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Pathfinder Unchained / Scaling Items

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
CL0123456789
1st180 gp360 gp--------
2nd360 gp720 gp--------
3rd540 gp1,080 gp2,160 gp-------
4th720 gp1,440 gp2,880 gp-------
5th900 gp1,800 gp3,600 gp5,400 gp------
6th1,080 gp2,160 gp4,320 gp6,480 gp------
7th1,260 gp2,520 gp5,040 gp7,560 gp10,080 gp-----
8th1,440 gp2,800 gp5,760 gp8,640 gp11,520 gp-----
9th1,620 gp3,240 gp6,480 gp9,720 gp12,960 gp16,200 gp----
10th1,800 gp3,600 gp7,200 gp10,800 gp14,400 gp18,000 gp----
11th1,980 gp3,960 gp7,920 gp11,880 gp15,840 gp19,800 gp23,760 gp---
12th2,160 gp4,320 gp8,640 gp12,960 gp17,280 gp21,600 gp25,920 gp---
13th2,340 gp4,680 gp9,360 gp14,040 gp18,720 gp23,400 gp28,080 gp32,760 gp--
14th2,520 gp5,040 gp10,080 gp15,120 gp20,160 gp25,200 gp30,240 gp35,280 gp--
15th2,700 gp5,400 gp10,800 gp16,200 gp21,600 gp27,000 gp32,400 gp37,800 gp43,200 gp-
16th2,880 gp5,760 gp11,520 gp17,280 gp23,040 gp28,800 gp34,560 gp40,320 gp46,080 gp-
17th3,060 gp6,120 gp12,240 gp18,360 gp24,480 gp30,600 gp36,720 gp42,840 gp48,960 gp55,080 gp
18th3,240 gp6,480 gp12,960 gp19,440 gp25,920 gp32,400 gp38,880 gp45,360 gp51,840 gp58,320 gp
19th3,420 gp6,840 gp13,680 gp20,520 gp27,360 gp34,200 gp41,040 gp47,880 gp54,720 gp61,560 gp
20th3,600 gp7,200 gp14,400 gp21,600 gp28,800 gp36,000 gp43,200 gp50,400 gp57,600 gp64,800 gp