Rules Index | GM Screen

Pricing New Scaling Items

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 161
To determine the price when creating a new scaling item, determine the cost of the base item without any of the level-based upgrades, and increase that price based on each additional ability as described below.

Pricing the Base Item: First, decide whether the new item is a wonder (best for major items), a prize (best for utility items), or a bauble (suitable for items that are interesting but not significant). Price the base item according to the normal rules for creating magic items. Then, using the column on Table 4–13 that corresponds to the item’s category, find the lowest gp value that includes that initial price. Use that value to determine the item’s starting caster level.

Adding Scaling Abilities: Use the following steps to assign additional abilities and spells, and the levels at which those abilities unlock.

Adding Unlockable Abilities: Determine the first unlockable ability or increase in power. Price the item again, using the new ability plus all the abilities of the base item; you will use this price to determine the level at which the ability unlocks (see below). However, because many scaling items have a large range of limited-use abilities, following the standard rules can result in items that are too expensive for their actual utility. Therefore, on worn items, you should typically waive the 50% increase in price for an additional power unless it’s a particularly useful ability or has a strong synergy with the item’s other abilities. For instance, if you create a set of gloves with a burning hands effect, you wouldn’t need to pay the extra cost for a higher-level ability that grants you fire resistance, but you would for an ability that grants fire resistance to all allies within 10 feet of you since that ability complements burning hands so well.

Adding Spells: Assign a price for any spells the item allows its owner to use. Table 4–14: Spell Prices includes the typical prices of one daily use of spells at different caster levels. Because the price of spells varies based on the item’s caster level, it’s usually best to price other abilities first, then estimate the finished caster level, then price the spell at that caster level. If a spell doesn’t improve significantly at higher caster levels, price it using the item’s minimum caster level. If the spell becomes more powerful with level increases (as does fireball), use the caster level of the level at which it’s unlocked to determine its price. Cap a spell’s caster level at the highest level that makes a significant difference, such as 10th level for fireball. Generally, if only the spell’s duration changes with caster level, spells with a duration of 1 minute per level or 1 round per level should use the full caster level, but those with longer durations (10 minutes per level or more) should use the minimum caster level.

Remember to readjust the price at each further power unlock level, since the caster level of the item will match the owner’s level. On a worn item, waive the standard 50% price increase on the additional spells.

Assigning an Unlock Level: Now that you have a cost for the next scaling ability, assign a level at which that ability unlocks. This follows the same process as the Pricing the Base Item step, but using the new cost. You should usually round down, but if you’re almost at the higher-level price, bump up the level. For example, a prize that priced out at 8,000 gp at a given set of powers would unlock those powers at 9th level (6,900 gp), but if the price hits 9,000 gp, the abilities should instead unlock at 10th level (9,300 gp).

Completing the Item: Repeat this process for each set of new powers. Try to add a new unlockable ability every 2 to 4 levels. It’s not necessary to scale every item all the way to 20th level, however—stop when the set of abilities feels complete.

Table :

	Spell Level
CL	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1st	180 gp	360 gp	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	360 gp	720 gp	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	540 gp	1,080 gp	2,160 gp	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	720 gp	1,440 gp	2,880 gp	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	900 gp	1,800 gp	3,600 gp	5,400 gp	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	1,080 gp	2,160 gp	4,320 gp	6,480 gp	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	1,260 gp	2,520 gp	5,040 gp	7,560 gp	10,080 gp	-	-	-	-	-
8th	1,440 gp	2,800 gp	5,760 gp	8,640 gp	11,520 gp	-	-	-	-	-
9th	1,620 gp	3,240 gp	6,480 gp	9,720 gp	12,960 gp	16,200 gp	-	-	-	-
10th	1,800 gp	3,600 gp	7,200 gp	10,800 gp	14,400 gp	18,000 gp	-	-	-	-
11th	1,980 gp	3,960 gp	7,920 gp	11,880 gp	15,840 gp	19,800 gp	23,760 gp	-	-	-
12th	2,160 gp	4,320 gp	8,640 gp	12,960 gp	17,280 gp	21,600 gp	25,920 gp	-	-	-
13th	2,340 gp	4,680 gp	9,360 gp	14,040 gp	18,720 gp	23,400 gp	28,080 gp	32,760 gp	-	-
14th	2,520 gp	5,040 gp	10,080 gp	15,120 gp	20,160 gp	25,200 gp	30,240 gp	35,280 gp	-	-
15th	2,700 gp	5,400 gp	10,800 gp	16,200 gp	21,600 gp	27,000 gp	32,400 gp	37,800 gp	43,200 gp	-
16th	2,880 gp	5,760 gp	11,520 gp	17,280 gp	23,040 gp	28,800 gp	34,560 gp	40,320 gp	46,080 gp	-
17th	3,060 gp	6,120 gp	12,240 gp	18,360 gp	24,480 gp	30,600 gp	36,720 gp	42,840 gp	48,960 gp	55,080 gp
18th	3,240 gp	6,480 gp	12,960 gp	19,440 gp	25,920 gp	32,400 gp	38,880 gp	45,360 gp	51,840 gp	58,320 gp
19th	3,420 gp	6,840 gp	13,680 gp	20,520 gp	27,360 gp	34,200 gp	41,040 gp	47,880 gp	54,720 gp	61,560 gp
20th	3,600 gp	7,200 gp	14,400 gp	21,600 gp	28,800 gp	36,000 gp	43,200 gp	50,400 gp	57,600 gp	64,800 gp

Archives of Nethys

Rules Index | GM Screen

Pricing New Scaling Items

Table :