice has about the same amount of resilience and strength as wood. It cannot be used to make any appreciable armor, but it can be used to create any weapon that is normally made out of wood (or nearly completely of wood, as in the case of a spear or javelin). Rimefire ice weapons glow with blue light, providing illumination to a 20-foot radius. They also deal +1 point of cold damage on each successful hit.
Since rimefire is workable as wood, it can be used to build any object that can normally be made of wood. Rimefire ice objects glow blue, provide illumination as a torch, and retain their ability to cause 1 point of cold damage per round of contact to anything touching it.
Rimefire ice brought into warmer climates does not melt into water; it melts into thick white clouds of water vapor with great rapidity. Each minute a piece of rimefire ice is exposed to temperatures above 40° F, it takes 1d6 points of damage (this damage overcomes the ice's hardness and is not halved, as is most energy damage applied to objects). For each additional 10 degrees hotter than this, the ice takes an additional 1d6 points of damage per round.
Rimefire ice has 5 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 3.
| Type of Rimefire Ice Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Weapon | +750 gp |
| Other objects | +500 gp/lb. |
Stygian Ice: This extraplanar ice comes from Stygia, the fifth layer of Hell. Infused with the soulless evil of that realm, along with the magical waters of the river Styx, stygian ice is black and constantly crawls with a thin layer of pale blue mist. Stygian ice is much colder than normal ice, and it melts slowly in nonfreezing environs. The coldness that this ice exudes is magical in nature, and freezes the mind much more rapidly than flesh.
Stygian ice deals 1d6 points of cold damage per round of contact. Worse, if a creature takes damage from this supernatural cold, it must make a DC 12 Will saving throw or take 2 points of Wisdom damage as its memories are slowly frozen. If a creature's Wisdom is reduced to 0, further contact causes Constitution damage. A creature whose Constitution is reduced to 0 by Stygian ice rises as a wraith in 2d4 rounds.
Stygian ice is not much harder than normal ice, so it doesn't make effective armor. Weapons made of Stygian ice are somewhat fragile, and each time they deal damage the wielder must make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid dealing the same amount of damage on the weapon itself. Stygian ice weapons deal 1d6 points of additional cold damage on a hit; if the creature hit takes cold damage, it must make a DC 12 Will saving throw or take 2 points of Wisdom damage (or Constitution damage, if Wisdom is at 0). This damage applies to the wielder of the weapon as well; a character who wishes to wield a weapon made of Stygian ice is advised to seek out protection from cold damage.
Stygian ice has 5 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 3. Magical fire damage is not halved when applied to stygian ice. An object made of Stygian ice takes 1 point of damage per hour it exists in an environment above 40° F; this damage overcomes the ice's hardness. As it melts, the ice gives off foul vapors that nauseate anyone within 5 feet who fails a DC 12 Fortitude saving throw.
| Type of Stygian Ice Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Weapon | +6,000 gp |
| Other objects | +2,000 gp/lb. |
Materials from the Upper Planes
The following materials and substances are found on the Upper Planes and have proven useful in the eternal battle against the forces of evil.
Aurorum: This luminous steel gleams with varying hues of pink and indigo. An aurorum weapon, shield, or suit of armor that has been sundered can be reformed by bringing together its fragments (a full-round action). The broken pieces bond quickly and seamlessly, restoring the item to its previous state. The market price modifier for an aurorum weapon, shield, or suit of armor is +4,000 gp.
Aurorum has the same hit points per inch of thickness and hardness as regular steel.
Frystalline: This mineral grows in the icy mountain caves of Eronia, the second layer of the Blessed Fields of Elysium. Its resilient, pale-gold crystals contain divine energy that emanates from a god that sleeps beneath the mountains. Any weapon made of frystalline is treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The market price modifier fo such a weapon is +2,000 gp.
Frystalline has 15 hp per inch of thickness and hardness 10.
Moonblood: Celestials use this silvery substance as warpaint, painting their faces and other exposed areas of their bodies with elaborately entwined holy runes before entering battle. Proper application of moonblood warpaint takes 1 hour and requires a DC 22 Craft (painting) check; a failed check means no benefits are gained and the moonblood is wasted.
When the moonblood runes are properly applied, the warpaint grants a +2 sacred bonus to Armor Class. The warpaint lasts for 1 day, then is absorbed harmlessly into the skin. An evil creature that touches moonblood takes 1d6 points of damage.
One application of moonblood costs 1,500 gp.
Serren: Serren trees grow on Arvandor, the uppermost of Arborea's three layers. The trees serve as vessels for nature spirits, and any branch that falls from a serren tree can be fashioned into a bow, arrow, or crossbow bolt imbued with a portion of the tree's spirit. Serren bows, arrows, and bolts have the ghost touch special quality, although this property is not magical. The market price modifier for a serren weapon (one bow or 50 arrows or bolts) is +4,000 gp.
Serren has the same hit points per inch of thickness and hardness as regular wood.
