Optional Magic Item Construction Rules

Mages and Clerics have 1 ability beyond any other class, the ability to create various magical items. The following are the normal
rules as presented in AD&D 2nd Edition.
Create New Spells: 3rd lvl, Spellcraft skill. a new spell or modifying a spell. Chance is 10% +1%/pt of Int/Wis +1%/lvl -2%/lvl of
spell.
Make Scrolls: 5th lvl, Read/Write skill, 1 day/lvl of spell prep. Chance 80% -1/lvl of spell +1/lvl of mage +/- paper used (-5 papyrus,
+0 parchment, +5 vellum, +10 paper). max 7 spells/scroll
Brew Potions: at 7th lvl Alchemy skill. Potions cost in GP equal to XP award & 1 day/100 XP to create. Success: 70% -1/100XP +1 / 2
lvl of mage.
Other Items: at 11th lvl, must be of highest quality (x10 cost), Enchant an Item & Permanency spells may be required. Success 60%
+1/lvl of mage -1 per each spell, special process, & unique ingredient.
After creation must rest for 1 day/100 XP earned
These are my adjusted rules:
Chance of Success: varies on what is being constructed.
New Spell: The character must be of a level to cast the new spell. Success: Int or Wis (Mage or Cleric) +4% per level of the character
-2% per level of the spell being created.
Scrolls: The character must possess the Read/Write non-weapon proficiency. The character must know the spell or a spell with the
desired effect (in the case of protection scrolls) that is to be written.
Success: Read/Write proficiency score as a %, +/- the skill check roll (a successful check add the difference of the roll vs the skill
while a failed check deducts the difference. A failed read/write roll does NOT halt the creation process it just indicates the scroll
will be difficult to read when employed).
Paper Used: Papyrus: -10%, Parchment: +/-0%, Vellum: +5%, Paper: +10% (other mediums may be used clay or stone tablets,
tapestries or rugs, embroidered handkerchief, etc.)
Special Preparations: None: -10%, Basic: +/-0%, Advanced: +1-5% per preparation step (takes 1 hour per spell level per step for
advanced preparation). Advanced preparation includes special ink, pretreating the writing surface, writing the scroll at a specific
time and/or place among other possibilities.
Mage/Cleric Level: +3% per level of the character.
Spell Level: -1% per level of the spell
Number of Spells: No penalty for the 1st spell on a scroll -2% per additional spell on the same scroll (so a spell scroll with 7 spells
on it would have a -12% for each of the spells after the 1st placed on it). The number of spells to be placed on a scroll must be
determined before the scribing process begins.
Potions: The character must possess the Alchemy non-weapon proficiency.
Success: Alchemy proficiency score as a %, +/- the skill check roll (a successful check adds the difference of the roll vs the skill
while a failed check deducts the difference. A failed roll does NOT halt the creation process it just indicates the potion will not be
pleasant tasting).
Special Ingredients Used: The more rare the ingredient the better the bonus, a potion can be attempted using no special ingredients
but the chance of success WILL BE what it could have been
Mage/Cleric Level: +4% per level of the character.
Spell Level: -1% per level of the spell, if a spell is used to get the desired effect in place of OR in combination with special
ingredients.
Other Items: This covers ALL other magic items from rings to weapons, armor to bags, etc. The mage/cleric does not need to know
how to construct the mundane item to be enchanted as the basic fabrication can be contracted out to others. These items possess
quality levels, the level of quality has a direct effect on the ability to enchant item.
Shoddy: CAN NOT be magically modified
Average: CAN NOT be magically modified
Fine: Cost: x1.5, can accept up to a magic +1 and +1 special power, Chance of success: -15%
Remarkable: Cost: x2, can accept up to a magic +2 and +1 special power, Chance of success: -10%
Superior: Cost: x3, can accept up to a magic +3 and +2 special powers, Chance of success: -5%
Grand: Cost: x5, can accept up to a magic +4 and +2 special powers, Chance of success: +0%
Imperial: Cost: x7, can accept up to a magic +5 and +3 special powers, Chance of success: +5%
Flawless: Cost: x10, can accept up to a magic +6 and +4 special powers, Chance of success: +10%
The size of an item also has a bearing on it being enchanted.
