My PCs recently defeated a white dragon wyrmling and harvested the hide and scales to have special armor made. I told them they probably had enough for one set of leather armor and one set of scale mail.
I need some guidance on cost/time to make the items? I was thinking the armor would be +1 and give the wearer resistance to cold damage while attuned. Per the book, this would put these armors at least into the rare category, if not the very rare category, making the cost anywhere between 500 - 50,000 gp. However, by providing the materials to the appropriate craftsperson this could help lower the cost.
I should also note that the PCs are only level 3, so I wouldn’t allow them to have such powerful armor until level 5 (also suggested by the book).
I would start with Dragon Scale Mail as you baseline. This is very rare armor, so it will be quite powerful for their current level. What you could do is have the party seek out a master craftsman somewhere who is capable of turning the hide into armor. Of course, the cost would be very high and it would take a long time so the best bet would be to drop it off with him and go on about their business for a few levels while they get the money and while he works.
This will also buy you some time to figure out exactly how you want to handle the armor.
Yes, this is what I was thinking. I don’t think I’d make it AS powerful as the dragon scale mail in the dmg, but it’s a great starting point. I like the idea of seeking out a master craftsperson - that alone could buy a lot of time allowing them to level up.
For the cost since it's obviously something that is out of their price range. You can have them going on a side quest for owing the craftsman for making that piece, it could be something small or be a number of quests and the craftsman won't give them the armor until they complete the quest.
To buy armor that is +1 AC and Cold Resistance, I would say its probably around 8000 gp (the sane magic item guide from GitP says armor, +1 is 1500 and armor of resistance is 6000, then add some more because you get both). They already have probably the hardest component, so knock off a fair amount, say 3000. That leaves 5000 worth of materials needed. Possibly some sort of magic or extra durable thread.
The Player's Handbook (PHB) gives rules for characters crafting items in their downtime. For the magical items, the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) gives additional rules.
You can craft non-magical objects, including adventuring equipment and works of art. You must be proficient with tools related to the object you are trying to create (typically artisan's tools). You might also need access to special materials or locations necessary to create it.
* * *
For every day of downtime you spend crafting, you can craft one or more items with a total market value not exceeding 5 gp, and you must expend raw materials worth half the total market value. If something you want to craft has a market value greater than 5 gp, you make progress every day in 5-gp increments until you reach the market value of the item.
The Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) gives some rules for players crafting magic items as well as DM's creating new magic items that do not exist in the core books.
The creation of a magic item is a lengthy, expensive task. To start, a character must have a formula that describes the construction of the item. The character must also be a spellcaster with spell slots and must be able to cast any spells that the item can produce. Moreover, the character must meet a level minimum determined by the item’s rarity, as shown in the Crafting Magic Items table.
* * *
Item Rarity - Creation Cost - Minimum Level Common - 100 gp - 3rd Level Uncommon - 500 gp - 3rd Level Rare - 5,000 gp - 6th Level Very Rare - 50,000 gp - 11th Level Legendary - 500,000 gp - 17th Level
* * *
An item has a creation cost specified in the Crafting Magic Items table (half that cost for a consumable, such as a potion or scroll). A character engaged in the crafting of a magic item makes progress in 25 gp increments, spending that amount for each day of work until the total cost is paid.
DMG - Ch 6: Between Adventures - Downtime Activities - More Downtime Activities - Crafting a Magic Item
There is a section in the DMG that will walk you through a basic idea of modifying or even creating a new magic item with a table that will give you an idea of its rarity.
DMG - Ch 9: Dungeon Master's Workshop - Creating a Magic Item - Creating a New Item
Xanathar's Guide to Everything (XGtE) also has rules that go over crafting if they fit your campaign better. They are generally a little faster and cheaper than the DMG and PHB. Also, XGtE gives special rules for creating healing potions since those are more common.
Non-Magical In addition to the appropriate tools for the item to be crafted, a character needs raw materials worth half of the item’s selling cost. To determine how many workweeks it takes to create an item, divide its gold piece cost by 50.
Magical Rarity - Workweek - Money Spent Common - 1 - 50 gp Uncommon - 2 - 200 gp Rare - 10 - 2,000 gp Very Rare - 25 - 20,000 gp Legendary - 50 - 100,000 gp
It also suggests the CR rating a creature for the players to gain the rare materials and lore.
XGtE - Ch 2: Downtime Revisited - Examples of Downtime Activities - Crafting an Item
In all cases the characters are spending money on materials, spending time on the crafting, need to know how to use the tools, sometimes have to be in a place to allow the crafting (like a forge or tannery), and are spending a majority of each day working on the item. Also, for magic items, both DMG and XGtE says the characters should be following a recipe (obtaining one might be an adventure or require speaking to the correct people) as well as gaining rare materials (like the dragon scales.)
