One of the most iconic parts of Pathfinder is the vast amount of magic items that characters acquire. To some, this is viewed negatively as the "Christmas Tree" effect, after the fact that when viewed with a detect magic spell, a character displays a light show that would put even the most festive firs to shame. In contrast, other fictional examples trend towards the opposite; a character generally has several important magic items, rather than an overburdened arsenal.
This variant presents rules for helping alleviate the Christmas tree, allowing characters to combine the items necessary for survival with the thematic and interesting items they might not otherwise be able to access. The variant changes how magic items function in two ways:
Numerical Bonuses[]
When creating or improving an item, a character can add one of the effects listed on Table 6-2: Numerical Bonuses to it at no extra cost. These bonuses can be added to the item regardless of the item’s body slot or function (including magic armor and weapons). A weapon or similar item confers the effects added with this variant as long as the wielder has it within their space or actively being used (in the case of a thrown weapon), even if it is sheathed, leaned against a tavern table, or flying through the air at an orc’s face. An item that is disarmed or otherwise taken from its owner stops granting its effects, however (granting them to its new wielder instead if stolen).
Adding numerical bonuses to an item works the same way as crafting a normal magic item. The creator must meet the necessary prerequisites, spend gold equal to half the item’s market price on raw materials, and spend time working just as if they were creating an item from scratch. The market prices on the table are listed in “steps,” for ease of reference when improving an item. For example, if a character wanted to add a +1 deflection bonus to his magic sword, it would add 2,000 gp to the item’s base price. If he later wanted to increase that bonus to +3, it would cost him 16,000 gp (6,000 to improve to +2, and 10,000 to improve to +3). If he later wanted to add a +4 enhancement bonus to his Strength, it would cost him 16,000 gp (4,000 to add the base +2 bonus, then 12,000 to improve it to +4).
Note that unlike with the belt of physical might, belt of physical perfection, headband of mental prowess, and headband of mental superiority, there is no increase in price if a character applies multiple enhancement bonuses to an ability score to a single item.
Temporary or Permanent?[]
When a character has added effects to an item that is normally wielded, it should be treated as if it were continuously worn so long as they still own it, even if it leaves their hands (such as by throwing a weapon, or a party surrendering their weapons to the city watch when meeting the king). For example, if a character has a sword that grants them a +2 bonus to their Intelligence score, after 24 hours of owning it, they can use their increased score for the purposes of meeting prerequisites. They would still only gain its benefits (and thus, the benefits of feats or other options whose prerequisites were met with it) while the item is within their reach or in use. After a character has lost their item for 24 hours, they are no longer treated as its owner, and must hold it for another day to gain these benefits.
Table 1-2: Numerical Bonuses[]
| Bonus | Prerequisites | Market Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ability Score: +2 enhancement bonus¹ | see text | 4,000 GP |
| Ability Score: +2 to +4 enhancement bonus¹ | see text | 12,000 GP |
| Ability Score: +4 to +6 enhancement bonus¹ | see text | 16,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +1 deflection bonus | shield of faith, CL = 3 × bonus | 2,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +2 deflection bonus | shield of faith, CL = 3 × bonus | 6,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +3 deflection bonus | shield of faith, CL = 3 × bonus | 10,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +4 deflection bonus | shield of faith, CL = 3 × bonus | 14,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +5 deflection bonus | shield of faith, CL = 3 × bonus | 18,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +1 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 1,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +1 to +2 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 3,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +2 to +3 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 5,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +3 to +4 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 7,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +4 to +5 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 9,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +5 to +6 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 11,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +6 to +7 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 13,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +7 to +8 armor bonus² | mage armor, CL = 2 × bonus | 15,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +1 enhancement bonus to natural armor | barkskin, CL = 3 × bonus | 2,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +1 to +2 enhancement bonus to natural armor | barkskin, CL = 3 × bonus | 6,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +2 to +3 enhancement bonus to natural armor | barkskin, CL = 3 × bonus | 10,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +3 to +4 enhancement bonus to natural armor | barkskin, CL = 3 × bonus | 14,000 GP |
| Armor Class: +4 to +5 enhancement bonus to natural armor | barkskin, CL = 3 × bonus | 18,000 GP |
| Energy Resistance: 5 against one element³ | resist energy | 4,000 GP |
| Energy Resistance: 5 to 10 against one element³ | resist energy | 8,000 GP |
| Energy Resistance: 10 to 20 against one element³ | resist energy | 16,000 GP |
| Energy Resistance: 20 to 30 against one element³ | resist energy | 16,000 GP |
| Saving Throws: +1 resistance bonus | resistance, CL = 3 × bonus | 1,000 GP |
| Saving Throws: +1 to +2 resistance bonus | resistance, CL = 3 × bonus | 3,000 GP |
| Saving Throws: +2 to +3 resistance bonus | resistance, CL = 3 × bonus | 5,000 GP |
| Saving Throws: +3 to +4 resistance bonus | resistance, CL = 3 × bonus | 7,000 GP |
| Saving Throws: +4 to +5 resistance bonus | resistance, CL = 3 × bonus | 9,000 GP |
| Skills: +5 competence bonus on one skill⁴ | guidance, ranks in skill = bonus | 2,500 GP |
| Skills: +5 to +10 competence bonus on one skill⁴ | guidance, ranks in skill = bonus | 7,500 GP |
- An item can gain this effect multiple times (once for each ability score). If Intelligence is selected, the item also grants ranks in one associated skill for each +2 bonus granted after being worn for 24 hours, as if it were a headband of vast intelligence. The skills are chosen when the item is created or upgraded, and cannot be changed thereafter. The prerequisite for enhancing or upgrading an item with this effect is the appropriate spell for the ability score off the following list: bear's endurance, bull's strength, cat's grace, eagle's splendor, fox's cunning, owl's wisdom.
- Cannot be added to an item that already grants a nonmagical armor bonus. In addition, a character can enhance the item with armor special abilities as if it were a pair of bracers of armor. In such a case, the item follows all the same restrictions as bracers of armor regarding interaction with worn armor, and the creator must meet the prerequisites of the armor special abilities as normal.
- Chosen from acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. An item can gain this effect multiple times. Each time, the creator chooses a different element.
- An item can gain this effect multiple times. Each time, the creator chooses a different skill.
Non-Numerical Effects[]
In addition to the numerical bonuses listed above, a character can combine the effects of multiple magic items into a single unit. If the final item occupies a body slot or must be wielded in the user’s hands to function (such as a weapon), then the total price of the item is equal to the highest individual price of the effects added plus 1.5 times the price of each other added non-numerical effect. If the final item does not occupy a body slot (such as if the character is creating a specialized ioun stone or a weapon that confers its abilities even when sheathed), then effects that normally occupy a body slot have their prices multiplied by 2, rather than 1.5.
For example, if a character wanted to buy a +3 amulet of mighty fists that also gives the effects of an amulet of proof against detection and location, they would need to pay 36,000 gp (the base price of a +3 amulet of mighty fists) + 52,500 gp (1.5 × 35,000 gp, the base price of an amulet of proof against detection and location), or a total market price of 88,500 gp. If they later wanted to have it grant a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution, then they would add 4,000 gp to the market price of the item, because as an effect listed on Table 6-2: Numerical Bonuses, it does not carry an additional cost when being added to an item. The GM has the final say on whether or not an item can be combined with other items in this way.
A character can also change the item slot of an item by multiplying its price by 1.5, even if they are not adding it to another item. For example, if a character wanted to make a pair of boots of teleportation that were actually gloves of teleportation, occupying their hands slot, it would cost 1.5 × 49,000 gp, for a total market price of 73,500 gp.