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OK, my wife wants to create (enchant) a ring with the Air Armor spell (+command word).
Upon uttering the command word the Air Armor spell springs into being

Now I know it is quite possible to enchant such an item, but my problem is that she wants to use it using the Create Commom Item knack to do so. As a reference my wife is using a quote from EDPC p155 Enchantment Types, Common items ....
"Occasionally, magicians create minor magical items by using a spell pattern as the basis for the common item’s magical pattern, allowing the item to show effects similar to that of the spell used."

I say yes you can use spells to create spell like effects but only, as per the example of the Bedroll of Comfort, only to create Common items listed in the Good & Services section (or something very similiar).

What is the correct interpretation

Cheers, Chris

There are basically three types of magic items.

* Blood magic items, which are powered by strain/permanent damage taken by the user
* Thread items, which require Thread Weaving and the use of permanent threads
* "Common" items, which is everything else.

The list in the Goods & Services section is by no means exhaustive, it's really more a handful of examples of 'magical technology' that exist in the setting.

Look at page 154, under "Imbuing the Item With Magical Power". There's a bullet list that includes (emphasis mine):

"A magician may also enchant an item by placing a spell pattern into the item's pattern. Generally, magicians use this technique to create minor magical items that can be used by any character, but they may also be used to create thread items. This technique allos some exceptions when producing minor items."

Unless she is trying to make the ring a blood charm or thread item (and I don't think a low-power single-effect item like you describe really qualifies to be a thread item -- even a minor one), then it falls under the catchall umbrella of "common" magic item - even if there isn't something equivalent in the goods and services chapter.

(IIRC, in prior versions of the rules, this sort of thing would be handled via "enchanting by Named spell", but it would still be considered a common item.)

What do you suggest as a cost ?

In terms of cost... I took a look at similar items (based on the effect in question) and would put this item in the same general power level as an Absorb Blow blood charm, or a suit of Fernweave armor.

This would put the enchanting difficulty number in the 11-15 range, and the "market cost" of such an item in the 100-150 silver range. I think (since the effect would stack with existing armor) that it should probably be in the upper end of that range.

Also, another reading of the enchanting rules does mention that using a Named spell in the enchanting still cost Legend Points (see the last paragraph on pg 153), with Air Armor costing 300 Legend to Name (and therefore make permanent for the enchantment). I think this would also work as a reasonable guideline for the cost of an item. So perhaps a market price of around 300 silver, which doesn't seem too unreasonable either -- and therefore a cost of ~150 silver for the materials.

Thank you, that clears things up

Chris, do you and your Wife (ED group?) keep a running adventure log up on Obsidian Portal or anywhere else for us to read? I love reading about other ED groups if you do. Reading about your Wife's idea got me curious about your group.

that ring (cost 150 sp) will be able to cast "air armor" an infinite number of times / day ?
if yes, how can it be so cheap ? a talisman (container for a spell) can keep a single spell, not reusable until recharged and costs something near 100sp / level if IIRC

Well, the numbers I used were back-of-the-envelope, pulled-out-of-my-rear-end.

Even given that though, the numbers I came up with aren't that far off the numbers for a First Circle talisman (enchanting difficulty 16, cost 150silver).

There are a couple of things that I think are a balance to the cost/difficulty of the ring in relation to a talisman... first, I would require the ring enchanter to cast a Named air armor spell on the ring, with the commensurate cost of legend points. A talisman has no legend point cost to create (so far as I can tell, anyway). Second, a talisman has a degree of flexibility that the ring lacks -- the ring has one effect, the talisman can hold any spell of appropriate discipline/circle.

But by all means, I don't think that either increasing the cost/difficulty of the ring is that big a deal, or conversely, limiting its uses and/or requiring some kind of 'recharge' before the next use (much like the thread weaving required by the talisman).

In essence, creating new magic items is more art than science, and different players/GMs will have different feelings on the appropriate power level or difficulty for different things. Personally, I don't think the proposed item is that powerful, all things considered.