Solarian Truesteel: Mined on the fourth layer of the Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia, this fine iron needs no alloy and shines with a silvery gleam. When forged into a weapon, it gives the wielder a +1 bonus on the confirmation roll for a critical hit The market price modifier for such a weapon is +1,000 gp.
Solarian truesteel has 25 hp per inch of thickness and hardness 11.
Storm Tears: This milky rain falls on the Upper Planes and usually heralds the death of a powerful champion of good or the birth of a stillborn child. These milky tears can be collected, single vial of storm tears duplicates the effects of a Heart's Ease spell. Storm tears are non-magical in nature, and each vial has a market price of 750 gp.
Ysgardian Heartwire: This incredibly fine, flexible metal is found only in the deep mines of Nidavellir in the Heroic Domains of Ysgard. It is not suitable for making an entire suit of armor, but small sections of heartwire mail can be incorporated into chain shirts, chainmail, or heavy armor to reinforce vital areas. This reinforcement has the effect of increasing the wearer's AC by +2 solely for purposes of the roll to confirm a critical hit. The heartwire is so fine and light that it does not increase the armor's weight. The market price modifier for such a suit of armor is +1,500 gp.
Creating Armor
To create magic armor, a character needs a heat source and some iron, wood, or leatherworking tools. He also needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being the armor or the pieces of the armor to be assembled. Armor to be enchanted must be masterwork armor, and its cost is added to the total enchantment cost to determine final market value. Additional costs for the materials are subsumed in the cost for creating the magic armor - half the market value presented in the tables.
Creating magic armor has a special prerequisite: The creator's caster level must be at least three times the enhancement bonus of the armor. Thus, a 6th-level creator can make a +2 breastplate, a 9th-level creator can create the same breastplate and make it +3, and a 15th-level caster can make it +5. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability (such as cold resistance), the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met.
Magic armor or a magic shield must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus to have any of the abilities listed in Armor Special Abilities and Shield Special Abilities. A character can't create, for example, simply shadow chainmail. In order to have a special magical ability, the chainmail needs first to have an enhancement bonus of at least +1.
If spells are involved in the prerequisites for making the armor, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast (or must know the spells, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) but need not provide any material components or focuses the spells require, nor are any XP costs inherent in a prerequisite spell incurred in the creation of the item. The act of working on the armor triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the armor's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
Creating some armor may entail other prerequisites beyond or other than spellcasting. See the individual descriptions for details.
Crafting magic armor requires one day for each 1,000 gp value of the completed item.
Item Creation Feat Required: Craft Magic Arms and Armor. (Also see Magic Armor and Magic Armor Abilities.).
Creating Weapons
To create a magic weapon, a character needs a heat source and some iron, wood, or leather-working tools. She also needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being the weapon or the pieces of the weapon to be assembled. Only a masterwork weapon can be enchanted to become a magic weapon, and its cost is added to the total enchantment cost to determine final market value. Additional costs for the materials are subsumed in the cost for creating the magic weapon - half the base price listed below, according to the weapon's total effective bonus.
| Weapon bonus | Base Price |
|---|---|
| +1 | 2,000 gp |
| +2 | 8,000 gp |
| +3 | 18,000 gp |
| +4 | 32,000 gp |
| +5 | 50,000 gp |
| +6* | 72,000 gp |
| +7* | 98,000 gp |
| +8* | 128,000 gp |
| +9* | 162,000 gp |
| +10* | 200,000 gp |
| * A weapon cannot actually have a bonus higher than +5. Use these lines to determine price when special abilities are added in. Example: a +3 dagger that also has the speed special ability (+4 modifier) is treated as a +7 dagger for pricing purposes and is priced at 98,000 gp. | |
Creating a magic weapon has a special prerequisite: The creator's caster level must be at least three times the enhancement bonus of the weapon. Thus, a 6th-level creator can make a +2 longsword , a 9th-level creator can create the same sword and make it +3, and a 15th-level caster can make it +5. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability (such as ghost touch), the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met.
A magic weapon must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus to have any of the abilities listed on Weapon Special Abilities. A character can't create, for example, simply a keen rapier. A keen rapier needs an enhancement bonus of at least +1.
If spells are involved in the prerequisites for making the weapon, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast (or must know the spells, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) but need not provide any material components or focuses the spells require, nor are any XP costs inherent in a prerequisite spell incurred in the creation of the item. The act of working on the weapon triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the weapon's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
At the time of creation, the creator must decide if the weapon glows or not as a side-effect of the magic imbued within it. This decision does not affect the price or the creation time, but once the item is finished, the decision is binding.
Creating magic double-headed weapons is treated as creating two weapons when determining cost, time, XP, and special abilities. For example, a dire flail could have a +1 flaming head and a +3 disruption head.
Creating some weapons may entail other prerequisites beyond or other than spellcasting. See the individual descriptions for details.
Crafting a magic weapon requires one day for each 1,000 gp value of the weapon.
