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D&D Magic Item Price Calculator – Online by Rarity & Edition

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D&D Magic Item Price Calculator

Calculate prices by rarity & edition — 5e, 3.5e, Pathfinder 2e supported

Common 50–100 gp
Uncommon 101–500 gp
Rare 501–5,000 gp
Very Rare 5,001–50,000 gp
Legendary 50,001+ gp
Artifact Priceless
No — Full price (Consumables typically half price)
No additional adjustments for 5e
ESTIMATED PRICE RANGE
101 – 500 gp
DMG / Xanathar's Guide to Everything
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Platinum (pp)
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Gold (gp)
–
Electrum (ep)
–
Silver (sp)
–
Copper (cp)

Based on midpoint of price range

DMG Sane Magic Item Prices: The Dungeon Master's Guide (p.135) provides baseline ranges. Xanathar's Guide (p.126) offers alternate pricing with dice-based formulas. Use the "Roll Random Price" button to simulate Xanathar's method.
Quick Reference — 5e Price Ranges
Rarity DMG Range Xanathar's Formula Xanathar's Range Typical Level
Common50–100 gp(1d6+1)×10 gp20–70 gp1st+
Uncommon101–500 gp1d6×100 gp100–600 gp1st+
Rare501–5,000 gp2d10×1,000 gp2,000–20,000 gp5th+
Very Rare5,001–50,000 gp(1d4+1)×10,000 gp20,000–50,000 gp11th+
Legendary50,001+ gp2d6×25,000 gp50,000–300,000 gp17th+
ArtifactPriceless — cannot be bought or sold
Frequently Asked Questions
How are magic item prices determined in D&D 5e?
In D&D 5th Edition, magic item prices are primarily based on rarity. The Dungeon Master's Guide (p.135) provides broad price ranges for each rarity tier: Common (50–100 gp), Uncommon (101–500 gp), Rare (501–5,000 gp), Very Rare (5,001–50,000 gp), and Legendary (50,001+ gp). Xanathar's Guide to Everything (p.126) introduced alternative dice-based pricing formulas for more variability. Consumable items like potions and scrolls are typically priced at half the standard rate.
What's the difference between DMG and Xanathar's Guide magic item pricing?
The DMG gives fixed gold piece ranges (e.g., Uncommon: 101–500 gp) intended as loose guidelines. Xanathar's Guide provides dice-based formulas (e.g., Uncommon: 1d6×100 gp, yielding 100–600 gp) that introduce randomness — simulating haggling or market fluctuation. Xanathar's also ties pricing to downtime activities and complications. Many DMs prefer Xanathar's for its granularity, while the DMG ranges work well for quick estimations. This calculator supports both systems.
Are consumable magic items cheaper than permanent ones?
Yes! In both the DMG and Xanathar's Guide, consumable items (potions, scrolls, ammunition) are priced at half the cost of a permanent item of the same rarity. For example, an Uncommon permanent item might cost 400 gp, while an Uncommon potion would be around 200 gp. This reflects their one-time-use nature. You can toggle the "Consumable" switch in this calculator to apply the 50% discount automatically.
How does rarity affect magic item power and price?
Rarity in D&D 5e serves as a rough proxy for both power level and character level appropriateness. Common items are minor novelties (e.g., Potion of Climbing). Uncommon items start offering meaningful mechanical benefits (e.g., Bag of Holding, +1 Weapon). Rare items provide significant advantages (e.g., Flame Tongue). Very Rare and Legendary items are game-changing (e.g., Staff of Power, Vorpal Sword). Artifacts are unique, story-defining objects with no market price. Generally, higher rarity = higher price = more powerful effect.
Can players buy magic items in 5e, or are they only found as loot?
This depends on the DM and campaign setting. By default, 5e assumes a low-magic economy where magic items are rarely sold in shops. However, Xanathar's Guide (p.126) provides explicit rules for buying magic items using downtime days, gold, and potential complications. Settings like Eberron or the Forgotten Realms may feature magic item brokers. Ultimately, the DM decides availability. This calculator helps DMs set fair prices when they do allow purchases.
How do D&D 3.5e magic item prices work compared to 5e?
D&D 3.5e uses a formula-based crafting system instead of rarity tiers. Weapon/armor prices are based on enhancement bonus squared × base cost (2,000 gp for weapons, 1,000 gp for armor). Potions cost spell level × caster level × 50 gp. Scrolls cost spell level × caster level × 25 gp. Wands cost spell level × caster level × 750 gp (for 50 charges). This system is far more granular than 5e's rarity-based pricing. Switch to the 3.5e tab above for edition-specific calculations.
What about Pathfinder 2e magic item prices?
Pathfinder 2e prices items by item level rather than rarity alone. Each item has a specific level (1–20), and its price corresponds to the treasure by level table. Rarity (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Unique) affects availability more than price — Uncommon items may require GM permission, while Rare and Unique items are generally not purchasable. Typical permanent item prices range from 15 gp (level 1) to 70,000+ gp (level 20). Consumables cost significantly less (3 gp to 9,000 gp).
How should I price custom or homebrew magic items?
For custom items, compare them to official items of similar power and assign a rarity accordingly. Ask: What level should a character be before this item feels appropriate? Use that to determine rarity (Common = any level, Uncommon = 1–4, Rare = 5–10, Very Rare = 11–16, Legendary = 17+). Then apply the corresponding price range. For unique effects, consider whether the item is combat-relevant (price higher), utility-only (price moderate), or purely flavorful (price lower). The Sane Magic Item Prices community guide is also an excellent reference.
What currency is used for D&D magic item prices?
The standard currency is gold pieces (gp). The full D&D monetary system is: 1 platinum piece (pp) = 10 gp, 1 gp = 2 electrum pieces (ep), 1 gp = 10 silver pieces (sp), 1 gp = 100 copper pieces (cp). For expensive items, prices may be quoted in platinum. For very cheap common items, silver may be used. This calculator includes a full currency conversion panel showing all denominations.
Do magic item prices change based on item type (weapon vs. ring vs. wand)?
In 5e, the base price is determined by rarity, not item type — an Uncommon ring and an Uncommon weapon fall in the same 101–500 gp range. However, the DMG notes that consumables (potions, scrolls) are half price, and some DMs adjust prices for items with limited charges (like wands with few remaining charges). In 3.5e, item type does directly affect price through different formulas. In Pathfinder 2e, item type is factored into the level-based pricing. This calculator applies type-specific adjustments for 3.5e and PF2e automatically.
D&D Magic Item Pricing: Quick Tips for Dungeon Masters
  • Low-magic campaigns: Double all prices or make items unavailable for purchase.
  • High-magic campaigns (e.g., Eberron): Use standard prices; common items may be widely sold.
  • Haggling: Allow Charisma (Persuasion) checks to adjust prices by ±10–20%.
  • Crafting: Per Xanathar's, crafting a magic item costs half its market price in materials plus downtime.
  • Attunement items: Items requiring attunement don't get a price discount — the attunement slot limitation balances power separately.
  • Cursed items: Should appear cheaper or be offered at "too good to be true" prices — perfect for plot hooks!
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