Potestas: a D&D3E supplement

Magic Items

Characters can buy magic items, create magic items using an item creation feat, and upgrade magic items.

Purchasing Magic Items

Magic items are masterwork mundane items imbued with one or more magic spells. The Purchase DC of a magic item equals the cost of the masterwork item + the spell's Magic Power + (the spell's Magic Power divided by 2 and rounded up) + modifier for the type of magic item.

Doesn't use a body slot: Usually, magic items must be worn on a certain part of the body, and only one magic item can be worn in each part. Magic items that can be worn or carried without taking up space on the body are more expensive, and increase the Purchase DC by +1.
Multiple spells: Most magic items have one spell cast into them. Magic items with more than one spell cast into them are more expensive. The Purchase DC is based off the spell with the most Magic Power. Iincrease the Purchase DC by +1 for each additional spell with up to half the Magic Power of the most expensive spell. Iincrease the Purchase DC by +2 for each additional spell with more than half the Magic Power of the most expensive spell.
Divine magic: Most magic items use innate or arcane power, as divine magic has only been available for a comparatively short period of time. The scarcity of divine magic items increases the Purchase DC by +2, and they are considered restricted. This does not affect the cost of creating a divine magic item.
Necromancy magic: Most arcane magic is tolerated, but not necromancy. Magic items that use necromancy spells are illegal, and frequently get confiscated and destroyed. The scarcity of necromancy magic items increases the Purchase DC by +4, and they are considered illegal. This does not affect the cost of creating a necromancy magic item.

Creating Magic Items

Creating a magic item requires the following components.

Item Creation Feat: Characters must have the relevant Item Creation feat to create a magic item.
Permanent Spell: The spellcaster must cast a spell with a duration of permanent or enhanced with the Permanent Spell metamagic feat. Casting this spell costs Power points and XP as described in the spell and feat description. Remember that the 4 Power points used to cast a permanent spell do not increase the spell's Magic Power.
Raw Materials: Creating a lasting magic item requires a masterwork mundane item plus costly materials. The purchase DC of the raw materials is equal to the item's purchase DC -2.
XP Cost: Creating a lasting magic item is much more draining than creating a permanent spell effect. In addition to the cost of the permanent spell, the caster or a willing creature must spend XP equal to the spell's Magic Power x (Magic Power divided by 2 and rounded up) x the purchase DC of the raw materials.

The effect of the spell's Magic Power on the Purchase DC and the XP Cost for a magic item is as follows.

It takes 1 hour/point of the item's Purchase DC to create the magic item. The character must purchase the raw materials and spend the necessary XP at the beginning of the construction process.

Adding a new spell to a magic item follows the same process as creating a magic item. Magic items with more than one spell cast into them are more expensive. The Purchase DC is based off the spell with the most Magic Power, and increases by +1 or +2 for each spell after the first. You must pay the XP cost for each spell separately. Magic items with more than one spell cast into them use the spell with the most Magic Power to resist being dispelled, negated, or any other effect that depends on Magic Power.

Upgrading Magic Items

Improving an existing magic item's spell can be done by anyone. As you already have the magic item, you do not need to purchase additional raw materials. However, you must spend 1 hour/point of the Purchase DC of the improved item, and 2 times the XP Cost.

Body Slots

Many magic items need to be donned by a character who wants to employ them or benefit from their abilities. It's possible for a creature with a humanoid-shaped body to wear as many as ten magic items at the same time. However, each of those items must be worn on (or over) a particular part of the body.

A humanoid-shaped body can be decked out in magic gear consisting of one item from each of the following groups, keyed to which place on the body the item is worn.

• One object on the head (such as a helmet or hat)
• One object on or over the eyes (such as glasses)
• One object around the neck (such as a necklace or amulet)
• One object on the torso (such as a shirt)
• One object over the body (such as a robe or suit of armour)
• One object around the waist (such as a belt)
• One object around the shoulders (such as a cloak)
• One object or a matched pair of objects on the wrists or forearms (such as a bracelet or a pair of greaves)
• One object or a matched pair of objects on the hands (such as a ring, a pair of gloves or a pair of gauntlets)
• One object or a matched pair of objects on the feet (such as a pair of boots or a pair of greaves)

Wearing more than one magic item in the one body slot negates the magical effects of all such items. The exception is characters with the Additional Magic Item Space feat, who can wear an additional magic item in one body slot and gain the benefit of both magic items.

Some items can be worn or carried without taking up space on a character's body. The description of an item indicates when an item has this property. Such items are more expensive, and their Purchase DC is increased by +1.

Sample Magic Items

Single-Use: Potions.

Constant: Armour, Clothing, Weapons.

• Go to the Potestas Page
• Go back to the Main Page