Item Creation Feat Required: Craft Magic Arms and Armor. (Also see Magic Weapons and Magic Weapon Abilities.)
Creating Potions
The creator needs a level working surface and at least a few containers in which to mix liquids, as well as a source of heat to boil the brew. In addition, he needs ingredients. The costs for materials and ingredients are subsumed in she cost for brewing the potion - 25 gp per level of the spell times the level of the caster. All ingredients and materials used so brew a potion must be fresh and unused. The character muss pay the full cost for brewing each potion. (Economies of scale do not apply.)
The creator must have prepared the spell to be placed in the potion (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material components or focuses the spell requires. If casting the spell would reduce the caster's XP total, he pays the XP cost upon beginning the brew in addition to the XP cost for making the potion itself. Material components are consumed when he begins working, but focuses are nor. (A focus used in brewing a potion can be reused.) The act of brewing triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting until the character has rested and regained spells. (That is, that spell slot is expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.)
Brewing the potion requires one day.
Item Creation Feat Required: Brew Potion. (Also see Magic Potions.)
| Potion Base Prices (by Brewer's Class) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Clr, Drd, Wiz | Sor | Brd | Pal, Rgr* |
| 0 | 25 gp | 25 gp | 25 gp | - |
| 1 | 50 gp | 50 gp | 100 gp | 100 gp |
| 2 | 300 gp | 400 gp | 400 gp | 400 gp |
| 3 | 750 gp | 900 gp | 1,050 gp | 750 gp |
| *Caster level is half class level. Prices assume that the potion was made at the minimum caster level. | ||||
| Base Cost To Brew A Potion (by Brewer's Class) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Clr, Drd, Wiz | Sor | Brd | Pal, Rgr* |
| 0 | 12 gp 5 sp + 1 XP | 12 gp 5 sp + 1 XP | 12 gp 5 sp + 1 XP | - |
| 1 | 25 gp + 2 XP | 25 gp + 2 XP | 50 gp + 4 XP | 50 gp + 4 XP |
| 2 | 150 gp + 12 XP | 200 gp + 16 XP | 200 gp + 16 XP | 200 gp + 16 XP |
| 3 | 375 gp + 30 XP | 450 gp + 36 XP | 525 gp + 42 XP | 375 gp + 30 XP |
| *Caster level is half class level. Costs assume that the creator makes the potion at the minimum caster level. | ||||
Creating Infusions
From Masters of the Wild
The process for creating infusions is similar to that for creating scrolls. The creator needs a supply of prepared herbs, the cost of which is subsumed in the cost for creating the infusion - 25 gp per spell level times the caster level. The creator must pay the full cost for creating the infusion regardless of how many times he or she has previously created the same one. The creator must have prepared the spell to be infused and must provide any material components or focuses required. If casting the spell would reduce the caster's XP total, the creator pays that cost upon beginning the infusion in addition to the XP cost for making the infusion itself. Likewise, any material components are consumed when the process begins, but focuses are not. (A focus used in creating an infusion can be reused.) The act of infusing triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting until the character has rested and regained spells. (That is, the spell slot is expended from the creator's currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.)
Creating an infusion requires one day per 1,000 gp value of the completed infusion.
Item Creation Feat Required: Create Infusion. (Also see Magic Infusions.)
These costs assume that the creator makes the infusion at the minimum caster level.
| Infusion Base Prices and Costs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Base Price | Base Cost to Create |
| 0 | 25 gp | 12 gp 5 sp + 1 XP |
| 1 | 50 gp | 25 gp + 2 XP |
| 2 | 300 gp | 150 gp + 12 XP |
| 3 | 750 gp | 375 gp + 30 XP |
| 4 | 1,400 gp | 700 gp + 46 XP |
| 5 | 2,250 gp | 1,125 gp + 90 XP |
| 6 | 3,300 gp | 1,650 gp + 132 XP |
| 7 | 4,550 gp | 2,275 gp + 182 XP |
| 8 | 6,000 gp | 3,000 gp + 240 XP |
| 9 | 7,650 gp | 3,825 gp + 306 XP |
Variant: Doing It Yourself
A character who's at home in the outdoors and has a good working knowledge of plants may be able to collect and prepare the components for an infusion personally rather than paying the local herbalist for them. With a little time and energy, a character with ranks in Profession (herbalist) and Survival can remove the merchant from the equation and save some money in the process.
Collecting
Different infusions require different herbs. Not surprisingly, the higher the spell level, the more rare and prized is the herb required for an infusion of it. Thus, not only is the herb for a heal infusion different from the one for a cure light wounds infusion, it is also harder to find. Herbs for the highest-level spells may grow only in the remotest locales, so collection may require long journeys.
A character can use Survival to forage for an herb while moving at one-half his or her normal overland movement rate through a forested or other natural area. Make a Survival check (DC = 10 + twice the level of the spell to be infused) at the end of each day spent foraging. Success indicates that the character has found a sufficient quantity of the herb for a single infusion of the desired spell; failure means none was found. Casting detect animals or plants grants the character a +2 circumstance bonus on that day's check. While foraging in this fashion, a character can also forage for sustenance, as detailed in the Survival skill description.
