D&D General Crafting magic items

[Lidgar]

For those interested, here's a brief summary of the 2024 crafting rules for healing potions and scrolls:

Potion of Healing: Proficiency and use of Herbalism Kit, 25 gp raw materials, 8 hours of work.

Scrolls: Proficiency and use of Calligrapher's Tools, must have spell prepared each day taken to inscribe it. Must have material components on hand. Uses your DC and spell attack bonus. Time and cost on sliding scale depending on level, ranging from 1 day and 15 gp for a cantrip to 120 days and 50,000 gp for a 9th level spell.

Based on these rules, I expect the crafting rules will a) rely on tool proficiencies, and b) take quite a bit of time and gold for the more rare/powerful magic items.

 

[Krachek]

Players need more transactional tools, like online catalogue and paiement!

 

[Mistwell]

We use Enchanting Stand Alone rules, by Kibbles Tasty.

 

[bloodtide]

My rules are mostly based on the old BECMI magic item creation, with some from GAZ 03 The Principalities Of Glantri, the 2E rules and a couple of others.

1.Anyone can (try) to create a magic item(not just spellcasters).
2.There is no set forever formula process to make a magic item. Every single time making a magic item is unique. And must be discovered for each time and each individual.
3.To create an item a person will need some materials, a process and a location. For weak magic items they will be simple: diamond dust over a fire a midnight, for example. The twist here is many needed things will require the person to adventure to get them. And starting for the medium power magic items you start to need thins like "the lost love of a elven princess". So not olnly do you have to catch that somehow....but often the person will have to create the whole situation.

 

[Distracted DM]

I unsurprisingly use Level Up as the core of my crafting system. Lots of stuff there about materials, time, tools, special components, and more!

I'm a fan as well! I'm quite happy that every item has suggested ingredients needed for their creation.

We use Enchanting Stand Alone rules, but Kibbles Tasty.

I've heard so many recommendations for kibblestasty crafting.

Personally though I don't like PCs being able to craft permanent magic items easily- that is, one example was a Spellguard shield from a flail snail's shell: they had to secure a skilled smith's assistance and go to a volcano with fire giants and its own side plot thing going on. Once things were taken care of there, then the Smith was able to craft the shield from the shell at the volcano forge.

Consumable items though, I like players making scrolls etc because it rewards thinking ahead!

 

[Selas]

I am expecting the crafting rules in the new DMG to follow the pattern of the new PHB: a revised mix of the old rules and Xanathar's. Beyond that, I don't expect them to get too into the weeds (like an actual material list) because they need to apply to all the multiverse settings within DnD.

 

[Distracted DM]

I don't expect them to get too into the weeds (like an actual material list) because they need to apply to all the multiverse settings within DnD.

I can see where you're coming from with that thought.. but I don't like that particular reason. A5E has suggested ingredients for every magic item in their books- but I can't imagine folks assuming that if your world doesn't have Flail Snails then Spellguard Shields won't exist there. You just choose something else appropriate (if you have to even go that far).

Saying that they can't include something in the books because it won't apply to every setting that they have intellectual property ownership of would be so 1. bland and 2. tying the creatives' hands behind their backs to a debilitating degree.

 

[Zardnaar]

I dumped the ones in 3.5 and went back to 2E Spells and Magic.

Would probably just tweak those tbh.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

My house rule is some magic item to be crafte needs some spell, this can be got by means of "incantations" (Unearthed Arcana 3.5 ed) even if the crafter is not enough level to cast that spell.

Incantations :: d20srd.org

And they can be crafted by "grogs", minion nPCs, using the survivor classes from Van Ritchen's Guide 5ed.

Today I play "Shop Titans", a shop-keeper simulation, and this may be a too strong influence. Other source of inspiration are the "heroes" from Sim Medieval, like the blacksmith or the trader.

 

[Horwath]

Since there are no real mundane upgrades for your gear, I would like that +X items are ready available for anyone that has money to buy it.
Holy Avenger is special and rare, maybe even unique, +3 longsword is a stock item, maybe expensive but regular.

I think about +X items as cars;

your mundane sword that you get from boot camp is an old beat up used car, +3 sword is Mercedes S-class. Expensive but anyone with money can get it.