It is an obvious premise of the game that magic items are made somewhere
by someone or something. A properly run campaign will be
relatively stringent with respect to the number of available magic items, SO
your players will sooner or later express a desire to manufacture their
own. Do not tell them how this is to be accomplished! In order to find out,
they must consult with a sage (q.v.) or a high level character of the proper
profession, the latter being detailed a bit hereafter.

Magic items are made by high level magic-users, except those items which
are restricted to clerics and special racial items and books, artifacts and
relics. Books (including tomes, librams and manuals), artifacts, and relics
are of ancient manufacture, possibly from superior human or demi-human
technology, perhaps of divine origin, thus books, artifacts, and relics cannot
be mode by players and come only from the Dungeon Master.

Dwarven && elven manufactured items - the + 3 dwarven war hammer,
certain other magic axes and hammers, cloaks and boots of elvenkind,
magic arrows, magic bows in some cases, and even some magic daggers
and swords -- are likewise beyond the ken of PCs of these
races. Only very old, very intelligent and wise dwarves and elves who
have attained maximum level advancement are able to properly forge,
fashion, and/or make these items and hove the appropriate magicks and
spells to change them into special items - i.e., these items are likewise
the precinct of the DM exclusively.

This still leaves an incredible range of magic items which player characters
can aspire to manufacture. It is a sad fact, however, that these aspirations
must be unsatisfied until the player character achieves a level of ability
which is one greater than nominal highest level - high priest, druid,
wizard, illusionist. That is, a player character must be at least an 11th level
high priest, an archdruid, a 12th level wizard or an 11 th level illusionist in
order to manufacture magic items (except with respect to potions and
scrolls, as will be discussed hereafter). Furthermore, a player character
may manufacture only those items particular to his or her profession or
items which are usable by professions not able to so make magic items
only. Thus, a cleric is unable to fashion a wand usable by magic-users or illusionists,
a magic-user cannot manufacture a clerical magic item, etc.
There is a further prohibition upon clerics regarding the making of items
which are prohibited to their profession or which are of opposite alignments;
this restraint does not extend into the sphere of magic-users as a
class. Thus, clerics cannot manufacture magic swords, though magic-users
can.


 

ADQ: When a M-U creates a new
magick item, at what level does it function?
Up to what level of spells can be
placed into an item?
ADA: Use the guidelines for wands, staves
and rods (at 6th, 8th, and 10th levels of
magick use, respectively) for similar items.
(Note that a magick missile scroll made by a
19th level caster will produce 10 missiles
(total damage of 10d4 + 10), so scrolls can
be of any level.) Other items should range
between 5th and 10th level in most cases.
    Any level of spell can be placed in an
item, but the better the effect, the more
expensive the item. A device of insufficient
quality will be ruined if overly powerful
enchantments are attempted.
    (Polyhedron #24)

Manufacture Of Potions:

Potions may be made by any magic-user of 7th level or above, if he or she
enlists the aid of an alchemist (q.v.). At levels above the 11 th , such
assistance is no longer mandatory, although it will reduce the amount of
money and Time the player character must spend making the potion by
50% of the compounding/infusing time normally required, as the
alchemist will be so employed instead.

In order to begin manufacture of a potion (and they may be made only
one at a time), the magic-user must have a proper laboratory with fireplace,
workbench, brazier, and several dozen alembics, flasks, dishes,
mortar and pestle, basins, jugs, retorts, measuring devices, scales, and so
forth! Such implements are not easily obtained, being found only at alchemical
shops or produced upon special orders by stone masons, potters,
glass blowers, etc. Initial outlay for the creation of a workshop, assuming
that the place already has a fireplace, would cost between 200 and 1,000
g.p. This cost is based on the relative availability of the tradesmen and
goods necessary to complete the work room and stock it properly. The DM
may certainly require a greater expenditure if the campaign has inflation
and/or shortages. In addition, upkeep of the laboratory requires a further
monthly outlay of 10% of the total cost of the place, exclusive of any
special provisions or protections, in order to stock basic fuel and supplies,
replace broken equipment, and so on when the laboratory is in use. (Note:
The place is always in use if the player character has an alchemist in his or
her employ, for the alchemist will continually putter and experiment,
always to no particular end, when not engaged in specific work for the
magic-user.)

