Tremorsense

[Dreaddisease]

How powerful is this ability? I was trying to create some boots of tremorsense from the interior lining of the stomach of a umberhulk for my characters to find when I realized that it really doesn't have an associative spell level or ability level. I started a quick discussion with a friend and we determined that it is really really powerful for players to have.

Basically it grant uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC). It also grants perfect sight in earth with no chance of failure within 60 feet (better than a spot check in broad daylight in a 60 ft radius room with tile floor). With these two things I came up with a relative cost of 18,000 gp for the items. +20 to spot is about 4000 GP/2 for slotted item and then the other ability I took the level it takes a character to get uncanny dodge as a rogue squared *2000 then doubled that because it is on the same item as the spot check.

Does this make sense? Anyways I just am wondering if there is a rating for the power of some abilities that could be used in magic items.

Also I don't want to dumb it down and have a certain number of time a day for 10 minutes a shot because the characters will think its useless and sell it immediately. I mean when are you going to turn on this ability... right before you get attacked? So anyways. Thoughts, comments?

 

[kreynolds]

How powerful is this ability? I was trying to create some boots of tremorsense from the interior lining of the stomach of a umberhulk for my characters to find when I realized that it really doesn't have an associative spell level or ability level. I started a quick discussion with a friend and we determined that it is really really powerful for players to have.

No worse than Blindsight, 3rd level spell, Magic of Faerun, page 82.

 

[Lord Ben]

You'd still suffer 50% miss chance and you'd be flat footed though right, you'd just know exactly what square they were in?

And just because you know they're there doesn't mean you can react on time. IE, he's 80ft away and does a charge that allows him to move 80ft and he still has a chance of winning on init and charging you for surprise.

 

[Xarlen]

Actually, it's *better* then blindsight. Blindsight also lets you tell tell the whereabouts of an invisible oponent, who's in the air noless.

This has it's perks (Not losing it due to deafness).

 

[Dagger75]

Plus anything incoporal won't be picked up by tremorsense. Plus anything flying (or levitating) won't be picked up either.

 

[kreynolds]

Actually, it's *better* then blindsight. Blindsight also lets you tell tell the whereabouts of an invisible oponent, who's in the air noless.

Isn't this contradictory? You state that Tremorsense is better than Blindsight, then you list all the great things Blindsight can do that Tremorsense can't do.

 

[Xarlen]

I point to the second part.

This has it's perks (Not losing it due to deafness).

Often creatures with Blindsight loose it if they're deafened.

That doesn't work for the trem. And you get it at a further distance.

As well, I was adding what blindsight can do.

 

[kreynolds]

Often creatures with Blindsight loose it if they're deafened.

Oh, I don't know about "often". Most creature have Blindsight that uses multiple senses, at least two.

However, I just noticed that the blindsight spell in MaoF uses only one sense; vibration. Basically, it is Tremorsense.

 

[kreynolds]

You'd still suffer 50% miss chance and you'd be flat footed though right, you'd just know exactly what square they were in?

You don't suffer the 50% miss chance. Blindsight states that it makes darkness Invisibility and Darkness irrelevant. You know where they are, so no miss chance. However, Blindsight does not keep you from being caught flat-footed. You wouldn't lose your Dex bonus to an Invisibile or hidden attacker though.

 

[hong]

You don't suffer the 50% miss chance. Blindsight states that it makes darkness Invisibility and Darkness irrelevant.

I think LB is talking about tremorsense, not blindsight.