True Strike Items

[Mordane76]

Such items already exist -- they're called wands.

Really, what DM in their right mind is going to go with the last option presented; an item that gave True Strike as a permanent bonus? That's the equivalent of having what, 40 EPIC levels? Even using the 400K price for armor/enhancement bonuses is generous, because every DM knows that if such an item existed, their players would be looking for such an item, or saving up their money until they could afford it. Only epic levels give out a bonus of that nature, one that adds to any and all attacks. Even a brooch or whatnot that only did so a limited number of times a day is unbalancing -- wizards can do it, if they prepare the spell in several slots, but that costs them expendable resources every day.

About the best I think I'd be willing to do is allow the creation of a brooch/necklace/whatnot that was not spell-completion that allowed the use of True Strike 1/day. Anything beyond that would be dangerous, IMO. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how I'd handle the explanation in game terms -- perhaps they haven't found a material that could handle the power of such a spell beyond that limit; everything they've tried to place more TS into has simply exploded, shattering in such a way as to fling fragments into the creator's brain, killing him (very TS, I think).

 

[Dark Dragon]

It's the Bow of True Arrows, spell-trigger, from S&F.

You don't know its market price and/or the costs for the true strike ability (I don't have S&F), do you? I'm planning such a bow for my rog/asn/wiz and don't know how to handle the cost for TS.
Ok, the bow WON'T have a permanent True Strike, but perhaps once per day...

EDIT: Clarification

 

[IceBear]

While it is a powerful ability, remember that if it take a standard action to invoke the power you end up having True Strike occuring on ONE attack every other round. So, essentially, the PC gives up one attack round to get a +20 on one attack the next round (which COULD still miss).

IceBear

 

[kreynolds]

You don't know its market price and/or the costs for the true strike ability (I don't have S&F), do you?

The bow is 4,000gp. Subtract the cost of the +1 mighty composite longbow (2,500gp), and you're left with 1,500gp for the True Strike part.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Can somebody work out the math and figure out if you do more damage on average with a +20 bonus to hit, only attacking every other turn? I imagine there's a cut-off point - below a certain AC it would not be worth it.
What would this AC be?
Let's assume, since we need to get numbers somewhere, that we have a 5th level fighter (no useful feats, STR 10) with a True Strike Longsword.
It's clear that against AC 10 he's better off not activating the sword, and against AC 30 he is better off activating the sword. Where's the cut off point, if he wants to kill his opponent as quickly as possible?

 

[Dark Dragon]

The bow is 4,000gp. Subtract the cost of the +1 mighty composite longbow (2,500gp), and you're left with 1,500gp for the True Strike part.

Thanks a lot. I suppose, the bow can "cast" TS once per day?

 

[kreynolds]

I suppose, the bow can "cast" TS once per day?

No. Unlimited uses, like an unlimited-charge wand.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

For a permanent True Strike item take the following in consideration:
the DMG sais: bonus squared * 1000.

So, +20 weapon = 20 * 20 * 1000 = 400.000 gp.

I have to disagree. The multiplier is 2,500 for an insight bonus to attack. The weapon also ignores most forms of concealment, so that costs extra.

Anything over 200,000 gp could get multiplied by a lot, and becomes an epic item.

 

[Kraedin]

I see three obvious ways to do this:

The first is the bow of true arrows style. I.e., a unlimited-use spell-trigger item. The true strike ability on that weapon costs about 1,500 gp., and that seems to be a fair price.

The second is a command word activated item. An example of this would be:

Amulet of Striking: On command, this amulet affects the wearer as though by the spell true strike.
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, true strike; Market Price: 6,000 gp.

The third is a use-activated item. I would probably do it like this:

Amulet of Inerrant Precision: This mithral amulet grants its user a +20 insight bonus to attack rolls, and allows the user to ignore the miss chance from concealment.
Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Epic Wondrous Item, true strike; Market Price: 10,500,000 gp.

 

[kreynolds]

Use-activated true strike would be an epic item, and would be priced thusly:

(+20 insight bonus)^2 * 2500 (insight multiplier) * 10 (epic multiplier) + price of concealment negation. = 10,000,000 gp., + price of concealment negation.

You are assuming use-activation as a free action, and that is not always the case. There is a huge difference between use-activated (free action) and use-activated (standard action). Most of the misconceptions regarding this topic are because of a failure on many people's parts to take this into account.

When you step back and take a look at the options available, a use-activated (standard action) True Strike item isn't that bad at all. At high level, it's only really useful when you absolutely must make that one shot, like when you want to shoot down a chandolier with your bow, or carefuly fire an arrow with a note attached next to someone. It has many utilitarian purposes. At low level, say when you only have one or two attacks per round anyway, its great.

It certainly is not as nasty as a use-activated (standard action) Heal item.