Arcanis Rod [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arcanis Rod [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kalthandrix
02-13-06, 09:05 PM Here is something new for you all- originally posted on the Dark Sun message board, but I would like to get some additional feedback from some others too.

Let me know!

Arcanis Rod

These rods vary in size and appearance, though they are usually shaped to appear like a cane of masterful workmanship. The one feature that all have in common is that one end will have the open maw of some creature carved upon it. Aside from their beautiful design, these rods appear to be nothing more then a rod or cane, but their common appearance hides their great power.

With an arcanis rod, a spellcaster may store up to 50 charges of spells from any number of wands and access them at a later time without the need to carrying multiple wands around with them. When a spellcaster wished to store the energy from a wand within an arcanis rod, they need only hold the end of the wand up to the open mouth carved on the rod and speak the command word for the wand, which discharges one charge from the wand as normal. The wielder of the rod may then use the powers of the rod and siphon off as many charges as they wish from the wand, up to the number remaining within the item, and place them into the rod. The rod will automatically stop drawing charges from a wand when it reaches its storage limit of 50 charges.

All arcanis rods also have an additional feature built into them in the form of a specific metamagic feat. If the wielder of the rod wills it, he may modify a spell effect he is activating from within the rod with the metamagic feat the rod is enchanted with. Activating this ability used up some of the additional spell energy stored within the rod depending upon the metamagic it is using (see table below). The spell effected with the metamagic feat can only powered by the spell effect being activated, so it draws upon that specific powers charges and if there are not enough remaining to power the metamagically altered version of the spell, the rod does not function and the rod burns one charge.

Effects modified with the Silent Spell metamagic feat require no command word, and Still spell only requires that the wielder have contact with the arcanis rod and see their target. Spells modified with the Heighten Spell feat can have their level increased up to four levels, making them harder to resist and dispel.

In addition, arcanis rods never detect as magical, being protected by a modified version of the non-detection spell.

Metamagic Additional
Effect Charges Cost
Enlarge +1 88,200 Cp
Empower +2 107,800 Cp
Extend +1 88,200 Cp
Heighten +1 to +4 127,400 Cp
Maximize +3 107,800 Cp
Quicken +4 127,400 Cp
Silent +1 88,200 Cp
Still +1 88,200 Cp
Widen +3 107,800 Cp

(Creation information and stuff to come later)
Chrono Nexus
02-13-06, 10:22 PM Fascinating Concept, a metamagic rod...just for the sake of balance, I would limit the metamagic addition to one single metamagic feat. Also, you don't seem to have taken a few new spells into account that can convert spells to charges. Changing a spell to a charge, only to get back a higher level spell seems like an imbalancing factor. I definetly can see the metamagic feats though. They would be a good explanation as to why so many mages carry around those crap.py staffs.
Kalthandrix
02-14-06, 10:44 AM Fascinating Concept, a metamagic rod...just for the sake of balance, I would limit the metamagic addition to one single metamagic feat. Also, you don't seem to have taken a few new spells into account that can convert spells to charges. Changing a spell to a charge, only to get back a higher level spell seems like an imbalancing factor. I definetly can see the metamagic feats though. They would be a good explanation as to why so many mages carry around those crap.py staffs.
I was thinking that there could be greater versions of this items too, maybe more on the epic lines though, that could have several metamagic feats they could use with the spell charges within the rod- I will think about it.

As for the new spells- what book are they in- I most likely have the book but was not thinking of them at the time I made this item.

