Editing Charms and Fetishes (section)

==Determining Cost==

The cost of an item is really what drives all aspects of its creation. Unless otherwise stated the cost of a magical item is the cost of commissioning an NPC magic-user to make it. If a character is making an item for themself, obviously, they need only pay the material cost and not the cost of labor, although the labor cost can be used to determine how long it takes to craft the item, as follows:

[[File:Charm Table 2.png]]



As with all magical item creation, a roll of 86-100 is an automatic failure and a roll of 96-100 results in a mishap.

A 3rd-level magic-user, with an output of 16 gp per week, would take three weeks to craft a charm with a cost of 100 gp (50 gp labor cost, divided by 16 gp per week). Note that the minimum time to enchant a charm or fetish still applies if the spellcaster’s output is such that they could theoretically do it faster.

''Rabanus is a 12th-level magic-user capable of producing 4,000 gp worth of work per week. That works out to roughly 570 gp per day. A charm worth 500 gp takes five days to create and requires 250 gp worth of actual labor. Rabanus could theoretically create two charms per day, but is physically limited to the required time.''

A spellcaster whose labor output exceeds that which is needed has two options:
'''
1. Speed up production.''' A spellcaster can attempt to craft a charm or a fetish more quickly than would otherwise be allowed. For each 50% reduction in time apply a –10% penalty to the chance of success and increase the chance of a mishap by 5%. No item can be crafted in less than one day.
Rabanus needs that charm and he needs it now! If it costs 500 gp it takes five days to craft, but he decides to speed up the process. One 50% reduction takes the time down to 2 and 1/2 days, rounded up to 3, a second reduction down to 1 and 1/4 days (rounded up to 2), and a third takes it to a single day. The chance of success is reduced by 30% and a mishap occurs on a roll of 86-100.

'''2. Perform other tasks.''' The spellcaster need only devote time to the beginning and end days, and can perform other tasks in between.

''Rabanus fails in his first attempt – some things simply can’t be rushed – so on his second attempt he decides to take the full five days, but spends only the 1st and 5th day working on the item. He can devote the middle three days to adventuring, working on other items or spells, or carousing.''

The table below can be used to determine the overall cost of most charms and fetishes. Note that this cost includes both labor and materials. 

[[File:Charm Table 3.png]]


'''1.''' If the item mimics the effect of a spell use the range of the spell. Otherwise, assume it affects the wielder *or* someone touched/struck by the wielder. Increasing the range of such an effect has a multiplier of 1.25 for every 10’ of range.

'''2.''' Applies only to items that mimic 1st-level spells. When normally enchanted, the effect is as if cast by a 3rd-level character. A charm enchanted with the light spell, for instance, would normally last for 9 turns (base caster level of 3, plus 6 turns). For each additional caster level add 10% to the cost multiplier, up to a maximum caster level of 7.

Note that doing so requires restricting the use of the item (see below), since the overall cost of a charm or fetish cannot exceed 500 gold.

'''3.''' Permanent until charges are spent. The charm or fetish does not degrade or lose potency over time. See below for more discussion on the duration of charms and fetishes.

'''4.''' The item is keyed to an individual. Reduce the cost by 25% if it can be used by others, but with a reduced effect, and by 50% if it can only be used by one person. A single person is designated as the wielder when the item is created. They may use the item as normal. There are two options for restricting the use of a charm or fetish:

'''1.	Limited.''' Anyone can use the item, but the effects are diminished if not used by the designated wielder. This can take several forms, as determined by the Referee: reduced modifiers, reduced damage, reduced duration, etc. It is recommended to reduce the effects by one step (i.e. a modifier of +/– 1d4+1 is reduced to a straight modifier of  +/– 1).
'''2.	Restricted.''' Only the designated wielder can use the item.

In order to create an item tied to a wielder the designated individual must either be the creator of the item, have personally obtained the principal used in the creation of the item, or have invested something of themself in the creation. This “something” can be abstracted out as hit points: the designated individual must “contribute” a total number of hp equal to 1 hp/100 gp in cost each day it takes to make the item.

The sacrificed hit points are restored normally, except for 1 hit point, which remains as permanent damage until the item's charges have been expended. It is this hit point loss that ties the magical item to the wielder.

''Magred the Magnificent, a 5th-level magic-user, is creating a charm. Being selfish, he doesn't want anyone else to be able to use it. The overall value of the item is 300 gold, so it takes three days to make. For each day during that period he must sacrifice 3 hp worth of damage. Said damage can be healed normally or via magic, all except for the final 1 hp of damage, which is a permanent expenditure until the item has no charges remaining.''

Restricting the use of a charm or fetish is not without issues, however, beyond the requirement of blood and flesh! It makes crafting the item more difficult: a limited item imposes a penalty of –5% to the crafting roll, and restricting it to a single individual applies a –10% penalty.