The DM team has been discussion how to deal with Item Creation feats. Our original solution was to ban all item creation feats outright. However, this leaves wizards, alchemists and a few others in a bit of a bind as they receive Item Creation feats for free.
To resolve this, we have created new versions of the feats Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion. These are detailed in the rules page for Item Creation Feats.
Effectively, they allow you to take the feat and use the normal Pathfinder rules to make scrolls or potions (including during item creation), but it limits you to use those yourself. Thus, you cannot give them to others or sell them.
Any characters who are entitled to these feats due to classes of course should have them, many already listed them but simply didn't use them until the matter was resolved. If you are entitled to them but do not list them, contact a DM to get your sheet updated.
As per our meta rule, since this is a rule change, you can also update your character and swap for these feats. And as always if you feel you are negatively affected by this, be sure to reach out to see what can be done to help you out.
Below, I list the details behind this decision as well as a few clarifications on the rules and the transfer. If you have any questions, be sure to ask!
Why this change? Why not use the regular rules?
The item creation mechanic in Pathfinder poses a serious problem for chats like ours.
By allowing characters to create magic items at half market value, it creates an economic situation where there is a clear incentive for one PC to create items to sell to other PCs below the listed book value. The selling PC makes a profit and the buying PC pays less for their items.
In regular tabletop this less of a problem - there are only three potential customers and the DM can easily balance the gold income to keep players at the intended wealth level. In our game, with changing party compositions, douzens of players most with several characters, it simply isn't the same.
In previous chats, I have seen the value of all magic items being cut almost in half due to competition between crafters - which clearly creates an imbalance - or we've seen certain players with a lot of craft feats get unacceptably rich.
There are some IC solutions for this like making laws or having the Item Creation Maffia break some kneecaps, but none of that is fun for the players affected and I for one am not comfortable sending a hit squad to steal a players gold and magic items as a solution to what is effectively a problem with the game rules.
Please note that this problem is NOT a consequence of our lower gold limits. This problem would have occurred in equal measure if we were running were a Monty Haul game.
What about the other Item Creation Feats?
Right now, we believe these two feats, Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion, were the most in need of sorting out as certain classes receive them as bonus feats and those feats are fitting for the classes.
With the limitation we created, we do not believe the other item creation feats are very desirable, so we have left them out. If there is significant interest among players in having them, under similar "can't sell, can't give away, others can't use your creations" restriction, we would be willing to reconsider. However, there would have to be some arrangement regarding magic weapons as these are already available at a reduced cost.
Can it be detected if a scroll or potion is a homemade variant and is thus unusable by others?
Yes, this is immediately obvious to anyone able to tell a magical scroll / potion from a non-magical one.
How does this interact with the Wizard Arcane Bond ability?
The wizard Arcane Bond ability allows PCs to have a bonded amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon and apply enchantments to it as if they had a required Item Creation feat.
By the rules as written, this ability would become useless, since there exist no feats to enchant such items.
However, we have decided that you will be allowed to add abilities to those items as if the normal Pathfinder rules apply, i.e. at half price, presuming they meet the other requirements.
SPECIAL: this does NOT stack with the rule for half-priced weapon enhancements. You get a weapon enhancement on your weapon for half the original price, not half the adjusted NU price. This means you still pay 1000 gp for a +1 enhancement, whether you buy it from an NPC or apply it using the Arcane Bond ability.
How does this work for NPCs that create magic items?
They spending larger amounts of time - including preparation work, using rare ingredients not otherwise available, special techniques, etc. They are not able to adventure either. Whatever option they use, it is unfortunately not available to PCs.