Gardening
Though growing herbs for infusions seems like a good idea, seldom does an adventuring character actually do so. Maintaining an herb garden requires hours of work each day in a single locale, and most adventurers cannot abide this degree of attachment to one place. Still, any character wishing to undertake the challenge of gardening may attempt it according to the following rules.
Once the character has acquired a sample of the desired herb (see Collecting, above), he or she can attempt to cultivate it. A single character can care for a number of herbs equal to twice the number of ranks he or she has acquired in Survival. With proper care, an herb garden produces a harvest twice a year.
To produce an herb crop, the character must make a Survival or Profession (farmer) check for each week of cultivation, plus an additional Survival check at harvest time. The DC for the weekly cultivation check is one-half the DC required to find the herb (see Collecting, above). If this check fails by 5 or more, the herb withers and dies. Each time it fails by less than 5, a cumulative -1 penalty is imposed on the final Survival check for harvesting the crop. If that last check is successful, the herbs harvested are sufficient for a number of infusions equal to one-half the check result. Failure indicates that no usable herbs are produced.
Hiring a gardener to perform this task may be a reasonable option. A skilled gardener earns 1 gp per day, or about 180 gp per season. (This does not include the cost of acquiring the herb for planting, nor the cost of the land for the garden.) The average gardener can cultivate two herbs per season, each of which produces enough herbs for 1d4 infusions.
Preparing
Before an herb can be used in an infusion, it must be properly prepared. Some herbs must be treated or dried; others must be baked, steamed, or doused with a solution of oil or seawater. Again, the higher the level of the spell to be infused, the more difficult and complex the preparation becomes. Preparing an herb for infusion requires a Profession (herbalist) check.
To determine how long the preparation takes, first find the base cost to create the infusion on the Infusion Base Cost table and convert the price to silver pieces (1 gp = 10 sp). Then make a Profession (herbalist) check (DC = 10 + twice the level of the spell to be infused) representing one week's worth of work. If the check succeeds, multiply the check result by the DC. A total equal to or greater than the base cost for creation means that the herb is ready to be infused with the desired spell. A total below that price represents the progress made that week. Make another check the subsequent week and, if it is successful, add that check result times the DC to the previous week's result. As soon as the sum of these weekly totals equals or exceeds the price of the item in silver pieces, the preparation is complete.
Failure at any point indicates that the character makes no progress that week. Failure by 5 or more means the character ruins the raw materials and must begin again with a fresh supply of the herb.
Optional Rule: Benefits of Hard Work
Taking the time and trouble to collect or grow each herb, prepare it, and infuse it with a spell is hard work. By so doing, however, characters attune themselves to nature and her bounty. Making an infusion "from scratch" raises its caster level by +1. This increase alters neither the cost of creating the infusion nor the difficulty of using it.
Optional Rule: Tailored Infusions
The fantasy world of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game teems with distinctive and individual animals, beasts, and plants. Rather than assuming that a certain infusion uses some nameless herb, reference the spell's level and school on the table below to find the name of the herb needed.
| Spell level | Abjuration | Conjuration | Divination | Enchantment | Evocation | Illusion | Necromancy | Transmutation | Universal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | mayflower | oregano | marigold | asparagus root | thyme | rose | castor | chives | mistletoe |
| 1 | rosemary | colewort | ginseng | juniper berry | mace | ash bark | hazelwort | garlic | |
| 2 | marjoram | red cockscomb | benne | adrue | benzoin | parsnip | dandelion | waybread | |
| 3 | felonwort | plantain | chamomile | muira-puama | lucerne | chaulmoogra oil | senna | comfrey root | |
| 4 | white horehound | lily of the valley | quince | asafetida | nux vomica | sweet balm | agaric | beth root | |
| 5 | jewel weed | hyssop | angelica | pomegranate | fenugreek | thoughtwort | stickwort | mandragora | |
| 6 | knight's spur | spikenard | fennel | scopolis | foxglove | berberis | hellebore | hartstongue | |
| 7 | mudar bark | felwort | cardamom | wolfsbane | black horehound | butterbur | fenugreek | throatwort | |
| 8 | unicorn root | blackbane | cyclopstongue | belladonna | dragonhart | madwort | corpsetoe | leapleaf | |
| 9 | turtlewort | shamblerstalk | seerglove | feybread | firecomb | madweed | assassin seed | ironmoss |
Creating Rings
To create a magic ring, a character needs a heat source. He also needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being a ring or the pieces of the ring to be assembled, The cost for the materials is subsumed in the cost for creating the ring. Ring costs are difficult to formularize. Refer to Magic items Gold Piece Values and use the ring prices in Rings as a guideline. Creating a ring costs half the market value listed.
