Level this spell: Mage's Distant Garment

[Fieari]

Mage's Distant Garment
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz ???
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: One round per level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

The focus for this spell is any object occupying the same square as the caster. The caster does not need to be directly touching the object so long as it is close enough to him.

Upon casting this spell, the target is considered to be wielding or wearing the object for any beneficial or negative effects this may bestow upon him, even if the target already is wearing the maximum number of items for that location (for example, if he was already wearing two rings, this spell could give him the benefits of a third). The target cannot actually manipulate the object via this spell, and the spell ends immediately if the object leaves the caster's square.

The caster cannot recieve any of the benefits from the object himself during the duration of this spell. No creature may be under the effects of more than one Mage's Distant Garment at a time.

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Now, beyond the obvious usage of this to further buff an already decked out character, there's also an offensive usage of the spell, which is why will negates. You could use it to bestow the effects of a cursed item on someone, like Boots of Dancing, or a Ring of Clumsyness. Better yet, say you have a Talisman of Pure Good, and you use this spell to force an evil cleric to touch it... boom! Instant 8d6 damage...

So where would you put this spell? I'm thinking somewhere mid-level, between 4 and 6, but I'd like to hear your thoughts...

 

[Flame_Excess]

Maybe it's a guess, maybe it's fair but I'd put it:

Cleric: 3, Bard: 2 Wizard/Sor: 3 Others: Can't

It makes me think somewhat of Hold person (attach an opponent to a rock)

There should be the restriction that it must absolutely be in contact with and only one item sticks. I'd allow the spell to be effective even when it is cast multiple times, affecting different objects.

I'd enumerate some of the most possible items it can stick to.

I wouldn't allow it to be effective on magical items (unless this is the main purpose of creating this spell) or that it must succeed a more difficult roll.

Overall, cool idea.

 

[Pyrex]

For completeness sake you should change the target entry to:

Targets: 1 Object (Attended Only: Will Negates), 1 Creature (Will Negates)

That way when the Wizard who's being grappled uses it to steal the effect of his opponents Ring of Free Action or Cape of the Mountebank (and so on) the opponent still gets a save.

 

[Fieari]

What do you mean you wouldn't allow this to work on magical items? The only thing this is good for is magical items... it doesn't work on anything else. Using a rock would do absolutely nothing. They're considered wielding the rock for purposes of benefits and negatives, but aren't actually wielding the rock. Since the rock doesn't have any benefits or negatives, it does nothing. Nothing "sticks" to anything...

"Considered" does not equal "Is actually". They're considered to be wearing, but aren't really.

I'm still wavering on the level. Now I'm thinking 3rd or 4th. Depending on the right item, it can be pretty powerful, but most of the bad things you could do to someone with this fall into this spell level range, off the top of my head...

I agree with Pyrex on allowing an attended object to save... I hadn't considered grappling. I think I'll also change the wording to say that the item doesn't bestow its benefits (or negatives) twice... if someone is wearing the object, that object no longer bestows its effects on the wearer, but only on the target (until the spell is over). That way, in the grappling situation, the mage COULD steal the enemy's equipment, effectively. The spell would have to be prepared stilled, of course, but that's not a big deal.

 

[Zimbel16]

I'm still wavering on the level. Now I'm thinking 3rd or 4th. Depending on the right item, it can be pretty powerful, but most of the bad things you could do to someone with this fall into this spell level range, off the top of my head...

Think of it this way:
For the cost of an action (possibly in advance of combat) and a spell, a spellcaster can, for a handful of rounds, gain a benefit. Many of these benefits are the equivalent of roughy 2-3rd level spells (and last far longer in spell form).

So I'd focus on the offensive uses. Frankly, I can find much easier ways to kill creatures (by using offensive items on creatures themselves) and there's a save, so I'd be tempted to go with LV 3, LV 4 if I was planning on giving easy access to cloaks of poisoness and helms of alignment change, etc.

So I think that LV 4 would be pretty safe. LV 3 would likely work for many campaigns.