Gloves of disguised motions - Help Please

Sledge · Apr 29, 2004

A player of mine has expressed interest in gloves that his character could wear that would disguise somatic components. His main purpose in this is just so he can have the character pose in stylish and fun ways while casting spells. His request was to have an illusory fake of his hands that he can control without concentrating, whereas his real hands would be rendered invisible. I sense a few possibilities for abuse, and looking at spells and other items I'm having difficulty pricing them and limiting them fairly. Any suggestions out there?

Raven Crowking · Apr 30, 2004

The main thing to consider is not the "feel" aspect here, but the game mechanics. Somatic components (1) limit the conditions under which a spellcaster can use a spell (i.e., hands must be free) and (2) partly aid an opposed spellcaster to determine which spell is being cast when counterspelling.

Item (1) is not affected by the gloves, and can be relegated to "flavor" or "feel". It has a cost, but it's fairly insignificant. Item (2) should include an exact penalty to Spellcraft checks to determine what spell the character is casting (assuming a somatic component). Since in most games counterspelling seldom occurs, I'd be fairly liberal as to what I'd allow here. A -2 penalty seems fair to me, going to -4 if the spell has only a somatic component.

You're probably playing 3.5, and I'm still playing 3.0, so I can't suggest what price is fair. I would suggest that this is a fairly low-level effect, though. 0-lvl is my gut instinct.

Sledge · Apr 30, 2004

I never thought of just making it an item that penalizes spellcraft checks since that would imply that it would still look like somatic components. I'll run it by the player though.

Khaalis · Apr 30, 2004

Actually the easiest way to do it would be to use it as a Skill Enhancement item (which already exist). Sleight of Hand is a skill that can be used to disguise spellcasting. Gloves of Hidden Casting should be an item that grants a +5, +10, etc. bonus to Slight of Hand skill checks. If you are spotted, then the opposing caster should be able to ID the spell with an equal amount of skill (the gestures havent changed).

Example - Boots of Elvenkind dont use a "Silence" effect, they are a skill modifier item.

Boots of Elvenkind: These soft boots enable the wearer to move quietly in virtually any surroundings, granting a +5 competence bonus on Move Silently checks.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be an elf; Price 2,500 gp;Weight 1 lb.

Thus...

Gloves of Spell Hiding: These soft silk gloves enable the wearer to hide the somatic gestures made by spellcasting, granting a +5 competence bonus on Sleight of Hand skill checks.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be an spellcaster; Price 2,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Greater Gloves of Spell Hiding: When these gloves are put on, they enable the wearer to easily mask the somatic component of spellcasting. This allows them a +10 competence bonus on Sleight of Hand checks.
Moderate illusion; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, minor image; Price 30,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

(based off Robe of Blending)

If you wish to restrict the item's use you can make them usable only by spellcasters, or specifically state that they only conceal hand motions and do not aid in more complex acting such as Picking Pockets.

JMHO

Raven Crowking · Apr 30, 2004

Khaalis said:
Actually the easiest way to do it would be to use it as a Skill Enhancement item (which already exist). Sleight of Hand is a skill that can be used to disguise spellcasting. Gloves of Hidden Casting should be an item that grants a +5, +10, etc. bonus to Slight of Hand skill checks. If you are spotted, then the opposing caster should be able to ID the spell with an equal amount of skill (the gestures havent changed).

Example - Boots of Elvenkind dont use a "Silence" effect, they are a skill modifier item.

Beats the heck out of my reply. I'd go with Khaalis.

rkanodia · May 1, 2004

Cut the price to 2/3 of whatever the DMG says for a +5 skill bonus item, and make it only for Sleight of Hand checks used to disguise somatic components if the player wants something a little more specific to his needs.

Prothall · May 1, 2004

That last one's most in line with what's needed, though I'd slash the price further because the use is so limited.

nameless · May 1, 2004

I agree with Prothall. Half the cost of a +X Sleight of Hand item, and then limit the bonus to disguising somatic components.

Maybe cut the price a little more and say that the gloves' effect is an illusion, and See Invisibility and/or True Seeing also defeat it. That's probably worth another 10% off the cost.