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I know that Potions, Scrolls and Wands vary in price, depending on class making them. This is explained by the fact they are usually made at lowest possible CL and have a fixed CL of spell being placed in those items. This does have a hidden benefit of spell being the higher CL though.

https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=405

https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=408

https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=410

None of that is the case with Staves.

https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=409

Staves don't have table with different prices based on class. Staves don't have hidden benefit of higher CL either, because spells placed in Staves are cast based on user's CL, not crafter's chosen CL at the moment of creation.

Does this mean I can, as a Sorcerer, craft staff of, let's say, Antimagic Field:

  • For the price of 400 * 6 * 11 = 26,400?

...or do I have to:

  • Spend 400 * 6 * 12 = 28,800?

DISCLAIMER: Of course we're talking RAW here. This means custom magic items made freely from crafting tables and GM having no say in any matter even remotely related to rules.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Does the question stand with anything but staffs? (Or staves or whatever.) That is, can an example other than Craft Staff be used? (Unlike potions, scrolls, and wands, the Craft Staff feat only allows you to "create any staff whose prerequisites you meet" (i.e. GM-approved new staffs and published staffs) rather than creating a magic item that employs "any spell that you know." Thus answers have to assume GM approval and theoretical prerequisites, making answering this question complicated. Or is that the point?) \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Commented Jul 2 at 16:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ I added disclaimer. I keep forgetting full RAW isn't default understanding of the questions posted here (which it should be). \$\endgroup\$
    – Nec Xelos
    Commented Jul 2 at 17:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ And question stands with pretty much any spell trigger or spell completion item that isn't Potion, Scroll or Wand. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nec Xelos
    Commented Jul 2 at 17:43
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    \$\begingroup\$ Actually, we're pretty RAW-compliant 'round here, which is why I brought this up. You're asking a question about a staff of antimagic field, that's, technically, an original (and custom) magic item that the GM would have to approve and to which the GM could add additional prerequisites. The GM has every say in the matter of original magic items. I'd like answers not to have to also address that the Craft Staff feat can only be used the way the question describes with the GM's permission. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Commented Jul 2 at 18:56

1 Answer 1

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Wizards can create items more cheaply than sorcerers.

The pertinent rules here are in the general magic item creation section and magic item gold piece values sections rather than in the individual items, respectively:

While item creation costs are handled in detail below, note that normally the two primary factors are the caster level of the creator and the level of the spell or spells put into the item. A creator can create an item at a lower caster level than her own, but never lower than the minimum level needed to cast the needed spell. Using metamagic feats, a caster can place spells in items at a higher level than normal.

Prices presented in the magic item descriptions (the gold piece value following the item’s slot) are the market value, which is generally twice what it costs the creator to make the item. Since different classes get access to certain spells at different levels, the prices for two characters to make the same item might actually be different. An item is only worth two times what the caster of the lowest possible level can make it for. Calculate the market price based on the lowest possible level caster, no matter who makes the item.

Not all items adhere to these formulas. First and foremost, these few formulas aren’t enough to truly gauge the exact differences between items. The price of a magic item may be modified based on its actual worth. The formulas only provide a starting point. The pricing of scrolls assumes that, whenever possible, a wizard or cleric created it. Potions and wands follow the formulas exactly. Staves follow the formulas closely, and other items require at least some judgment calls.

As the sorcerer gets access to the spell later, it would cost them more to create the item. Staves specifically are called out as following the formulas closely and don't mentioned anything specific to override the baseline rules around spell/caster levels (although as noted by Hey I Can Chan, this would be a custom staff).

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thank you very much. Note for self: only ever make crafter wizards in the future, now that I know it's so insanely suboptimal to craft with anyone else. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nec Xelos
    Commented Jul 2 at 19:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ One more thing, if you could add that to the answer. Which value counts towards WBL? The "cheapest possible cost" (in this case as if Wizard made the item) or the "actual cost"? \$\endgroup\$
    – Nec Xelos
    Commented Jul 2 at 20:00

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