If spells are involved in the prerequisites for making the ring, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast (or must know the spells, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) but need not provide any material components or focuses the spells require, nor are any XP costs inherent in a prerequisite spell incurred in the creation of the item. The act of working on the ring triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the ring's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
Creating some rings may entail other prerequisites beyond or other than spellcasting. See the individual descriptions for details.
Forging a ring requires one day for each 1,000 gp value of the completed ring.
Item Creation Feat Required: Forge Ring.
Creating Scrolls
The character needs a supply of choice writing materials, the cost of which is subsumed in the cost for scribing the scroll - 12.5 gp per level of the spell times the level of the caster. All writing implements and materials used to scribe a scroll must be fresh and unused. The character must pay the full cost for scribing each spell scroll no matter how many times she previously has scribed the same spell.
The creator must have prepared the spell to be scribed (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material components or focuses the spell requires. If casting the spell would reduce the caster's XP total, she pays the cost upon beginning the scroll in addition to the XP cost for making the scroll itself. Likewise, material components are consumed when she begins writing, but focuses are not. (A focus used in scribing a scroll can be reused.) The act of writing triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting until the character has rested and regained spells. (That is, that spell slot is expended from her currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.)
Scribing a scroll requires one day per each 1,000 gp value of the completed scroll.
Item Creation Feat Required: Scribe Scroll.
| Scroll Base Prices (by Scriber's Class) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Clr, Drd, Wiz | Sor | Brd | Pal, Rgr* |
| 0 | 12 gp 5 sp | 12 gp 5 sp | 12 gp 5 sp | - |
| 1 | 25 gp | 25 gp | 50 gp | 50 gp |
| 2 | 150 gp | 200 gp | 200 gp | 200 gp |
| 3 | 375 gp | 450 gp | 525 gp | 375 gp |
| 4 | 700 gp | 800 gp | 1,000 gp | 700 gp |
| 5 | 1,125 gp | 1,250 gp | 1,625 gp | - |
| 6 | 1,650 gp | 1,800 gp | 2,400 gp | - |
| 7 | 2,275 gp | 2,450 gp | - | - |
| 8 | 3,000 gp | 3,200 gp | - | - |
| 9 | 3,825 gp | 4,050 gp | - | - |
| *Caster level is half class level. Prices assume that the scroll was made at the minimum caster level. | ||||
| Base Cost To Scribe A Scroll (by Scriber's Class) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Clr, Drd, Wiz | Sor | Brd | Pal, Rgr* |
| 0 | 6 gp 2 sp 5 cp +1 XP | 6 gp 2 sp 5 cp +1 XP | 6 gp 2 sp 5 cp +1 XP | - |
| 1 | 12 gp 5 sp +1 XP | 12 gp 5 sp +1 XP | 25 gp +2 XP | 25 gp +2 XP |
| 2 | 75 gp +6 XP | 100 gp +8 XP | 100 gp +8 XP | 100 gp +8 XP |
| 3 | 187 gp 5 sp +15 XP | 225 gp +18 XP | 262 gp 5 sp +21 XP | 187 gp 5 sp +15 XP |
| 4 | 350 gp +28 XP | 400 gp +32 XP | 500 gp +40 XP | 350 gp +28 XP |
| 5 | 562 gp 5 sp +45 XP | 625 gp +50 XP | 812 gp 5 sp +65 XP | - |
| 6 | 826 gp +66 XP | 900 gp +72 XP | 1,200 gp +96 XP | - |
| 7 | 1,135 gp 5 sp +91 XP | 1,225 gp +98 XP | - | - |
| 8 | 1,500 gp +120 XP | 1,600 gp +128 XP | - | - |
| 9 | 1,912 gp 5 sp +153 XP | 2,025 gp +162 XP | - | - |
| *Caster level is half class level. Costs assume that the creator makes the scroll at the minimum caster level. | ||||
Creating Rods
The character needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being a rod or the pieces of the rod to be assembled. The cost for the materials is subsumed in she cost for creating the rod. Rod costs are difficult to formularize. Refer to magic values and use the rod prices in Rods as a guideline. Creating a rod costs half the market value listed.
If spells are involved in the prerequisites for making the rod, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast (or must know the spells, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) but need not provide any material components or focuses the spells require, nor are any XP costs inherent in a prerequisite spell incurred in the creation of the item. The act of working on the rod triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the rod's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
Creating some rods may entail other prerequisites beyond or other than spellcasting. See the individual descriptions on in Rods for details.
Crafting a rod requires one day for each 1,000 gp value of the completed rod.
Item Creation Feat Required: Craft Rod.
Creating Staffs
The character needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being a staff or the pieces of the staff so be assembled. The cost for the materials is subsumed in the cost for creasing the staff - 375 gp per level of the highest-level spell times the level of the caster, plus 75% of the value of the next most costly ability (281.25 gp per level of the spell times the level of the caster), plus one-half of the value of any other abilities (187.5 gp per level of the spell times the level of the caster). To get the final price, the results can be modified by the DM by up to 20% based on the number and types of spells placed together in the same staff. Staffs are always fully charged (50 charges) when created.