In order to avoid the length and complication of separate formulae for
each type of potion, the following simple system is given. Both the cost in
gold pieces and the days of compounding and infusing are determined by
use of the experience points award (as shown on the list of magic items)
amounts. If no experience points are shown, then the potion has a 200 g.p.
base for cost and time determination. The point award for a given potion is
also the amount of gold pieces the magic-user must pay in order to concoct
the basic formula - with rare herbs and spices and even more exotic
ingredients. The number of days required to brew the potion is the same
figure, each hundred or fraction thereof indicating one full day of
compounding time to manufacture the liquid, i.e., 250 x.p. = 250 g.p.
basic costs and 3 full days of time.

Most important to the manufacture of a potion is the substance of its
power, the special ingredient. The list of potions and special ingredients
possible is given for your convenience only. You may opt for any reasonable
special ingredient you deem suitable for a potion, keeping in mind
difficulty of obtaining the material (hopefully high or greater) and its
sympathetic equivalency or relationship to the end result of quaffing the
potion.

Poison: Only assassins of 9th or higher level may concoct ”potions” of
poison - or any other sort of poison, for that matter. Refer to the section
on assassins for details of special forms of poison. No laboratory or
alchemist is needed, but cost and time are found as if a normal potion was
being prepared.

Suggested Special Ingredients For Potions:
 
 

Type of Potion	Suggested Special Ingredients
animal control	organ or gland from representative type or types to be controlled
clairaudience	human or simian thalamus gland  or  ear from an animal with keen hearing
clairvoyance	human or simian thalamus gland  or eye from an an animal with keen sight
climbing	insect legs (giant)
delusion*	doppleganger flesh or  rakshasa ichor
diminution	powdered kobold horn and wererat blood
dragon control	brain of the appropriate dragon type
ESP	mind flayer brain
extra-healing	fire elemental phlogiston or  salamander scales
<10> flying	hippogriff feathers and wyvern blood
gaseous form	vampire dust or  ogre magi teeth
giant control	brain of appropriate giant type
giant strength	drops of sweat from appropriate giant type
growth	ogre magi gland
healing	ogre magi blood or thread of saint's garment** <remy>
heroism	heart of a lion or  other similar giant cat
human control	vampire eye or  nixie blood
invisibility	invisible stalker ichor
invulnerability	gargoyle horn or  lycanthrope skin
<20> levitation	beholder eye (from stalk) or  will-o-wisp essence
longevity	dragon blood and treant sap or  elf blood
oil of etherealness	shedu fat or  demon brain
oil of slipperiness	purple worm gland or  liver of giant pike
philter of love	dryad hair
philter of persuasiveness	harpies' tongues or  devil tongue
plant control	shrieker spores and umber hulk eye
polymorph (self)	mimic skin or  succubus hair
poison	special
speed	pegasus heart and giant weasel blood
<30> super-heroism	giant wolverine blood and minotaur heart
sweet water	water elemental eye or  triton blood
treasure finding	gold dragon scale and <6> different powdered gem stones
undead control	dust of freshly destroyed spectres or  vampire brain or  ghost ectoplasm or  lich blood
water breathing	water naga blood or  nixie organs

*Alternatively, a 5% to 20% failure percentage can be assigned to all
potion manufacture, and those which are failures become delusion
potions of the sort which was being attempted, i.e., animal control, flying,
etc.

** Possible only if a cleric compounds the potion.

Manufacture of Scrolls:

Scrolls are exceptional in that they are simply storage space for spells of
one sort or another. Clerics, druids, magic-users, and illusionists inscribe
scrolls with spells applicable to their particular professions. Protection
spells are scribed by either magic-users or clerics, the determination being
as follows:

Clerical Protection Spells	Magic-User Protection Spells
DEVILS	DEMONS
POSSESSION	ELEMENTALS
UNDEAD	LYCANTHROPES
-	MAGIC
-	PETRIFICATION

Curse scrolls can be made by any sort of spell user noted above.

Scrolls may be inscribed only by characters of 7th or higher level, and the
spells placed upon the scroll must be of a level which the inscribing
character is able to employ, i.e. a 9th level magic-user could not place a
7th level spell on a scroll. (Note that the write spell enables the magic-user
to inscribe his or her own reference works so as to be able to read and remember
higher level spells than he or she is currently able to use; it does
not enable casting or scroll inscription.)

A scroll of spells may be inscribed only upon pure and unblemished
papyrus, parchment, or vellum -the latter being the most desirable. Any
mistake will doom the effort to failure. A fresh, virgin quill must be used
for each spell transcribed.