On your last comment I am kind of lost- the wielder of the arcanis rod exchanges other charges within the rod to make a spell effect cast from the rod more powerful. I plan on adding an example like- a wizard has an arcanis rod of widen spell with the following effects and charges stored within- fireball (5 charges), light (9 charges), shield (15 charges). Now he could use the effects within the rod just like using them from a wand- command activated. If the wizard needed to he could make the fireball a widened fireball by expending 4 charges from the rod (1 for normal and +3 to get the effect widened). It may seem expensive, but one cannot normally apply a metamagic feat to wand effects unless the wand is made with it- this gives the wielder more flexibility in usig the power of their wands and also reduces the amount of magical gear they would have to carry. I do not see how this power makes anything imbalanced.
Thamius
02-14-06, 03:43 PM On your last comment I am kind of lost- the wielder of the arcanis rod exchanges other charges within the rod to make a spell effect cast from the rod more powerful. I plan on adding an example like- a wizard has an arcanis rod of widen spell with the following effects and charges stored within- fireball (5 charges), light (9 charges), shield (15 charges). Now he could use the effects within the rod just like using them from a wand- command activated. If the wizard needed to he could make the fireball a widened fireball by expending 4 charges from the rod (1 for normal and +3 to get the effect widened). It may seem expensive, but one cannot normally apply a metamagic feat to wand effects unless the wand is made with it- this gives the wielder more flexibility in usig the power of their wands and also reduces the amount of magical gear they would have to carry. I do not see how this power makes anything imbalanced.
I think I understand what you're trying to say, but the wording in the original post may not be completely clear. In your example, you should specify that the wizard trying to create the widened fireball from the rod must expend four fireball charges, not simply a fireball charge and three additional charges (e.g. from stored shield charges). That's where the balance comes in, otherwise you could power up a high level spell with less costly charges.
tarkin
02-14-06, 04:01 PM I agree, this is interesting, balanced, and confusing.

Try to re-word it a bit more, and you will get more interest.

Also, I would say that it never detects as magical from any spell of less than 4th level, not from any spell at all. Higher level detection spells should work.

And an Identify should tell you nothing, but an Analyze Dweomer should tell you how many charges of each type are in the Rod.
Kalthandrix
02-14-06, 05:01 PM Thanks tarkin and Thamius-

This was actually the first draft, and I wrote it while at work :D - so I knew it needed some work in the clarification department.

