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Ok so I understand the rules in the DMG for item creation are guidelines only and that you should always compare anything new to a similar item, so here is my question.

True Casting, standard action to cast gain +10 to overcome spell resistance on next spell. spell level 1, minimum caster level 1.

True strike standard action to cast, gain +20 on next attack.

Use activated or continuous: 1x1x2000=2000gp (level of spellXcaster levelX2000) this is definitely too inexpensive for true strike and the item should be unavailable as there is no comparable item granting a continuous +20 to attack, in addition a "similar" item to true casting would be Third Eye Penetrate, costing 8000 and providing only a continuous +2 to caster level checks to overcome spell resistance (so obviously 2000 gp is too low here) so let's move on shall we?

Charges per day lets say 3 charges per day: Base price (2000)/(5/3)=1200 (roughly)

Item with 50 charges: Base price(2000)/2=1000 (slightly more expensive than a "comparable" regular lvl one wand at 750).

While a continuous option is not feasible (at least not at the low price of 2000) would a charged or X times per day item be feasible or would this break the game/cost far too little?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ If the continuous use option still required the same action to trigger the effect as casting the spell, then it would retain balance. In other words, rather than an "always on" +20 for all attacks, it instead granted an "always on" option for exchanging a standard action to get a +20 on the next attack only as per the spell description. \$\endgroup\$
    – nijineko
    Aug 26, 2017 at 22:07

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In both cases, the difficulty with these spells is their casting time versus their duration: spend a standard action, get a bonus on a single attack or spell. Actions being the most precious things in the game during combat, that’s a bad trade. And it remains a bad trade when cast from an item.

So the guidelines are quite acceptable for a charged item or a wand, because you still have to do the casting. If anything, it’s somewhat underpowered, though it makes more sense as an item than as a prepared spell or, god forbid, a spell known, since the only time these spells really shine is when you can cast the spell before the enemy is aware of you, and then immediately initiate combat and use the bonus “free.” In my experience, that doesn’t happen often enough to bother preparing or learning the spell, but maybe it does happen enough to justify a wand. (Particularly stealthy characters may well be able to generate that situation more often and improve the value of these spells, as well.)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ @kyran what about a spell with a longer duration? Aka something like a magic item with command word activation granting mage armor? \$\endgroup\$ Oct 31, 2017 at 21:20

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