The quill must be from a creature of strange or
magical nature, i.e. a griffon, harpy, hippogriff, pegasus, roc, sphinx of
any sort, and similar monsters you elect to include (demons, devils,
lammasu, etc.).

The material upon which the scroll of spells is to be written can be
purchased at the following cost guidelines:

papyrus, per sheet	2 g.p. and up	+ 5% chance of failure
parchment, per sheet	4 g.p. and up	+/- 0% chance of failure
vellum, per sheet	8 g.p. and up	- 5% chance of failure

<see DMG: +/- was closest i could, for now. better anyway, because easier? ... game school>

The type of material used will affect the likelihood of successful transcription,
as listed above. Special quills cannot normally be purchased, for
only common goose or similar feather instruments are available in shops.
The would-be inscriber must arrange for the special writing tools as he or
she can.

Ink is a very special requirement. Scroll spell ink, iust as the ink for detailing
spells in spell books, is compounded only by the inscriber from secret
and strange ingredients. The basic medium should be sepia from a giant
squid or ink from a giant octopus. To this liquid must be added blood,
powdered gems, herbal and spice infusions, draughts concocted from
parts of monsters, and so on.

An example of a formula for the ink required
to scribe a protection from petrification spell is shown below:

    1 oz. giant squid sepia
    1 basilisk eye
    3 cockatrice feathers
    1 scruple of venom from a medusa‘s snakes
    1 large peridot, powdered
    1 medium topaz, powdered
    2 drams holy water
    6 pumpkin seeds

        Harvest the pumpkin in the dark of the moon and dry the seeds over a
        slow fire of sandalwood and horse dung. Select three perfect ones and
        grind them into a coarse meal, husks and all. Boil the basilisk eye and
        cockatrice feathers for exactly 5 minutes in a saline solution, drain, and
        place in a jar. Add the medusa’s snake venom and gem powders.
        Allow to stand for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Pour off liquid into
        bottle, add sepia and holy ,water, mixing contents with a silver rod,
        stirring widdershins. Makes ink sufficient for one scroll.

Other ink formulas will be devised similarly according to the dictates of the
DM. Ingredients should suit the overall purpose of the ink. It is recommended
that each different spell to be transcribed require a different ink
compound - clerical spells requiring more venerated and holy materials,
druid spells being basically rare roots and herbs in infusions, and so on.
Garments, wrappings, dust, sweat, tears, teeth, fangs, organs, blood, and
so forth are all ideal components.

Once material, quill, and ink are ready, the spell scriber must actually
write the magical runes, glyphs, symbols, characters, pictograms, and
words upon the surface of the scroll. Transcription must be from his or her
scroll books or upon an altar (for clerics and druids). Special candles and
incense must be burning while the inscription is in progress. Clerics must
have prayed and specially sacrificed to their deity, while magic-users must
have drawn a magic circle and remain uninterrupted. PREPARATION REQUIRES
ONE FULL DAY FOR EACH LEVEL OF THE SPELL BEING SCRIBED ON
THE SCROLL. A 1 st level spell takes one day, a 2nd level spell two, etc. Time
so spent must be continuous with interruptions only for rest, food, sleep,
and the like. If the inscriber leaves the scroll to do anything else, the magic
is broken, and the whole effort is for naught.

Failure: There is a basic 20% chance that a mistake, smudge, or flow in the scroll will make the spell useless.
    To this base chance is added 1% per level of the spell being inscribed, so that total failure chance is from 21% to 29%,
    minus the level of the character attempting to write the spell.
                <[eg.]> Thus, if a 14th level cleric is attempting to write a 7th level spell on a parchment scroll, the failure chance is 20% + 7% - 14% = a 13% chance.
After the requisite materials and preparations have been taken care of, the player
character must then spend the full time necessary to inscribe the scroll
spell. Thereafter, a percentile dice roll greater than the percentage chance
of failure equals success.

If multiple spells are being scribed, a failure of one means that no further
spells may be placed upon the scroll. In any event, o maximum of seven
spells may be written on a single scroll. As o spell is read from the scroll, its
letters and figures writhe and glow, the magic is effected, and then the
lines fade and are gone forever. (In order for a magic-user or illusionist to
transcribe a heretofore unknown spell from a scroll to his or her books, a
read magic and then a period of time equal to that necessary to place the
spell on the scroll are required; this likewise causes the spell to disappear
from the scroll.)

