Magic item creation time?

[Thirdbase]

For those GMs out there that allow the creation of Magic Items either by PCs or NPCs. What time frame do you use for the construction of items. Say the enchantment of a sword to be +1 OCV and +1 DC.

[Jeff]

It's a little complicated.

I'm putting together a magic system sticking pretty close to real HERO rules, without the nutty Heap Big Magic for Free or Random 1/3 or 1/5th Costs for Spells stuff from FH. I'm using the Alternate Enchanted Item Creation Rules (FH p. 279-280) and the creation process guidelines on p. 279. So it's a base time of 1 day per 10 active points in the item, or 1-7 days or so for most like enchanted items and a huge expense. (If you want a sword with +1 OCV and +1 DC, you're far, far better off talking to an expert swordsmith and doing it without magic.)

I'm using the Alternate Creation Rules because paying experience points for magic items (1) guarantees that no one will ever make them, and any NPC's who do are either idiots or obviously doing things they'd never rationally do if the GM were honestly tracking their experience, and (2) makes sense only as a way to keep it from happening left and right and in no other way. You hardly lose practical training or natural character progression enchanting a weapon. Much better to make it have a cost in time, exhaustion (gotta stay up for 1-7 days, after all - not easy), suitable equipment, and lots of money - the last of which is an especially useful tool already for keeping characters from doing game-destructive things in Heroic games.

You can also get a magical item through triggered effects - I'm using them for potions - or through Aid effects. The Aid effects will fade eventually, and among enchanters, even the very long-term Aid-based Imbuing magic carries far less cachet than True Enchantment. But Trigger-based potions can be whipped up in a few minutes a dose - once you've got all the pricey materials assembled and in your alchemical lab. Aid-based enchantments you can get in a few phases, at least the ones that fade over the course of a few minutes.

[Agent Escafarc]

My current Fantasy Campaign doesn't have any magic items(makes magi extremly valuable and politicaly powerful) I usally double the normal time for making a non-magical version or 1 day/5 actice points which ever is greater.

[SirWilliam]

True magic items in my world are very rare. It's far more common to find an exceptionally crafted yet non-magical item than it is to find one that's truly enchanted. Also, my magic items are never so mundane as to only give minor bonuses.

Due to this, making an enchanted item is a major undertaking in my world. If a minor item was undertaken it would take weeks to enchant, whereas the more typical items take months or years.

If a PC wanted to create or have an item created for them I would require them to pony up the real cost from xp, and require Independent as a limitation. They would also not be allowed to leave the creation area during the enchantment so no adventuring.

[Vanguard00]

Originally posted by Thirdbase
For those GMs out there that allow the creation of Magic Items either by PCs or NPCs. What time frame do you use for the construction of items. Say the enchantment of a sword to be +1 OCV and +1 DC.

Generally speaking the time it takes to make a magic item should be consistant with your magic system and game world. I tend to use an inverse relationship between the accessibility of magic and the occurence of magic items.

For example, in a world where magic is rare and wielded only by truly powerful, a magic sword might be created simply by letting the Gandalf-esque wizard chant over it for a few hours. At most he might have to treat it for several days.

However, in a world where magic is pretty common it should take longer. The mage should be there when the steel is smelted, poured, hammered, tempered, sharpened, the hilt attached, etc. Make him work for it. Weeks, at least.

Then again, you may do it the other way, too. If Gandalf is the only wizards on the continent then it might take him weeks to enchant a sword. In a world where there are mages running around in decent numbers, maybe spending a few hours with a sword is enough.

In some books I read, wizards supplemented their incomes by enchanting swords in markets. Give them a sword and they'll give it back to you in an hour with whatever enchantment it needs--rust-free, light, sharpness, etc.

It really depends on what you want and what fits with your game world.