Wand of Lightning Bolt - how good is it really?

[Raif]

[MENTION=12731]CapnZapp[/MENTION] is right when says the most effective use of the wand is giving it to the character who's got nothing like a lightning bolt..

It's definitely the most effective, but it also takes away from those characters who can cast it. Those spells are so iconic to those classes that it does kind of make people who take those spells ask themselves "Why bother". I'm always a fan of giving it to those who can already cast it as it's, in my opinion, stepping on toes in a lot of cases. For sorcerers or bards who steal it, it's a huge investment to get it., and for any who can casting it is using precious 3rd level spell slots.

This is one of those cases where I feel RP and not stepping on toes outweighs effectiveness, but can't argue that it isn't effective to have 2 people back to back casting lightning bolt/fireball.

 

[Unwise]

Oh I just remembered a cool idea I used in another game (Paranoia hehe).

Give the PCs TWO wands of lightening bolt. No matter where they aim either of them, the bolt always travels directly to the other lightening rod. If the other rod is not on a person (need not be held, but that is far safer) then the magic goes haywire and the activating rod splashes out randomly arcing lightening which will definitely hit the wielder. This means that they cannot just throw the other rod behind the enemy then blast them. They actually have to have one player get behind the enemy, or get them caught in a crossfire etc to make it effective. This means that it is a tactical option that takes at least two party members to pull off, which in my experience never feels OP or makes the Evoker cry that somebody else has stolen their schtick.

Of course, if you are like me, then neither rod will advertise the fact that it always arcs to the other one. The first time they activate it will be interesting as anybody between the two rod wielders is zapped. If the other person has theirs in their pack, they better hope their back is to the person activating it, or they are taking a lightening bolt through the torso.

In the Paranoia game I used this in, I gave one player a prop laser gun and the other a prop battery. If at any time a player (not PC) walked between the two other players their character got zapped. Of course, being Paranoia, the two players used this to assassinate others "accidentally".

 

[Satyrn]

Oh I just remembered a cool idea I used in another game (Paranoia hehe).

Give the PCs TWO wands of lightening bolt. No matter where they aim either of them, the bolt always travels directly to the other lightening rod. If the other rod is not on a person (need not be held, but that is far safer) then the magic goes haywire and the activating rod splashes out randomly arcing lightening which will definitely hit the wielder. This means that they cannot just throw the other rod behind the enemy then blast them. They actually have to have one player get behind the enemy, or get them caught in a crossfire etc to make it effective. This means that it is a tactical option that takes at least two party members to pull off, which in my experience never feels OP or makes the Evoker cry that somebody else has stolen their schtick.

Of course, if you are like me, then neither rod will advertise the fact that it always arcs to the other one. The first time they activate it will be interesting as anybody between the two rod wielders is zapped. If the other person has theirs in their pack, they better hope their back is to the person activating it, or they are taking a lightening bolt through the torso.

In the Paranoia game I used this in, I gave one player a prop laser gun and the other a prop battery. If at any time a player (not PC) walked between the two other players their character got zapped. Of course, being Paranoia, the two players used this to assassinate others "accidentally".

So much potential here for a variety of similar such items. Like a fireball centered between the 2 wand wielders.

Or I can see requiring the second wand to use his reaction when the other wielder triggers the effect - and the charge uselessly expended if they don't (because they don't know they're supposed to or they simply don't have it in hand, etc.)

I am yoinking this idea!

 

[Unwise]

Or I can see requiring the second wand to use his reaction when the other wielder triggers the effect - and the charge uselessly expended if they don't...

You are a lot less evil that me...uselessly expended indeed humphh. I think some third degree burns are in order at the very least

Of course if I was feeling 'nice' I'd give them clues obscure enough that they don't pick them up, but obvious enough that they blame themselves for their own misfortune when they miss them and get fried.

On a less homicidal note though, I have used a similar device that teleport swapped the two wielders within 200m of each other. That was interesting, as using it to its full potential required coordination and tactics. It could be used to save the wizard swamped by monsters, but it could be used for so much more too, sneaking around, climbing, evacuations, assassinations etc.

 

[Satyrn]

You are a lot less evil that me...uselessly expended indeed humphh. I think some third degree burns are in order at the very least

Well, I was suggesting tyat as a variant for one such item the players find. I'll give them that one first, so they get comfortable with it's relative harmlessness.

Then . . .

The next similar one they find would function regardless - but unless the second item's wielder readies an action to hold it as far from his body as possible, he's gonna get caught fully in the blast.