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Help me price this magic item

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
w00f
Mar 05, 2012 11:15:55 Hey guys. I've made a magic item that I want to be fairly present in my 3.5e world, but I don't know what would be an appropriate price for it. Here's the item in question:

Communique Stones - This is a magical device that was created some time ago by the renowned bard Rorick the Wanderer. The stones were made to come in pairs. When one stone is attuned to another, it allows a user to establish a two way communication with the holder of the other stone. This is done by gripping the stone and concentrating on contacting the attuned stone, which will cause the other stone to vibrate. If that stone is then grasped, then communication is established. These stones quickly became widely used for many reasons. Firstly, no magical training was required to operate them, so anyone could use them. Secondly, the enchantment was a minor one, so it was very cost effective. And thirdly, because the item draws its power from the essence of the user, that user’s face and voice is always what will be seen by the person on the other end. That is to say, there is no known way to pretend to be someone else if you use the stone. Communication is entirely mental, so there is no chance of being overheard. However, there are some Communique Stones that have been designed to project images and voices to all in a room, as well as some devices that the stones can be fit into that project said images onto mirrors, pools of water, etc. Many of these devices are painted or otherwise marked so that the user can know which one will contact whom, but because of the ease with which the stones can be reattuned with a different stone it is rare that they actually have names. A Communique Stone can be attuned with any number of other Communique Stones (this makes "conference calls" possible).

I want these to be a prominent, but not overwhelming, part of my campaign. I don't want every peasant and their mom to have one, but I'd like the party to have at least two maybe more. Any idea on pricing?
#2
w00f
Mar 07, 2012 20:14:12 *bump*

No one has any suggestions?
#3
zyraen
Mar 08, 2012 4:32:11 PHB has Sending Stones as Level 11 Uncommon Items.
Yours could reasonably be a Level 14 Rare Item.

Its probably good to limit them or it will become boring / 4th-wall-breaking.
Tolkein's Palantiri / Dragonlance's Dragon Orbs spring to mind when you want to make special their rarity, where since in this case they have direct Mental communication, it can be used to send controlling / dominating / mental spells through. That would increase its item level reasonably, but also its use as a plot device.

As it were, it looks like something that would take from a plot (too much transparency / convenience) instead of adding to one.
#4
Neutronium_Dragon
Mar 09, 2012 4:44:21 How mobile are these things? If anyone can pick them up and carry them around then they'll be priced very differently than if they're essentially fixed features of an area that can't readily be taken elsewhere.

If you're looking at 3E pricing then you should also take a look at the material pertaining to House Sivis in the Eberron setting, since they operate a communication network along those lines.
#5
w00f
Mar 09, 2012 9:01:30 They were meant to be portable, maybe the size of a potato.

I'm having second thoughts about using them though. I originally designed them for a 4e game I was going to run that had the players working for the military of an empire. The stones were intended to allow them to easily contact their employers to deliver information or receive new missions, as well as to allow the party to communicate effectively with each other if they ever were to split up.

In thinking about it more though, there are plenty of options for communication between players/with employers in 3.5 since spellcasters have way more tricks up their sleeves (not to mention most of them don't cost gold to cast like 4e Rituals), so I don't think the stones will be necessary. I do still think that they're a cool idea though, so I may have a bard invent them during the course of the game. Maybe the PCs will even play a role in that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 w00f Mar 05, 2012 11:15:55	Hey guys. I've made a magic item that I want to be fairly present in my 3.5e world, but I don't know what would be an appropriate price for it. Here's the item in question: Communique Stones - This is a magical device that was created some time ago by the renowned bard Rorick the Wanderer. The stones were made to come in pairs. When one stone is attuned to another, it allows a user to establish a two way communication with the holder of the other stone. This is done by gripping the stone and concentrating on contacting the attuned stone, which will cause the other stone to vibrate. If that stone is then grasped, then communication is established. These stones quickly became widely used for many reasons. Firstly, no magical training was required to operate them, so anyone could use them. Secondly, the enchantment was a minor one, so it was very cost effective. And thirdly, because the item draws its power from the essence of the user, that user’s face and voice is always what will be seen by the person on the other end. That is to say, there is no known way to pretend to be someone else if you use the stone. Communication is entirely mental, so there is no chance of being overheard. However, there are some Communique Stones that have been designed to project images and voices to all in a room, as well as some devices that the stones can be fit into that project said images onto mirrors, pools of water, etc. Many of these devices are painted or otherwise marked so that the user can know which one will contact whom, but because of the ease with which the stones can be reattuned with a different stone it is rare that they actually have names. A Communique Stone can be attuned with any number of other Communique Stones (this makes "conference calls" possible). I want these to be a prominent, but not overwhelming, part of my campaign. I don't want every peasant and their mom to have one, but I'd like the party to have at least two maybe more. Any idea on pricing?
#2 w00f Mar 07, 2012 20:14:12	bump No one has any suggestions?
#3 zyraen Mar 08, 2012 4:32:11	PHB has Sending Stones as Level 11 Uncommon Items. Yours could reasonably be a Level 14 Rare Item. Its probably good to limit them or it will become boring / 4th-wall-breaking. Tolkein's Palantiri / Dragonlance's Dragon Orbs spring to mind when you want to make special their rarity, where since in this case they have direct Mental communication, it can be used to send controlling / dominating / mental spells through. That would increase its item level reasonably, but also its use as a plot device. As it were, it looks like something that would take from a plot (too much transparency / convenience) instead of adding to one.
#4 Neutronium_Dragon Mar 09, 2012 4:44:21	How mobile are these things? If anyone can pick them up and carry them around then they'll be priced very differently than if they're essentially fixed features of an area that can't readily be taken elsewhere. If you're looking at 3E pricing then you should also take a look at the material pertaining to House Sivis in the Eberron setting, since they operate a communication network along those lines.
#5 w00f Mar 09, 2012 9:01:30	They were meant to be portable, maybe the size of a potato. I'm having second thoughts about using them though. I originally designed them for a 4e game I was going to run that had the players working for the military of an empire. The stones were intended to allow them to easily contact their employers to deliver information or receive new missions, as well as to allow the party to communicate effectively with each other if they ever were to split up. In thinking about it more though, there are plenty of options for communication between players/with employers in 3.5 since spellcasters have way more tricks up their sleeves (not to mention most of them don't cost gold to cast like 4e Rituals), so I don't think the stones will be necessary. I do still think that they're a cool idea though, so I may have a bard invent them during the course of the game. Maybe the PCs will even play a role in that.