If desired, a spell can be placed into the staff at only half the normal cost, but then activating that particular spell costs 2 charges from the staff. A single function can cost no more than 2 charges. The caster level of all spells in a staff must be the same.
The creator must have prepared the spells to be stored (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material components or focuses the spells require. Fifty of each needed component are required (one for each charge). If casting the spells would reduce she caster's XP total, he pays the cost (multiplied by so) upon beginning the staff in addition to she XP cost for making the staff itself. Likewise, material components are consumed when he begins working, but focuses are not. (A focus used in creating a staff can be reused.) The act of working on the staff triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the staff's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
Creating a few staffs may entail other prerequisites beyond spellcasting. See the individual descriptions in Staffs for details.
Crafting a staff requires one day for each 1,000 gp value of the completed staff
Item Creation Feat Required: Craft Staff.
Creating Wands
The character needs a small supply of materials, the most obvious being a baton or the pieces of the wand to be assembled. The cost for the materials is subsumed in the cost for creating the wand - 375 gp per level of the spell times the level of the caster. Wands are always fully charged (50 charges) when created.
The creator must have prepared she spell to be stored (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material components or focuses the spell requires. Fifty of each needed component are required, one for each charge. If casting the spell would reduce the caster's XP total, she pays the cost (multiplied by 50) upon beginning the wand in addition to the XP cost for making the wand itself. Likewise, material components are consumed when she begins working, but focuses are nor. (A focus used in creating a wand can be reused.) The act of working on the wand triggers the prepared spell, making it unavailable for casting during each day devoted to the wand's creation. (That is, that spell slot is expended from her currently prepared spells, just as if it had been cast.)
Crafting a wand requires one day per each 1,000 gp value of the completed wand.
Item Creation Feat Required: Craft Wand.
| Wand Base Prices (by Crafter's Class) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Clr, Drd, Wiz | Sor | Brd | Pal, Rgr* |
| 0 | 375 gp | 375 gp | 375 gp | - |
| 1 | 750 gp | 750 gp | 1,500 gp | 1,500 gp |
| 2 | 4,500 gp | 6,000 gp | 6,000 gp | 6,000 gp |
| 3 | 11,250 gp | 13,500 gp | 15,750 gp | 11,250 gp |
| 4 | 21,000 gp | 24,000 gp | 30,000 gp | 21,000 gp |
| *Caster level is half class level. Prices assume that the wand was made at the minimum caster level. | ||||
| Base Cost To Craft A Wand (by Crafter's Class) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Level | Clr, Drd, Wiz | Sor | Brd | Pal, Rgr* |
| 0 | 187 gp 5 sp + 15 XP | 187 gp 5 sp + 15 XP | 187 gp 5 sp + 15 XP | - |
| 1 | 325 gp + 30 XP | 325 gp + 30 XP | 1,250 gp + 60 XP | 1,250 gp + 60XP |
| 2 | 2,250 gp + 180 XP | 3,000 gp + 240 XP | 3,000 gp + 240 XP | 3,000 gp + 240 XP |
| 3 | 5,625 gp + 450 XP | 6,750 gp + 540 XP | 7,875 gp + 630 XP | 5,625 gp + 450 XP |
| 4 | 10,500 gp + 840 XP | 12,000 gp + 960 XP | 15,000 gp + 1,200 XP | 10,500 gp + 840 XP |
| *Caster level is half class level. Costs assume that the creator makes the wand at the minimum caster level. | ||||
Creating Wondrous Items
To create a wondrous item, a character usually needs some sort of equipment or tools to work on she item. She also needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being the item itself or the pieces of the item to be assembled. The cost for the materials is subsumed in the cost for creating she item. Wondrous item costs are difficult to formularize. Refer to the Refer to magic values and use the item prices in Wondrous items as a guideline. Creating an item costs half the market value listed.
If spells are involved in the prerequisites for making the item, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast (or must know the spells, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) but need not provide any material components or focuses the spells require, nor are any XP costs inherent in a prerequisite spell incurred in the creation of the item. The act of working on the item triggers the prepared spells, making them unavailable for casting during each day of the item's creation. (That is, those spell slots are expended from his currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast.)
Creating some items may entail other prerequisites beyond or other than spellcasting. See the individual descriptions in Wondrous items for details.
Crafting a wondrous item requires one day for each 1,000 gp value of the completed item.
Item Creation Feat Required: Craft Wondrous Item.
Intelligent Item Creation
To create an intelligent item the, creator's caster level must be at least 15th. Time and creation cost are based on the normal item creation rules, with the marker price values in Item Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Capabilities treated as additions to both time, gold piece cost, and XP cost. Determine the item's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma randomly, as outlined Intelligent Items (though no ability score may be higher than the creator's score in that ability). The item's alignment is the same as its creator's. Determine other features randomly, following the guidelines in the relevant sections of Intelligent Items.