Since they are searching for a person who can craft the item. The person would take the work off the characters as well as the tool knowledge and the recipe and place of work, but probably add price and the time would still be an issue. (All the crafting rules mention that multiple people can work on large enough items to speed up the process.)
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Good luck and may you roll 20's when you need them and 1's when you need a laugh. - myself
To buy armor that is +1 AC and Cold Resistance, I would say its probably around 8000 gp (the sane magic item guide from GitP says armor, +1 is 1500 and armor of resistance is 6000, then add some more because you get both). They already have probably the hardest component, so knock off a fair amount, say 3000. That leaves 5000 worth of materials needed. Possibly some sort of magic or extra durable thread.
I don't really like the sane magic items prices. He way overcharges for some uncommon magic items (decanter of endless water is the 3rd most expensive item) and the prices are somewhat inconsistent (dragon scale mail is on the list as 4000 GP).
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My PCs recently defeated a white dragon wyrmling and harvested the hide and scales to have special armor made. I told them they probably had enough for one set of leather armor and one set of scale mail.
I need some guidance on cost/time to make the items? I was thinking the armor would be +1 and give the wearer resistance to cold damage while attuned. Per the book, this would put these armors at least into the rare category, if not the very rare category, making the cost anywhere between 500 - 50,000 gp. However, by providing the materials to the appropriate craftsperson this could help lower the cost.
I should also note that the PCs are only level 3, so I wouldn’t allow them to have such powerful armor until level 5 (also suggested by the book).
Thanks for the thoughts/advice!
I would start with Dragon Scale Mail as you baseline. This is very rare armor, so it will be quite powerful for their current level. What you could do is have the party seek out a master craftsman somewhere who is capable of turning the hide into armor. Of course, the cost would be very high and it would take a long time so the best bet would be to drop it off with him and go on about their business for a few levels while they get the money and while he works.
This will also buy you some time to figure out exactly how you want to handle the armor.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Yes, this is what I was thinking. I don’t think I’d make it AS powerful as the dragon scale mail in the dmg, but it’s a great starting point. I like the idea of seeking out a master craftsperson - that alone could buy a lot of time allowing them to level up.
Now the question of cost. Hmmm.
For the cost since it's obviously something that is out of their price range. You can have them going on a side quest for owing the craftsman for making that piece, it could be something small or be a number of quests and the craftsman won't give them the armor until they complete the quest.
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Great idea! Thank you!
To buy armor that is +1 AC and Cold Resistance, I would say its probably around 8000 gp (the sane magic item guide from GitP says armor, +1 is 1500 and armor of resistance is 6000, then add some more because you get both). They already have probably the hardest component, so knock off a fair amount, say 3000. That leaves 5000 worth of materials needed. Possibly some sort of magic or extra durable thread.
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The Player's Handbook (PHB) gives rules for characters crafting items in their downtime. For the magical items, the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) gives additional rules.
PHB - Ch 8: Adventuring - Between Adventures - Downtime Activities - Crafting
The Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) gives some rules for players crafting magic items as well as DM's creating new magic items that do not exist in the core books.
DMG - Ch 6: Between Adventures - Downtime Activities - More Downtime Activities - Crafting a Magic Item
There is a section in the DMG that will walk you through a basic idea of modifying or even creating a new magic item with a table that will give you an idea of its rarity.
DMG - Ch 9: Dungeon Master's Workshop - Creating a Magic Item - Creating a New Item
Xanathar's Guide to Everything (XGtE) also has rules that go over crafting if they fit your campaign better. They are generally a little faster and cheaper than the DMG and PHB. Also, XGtE gives special rules for creating healing potions since those are more common.
It also suggests the CR rating a creature for the players to gain the rare materials and lore.
XGtE - Ch 2: Downtime Revisited - Examples of Downtime Activities - Crafting an Item
In all cases the characters are spending money on materials, spending time on the crafting, need to know how to use the tools, sometimes have to be in a place to allow the crafting (like a forge or tannery), and are spending a majority of each day working on the item. Also, for magic items, both DMG and XGtE says the characters should be following a recipe (obtaining one might be an adventure or require speaking to the correct people) as well as gaining rare materials (like the dragon scales.)
Since they are searching for a person who can craft the item. The person would take the work off the characters as well as the tool knowledge and the recipe and place of work, but probably add price and the time would still be an issue. (All the crafting rules mention that multiple people can work on large enough items to speed up the process.)
Good luck and may you roll 20's when you need them and 1's when you need a laugh. - myself
I don't really like the sane magic items prices. He way overcharges for some uncommon magic items (decanter of endless water is the 3rd most expensive item) and the prices are somewhat inconsistent (dragon scale mail is on the list as 4000 GP).