price check: quiver of infinite arrows

[evilbob]

Going simply by the rules for item creation in the DMG, using minor creation (a level 4 spell) as a base, creating a quiver that had an infinite number of arrows - i.e. going for the effect of "one each time you draw one" or a quiver that never ran out of arrows - would be priced somewhere in the neighborhood of 56,000g. (2000 x spell level 4 x caster level 7) This is based on the idea that it is a "use activated or continuous" effect type of item, since it has no charges nor use restrictions per se.

However, this seems extraordinarily too high, especially for an object that makes only arrows. The "create wondrous item" rules are, I think we can all agree, open to quite a lot of interpretation - and I believe that pricing wondrous items in particular is much more of an art than a science. However, other than noting that 56k is too much, what kind of price would others think is more reasonable for this kind of item?

The only other direction we've tried is: since it is such a limited use type of item, create water (a zero level spell) might be similar... however, this gives a price of 1000g (2000 x 1/2 x 1), which is decidedly too low - especially since the other quiver item listed in the DMG is a simple extra dimensional space - not as useful - and costs 1800g. (This item also is guilty of heavy "interpretation" by using a level 5 spell to create such a low-priced item.) And clearly an item used for direct offensive capabilities would be more valuable than a cup that could produce water at any time.

I believe some kind of exception needs to be made to the overall rule based on a limited type of use, but more importantly, I'm not sure where the overall price tag of this item should fall (other than between 1800 and 56,000 gold).

Suggestions, thoughts?

 

[Archade]

Try this - when enchanting a weapon, 20 arrows count as 1 weapon. When buying equipment, arrows are sold in lots of 20. Have this quiver produce 20 arrows, up to 3 times a day. That should lower your cost significantly.

The other option is just make a variant of Heward's Handy Haversack, which can hold how many arrows?

 

[Crothian]

I think a quiver of infinite arrows, thus never running out of ammo is a pretty powerful thing. A quiver normall holds 20 arrows, and most low levels archers are firing 2 a round so after ten combat rounds they are out.

 

[Paraxis]

Under the quiver idea I think that around 8,000 would be a good price. For less you could get a HHH and just fill it with arrows, but this item makes the arrows but only holds arrows so maybe even leave it at the price of HHH.

Another thought is a character in a Forgotten Realms novel series uses a Bow and has magical adamantine arrows that return to the quiver when they are needed, I would price each arrow as its own magic weapon with the returning property.

 

[moritheil]

There is an official item that creates arrows when you fire a bow while wearing it.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Also remember that a quiver of endless arrows could be used by an entire army of archers to provide an inexhaustible supply of arrows. Heck, you could flood the market and put all the fletchers out of business!

 

[Bad Paper]

when enchanting a weapon, 20 arrows count as 1 weapon

no, it's fifty

 

[Wilphe]

I think a quiver of infinite arrows, thus never running out of ammo is a pretty powerful thing. A quiver normall holds 20 arrows, and most low levels archers are firing 2 a round so after ten combat rounds they are out.

If people are tracking that of course...


I think it is highly campaign dependent

In a campaign where the GM doesn't track ammunition such an item is valueless

In a campaign where characters are continually in the wilderness for weeks on end without time to make more arrows or any opportunity to buy arrows and the GM expects them to account for every arrow they expend, then it's very handy indeed.

Somewhere in between lies the campaign where this item is basically the "Quiver of Not-Having-To-Keep-Track-Of-This-Tedious-Detail"


You can get a similar effect from an Efficient Quiver, which is why I always buy one.

 

[smootrk]

I would make the arrows temporary in nature to avoid the 'flooding the market' idea. Arrows created last no longer than 1 minute after pulled, or else they vanish or otherwise crumble away. Still a potent item for any archer, but less useful for equipping a military unit.

 

[thompgc]

A while back WotC had an article The Lone Drow: Companions of the Hall
I couldn't find it on there site now
It had an item called
Quiver of Anariel which produced an endless supply of arrows that would last 1 round
There were versions for standard arrows, masterwork, magical of various plusses and additional costs for special materials.
Base cost was 28000
Price for +X seemed to be 28000 + X^2 * 4000
aka 28000 + the cost to enchant 100 arrows