Changing the shape of magic items

[CM]

A player in my campaign would like to use polymorph any object and dispel magic to change a magic item from one item type to another (such as turning an axe into a sword, or bracers into gauntlets).

In order to do this, he intends to suppress the magic item with dispel magic:

A suppressed item becomes nonmagical for the duration of the effect.

Next round, he would use polymorph any object to change the item's shape. Since the new item type chosen is close enough to the original, the duration will be permanent. The dispelling gets around the spell's restriction against using it on magic items:

Magic items aren’t affected by this spell.

Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[Jack Simth]

Personally? Let it work. It's a creative use of two spells. However, they still take up the same slot for purposes of what magic items will function (the magic hasn't really changed), and remember that it's Permanent, not Instant, and so a well-timed Dispel Magic could leave your player in a rather ... awkward situation (gauntlets on feet, boots on hands, cloak under vest....).

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Clever.

 

[Kirin'Tor]

If it's a one or two time thing (IE they found a Holy AVenger, but the paladin uses only axes) then I don't see a big issue with it. Even if it became fairly regular, I don't see it as a big issue, so long as the only real gain is more use & less selling of found magic items...

If they found a way to profit from it en masse then I'd say it had a minor XP cost.

 

[Ferrum]

I don't see anything outstandingly wrong with it either, So long as its weapons to weapons and otherwise like items to like items.

You might want to give the magical effects some sort of saving throw if he's trying to change something like a +int tiara into a pair of gloves, which would be an inappropriate slot, and should have some difficulty to represent what should be an increase in cost.

I'd try DC 10+spell level of effect for anything that is inappropriate vs 1d20 + 1/2 caster Kn(Arcana) modifier. If the saving throw fails, the polymorphed item becomes mundane.

 

[Vurt]

Cool and creative use of spells! I'd allow it.

That said, if the item was changed to take up a different slot than originally, I'd rule that the forms are no longer similar enough to have a permanent duration.

Cheers,
Vurt

 

[Murrdox]

Well, by the rules, I don't see how it is possible.

As soon as the magical item's powers are no longer suppressed, then it is no longer a valid target for Polymorph, and the spell should immediately cease functioning on it.

I'd be careful letting him do this. I'd only allow one type of armor into another type of armor, or one weapon type into another. You don't want him to start turning Gloves of Dexterity into a Ring of Dexterity, or a Helm of Intellect into Boots of Intellect... at that point you're skirting around magical item creation rules.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

As soon as the magical item's powers are no longer suppressed, then it is no longer a valid target for Polymorph, and the spell should immediately cease functioning on it.

So do you allow your druid players to cast Shilellagh?

Bwah-hah-hah ...

 

[shilsen]

So do you allow your druid players to cast Shilellagh?

Bwah-hah-hah ...

Drat - that's what I was going to say when I read the previous post !

 

[FEADIN]

It's no so new but a good idea, there was a spell in add2, in the tome of magic I think that was made for shifting the magic between objects.