Time for another pseudo-handbook list, this time Item Crafting!
There are tons of item creation feats, most of which only get minimal notation in the handbooks, so I went and made up a list just to get a better feel for the options. And there are LOTS of options.
Spell CompletionThe standard spell completion item is the scroll. There is a section in Complete Arcane on variants for scrolls, but there are two big feat variants, namely Inscribe Power Stone and Etch Schema.
The differences are as follows:
Scrolls: cheap material; Spellcraft DC 20 + spell level or read magic to use; arcane and divine separate; single use; CL 1st for feat
Power Stones: strong material; Psicraft DC 15 + power level to use; psionic only; single use; ML 1st for feat
Etch Schema: strong material; Spellcraft DC 20 + spell level to use; arcane, divine, and infusions crossover; costs 16x a scroll; 1/day forever; CL 10th for feat
I'm pretty sure I don't have to go on about the awesome of schemas. Their only downside is that you need to be 10th level before you can make them, and they don't support psionics, blade magic, and other variants, though psionics gets a semi-equivalent with powered up tattoos.
The standard use-activated item is the potion. Again, Complete Arcane lists a number of variant items. There are however a rather large number of feat variants, including the triggered variants.
The full range breaks down as follows:
Potions: weak material; limited effects; limited level (1st-3rd); CL 3rd for feat; arcane or divine
Spellvial: weak material; limited effects; limited level (1st-3rd); weak prestige class (CL 7th equivalent if a feat); costs 1-1/2x regular potion; arcane or infusion only
Universal Potion: weak material; limited effects; limited level (1st-3rd); weak prestige class (CL 10th if a feat); costs 2x regular potion; open-ended spell use; arcane or infusion only
Tattoo Magic: no material; limited effects; limited level (1st-3rd); uses up a magic item slot; arcane or divine; use does not provoke AoO
Skull Talisman: bulky/disturbing material (skulls, up to large size); limited effects; CL 6th for feat; costs 2x regular potion; any level spell; arcane or divine
Martial Script: weak material; Martial Lore DC 15 + creator level to use and Literacy or Martial Lore DC 20 + creator level to use; IL 1st; martial scripts only
Psionic Tattoo: no material; limited effects; limited level (1st-3rd); limited number (20); ML 3rd for feat
Attune Gem: strong material; arcane only; requires Craft (gemcutting); CL 3rd; no action to use but trigger conditions may be too limited for anyone but the creator
Inscribe Rune: strong material; divine only; requires Craft (varies); CL 3rd; no action to use but trigger conditions may be too limited for anyone but the creator
"Improved" Inscribe Rune: strong material; divine only; requires prestige class (CL 8th equivalent if a feat); adds trigger conditions and charges like a wand
"Greater" Inscribe Rune: strong material; divine only; requires prestige class; allows charges per day at 8x cost or permanent at 40x cost
Contingent Spell: no material; arcane or divine; 2x cost; limited number (equal to HD); trigger conditions may be too limited
Spell Mantle: doesn't create a contingent spell, but lets you activate it
Psionic Seal: places a psionic tattoo on an object; ML 7th; special
For the psionic seal feat, given the history and concept, it would work really well as the feat needed to use the "Getting Wired" material from Mind's Eye. If you treat it that way, then all the options of that are added in. Those are extensive enough you should check the specific handbook on it.
A whole lot of options here, mostly involving excessive specializing on just what sort of potion or pseudo-potion you want to make, including additional specialties based on the type of power you are using.
Most of these seem to come down to ways to put different kinds of lipstick on different kinds of pig until you hit the Psionic Seals. Even the runes would default to schemas unless you absolutely, positively, don't want to put something on your spell list.
This is the wand family. It is pretty straightforward except for the psionic equivalent of staves, and the slightly obscure scepter.
Wand: limited level (1st-4th); arcane and divine separate; tons of feats to abuse them; CL 5th
Scepter: limited level (1st-7th); arcane and divine separate; no feats to abuse; can hold 2 spells but increased charge use for spells above 4th if it does; CL 9th and knowledge (history)
Staff: really expensive; arcane and divine separate; CL 12th; uses your caster stat
Runestaff: easily to abuse with custom items; caster lists separate; CL 12th - uses Craft Staff feat; adds to spells known/requires your spell slots to use
Dorje: psionic only; ML 5th
Psicrown: manifester only; ML 12th; effectively a staff but uses your head item slot
Other than remembering that scepters and runestaves exist, there isn't much of a surprise here. If there were custom items and feats, or relevant houserules making scepters equivalent to wands, then shenanigans would almost certainly ensue.
Pretty much "all the rest of the junk". There is more psionic duplication here, but the real fun comes with another slew of specialized variants roaming about.
Wondrous/Universal Item: CL/ML 3rd; wondrous covers arcane, divine, and other expanded types, universal covers psionic only; this is pretty much everything that isn't a weapon or suit of armor with a few exceptions
Magic/Psionic Arms and Armor: CL/ML 5th; all your not-so-mundane fighting needs
Craft Cognizance Crystal: ML 3rd; a cognizance crystal is basically a psionic pearl of power but for some reason requires its own feat to make
Portal: makes magic portals so you can build an alternative to the Tippyverse; requires Craft Wondrous Item
Rune Circle: this is minor variant in Races of Stone covering non-mobile items; CL 5th
Rod: half-wondrous item, half-arms, all separate feat; CL 9th
Forge Ring: another body slot, another separate feat; CL 12th
Craft Construct/Psionic Construct: requires Craft Wondrous/Universal Item and Craft Magic/Psionic Arms and Armor; unleash your mechanical hordes!
Looking at it there seems to be a bunch of gratuitous feat taxing going on, along with the psionic tax. Really, how exactly are rods and rings different from wondrous items or arms? And why the feat tax for portals and rune circles? Are people that determined to make stuff to not use on their quest they need another feat tax?
Just to include them all there are a couple of additional bits available.
Grell Alchemy: thoroughly undeveloped, but if you want to make a half dozen items listed in Lords of Madness or pester your DM for more, there's a feat for it
Craft Aboleth Glyph: subsumes the various Inscribe Rune feats (see above); adds some special "Master Glyphs"; requires you to be an aboleth
Grafting: not one but a baker's dozen of feats for going the fantasy cyborg, complete with 2 different systems for the effects of the grafts; check the handbook on these for details
Infusions: potions in herbs for druids in Masters of the Wild; a bit redundant but there if you want them
Talisman: potions in the form of tchotchkes for shamans and others in Oriental Adventures; even more redundant but again there if you want them
And now of course someone should wander along and explain how to optimize (or ignore) all of these. I just get the list ready for use.
