Elven secret door detection

[Shadeus]

What if you wanted to put the elven ability to detect secret door when within 5' into an item? The only precident item I can think of is the belt of dwarvenkind.

An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.

It would need to be in an appropriate slot so glasses or a visor or the like. It's not as powerful as a continuous 1st-level detect secret doors, but it's definitely desireable to just about any rogue or ranger. I can imagine that spell falls into the catagory of the continuous use cure light wounds or protection from evil, so the standard calculation may not be a good rule of thumb.

Thoughts?

 

[MarkB]

I wouldn't consider it particularly unbalanced to make, say, a circlet of elvenkind with this ability, to complement the existing boots and cloak, at the same price of 2,500 gp. I might even be persuaded to throw in a small (about +2) bonus to Search checks, or maybe to saving throws vs. sleep effects.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I'd say about 10,000gp is a reasonable price. The reason why I think it's worth this much is that I personally put a higher price on racial-only abilities.

However, I would make a special item and not allow this ability into any ole' magic item.

At 2,500, every rogue and their mother would have one.

 

[Shadeus]

I'd say about 10,000gp is a reasonable price. The reason why I think it's worth this much is that I personally put a higher price on racial-only abilities.

However, I would make a special item and not allow this ability into any ole' magic item.

At 2,500, every rogue and their mother would have one.

Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking myself. I was afraid it was too cheap with the "real" cost being around 2,500 gp....probably cheaper. Maybe make them an evil only item and require real elven eyes.

Joking aside, I really wonder how great a boon it is. It certainly isn't a guarentee and requires you to have a helluva investment in a skill to make it worthwhile. Of course, there's the "headband of intellect for the fighter" argument that says things are priced for those who can use them.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Searching for secret doors, quite honestly, is not so big a deal. I could be talked down from 10,000gp. I would probably go as low as 5,000gp, but I still would make it a specific Elven item, not a generic ability on the magic item table of generic abilities.

 

[ValhallaGH]

still would make it a specific Elven item, not a generic ability on the magic item table of generic abilities.

Meaning that only Elves could use the magic item that reproduces their innate ability to notice secret doors?

Isn't that like giving a dwarf a belt of dwarvenkind? I.E. A complete waste of a magic item?

If I misunderstood you, and what you meant was that the creator had to be an elf, or some similar restriction, then that's a different point.

 

[Malum]

my only input is that my elf is at 16 cosecutive failed attempts and this is only after we started counting. 1 in 6 chance my arse!

Malum

 

[Infiniti2000]

Meaning that only Elves could use the magic item that reproduces their innate ability to notice secret doors?

Egads, no.

I just meant a special item, not restricted to anyone, but perhaps with different abilities depending on who donned the item.

What I really meant was that it would be an item created only by the DM. The players would not have the ability to add the "Elven Secret Door" enhancement on any item they chose.

 

[seans23]

Joking aside, I really wonder how great a boon it is. It certainly isn't a guarentee and requires you to have a helluva investment in a skill to make it worthwhile.

but it's great for metagaming.

 

[Paraxis]

Make it cost more say 15,000 but give it the +2 to listen,search, and spot the elves get.
I would allow an elf wearing one TWO checks to notice secret doors. Make it something only elves can craft (they give them to their freinds and use them themselves).