The scriber of the spell does NOT need a read magic spell to use his or her
own scroll spells, just as clerics and druids never need the aid of magic to
read appropriate scroll spells.

Fabrication Of Other Magic Items:
All of the various other magic items will require the use of the magic spell,
enchant an item, save clerical items.

With respect to the former, you must determine which spells and ingredients
are necessary to the manufacture of each specific magic item.

For example, a PC wizard of 15th level desires to make a ring of
spell storing. He or she commissions a platinumsmith to fashion a ring of
the finest quality, and pays 5,000 g.p. for materials and labor. He or she
then casts the enchant an item spell according to the PLAYERS HANDBOOK instructions.
As DM, you now inform him or her that in order to
contain and accept the spells he or she desires to store in the device, a
scroll bearing the desired spells must be scribed, then a permanency spell
cast upon the scroll, then the scroll must be merged with the ring by some
means (typically a wish spell). As all of that could not be done in time, the
ring would have to be prepared with the enchant an item spell again. Of
course, you could tell the player before, if you are soft-hearted or he or
she i s intelligent enough to ask before starting the ball rolling.

The above-mentioned ring of spell storing could be made without the
benefit of a permanency spell, and spells could be stored within, but they
could only be called forth once, and then the ring would be useless.
Wands and other chargeable items do not require permanency, and of
course they are used up when all the charges are gone. Items with a
permanent dweomer (such as weapons, armor, most rings and miscellaneous
magic items) do require a permanency spell to be made continuously
operational.
 

Question: In the DMG it says that rechargeable items can be recharged and yet it says elsewhere that once they are used up, they can’t be recharged.
Please clear this up for me.

Answer: Any items that are rechargeable have to have one charge
left in them to be recharged. To recharge them, you cast spells at them.
One major problem with such items is that one is never sure how many charges they have.

Q: The DMG says that magical items
usable only to certain classes must
be made by members of that class.
How do fighters, for instance, make
magical swords?

A: The DMG does not say that items usable
only by certain classes can only be made
by those classes. You seem to be confused
by the section at the top of the second
column on page 116, which limits magicusers
to the fabrication of magic-user
items and
those items usable by classes
that can?t fabricate items themselves
What the DMG does say is that a magical
item?except one usable only by clerics?
requires the use of an enchant an item
spell in its creation. There are, however,
three exceptions to this rule.

First, items usable only by or directly
associated with demi-humans (such as the
hammer +3, dwarven thrower) can only
be created by very old, intelligent, and
wise demi-humans of maximum level.
Exactly how this is done is not important,
because PCs cannot create them in any
case, although individual DMs might wish
to specify a process anyway (see the DMG,
page 116, first column).

Second, items usable only by illusionists
require the illusionists? equivalent of
enchant an item. In some campaigns, this
is assumed to be a major creation spell
cast upon an item in the same manner as a
mage casts enchant an item. The procedures
that illusionists must follow are
discussed on page 118 of the DMG.

Third, magical tomes, librams, manuals,
artifacts, and relics are assumed to have
been created by lost civilizations or by
deities. Again, the exact procedure is
unspecified because such items can never
be created by PCs. Certain other items,
such as a deck of many things, might also
fall into this category, at the DM?s option.
A cleric of 11th or higher level prepares
to create a magical item by gathering rare
materials and constructing high-quality
items, just as a magic-user does. But,
instead of using an enchant an item spell,
a cleric must make further investments in
robes and other accouterments for worship.
The cleric then prays over the item
he wishes to enchant until his deity sees fit
to enchant it. The details of the procedure
are similar to those of the enchant an item
spell.
(146.10)

Q: What spell is cast upon a magical
item to create something with a
magical "plus," for either combat or
saving-throw purposes?

