Magic Items pricing

[mirtexxan]

Hello,

I'm reading very carefully the DFRPG Magic Items source book (which is also part of the DFRPG Companion 1) and I'm trying to find the reasoning behind the pricing choices. Most choices come directly from previously published material (the DF line of products, and Gurps Magic). Some of them seems to be imply completely new enchantments, such as Corrosive Weapon, Holy Weapon etc. (but unfortunately there is a bit of inconsistency here and there*).

However, I'm wondering... are the rules for creating Casting Items, and in particular items with Uses per Day (p.11) and Charged Items using the Charged Item Tables (p. 15) completely new, or they come from some other source? What's the design principle behind them?

Can they be derived from some application of Gurps Magic, or similar?
I can clearly see that "non rechargeanble" charges come directly from an adaptation of the "Spell Stone" spell in Magic to Dungeon Fantasy.

But doubling the cost for rechargeable ones (see again the table at p.15)? It is an entirely new rule or am I missing something? Unfortunately this seems to be different even from the Power Reserves on DF8, p.47-48.

My opinion is that the rules in Magic Items are a mashup of the rules in DF8, and the ones outlined by Kromm for using Spell Stones to create charged Items in Dungeon Fantasy, as they uses the same "10-energy points max" rule.

What do you think? Can you help me understand all of this? I know that it is not needed for DFRPG, but I'd be really curious to take a look under the hood!!!

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*As an example, the "Five-Gallon Canteen" at p.8 costs $4,810 and is a Charged Item (with the Create Water spell) with Limited use per days (5 charges). According to the rules given later in the book, this should cost a base of $4000 to enchant a Casting Item (a canteen worth $10) with Create Water, plus 5 Charges, each requiring 2 FPs. According to the table at p.15 the charges should cost $320x5=$1600, for a item total of $5,610. However the item is priced using the FIRST column in the table, for a non-rechargeable item ($160x5=$800) for a total $4,810. I guess that the fact that the item is limited in casting the spell only on itself may warrant the discount...

[Anders]

If you find any reasoning I would be very interested. This legacy code from the 90s.

[mirtexxan]

Originally Posted by Anders

If you find any reasoning I would be very interested. This legacy code from the 90s.

I know that Magic is legacy code from the 90's :P

However, I'm assuming that Magic just EXISTS, and thus I'm trying to find some consistency building on top of it.

For the moment, my reasoning for "rechargeable items" in DFRPG is the following:

Assume that by doubling both the underlying gem cost and the enchantment cost of a Spell Stone spell you obtain one "stone" that does not shatter when used, and can be recharged by reenchanting Spell Stone on it ($20xP). If you try to reenchant a different spell or change the spell parameters, the enchantment result in an automatic critical failure, and the gem shatters.

(Also assume that Quick and Dirty enchantment in a DF setting is applicable to up to 200 energy points and not 100 as in Magic)

[mirtexxan]

Rechargeable Spell Stone (VH)
Enchantment

As Spell Stone. However, while concentrating the user does not shatter the spell stone in his hand, and instead must wield the stone, point it at the subject, and speak a command word. Being restrained or silenced prevents activation. If the item isn’t in hand, pulling it out requires a Ready maneuver.

A rechargeable spell stone must be made from a jewel worth $20xP^2 + $80xP, where P is the maximum energy of the spell that may be contained.

Once used, a rechargeable spell stone becomes inert but can be enchanted again. If you try to reenchant a different spell or change the original spell parameters, the enchantment result in an automatic critical failure, and the jewel shatters.


Energy cost to cast: 40 times the spell’s casting cost, including maintenance cost if so desired. Half cost to enchant again an inert spell stone.
Prerequisites: Spell Stone

[mirtexxan]

Finally, in order to allow Casting Items with a given number of uses per day and make them compatible with Gurps Magic (and thus creating a complete framework for HOW enchantment works in Dungeon Fantasy):

Add another option to the Powerstone spell, after "Exclusive" Powerstones (M70).

"Unstable Powerstones"

Alternatively, instead of being more energy efficient, exclusive (and only exclusive) powerstones can be made to recharge completely in a single day in Normal mana (1 point per day, in low mana; unaffected by high or very high mana). However such enchantment is inherently unstable: if anyone tries to enhance the capacity of an unstable powerstone beyond 10 energy points, or tries to remove it from its dedicated item, the powerstone instantly shatters.

An item being enchanted in this way must have a value equal to $20xP^2 + $80xP, where P is the target capacity of an Unstable Powerstone.