modified Amulet of Telepathy pricing question

[anon]

I'm thinking of playing a mute character and want to create an item to communicate telepathically with one other creature at a time.

How much?

Telepathic Bond is the relevant spell. It's 5th level.
Straight formula says: 5 (spell) x 9 (caster) x 2000 (continuous) x 1.5 (10/min level duration) = 135,000 gold. Ouch!
Now this would, in theory, allow a character to link up to three additional people over any range (within plane) with no regard for language, which is far more than I really need.

The relevant item is a Helm of Telepathy

Helm of Telepathy
The wearer can use detect thoughts at will. Furthermore, he can send a telepathic message to anyone whose surface thoughts he is reading (allowing two-way communication). Once per day, the wearer of the helm can implant a suggestion (as the spell, Will DC 14 negates) along with his telepathic message.

Faint divination and enchantment; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, detect thoughts, suggestion; Price 27,000 gp;Weight 3 l

which is priced much lower than 135k.

So, using the Helm of Telepathy as a base, I want to eliminate the Suggestion aspect of the item, as well as the Read Thoughts aspect, and simply have the "Furthermore [the wearer] can send a telepathic message to anyone..." part. I don't mind if they still get a save, as I'm not trying to force myself into anyone's head.

20k? 15k? 10k? higher?

 

[Len]

How about basing it on Message? That's a 0-level spell, so it would cost 1500 gp.

 

[anon]

I would love to, but I don't think that spell would work:

Whisper
"You can whisper messages and receive whispered replies with little chance of being overheard. You point your finger at each creature you want to receive the message. When you whisper..."

A mute couldn't whisper, only mouth the words, which I don't think would be enough.

 

[Jack Simth]

Why make something close to new when there's something readily adaptable that fits?

Linked: This kind of armor or shield allows the wearer to form a telepathic bond with other wearers of linked armor or shields within 10 miles. This ability is otherwise similar to the mindlink power.
Moderate telepathy; ML 6th; Craft Psionic Arms and Armor, mindlink; Price +6,000 gp.

Tack it on to a good old +1 mithril buckler (+1 wooden small or heavy to taste for the Druid) and you have a communications net at 8,015 gp per person (Mithral shield: +1,000 gp; +1 Enhancement: +1,000 gp; Linked ability: +6,000 gp; Buckler: 15 gp). If someone already has a magic shield or armor, it's just an extra 6,000 gp. The Mithral Buckler has no armor check penalty, no maximum dexterity bonus, and no arcane spell failure (even the Wizard and Sorceror have no trouble with it). For the Druid, you drop the mithral, and tack it onto whatever armor/shield the Druid uses for just 6,000 gp (note: If the druid commonly Wildshapes, and requires new armor, then this gets a little more expensive, as +1 Wild Linked Leather Armor costs 22,160, market). Fighters and Barbarians, of course, just tack it on to the armor/shield already in their possession, as would a rogue.

 

[anon]

Thanks for the idea Jack. Unfortunately we don't use psionics in our game. Also, it would be nice to be able to talk to new people, and not just my closest allies (equipped with shields made by me).

 

[Jack Simth]

Your DM doesn't use psionics; fine. You're making a new item anyway, and that's something WotC considered balanced when published. The idea isn't so much to use the Linked special as-is, but to re-flavor it for your uses, using the Linked price as a guideline.

Command-word, Telepathic Bond would be Spell*Caster*1800=5*9*1800=81,000, guidelines, for linking three people per invocation at-will (which lasts 90 minutes).

A use-activated Clerical Sending would be spell*caster*2000*4(duration measured in rounds)=4*7*2000*4=224,000. A command-word Clerical Sending (ah, the joys of command word - defined as taking a standard action, no refference to the casting time of the spell used....) would be spell*caster*1800=4*7*1800=50,400. You could send someone a message of 25 words or less, and get a similar reply, once per round.

 

[Vorput]

Originally Posted by d20srd.org
Helm of Telepathy
The wearer can use detect thoughts at will. Furthermore, he can send a telepathic message to anyone whose surface thoughts he is reading (allowing two-way communication). Once per day, the wearer of the helm can implant a suggestion (as the spell, Will DC 14 negates) along with his telepathic message.

Faint divination and enchantment; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, detect thoughts, suggestion; Price 27,000 gp;Weight 3 l

Well.... This item seems to have 3 uses, telepathic message, detect thoughts, and suggestion 1/day. All seem pretty equal in power... so... why not just cut the cost by two thirds?

Helmet that allows telepathic communication. 27,000 *1/3 = 9,000.

Maybe make it 10k. A nice round number... but honestly- you're only paying for what any other character can do for free. I think 9-10k would be fine- and I'd allow it in my campaign. Would require craft wonderous item, and probably the spell message and detect thoughts.

 

[Len]

A mute couldn't whisper, only mouth the words, which I don't think would be enough.

So change "whisper" to "mouth the words". It's a custom item anyway, you can describe it any way you want. As long as you don't change the function or limitations of the item, the price would be the same.

 

[Vorput]

So change "whisper" to "mouth the words". It's a custom item anyway, you can describe it any way you want. As long as you don't change the function or limitations of the item, the price would be the same.

That's a good point as well... lacks the flare of telepathy, but damn more affordable.

Vorp

 

[Jack Simth]

Ah, got it; you don't want a new item; assuming your mute character can still hear and understand spoken words, what you want is a CURSED item:

Medallion of Thought Projection: This device seems like a medallion of thoughts, even down to the range at which it functions, except that the thoughts overheard are muffled and distorted, requiring a DC 15 Will save to sort out. However, while the user thinks she is picking up the thoughts of others, all she is really hearing are figments created by the medallion itself. These illusory thoughts always seem plausible and thus can seriously mislead any who rely upon them. What’s worse, unknown to her, the cursed medallion actually broadcasts her thoughts to creatures in the path of the beam, thus alerting them to her presence.

Faint divination; CL 7th; Create Wondrous Item, detect thoughts, ghost sound; Price 1,800 gp.

You make it, you know what it actually is, so you always fail the will save to sort out the overheard thoughts, and don't pick up anything. After three rounds of having someone in your area, they can hear your surface thoughts clearly. Take it off when you don't want people listening in, and you're set.