Activating magical items [Archive] - Wizards Community

Activating magical items [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rafnar
04-11-05, 09:26 PM In the DMG it says that activating a magic item takes a standard action. Many rings state "on command" under their descriptions. Now some players take this as meaning "free action". The way I see it is, a ring of Animal Friendship acts like the spell Animal Friendship on command. Acts like the spell means the spells is cast when the command word is given taking 1 action. Same with rings of blinking, Invisiblity, and all other rings that say "acts like the spell." Unless the item specifically states that it maybe used as free action, like ring of Chameleon power.
This problem arose with the ring of Invisiblity. SRD "By activating this simple silver ring, the wearer can benifit from invisiblity, as the spell."
My players read this as a free action. By activating, being the chief phrase they are using to interperate the rule. To me the line Invisiblity, as the spell, states that activating the ring will take the same amount of time as casting the same spell.

Your opinions please,
Lxarth
04-11-05, 09:31 PM That is how I read it. Activating a ring takes an action.
deathmanalmighty
04-11-05, 09:32 PM Magic items are supposed to take a standard action unless noted otherwise. On p.141 in the PHB under the actions it says,"Activate a magic item other than a potion or oil is a standard action that doesn't provoke an AOO." Table 8-2 Actions in Combat. Hopefully that solves your question man. :D
olshanski_home
04-11-05, 09:37 PM Unless the item states otherwise, activating a magic item is a standard action.

Some items are always on, such as boots of elvenkind, boots of striding and sprining. A few items can be activated as a free action (boots of speed), but the activation for these items is always clearly stated in the item description.

Invisibility has a duration of 1 minute per level, and I think that the creator of the spell would probably set it at its minimum in order to save money, thus a duration of 3 minutes. Since it is convenient for a player's allies to see the person with the invisibility ring, I'd assume that the person is normally visible and only invisible when they take a standard action to activate the ring. If the player insists, I'd let them us a standard action every 3 minutes to keep activating the ring, then, if battle broke out, I'd roll a d20 or something to see at what point the spell wears off. I might also have them make a concentration roll or Will save DC5 to see if they remembered to activate the ring.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rafnar 04-11-05, 09:26 PM	In the DMG it says that activating a magic item takes a standard action. Many rings state "on command" under their descriptions. Now some players take this as meaning "free action". The way I see it is, a ring of Animal Friendship acts like the spell Animal Friendship on command. Acts like the spell means the spells is cast when the command word is given taking 1 action. Same with rings of blinking, Invisiblity, and all other rings that say "acts like the spell." Unless the item specifically states that it maybe used as free action, like ring of Chameleon power. This problem arose with the ring of Invisiblity. SRD "By activating this simple silver ring, the wearer can benifit from invisiblity, as the spell." My players read this as a free action. By activating, being the chief phrase they are using to interperate the rule. To me the line Invisiblity, as the spell, states that activating the ring will take the same amount of time as casting the same spell. Your opinions please,
Lxarth 04-11-05, 09:31 PM	That is how I read it. Activating a ring takes an action.
deathmanalmighty 04-11-05, 09:32 PM	Magic items are supposed to take a standard action unless noted otherwise. On p.141 in the PHB under the actions it says,"Activate a magic item other than a potion or oil is a standard action that doesn't provoke an AOO." Table 8-2 Actions in Combat. Hopefully that solves your question man. :D
olshanski_home 04-11-05, 09:37 PM	Unless the item states otherwise, activating a magic item is a standard action. Some items are always on, such as boots of elvenkind, boots of striding and sprining. A few items can be activated as a free action (boots of speed), but the activation for these items is always clearly stated in the item description. Invisibility has a duration of 1 minute per level, and I think that the creator of the spell would probably set it at its minimum in order to save money, thus a duration of 3 minutes. Since it is convenient for a player's allies to see the person with the invisibility ring, I'd assume that the person is normally visible and only invisible when they take a standard action to activate the ring. If the player insists, I'd let them us a standard action every 3 minutes to keep activating the ring, then, if battle broke out, I'd roll a d20 or something to see at what point the spell wears off. I might also have them make a concentration roll or Will save DC5 to see if they remembered to activate the ring.