A: The item's creator must cast an enchant
an item spell or its equivalent on the item.
Since a ?plus? is not a spell effect per se,
no additional spells are required, but
additional casting time is required. Each
?plus? counts as a fourth-level spell cast
upon the item (see the enchant an item
spells description in the Players Handbook,
pages 83-84).
(146.12)

ADQ: Could a character manufacture a
wand of permanency?
ADA: No. As a rule of thumb, any spell
effect of 5th level or higher level is too powerful
to be placed in a wand. Staves are more
expensive, but can handle M-U
effects up to 7th level, or cleric (or illusionist)
effects up to 6th level. Rods can produce
any cleric or illusionist effect, and M-U
effects up to 8th level.
    The creation of powerful items must be
controlled, lest the campaign suffer. Since
the charges in a rod of permanency could be
used on living creatures, the creator loses 1
point of CON for each charge placed
in the device (and has a 5% chance of losing
a point while making the item, as per DMG
pg. 46)
    On a related note: DMs must be sure to
apply the aging effects of certain spells
(DMG pg. 13) to maintain Game balance.
Otherwise, after manufacturing items as
described above, a powerful mage could
simply wish the lost points of CON
back (at the rate of 1 per wish per point until
16 is reached), thus suffering no ill effects
from the applications of permanency.
(Polyhedron #21)

Clerics and druids making an item which is applicable to their profession
must spend a fortnight in retreat, meditating in complete isolation. Thereafter,
he or she must spend a sennight fasting. Finally, he or she must pray
over and purify the item to become magical (this process takes but a day).
Of course, the item must be of the finest quality iust as detailed in the
enchant an item spell description. Thereafter the cleric or druid must place
the item upon his or her altar and invoke the direct favor of his or her deity
to instill a special power into the item. There is a 1% per day cumulative
chance that the item will then be empowered as desired, providing the
cleric or druid has been absolutely exemplary in his or her faith and alignment
requirements. Furthermore, if the item is one with charges, the cleric
or druid must then take i t into seclusion and cast the requisite spells upon
it, doing so within 24 hours of its being favored by the deity. In other cases,
the item need only be sanctified to the appropriate deity in order to
complete its manufacture.

In all cases, the manufacture of any magic item other than a potion or
scroll will be.so debilitating as to necessitate the maker to rest for one day
for each 100 g.p. of the item’s experience point value, i.e. one with a 2,000
experience point value means 20 days of complete rest. During this period,
the character con do nothing except eat, rest, undertake mild exercise, and
sleep - all in relative isolation. No adventuring or spell use is possible
during this period!

Fabrication Of Magic Items By Illusionists:

Though different spells are employed, the process of fabrication of magic‘
items which illusionists use is not really very different from that used by
magic-users. It is almost exactly similar as regards costs in both time ond
money. Some processes are also nearly identical, such as the making of
scrolls, which may be done at the 7th level and up.

At the 11 th level illusionists may be able to create one-shot or charged
magic items, things without a permanent dweomer, such as potions or a
wand of illusion, for example. Such items are really merely storehouses of
magical energy which can be released in various ways. Like any other
spell-caster, the illusionist must fashion the item out of rare and expensive
materials, but instead of using enchant an item to prepare the item to receive
its enchantment, the illusionist uses major creation to subtly alter its
structure in a magical direction so that it can receive and retain the
necessary spells. During the next 16 hours after casting the major creation,
the illusionist instills the primary initial dweomers into the item, and if his
concentration is interrupted even once during this period, the item
instantly fades and forever disappears, like an illusion that has been
dispelled.

Beginning at 14th level an illusionist may attempt to make items with a
truly permanent dweomer, such as a + 1 dagger or a ring of protection, for
example. This entails a similar process to the one described above. The
crucial difference i s that after a major creation spell has been used to
adjust the material obiect, an alter reality must be cast to fix i t permanently
in place and make i t able to contain a permanent magic. Thus, with
a great expense in time, money and preparation, major creation, alter
reality and true sight spells, and an unflawed gem worth not less than
10,000 g.p., an illusionist might be able to create a gem of seeing.

The basic thing to remember if details are in question is that illusionists are
a sub-class of magic-users, and except for what has been outlined above,
what applies to magic-users applies to illusionists as well.

Fabrication of Magic Items by Charmed or Enslaved Magic-Users:

It is absolutely necessory that you take note that any sort of charmed,
magically persuaded, or otherwise enslaved magic-user will be totally
unable to function in such a manner as to allow the fabrication of any sort
of magic item -scroll, potion, or otherwise. The discipline and concentration
demanded by such activity absolutely precludes individuals of this sort
from manufacturing magic items. If a player character should attempt to
have such a character fabricate items, allow the usual amounts of time
and money to be expended, and then inform him or her that the results are
negative. If the player character opts to have the enslaved individual
continue, soy nothing, but the attempts will continue to be fruitless.

Question: Are demi-humans able to manufacture magical items?