I will work on it a bit more and get the language tweeked so it is a bit clearer- I know the cost needs some work too but that will come a bit later too, once I get the spells needed clearer- I was thinking Mnemonic Enhancer and Non-detection, minimum CL 9 for the metamagic effects +1 & +2 effects, 11 for +3, and 13 for +4. And the cost is in ceramic peices not gold - but it is basically the same thing but for Dark Sun.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kalthandrix 02-13-06, 09:05 PM	Here is something new for you all- originally posted on the Dark Sun message board, but I would like to get some additional feedback from some others too. Let me know! Arcanis Rod These rods vary in size and appearance, though they are usually shaped to appear like a cane of masterful workmanship. The one feature that all have in common is that one end will have the open maw of some creature carved upon it. Aside from their beautiful design, these rods appear to be nothing more then a rod or cane, but their common appearance hides their great power. With an arcanis rod, a spellcaster may store up to 50 charges of spells from any number of wands and access them at a later time without the need to carrying multiple wands around with them. When a spellcaster wished to store the energy from a wand within an arcanis rod, they need only hold the end of the wand up to the open mouth carved on the rod and speak the command word for the wand, which discharges one charge from the wand as normal. The wielder of the rod may then use the powers of the rod and siphon off as many charges as they wish from the wand, up to the number remaining within the item, and place them into the rod. The rod will automatically stop drawing charges from a wand when it reaches its storage limit of 50 charges. All arcanis rods also have an additional feature built into them in the form of a specific metamagic feat. If the wielder of the rod wills it, he may modify a spell effect he is activating from within the rod with the metamagic feat the rod is enchanted with. Activating this ability used up some of the additional spell energy stored within the rod depending upon the metamagic it is using (see table below). The spell effected with the metamagic feat can only powered by the spell effect being activated, so it draws upon that specific powers charges and if there are not enough remaining to power the metamagically altered version of the spell, the rod does not function and the rod burns one charge. Effects modified with the Silent Spell metamagic feat require no command word, and Still spell only requires that the wielder have contact with the arcanis rod and see their target. Spells modified with the Heighten Spell feat can have their level increased up to four levels, making them harder to resist and dispel. In addition, arcanis rods never detect as magical, being protected by a modified version of the non-detection spell. Metamagic Additional Effect Charges Cost Enlarge +1 88,200 Cp Empower +2 107,800 Cp Extend +1 88,200 Cp Heighten +1 to +4 127,400 Cp Maximize +3 107,800 Cp Quicken +4 127,400 Cp Silent +1 88,200 Cp Still +1 88,200 Cp Widen +3 107,800 Cp (Creation information and stuff to come later)
Chrono Nexus 02-13-06, 10:22 PM	Fascinating Concept, a metamagic rod...just for the sake of balance, I would limit the metamagic addition to one single metamagic feat. Also, you don't seem to have taken a few new spells into account that can convert spells to charges. Changing a spell to a charge, only to get back a higher level spell seems like an imbalancing factor. I definetly can see the metamagic feats though. They would be a good explanation as to why so many mages carry around those crap.py staffs.
Kalthandrix 02-14-06, 10:44 AM	Fascinating Concept, a metamagic rod...just for the sake of balance, I would limit the metamagic addition to one single metamagic feat. Also, you don't seem to have taken a few new spells into account that can convert spells to charges. Changing a spell to a charge, only to get back a higher level spell seems like an imbalancing factor. I definetly can see the metamagic feats though. They would be a good explanation as to why so many mages carry around those crap.py staffs. I was thinking that there could be greater versions of this items too, maybe more on the epic lines though, that could have several metamagic feats they could use with the spell charges within the rod- I will think about it. As for the new spells- what book are they in- I most likely have the book but was not thinking of them at the time I made this item. On your last comment I am kind of lost- the wielder of the arcanis rod exchanges other charges within the rod to make a spell effect cast from the rod more powerful. I plan on adding an example like- a wizard has an arcanis rod of widen spell with the following effects and charges stored within- fireball (5 charges), light (9 charges), shield (15 charges). Now he could use the effects within the rod just like using them from a wand- command activated. If the wizard needed to he could make the fireball a widened fireball by expending 4 charges from the rod (1 for normal and +3 to get the effect widened). It may seem expensive, but one cannot normally apply a metamagic feat to wand effects unless the wand is made with it- this gives the wielder more flexibility in usig the power of their wands and also reduces the amount of magical gear they would have to carry. I do not see how this power makes anything imbalanced.
Thamius 02-14-06, 03:43 PM	On your last comment I am kind of lost- the wielder of the arcanis rod exchanges other charges within the rod to make a spell effect cast from the rod more powerful. I plan on adding an example like- a wizard has an arcanis rod of widen spell with the following effects and charges stored within- fireball (5 charges), light (9 charges), shield (15 charges). Now he could use the effects within the rod just like using them from a wand- command activated. If the wizard needed to he could make the fireball a widened fireball by expending 4 charges from the rod (1 for normal and +3 to get the effect widened). It may seem expensive, but one cannot normally apply a metamagic feat to wand effects unless the wand is made with it- this gives the wielder more flexibility in usig the power of their wands and also reduces the amount of magical gear they would have to carry. I do not see how this power makes anything imbalanced. I think I understand what you're trying to say, but the wording in the original post may not be completely clear. In your example, you should specify that the wizard trying to create the widened fireball from the rod must expend four fireball charges, not simply a fireball charge and three additional charges (e.g. from stored shield charges). That's where the balance comes in, otherwise you could power up a high level spell with less costly charges.
tarkin 02-14-06, 04:01 PM	I agree, this is interesting, balanced, and confusing. Try to re-word it a bit more, and you will get more interest. Also, I would say that it never detects as magical from any spell of less than 4th level, not from any spell at all. Higher level detection spells should work. And an Identify should tell you nothing, but an Analyze Dweomer should tell you how many charges of each type are in the Rod.
Kalthandrix 02-14-06, 05:01 PM	Thanks tarkin and Thamius- This was actually the first draft, and I wrote it while at work :D - so I knew it needed some work in the clarification department. I will work on it a bit more and get the language tweeked so it is a bit clearer- I know the cost needs some work too but that will come a bit later too, once I get the spells needed clearer- I was thinking Mnemonic Enhancer and Non-detection, minimum CL 9 for the metamagic effects +1 & +2 effects, 11 for +3, and 13 for +4. And the cost is in ceramic peices not gold - but it is basically the same thing but for Dark Sun.