D&D 3.x Creature Catalog 3.5 Overhaul Project

[BOZ]

here's my part:

A feystag must make a Use Magic Device check to successfully discover how to activate or control the properties of an item. The DC for this check is 15 for most items (except for those listed under the skill’s description in the Player’s Handbook). A feystag gains a +6 competence bonus automatically on identification attempts. A feystag gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the check if it is actually handling the item, and a feystag gains a +5 circumstance bonus to the check if it has observed the item in use (these do not stack, and only the highest bonus is used). If the feystag has been subject to magical or psionic attack within the last 2 rounds, it suffers a -4 penalty to the check and cannot apply either of the above circumstance bonuses. If the item is a minor artifact, the feystag suffers a –4 penalty to the check, and if the item is a major artifact, the feystag suffers a –10 penalty to the check (these penalties do stack with all other modifiers).

and

A feystag must make a successful Use Magic Device check to gain control of an item. The DC and modifiers for this check are the same as listed under the Identify Magic Item ability, except that the feystag has no automatic +6 competence bonus. If the item is intelligent, it adds the modifier from its highest attribute score to the DC for the feystag’s attempt to control it.

let me know how that sounds.

 

[Shade]

Following the KISS approach:

For magic items which have effects that must be aimed in a particular direction (such as cones or lines), roll 1d8 and consult the "Missing With a Thrown Weapon" diagram on page 158 of the Player's Handbook. Use the wielder of the item as the targeted square; the effect begins from the indicated direction. For example, if the feystag attempts to activate an elven wizard's wand of cone of cold, roll 1d8 and consult the table. If a "5" is rolled, the cone begins in the top center square.

Effects that are centered on the bearer or that target the bearer (such as winged boots) always effect the caster, not the feystag.
Question: What about items with a range of touch? Should we say that they automatically effect the bearer, or that they simply cannot be used?

 

[BOZ]

looks like you've got the direction down, now we need to figure out range. for items that require you touch someone else, i will mark those down under the "can't use because of physical movement" part.

for anything else, let's see. anything that affects that square and/or an adjacent square, those are easy. how about, to keep it simple, the feystag chooses how far the effect goes, within its normal range?

 

[Shade]

I like it. In fact, the feystag should be able to determine any variable effects that don't require physically manipulating the item, such as range, number of targets (such as for a wand of inflict light wounds), etc., don't you think?

 

[BOZ]

yes.

did you see my writeup about 4 posts up?

 

[Shade]

Your post four (now five) posts up looks good.

I'm not sure why I missed it.

 

[BOZ]

so here's what we're working with now. should we split up control and activate into two separate functions?

Greater Arcane Sight (Sp): A feystag is under the effect of a continuous greater arcane sight effect, as the spell (caster level X). Unlike the spell, this power only detects magic items. A feystag sees such magical auras in variations of brightness according to magical strength.

Identify Magic Item (Su): A feystag may study a single magic item within a 60-foot range, as a free action once per round, to determine its magical properties. This ability functions like the identify spell, except that it only takes a single round to gain the full effect.

A feystag must make a Use Magic Device check to successfully discover how to activate or control the properties of an item. The DC for this check is 15 for most items (except for those listed under the skill’s description in the Player’s Handbook). A feystag automatically gains a +6 competence bonus on identification attempts. A feystag gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the check if it is actually handling the item, and a feystag gains a +5 circumstance bonus to the check if it has observed the item in use (these do not stack, and only the highest bonus is used). If the feystag has been subject to magical or psionic attack within the last 2 rounds, it suffers a -4 penalty to the check and cannot apply either of the above circumstance bonuses. If the item is a minor artifact, the feystag suffers a –4 penalty to the check, and if the item is a major artifact, the feystag suffers a –10 penalty to the check (these penalties do stack with all other modifiers).

Control Magic Item (Su): A feystag may attempt to take control of a magic item that it has successfully identified, as a standard action at a range 20 feet. A feystag must make a successful Use Magic Device check to gain control of an item. The DC and modifiers for this check are the same as listed under the Identify Magic Item ability, except that the feystag has no automatic +6 competence bonus. If the item is intelligent, it adds the modifier from its highest attribute score to the DC for the feystag’s attempt to control it.

Once a feystag has gained control of an item, it controls that item indefinitely. A feystag only loses control of an item if another character bears the item and attempts to wrest control of the item from the feystag in one of various ways. If the item is controlled by a physical means, the bearer need only perform the action that activates the item to cancel the feystag’s control. If the item is controlled by a command word, the bearer must speak the command word to override the feystag’s long-range commands. If the item is activated by will or mental command, the bearer must make an opposed Use Magic Device check (or Charisma check, if the bearer does not have that skill) against the feystag’s Use Magic Device check. If the bearer’s result is higher, the feystag loses its control over the item. If the feystag’s result is higher by more than 5, the bearer must make a successful Will save (DC X) or become confused, as the spell, for 1d6 rounds. If the bearer does not gain control, and is not confused, he may make another attempt in the next round.

A feystag cannot attempt to control any item that it has not first identified. A feystag cannot attempt to control any item that it has tried to control and failed, as well as any item that it has lost control of, for the next 24 hours.

A feystag can activate one item per round, as a free action, and can choose from any item within range that it has control of. If a feystag activates an item that can operate continuously for more than one round and does not require concentration to maintain, this item will continue to operate even if the feystag activates another item or attempts to control another item in subsequent rounds. A feystag must consciously activate the items it controls, as they do not activate automatically.

A feystag can choose exactly how an activated item will function, so long as the same choice is available to anyone able to use the item normally. Effects that are centered on the bearer or that target the bearer (such as winged boots) always effect that individual, not the feystag. For magic items which have effects that must be aimed in a particular direction (such as cones or lines), roll 1d8 and consult the "Missing With a Thrown Weapon" diagram on page 158 of the Player's Handbook. Use the wielder of the item as the targeted square; the effect begins from the indicated direction. For example, if the feystag attempts to activate an elven wizard's wand of cone of cold, roll 1d8 and consult the table. If a "5" is rolled, the cone begins in the top center square.

A feystag cannot attempt to activate an item that requires some sort of physical action to operate, unless it is in possession of the item. This includes anything that needs to be read (such as scrolls), anything that needs to be ingested or applied to a body or object (such as potions and oils), anything that needs to be touched to something or requires that the user touch something while using it, or anything requiring a lever, button, or switch to be manipulated.

 

[Shade]

Yeah, I'd split it up. Bite-size chunks of text are easier to swallow.

 

[BOZ]

posting in homebrews.

 

[Shade]

It's coming together.

For weight, how about 60 lbs.?

LA = +3 (+1 for spell resistance, +1 for arcane sight, +1 for other abilities).

Caster level for greater arcane sight seems irrelevant, since it only effects duration. I'd just set it to 13th (the lowest-level a wizard could cast the spell).

Will save for Control Magic Item's confusion effect: 12 (10 + 1/2 HD + Cha mod).

Do you think we should raise its Cha score? All its powers and important skills are based on Cha.