Building an item capable of creating an "antimagic field"

Question

One of the players in my group wants a helpful high level (≥11) wizard to build something for him that can create an antimagic field. The player is a rogue, so has "use magic device" as a skill.

I was thinking about creating some kind of oil that could be smeared on an arrow, and then shoot the arrow to some location where the antimagic field centers, but by RAW, oils are limited to 3rd level spells. Similarly, a Wand (that could be used with UMD) is limited to 4th level spells.

Would this be possible at all? What would be the cost of such an item? Are there other options, and what would be some difficulties for the player in this case?

I guess only a Scroll would make sense. Any other ideas how to give this player a way to create an antimagic field?

Answer 1

Acquiring an antimagic field

The typical wizard must be level 11 to cast the 6th-level spell antimagic field, but once he can, the rogue could commission from him magic items. It's even possible that when the wizard hits level 11, the wizard takes the feat Craft Staff, and a staff is the easiest and cheapest way for the rogue to use the skill Use Magic Device to cast consistently the spell antimagic field, but the rogue must find means to recharge the staff when it's depleted. The cost to create a staff of antimagic field is 26,700 gp, which includes the 300 gp for the masterwork staff. (The base price for a scroll of antimagic field (6th-level arcane spell at caster level 11) is 1,650 gp if the rogue only wants to use the spell once.)

Without many other items that create an effect like the spell antimagic field, the equalizer shield (120,830 gp; 23 lbs.) appears to be the item to use when ballparking prices for similar items that create an effect like the spell antimagic field. The fact that without the equalizer shield's ability to create an antimagic field once per day the equalizer shield is just a +1 mithral tower shield means the game puts the price of the ability to generate an antimagic field on command once per day at upwards of 100,000 gp.

Adjudicating an antimagic field

The spell antimagic field's spell level belies its vast power; it's one of the most powerful and difficult to manage effects in the game. It allows the defeat of many foes the PCs would've otherwise found invincible, and it allows the weak foes to defeat the PCs. It's a nuclear weapon that sends all users back to the Stone Age time of No Magic, and that's scary. Even creatures who plan around the spell can be hurt by the spell's unpredictability; the nature of PCs' adventures rarely make adventuring without magic a good idea.

To that end, I agree with Ciacciu's answer: experiment. Start with a scroll or two and see how it changes your game, and remember to let the foes do the same.

Answer 2

TL; DR Don't let him do that unless you're fine with all magic-using "enemies" becoming useless.

My DM in an adventure implemented a stone (very rare and valuable, of course) that created an anti-magic field. The enemy was using it to prevent our spellcasters from freeing us, but somehow we managed to escape, and take the stone: the boost in power awe got from that was enormous.

We almost took down an epic-level vampire wizard, who was not prepared to fight, (also, the DM wasn't very good with combat) simply becuase my rogue holding the stone stepped in his face in the first round. Making it deliverable from afar is potentially even stronger.

Of course you can make it anyway, as you are the DM, but before accepting any item I suggest testing it in combat, to make sure it's not unbalanced.

Answer 3

An item would cost 198,000 Gold + plus the cost of whatever item you're attaching the spell to. This cost was constructed from using the Magic Item Creation guide if you're buying it from a different character. If you are the one to create it, it would cost 99,000 gold.

Magic Item Creation

Spell Effect

--Use-activated or continuous-- --Spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp-- --ex: Lantern of revealing --

If a continuous item has an effect based on a spell with a duration measured in rounds, multiply the cost by 4. If the duration of the spell is 1 minute/level, multiply the cost by 2, and if the duration is 10 minutes/level, multiply the cost by 1.5. If the spell has a 24-hour duration or greater, divide the cost in half.

antimagic field for a wizard/sorcerer is a 6th level spell, minimum caster level is 11. it's a spell that uses 10min/lvl duration so you multiply the item by 1.5. Sooooooo

Our equation looks like this (sp. lvl.)(CL.)(2000)(Dur.Mod.) = (6)(11)(2000)(1.5) = 198,000

plus the cost of whatever item you want it attached to. I was thinking masterwork manacles that activate the spell when locked. So add an additional 50 gp. So my masterwork anti-magic field manacles comes to a grand total of 198'050.