Tiny: Shuriken, Ioun Stone, Amulet: Base Number of Powers it can hold: 1
Small: Dagger, Pouch, Belt: Base Number of Powers it can hold: 2
Medium: Spatha, Backpack: Base Number of Powers it can hold: 3
Large: Quarterstaff, Suit of Armor (not piecemealed): Base Number of Powers it can hold: 4
Special: Rings lend themselves to the manipulation of magical energy for unknown reasons and as such have a Base Number of
Powers they can hold: 3
Enchant an Item spell must be cast in order to make the item receptive to further enchantments. The Permanency spell may also be
required if the enchantments are to be permanent (ie no need for recharging).
Success: 30% +2% per level of the mage/cleric, -1% per each spell, special process & unique ingredient needed in enchanting.

Special Items: Mages and Clerics can make special magic items that are of a unique nature after a fashion. These signature items are
usually staves but could also be wands.
Wands: A signature wand can be crafted to 1 of 2 uses. The first it can be designed to have 1 spell that it can cast for every 5
levels of the caster. So a 20th level caster can make a wand with 4 spells if the permanency spell is also used the spells are
locked and fixed in level at the strength they were cast at during the enchanting stage. So at 20th level a mage could make a
wand of Light, Fireball, Lightning Bolt and Knock all at 20th level of strength. With being made permanent these spells can be
cast a number of times per 24 hours equal to 1/3 the casters level rounded down. For every -10% in the success chance taken
this time frame can be reduced as follows: -0%: per 24 hours, -10% per 12 hours, -20% per hour, -30% per turn, -40% per
round (This is rolled for each spell separately) if the per round feature is desired and the roll succeeds the spell is set to once
per round casting limit. If permanency is not used the wand has charges (all wands have 100 charges they can hold) the
number of charges consumed is equal to the spell strength divided by 6 round up so a 20 die fireball would use 4 charges to
cast.
The second way a signature wand can be crafted is to augment the spells of the caster by casting the spell through the item. For
every -10% on the success to craft the wand can add 1 level to the strength that a spell is cast at when channeled through it.
Staff: A signature staff is a weapon, a spell storage device and a spell enhancement device all rolled into one item. The weapon
aspect is crafted as normal for any magic weapon. Spell storage is as per wands above but a number of spells equal to the level
of the caster can be stored in the staff. For every -5% in the success chance taken the casting time frame can be reduced as
follows: -0%: per 24 hours, -5% per 12 hours, -10% per 6 hours, -15% per hour, -20% per 3 turns, -25% per turn, -30% per 5
minutes, -35% per minute, -40% per 3 rounds, -45% per round (This is rolled for each spell separately) if the per round feature
is desired and the roll succeeds the spell is set to once per round casting limit. Spell enhancement works as detailed for the
wand above.
Cost to Construct: Item construction cost + 1/10 listed cost of any spells needed + cost of any unique ingredient required. An
example of cost for spells is listed below for easy reference.
Earned Experience: Mages/Clerics earn 10 XP per magical + x50 XP per ability or spell x100 XP per special purpose (if any). After
creation of items the mage must rest for 1 day per 100 XP earned. A mage/cleric can create a number of items equal to the average of
their level and Int or Wis (mage or cleric) rounded down in a single build session. If multiple items are crafted simultaneously use the
single highest earned XP to determine the length of the rest period after crafting is completed.
Time to Craft: In addition to the length of time it takes to construct items to be enchanted the enchanting process also takes time to
perform. The length of time to enchant is determined similar to the length of time needed to rest as detailed above, only replace day
with hour.