Making a boat invisible [Archive] - Wizards Community

Making a boat invisible [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Llathos
07-25-07, 01:26 PM [EDIT This should be moved to the Magic and Spells section ]

So I'm going to have a mechanism to make an entire ship go invisible and silent.

It will have 1 charge and be expended, though it is rechargable at the cost of XP/gp.

How much would it cost to have a device on a ship that can make the ship go invisible and silent for 10 minutes. Let's say the ship was a 60ft caravel.

My guess:

A double widened invisibility sphere is a 9th level spell. That only covers 40 ft, though.

A 1 charge 9th level spell is

Invis
9x17x2000/2 = 153k = 3060gp per charge, or 1530gp and 122 xp to create

Silence
8x15x2000/2 = 120k = 2400 per charge, or 1200gp and 48xp to create

Soo, maybe something like add 50% for the stacked second ability and get:

1530gp + 1800gp = 3330 gp and 194xp to create

As a reminder, this is to create a 1 charge spell effect that will make a very large silenced invisibility sphere. After the use, the item is useless.

Think it's even close?
RobbyPants
07-25-07, 01:28 PM I'm not good with the pricing aspect of these things, but one warning: people observing the area closely will still notice disturbances in the water. This will only protect the crew from long-range detection.
Llathos
07-25-07, 01:30 PM Understood. The displaced draft of the boat will be visible.

Honestly, I'm using this as a custom item for my campaign used by NPCs. I don't really care if it's balanced for a player to use because they're not GOING to use it.

I just am curious if the capability I'm giving these NPCs is freakishly overpowered for the level I'm making them. Figuring out the cost of such a custom item is the way I'm doing that.
RobbyPants
07-25-07, 02:51 PM I wish I were better at pricing items, but be careful not to use that as your only metric. The formulas allow for very cheap permanent True Strike swords. :P

I guess the best way to figure it out is to look at the level of the PCs, and more importantly, their abilities. What exactly is it that the NPCs will do with the boat? Safe travel? Hard-to-track getaway? Surprise pirating ships?

I figure that will be your best metric.
Kouk
07-25-07, 02:54 PM Multiple spheres probably would work, if you allowed it to be targeted on an object (which Invisibility Sphere doesn't do by default).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Llathos 07-25-07, 01:26 PM	[EDIT This should be moved to the Magic and Spells section ] So I'm going to have a mechanism to make an entire ship go invisible and silent. It will have 1 charge and be expended, though it is rechargable at the cost of XP/gp. How much would it cost to have a device on a ship that can make the ship go invisible and silent for 10 minutes. Let's say the ship was a 60ft caravel. My guess: A double widened invisibility sphere is a 9th level spell. That only covers 40 ft, though. A 1 charge 9th level spell is Invis 9x17x2000/2 = 153k = 3060gp per charge, or 1530gp and 122 xp to create Silence 8x15x2000/2 = 120k = 2400 per charge, or 1200gp and 48xp to create Soo, maybe something like add 50% for the stacked second ability and get: 1530gp + 1800gp = 3330 gp and 194xp to create As a reminder, this is to create a 1 charge spell effect that will make a very large silenced invisibility sphere. After the use, the item is useless. Think it's even close?
RobbyPants 07-25-07, 01:28 PM	I'm not good with the pricing aspect of these things, but one warning: people observing the area closely will still notice disturbances in the water. This will only protect the crew from long-range detection.
Llathos 07-25-07, 01:30 PM	Understood. The displaced draft of the boat will be visible. Honestly, I'm using this as a custom item for my campaign used by NPCs. I don't really care if it's balanced for a player to use because they're not GOING to use it. I just am curious if the capability I'm giving these NPCs is freakishly overpowered for the level I'm making them. Figuring out the cost of such a custom item is the way I'm doing that.
RobbyPants 07-25-07, 02:51 PM	I wish I were better at pricing items, but be careful not to use that as your only metric. The formulas allow for very cheap permanent True Strike swords. :P I guess the best way to figure it out is to look at the level of the PCs, and more importantly, their abilities. What exactly is it that the NPCs will do with the boat? Safe travel? Hard-to-track getaway? Surprise pirating ships? I figure that will be your best metric.
Kouk 07-25-07, 02:54 PM	Multiple spheres probably would work, if you allowed it to be targeted on an object (which Invisibility Sphere doesn't do by default).