D&D 3E/3.5 Best way to implement these in strict 3.5 rules?

[Drifter Bob]

Best way to implement in strict 3.5 rules

Here are some ideas I wasn't able to use in a recent project because I didn't immediately know how to implement them correctly in the rules and ended up running out of time before I could get back around to them. I'll start with just two magic items which I really liked, maybe y'all can suggest good ways to implement them.

1) is a ring which confers "mental" invisibility, by forcing others minds to disregard the wearer. I.e. a wearer of this ring is percieved to belong to the most trivial, negligable social class or order known to the obsever, and / or whoever would appear the most innocuous in a given situation. I.e., if you were in a busy kitchen, observers would think of you as a cook. If you were in a heavily guarded fortress, anyone noticing you would assume that you were one of the guards.

This should be a strong effect, but something which could be overwhlemed by direct suspicion. I thought, it isn't exactly an illusion, (if it were handled as an illusion, what sub-type?) or is it? Should I use like some kind of hypnotism or suggestion effect? it just makes you sort of not think of a person in a threatening, uninteresting way that does not grab your attention. If you thought about it, you would realise that you never did see the guy in a cooks uniform, you just thought he was a cook even though he was wearing plate mail and carrying a mace. I thought of using the Bluff or Disguise skill, but it didn't seem to quite fit. Also, the effect should work on players as well.

2) is a magic helmet which provides moderate healing once per day, probably something like a few cure light wounds spells and / or one cure disease or remove poison effect. But the downside of the item is that it constantly lectures you on matters of health, advocating abstinence when you drink, warning of injury when you contemplate a fight. It is supposed to be so annoying that you can barely stand to use it.

What I was having trouble figuring out was how to handle this 'annoying' effect. Force the wearer to make saving throws every so oten or lose a point or two of temporary Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma? Contested diplomacy checks? What would be fair but strong enough that the character would actually feel some hestiancy to use the item....


DB

 

[Crothian]

Okay, both these are a little outside the stuff in the SRD, but not completely undoinble.

1) This I would make work like a programmed illusion but instead of it being set by the person using the ring, it would make an illusion for what is needed at the time. I would basically invent a new spell that does this and then make a ring that uses the spell.

2) I'd make this an intelligent item and have ego checks.

Now, I'm not sure if my answers fit exactly what you want and there very well could be better ways. THese are just my primary thoughts. But they are cool ideas.

 

[Kaji]

Well, for the ring, I would suggest that it is Charm [Mind-Affecting] and I would just use Charm Person as the "base spell". It appears that it would work on multiple people (say, a group of passing guards, or in your example, the rest of the kitchen staff would have to think I was also a cook, which could easily be a dozen people), so maybe you should use Mass Charm as the base spell and price it accordingly. You may also wish to simply have the ring give a very significant bonus to the Disguise skill, say +10 or more, making even the most minimal of efforts to pass your self off as a cook wildly successful. But then I think you pretty much have a Hat of Disguise (see DMG or SRD), so when what would be the "something different" about your ring?

As for the helmet, if it's minor curing and an occassional remove disease, and the helmet was annoying enough that I had to make save or suffer some other significant effect, I know my players would either destroy it out of hand as an evil in the world, or sell it or maybe donate it to a good church, who I think would be hard pressed to reject a stricly lawful goodie two shoes helmet of preaching. There would have to be more incentive to use the helmet, something REALLY useful and beyond their ability to easily buy (as curing potions would be) or soemthing they have no other way of duplicating at all (like the class ability no one is running). Better yet, you make the helmet useful to whover puts it on. Wizards uses it, gives him.her the evasion ability. Rogues put it one, gives them a free feat they don't have, (and so on).

Hope that helps.

 

[GSHamster]

1) is a ring which confers "mental" invisibility, by forcing others minds to disregard the wearer. I.e. a wearer of this ring is percieved to belong to the most trivial, negligable social class or order known to the obsever, and / or whoever would appear the most innocuous in a given situation. I.e., if you were in a busy kitchen, observers would think of you as a cook. If you were in a heavily guarded fortress, anyone noticing you would assume that you were one of the guards.

I'd make a new spell. I'd use Suggestion and Invisibility as a base.

You're basically mimicing an Invisibility spell making a "I'm nobody, ignore me" suggestion to multiple people. It would be an Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] spell, which can be negated by a Will save. That sounds about right for what you are trying to achieve. I'd suggest that it be a Level 2 spell, as it's strictly inferior to Invisibility, but give it a longer duration. Perhaps 1 hour/level. The only tricky parts are: range that you affect people(far, line of sight?), and what to do if you attack someone while under the spell (probably copy the Invisibility spell).

 

[Chronosome]

For #1, I'd say that's definitely an illusion (pattern) effect. That's all I can offer on this right now, since I'm busy with workage.

 

[drothgery]

I'd think the effect you want is for the ring to grant the Hide in Plain Sight ability, and a bonus to Hide. I'm not sure how you'd achieve that effect, though.

 

[SkidAce]

Use the Mass Charm as suggested above...this would be cool when you ran into beings immune to charm.

The way you described it was as a mind affecting magic. That's why I think the Charm is better than an illusion type spell.

 

[Chronosome]

For #1, I'd say that's definitely an illusion (pattern) effect. That's all I can offer on this right now, since I'm busy with workage.

 

[MerricB]

Ring of the Social Chameleon
The wearer of this ring is percieved by humanoid observers to belong to the most trivial, negligable social class or order known to the observer or whoever would appear the most innocuous in a given situation. Observers may make a DC 17 Will save to negate this mind-affecting effect. A saving throw may only be made once per day.
Strong Enchantment; CL 17, Craft Ring, dominate person; 100,000 gp.

Freya's Helm of Protective Mothering
Freya's Helm is an intelligent item that mothers the wearer. It talks to the wearer insisting that the wearer rug up, stay inside, stay away from nasty monsters and the like. This effect has such a debilitating effect on the wearer's morale that at the beginning of each combat, the wearer must make a DC 15 Will save or become Shaken.

Once per day, the wearer may command Freya's Helm to heal the wearer, but this only can occur after one hour of continuous use.

Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14, Ego 6, Speech (Common), Lawful Good.

Strong Conjuration; CL 15, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, Heal, 20,000 gp

The costs of the items probably need some tweaking.

Cheers!

 

[FireLance]

For the ring, the Bluff vs Sense Motive mechanic seems most appropriate since it already has a built-in modifier for being suspicious.

For the helm, too bad there isn't a "distracted" condition. However, -4 to Listen and Spot checks made as reactions may be appropriate.