Adding New Abilities
A creator can add new magical abilities to a magic item with no restrictions. The cost to do this is the same as if the item was not magical. Thus, a +1 longsword can be made into a +2 vorpal longsword, with the cost of creation being equal so that of a +2 vorpal sword minus the cost of a +1 sword.
If the item is one that takes up a specific space on a character (see Limit on Magic Items Worn), any additional power added to that item doubles the cost. For example, if a character adds the power to confer invisibility to her +2 ring of protection, the cost of adding this ability is the same as for creating a ring of invisibility multiplied by 2.
More
Arcane spellcasters rarely achieve any degree of competence without learning how to make good use of the second set of weapons and tools in the arcanist's repertoire - magic items. Spells are powerful and flexible, but magic items can provide persistent or convenient magical effects that would require more spell power than a sorcerer or wizard might care to part with. Casting cat's grace over and over again wastes valuable spell slots; but any character with the wealth or luck will discover that gloves of Dexterity are a much better way to gain the spell's benefit on a lasting basis.
Alternate Item Types
Everyone knows that potions are peculiar magical concoctions that come in tiny vials, scrolls are long rolls of parchment covered with strange symbols of power, and wands are slender sticks that can deal magical mayhem on command. However, in the creation and use of magic items, form follows function, and there's no reason that potions or scrolls can't be created in less conventional forms (so long as they still function in the same manner as their standard forms.
Creating a magic item in an alternate form is generally not as efficient as using the standard design. Potions are created as small cordials because spellcasters, over centuries of experimentation, have found that a tiny swallow of enchanted brew is the best and easiest way to make a one-use effect usable by anybody, without requiring any magical training or skill. Crafting an item in an alternate form thus requires that a spellcaster possess both the standard creation feat for the item's original form and the Craft Wondrous Item feat, both in conjunction to allow the creation of variant potions or scrolls while maintaining the benefits of potion and scroll creation pricing.
While it's possible to produce new item creation feats into a game, so long as new forms of existing magic items follow all the rules for use as their original forms, new rules shouldn't be required. A potion in the shape of a tile you snap to activate is mechanically identical to a potion you drink - you need no special magical training to use it, its magic is used up by the activation, and using it is a moderately distracting physical task that provokes attacks of opportunity from any nearby foes. The tile might be slightly more useful in some situations (under water, for instance, or in the hands of a creature that has no way to ingest the contents of a potion vial), but the difference is too minor to justify the existence of a Craft Magic Tile feat. Tiles and potions both fill the same game niche.
Alternative magic item forms are a good way to add flavor and mystery to your campaign. If one culture is known to craft magic tiles instead of potions, foes from that culture will be distinct from other opponents. After the first instance in which player characters encounter NPCs who use tiles to obtain combat benefits, they will come to recognize such items as the tools of a particular nation or foe. ("Look, that assassin was carrying Abkarhian potion-tiles. The Abkathians must be behind this!") Be careful not to overdo this sort of variant material, though - the classic forms are classic for a reason, and if your players end up with no idea what forms magic items in your campaign might take, they could spend more time worrying about that than they do enjoying the game.
Potions
The standard potion is, of course, a vial filled with a magical libation, designed to be consumed by anyone and having the following characteristics.
- Single-use only - once consumed, the potion is gone
- limited to spells of 3rd level or lower.
- No special magical training required - anyone can drink a potion and gain the benefit of its magic.
- Must be physically manipulated in some way (unstoppered or broken, then consumed).
- Must be in the user's hand to be used.
- Use provokes attacks of opportunity.
Within these broad guide lines, though, a number of alternate potion forms might be possible
Magic Fruit: Apples and pomegranates with magical properties are commonplace in mythology. A potion-fruit might consist of a slice or section of a fruit steeped in a magical libation that produces its effect when consumed.
Magic Tiles: A small ceramic tile inscribed with a magic rune could hold a potion-type effect. When it is snapped or broken in one's hand, the effect is released.
Skull Talismans: The skull of a small animal (a bird, mouse, or rat, for example) is enchanted with a single spell. When crushed in one's hand or underfoot, the skull talisman releases its stored effect.
Spell Wafers: A thin wafer of specially prepared bread or dough, stamped with a holy or arcane symbol, can hold a spell as well as a potion bottle can. When the wafer is consumed, the stored magic takes effect.
Scrolls
Unlike potions, scrolls require magical training (or the ability to mimic such training by means of the Use Magic Device skill) to use properly. The essential characteristics of a scroll are as follows.
- Single-use only - once it is read, the writing that makes up a scroll is gone.
- Spell completion device - only a spellcaster can readily use a scroll, and he might need to make a level check to read a scroll of a spell level exceeding the maximum level of spell he can normally cast.
- Usable by means of the Use Magic Device skill.
- Must be physically manipulated in a complex way (held in the hand, unrolled, and read).