Answer: Yes, of a wide variety of types, though not as many as humans are able to make because of the demi-humans’ limited ability to climb in class levels.
Halfling, gnomish, half-elven, elven, and dwarven clerics of 5th level and above may make holy water with the proper materials,  as outlined in the DMG.
Gnomish, elven, and dwarven clerics of 7th level or above may inscribe scrolls of clerical spells of up to the 4th level in power. *
Half-elven and elven magic-users, with the aid of an alchemist, may make magic potions of many sorts at 7th level and above;
they may also inscribe magic scrolls with spells of up to the 4th level (for 7th or 8th level half-elven magic-users) or 5th level (for elves of 9th-11th level in magic-user ability). **
Protection scrolls may also be inscribed.
Half-elven Archdruids can, of course, make any druidical magic item.
    Beyond this, what can be done?
DMs might wish to consider the following possibilities.
Gray elves (faerie) are supposed to get a +1 on their intelligence scores, bringing
their maximum intelligence up to 19. Could these elves perhaps also reach the 12th level of magic-user ability with a 19 intelligence? **
At that point, they could manufacture a number of other
magic items, particularly those with a number of charges that
are expended with each use of the item but may be replenished
later (wands, staves, spell-storing rings, and so forth).
    Yet it would appear, from some comments in the DMG (p.
116), that demi-humans are sometimes capable of making
items with permanent dweomers.
A DM could declare that a demi-human cleric who reaches the highest possible level is able to invoke the favor of his or her deity to permanently enchant certain items, ***
in the same way as normal clerics of 11th level or above, or druids of 13th level and above.
The range of the items that could be so enchanted might be
limited so that the items would be oriented toward the needs
and capabilities of that race (as the Cloak of Elvenkind and
Boots of Elvenkind are appropriate to elves, and the Dwarven
Thrower +3 Warhammer is appropriate to dwarves).
Elven cleric/magic-users might be able to make a wide variety of
items in this way, such as magic swords, bows, spears, arrows,
armor, shields, daggers, helms, and any other such item as
appropriate to the use of elvenkind. DMs could
declare some items as not being the sort elves would want to
make, either because of cultural concerns (elves do not gener-
ally use axes or tridents) or because those items are beyond
their ability to make (Wish rings, for example).
Gnomish cleric/illusionists might make and enchant items of
illusionist nature (daggers, rings charged with illusionist spells,
certain wands and amulets) of temporary or lasting nature;
other gnomish clerics or fighter/clerics might make magical
axes, hammers, armor, shields, daggers, short swords, and
missile weapons.
Dwarven clerics or fighter/clerics would
make the same sorts of things gnomish clerics make.
Halfling clerics and druids do not achieve as high a level at their maxi-
mums as do the other demi-human races, so it may be conjec-
tured that their magic items would not be as powerful, but DM’s
might want to investigate the possibility of some minor magic-
item creation appropriate to halflings in general.
    Some excellent resource material for figuring out what sorts
of specialized magic items a certain demi-human race could
make may be found by looking over the description of the
particular pantheon that race worships. What sorts of weapons,
armor, and items do their deities use? One could simply devel-
op scaled-down versions of the gods’ major weapons and
equipment and define those as items able to be fabricated by
demi-human spellcasters.
    Halfling druids who worship Sheela the Wise (issue #59 of DRAGON™ Magazine) might use permanently enchanted shillelaghs or amulets that store Entangle spells;
    dwarven clerics of Dumathoin (issue #58) might have amulets that duplicate the functions of Wands of Metal and Mineral Detection;
    Aerdrie Faenya (issue #60) could have elven  followers with rings of Feather Falling or Avian Control;
    and gnomes who are clerics of Segojan Earthcaller (issue #61) could have enchanted crystals that would summon (on a one-time basis) a minor earth elemental for assistance.
In any event,
DMs should try to keep such magical items rela-
tively rare; DM’s should also note that demi-humans will not
want to sell or give away their magic items and will fight to keep
them. Only in extraordinary circumstances, such as for acts of
great heroism or deeds that greatly benefit a particular race,
will demi-humans even consider giving away a magical item.

* (Update: Dwarven, elven, and gnomish clerics may inscribe spells of up to 5th level and 6th on scrolls, depending on sub-race and WIS)
** (Update: Yes, gray elves with a 19 INT can attain L12)
*** (Update: Remember that in all cases, a WIS of 20-22 is req. for a demi-human cleric to attain the max. level in the cleric class)

The anhkheg’s eyes (and the fluid therein) are useful to alchemists and magic-users in the creation of sight-related magic potions and items. (5)
<note: an insect's vision is pixel-like, so I sorta don't get this one. is it because of an extremely high concentration of Vitamin A, like a polar bear's liver?
If so, this should be noted at the creature description. Perhaps the equivalent of a mild ingestive poison if the Vit. A theory is correct.>

Bombay wrote:
Hey Gary, glad you have taken the time to do a Q&A, Alot of your answers have been very helpful and insightful.

I have always had questions about magic items. Many of the modules made for AD&D are loaded with magic items. Sometimes I think there must be an assembly line that is making +1 longswords and +1 plates. Those in my group, we started brainstorming and got off onto a tangent that perhaps that a +1 longsword made, is actually a failed attempt at say a Frostbrand. Or maybe you can "mass" produce +1 longswords for all of your henchmen.

If you care, could you elaborate on the production of such items.

Thanks, appreciate it.

Fast reply:

What do more cautious and retired mages do? why they make magic items to earn a handsome livng, of course. So indeed thate are perhaps 100 each of various sorts of +1 swords--easy to enchant for a moderately able caster. As those blades don't wear out or get destroyed easily, many are likely to be several decades old, some older, some newer. And those +1 swords are scattered over several kingdoms with many millions of inhabitants.

Really, what's so common about 1 +1 sword per 10,000 persons? (-:

This calls to mind the heated debate about smelting and fashioning platinum. I pointed out that any wizard could manage it easilt. The twit contending against the use of the metal then demanded why any mage would do that. "To become filthy rich without risking life and limb," I suggested. End of debate.

Cheers,
Gary

Bombay wrote:
Good point, never thought of it that way.

Thanks for the fast response!

bk

Sure:)

Even though I exaggerated the case a good deal, in truth, all mages aren't interested in derring-do, and they need to make a (good) living somehow!

Cheers,
Gary
 

Bombay wrote:
Thats understandable, just out of curiosity, what would you make one of your players do to enchant a Girdle of Storm Giant Str?
 

Pcs create magic items before they achieve high level and retire? Never!

What on earth is adventurous about manufacturing?

If they sought a special magic item they quested for it.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by palleomortis
Sounds like the life!! So what about the xp and the item creations thing?
Okay,

As for creating items, that was basically what retired PCs of magical persuation were allowed to do in my campaign. I left that to other DMs to decide for themselves, but the clear message is that such things should be discovered by adventues and quests, not created in the magical lab. Never could much in the way of magical gear be found for purchase either--maybe +1 arrows or a few healing potions if I were in a most generous mood.

XPs were not considered for item creation in the original game.

Cheerio,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BOZ
it sure was easier on the DM that way, but it's a lot of fun for the PC to be able to do this on his downtime. 

IIRC, 2E had "rules" (more like suggestions) on how to make non-artifact magic items, but everything was such a challenge that it was just about not worth the effort. 

Pfui!

If t palyer can't find something more adventurous for his mage PC to do during downtime that making potent magic utems, let that character take up knitting and tatting. My m-us were always bust re-charging wands and the like until essentially retired. then they made magic items--usually by cmbining two or more existing ones gained honorably in questing <mad>

Heh,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Mouser
What's the point of creating a slew of magic items in order to go on a quest in order to find magic items????

I can see scribing a scroll or two or brewing a potion before an unusually tough adventure, but come on people!

Gray Mouser

Nota Bene:

Gray Mouser gains the Zagyg Seal of Approvel for his observation 

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally Posted by gizmo33
Since the chance of facing the Mad Archmage in his dungeon seems somewhat safely in the too-distant future (HINT, HINT), I'll go ahead and disagree:

Creating magic items (ex. knitting a bag of holding), hiring henchmen, building castles, resting to heal wounds, getting a tatoo, etc. are all fine and honorable activities for adventurers IMO during their "down time". There's a natural limit to these activities in most cases, imposed by the resources required. Seems to me that in a world with plenty of opportunities for adventure and trouble, there's enough pressure to adventure that the DM doesn't really have to work too hard to prod.

Bah!

Zagyg's Raspberries are awarded to all concerned with such flummery. If PCs have the location to house laboratory, forges, equipment, library and the great amount of time needed for creating magical items then they must be elderly and retired, not spry and adventuring.

Cheers,
Gary