- Must be in the user's hand to be used.
- Use provokes attacks of opportunity.
Some common alternate scroll forms are described below.
Gemstone: A complex series of gestures and sounds is completed with a specially prepared gemstone in hand, and the spell stored within it is released when the final words are spoken. Like the parchment on which a scroll is scribed, a gemstone is emptied by casting but can be reused again.
Incendiary: A spell is stored in a special mix of powders and glyph-covered paper. To use an incendiary, a spellcaster speaks the last words of the spell while simultaneously igniting the prepared device (usually by means of a minor magical property of the incendiary form that requires no additional action to activate). The incendiary is consumed in a brilliant colored flash or haze of strangely coiling smoke, completing the spell.
Macramé: A spell is held in a small, complex weave of precisely tied knots. The user pulls apart the knotted square by choosing the right strands while speaking the spell's activation words.
When a scroll is found in the course of a campaign, deciphering its magical text is usually the first step to using it, but since variant scroll forms that don't have spells stored in written form can't he deciphered with read magic, they must be identified with a successful Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level)
New Types Of Items
The basic types of magic items - armor, weapons, potions, scrolls, rods, rings, staffs, wands, and wondrous items - are not necessarily the only types of magic item possible. In Faerûn, magic tattoos, magic runes, and contingent spells are common magic items, each crafted in the same manner as a standard magic item and requiring its own unique item creation feat (Tattoo Magic, Inscribe Rune, and Craft Contingent Spell).
When is a variant form of an item different enough from the basic form to warrant an item creation feat and item type of its own? In simplest terms, whenever one of the essential game rules about making or using the item is changed. All three of the item types mentioned above are fairly similar to potions (each is a one-use magic item that can be used by anyone, regardless of magical training or aptitude), but each device alters one of the essential characteristics of potions. For example, it takes only 10 minutes to inscribe a magic rune, and runes can be made into simple magic traps. A tattoo takes 1 hour to scribe, and doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity when activated. Contingent spells can be set to take effect automatically, with no additional action on the bearer's part. All of these differences change the items' characteristics enough that they cannot be reproduced by the Brew Potion feat, and so new item creation feats are warranted for them.
Contingent Spells
A contingent spell is a single-use, one-spell magical effect instilled within a specific willing creature. It doesn't take up space on the body or have a physical form, and it remains inactive until triggered (similar to the effect created by a contingency spell). Once triggered, a contingent spell takes immediate effect upon the bearer (or is centered in the bearer's square if the spell affects an area). A character must have the Craft Contingent Spell feat to create contingent spells.
Triggers for contingent spells are usually events that happen to the bearer of the spell, and can include death, contracting disease, exposure to a breath weapon or to energy damage, falling, exposure to poison, exposure to a dangerous environment (trapped by fire, plunged underwater, and so forth), succumbing to sleep or fear effects, gaining negative levels, or being rendered helpless, deafened, or blinded.
The market price of a contingent spell is spell level x caster level x 100 gp. A contingent spell must be prepared in the presence of the person to bear it, and the bearer is subject to the same restrictions as the creator (unable to cast any other spells while the contingent spell is being prepared, must be present for 8 hours each day, and so on). Once assigned to a bearer, a contingent spell cannot be transferred to another creature, although it can be destroyed (see below). A contingent spell is tied to the bearer's body, alive or dead, and stories circulate among adventurers of contingent spells remaining quiet for hundreds of years on a slain bearer's remains, only to suddenly activate when the proper trigger condition arises.
If the bearer of a contingent spell is the target of dispel magic, the contingent spell might be permanently dispelled (but not triggered), as if it were an active spell in effect on the target creature. In an antimagic field, contingent spells are temporarily suppressed as all other magic items are.
At any one time, a creature can bear a number of contingent spells equal to its Hit Dice. Attempts to apply additional contingent spells beyond this limit simply fail
Limit on Magic Items Worn
Characters are limited in their ability to use certain magic items, based on the item's type. Just as it doesn't make sense to wear multiple pairs of glasses or shoes simultaneously so too characters can't stack items meant to be worn on a particular part of the body. Only so many items of a certain kind can be worn and be effective at the same time. The limits include the following:
- 1 headband, hat, or helmet
- 1 pair of eye lenses or goggles
- 1 cloak, cape, or mantle
- 1 amulet, brooch, medallion, necklace, periapt, or scarab
- 1 suit of armor
- 1 robe
- 1 vest, vestment, or shirt
- 1 pair of bracers or bracelets
- 1 pair of gloves or gauntlets
- 2 rings
- 1 belt
- 1 pair of boots
Of course, a character may carry or possess as many items of the same type as he wishes. He can have a pouch jammed full of magic rings, for example. But he can only benefit from two rings at a time. If he puts on a third ring, it doesn't work. This general rule applies to other attempts to "double up" on magic items - for instance, if a character puts on another magic cloak on top of the one he is already wearing, the second cloak's power does not work.