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I play a monk with a Blood Reservoir. When I use its power to enhance an ability score, in my case Strength, I would like add the effect of red light surrounding my character as in this video. The effect would be purely cosmetic for some extra flavor, though I would also like to end it a round later than the 1 round effect of the Strength boost to possibly fool my enemies.

Is there an item that does something like this (illusion, some kind of modified-form dancing lights) as a swift or free action?

How would the price vary if I

  1. coupled it to activating the Blood Reservoir
  2. make it last a set number of rounds after activation
  3. be able to dismiss it at any time after activating it

I thought about a ring of quickened silent image, but this seems a bit expensive for something in my eyes not very powerful.

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    \$\begingroup\$ There may well be a spell that does this but... why do you need one? It sounds like flavorful description, nothing more. Acquired by casting Speak with GM (material component: pizza). \$\endgroup\$
    – Magician
    Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 6:21
  • \$\begingroup\$ I do plan on talking to my GM, but if there's an item available that does this I would like to save him the trouble of figuring out how expensive it is. He has said he doesn't like creating custom magical items as their effects might have unintended, possibly unbalanced effects. Now of course it doesn't seem like this item will effect game balance that much, but if there's an item around that does this and someone who knows it sees this, there's less hassle for everyone. \$\endgroup\$
    – oboema
    Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 6:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ Light's pretty much the cheapest and least-unbalancing magical effect in the game - and with good reason, given that it's possible to produce light through entirely mundane means at almost zero cost. The RAW gives it away for free as an optional extra on entire categories of magic items, and many GMs will happily extend it to all manner of spells and supernatural abilities if you ask. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMJoe
    Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 6:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ You guys were right, my GM gave it to me for 100 gp. Swift action to activate, free action to dismiss. Now let's see if I can make someone believe the power spike lasts longer than 1 round with my -2 on bluff :') Thanks for replying! I would upvote your comments if I could, but it seems my reputation is too low to do so. \$\endgroup\$
    – oboema
    Commented Dec 11, 2015 at 8:28

1 Answer 1

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I'm not really expert in the cost of magic items, but i can say it is not as cheap as 100gp.

First, the spell you are looking after is more of the kind of Faerie Fire or Unwelcome Halo, both lvl 1.

Second, to enable it at the same time of your Blood Reservoir you can use the same command word. The cost of such item is 1800 gp * caster level * spell level = 1800 * 1 * 1 gp = 1800 gp (see Magic Item Creation, under Magic Item Gold Piece Values > Table: Estimating Magic Item Gold Piece Values > Spell Effect > Command word: Spell level × caster level × 1,800 gp) very close to the Blood Reservoir. You just need caster lvl 1 because those spells last 1 minute/level.

Suppose they modify the spell to works like a lvl 0 spell, by limiting its duration to 5 rounds only, then the spell cost multiplier is only 0.5, dropping the item cost to 900 gp.

Limiting the usages per day could drop the cost a little bit more (Magic Item Creation, under Magic Item Gold Piece Values > Table: Estimating Magic Item Gold Piece Values > Special > Charges per day: Divide by (5 divided by charges per day)):

  • 1 usage per day = 900 gp / (5/1) = 180 gp
  • 2 usages per day = 900 gp / (5/2) = 900 gp / 2.5 = 360 gp
  • 3 usages per day = 900 gp / (5/3) = 900 gp / 1.67 = 540 gp
  • 4 usages per day = 900 gp / (5/4) = 900 gp / 1.25 = 720 gp
  • 5 usages per day = 900 gp / (5/5) = 900 gp / 1 = 900 gp (the original cost)
  • 10 usages per day = 900 gp / (5/10) = 900 gp / 0.5 = 1800 gp (huh? yes, more than 5 usages per day raise the cost up instead)

To say the item is just cosmetic is to underestimate the item; and, sorry to say it, a lie. It is powerful enough. You clearly stated you want it to be able to bluff foes. In addition: It can be detected by magic, so friends can find you using detect magic; anyway they can find you if you shed light where in darkness and some other concealing conditions, like fog ("Hey guys, just follow me!"); useful to send signals; it can make you momentarily visible when invisible without breaking the invisibility; it can ignore concealment (even provided by blur); among other creative uses.

Something the GM is not realizing is the character can use it to bluff a foe, making the foe believe it is that item what gives him the strength boost and not the Blood Reservoir. The monk is telling the orcs'leader "Boss, please spare the life of my companions, take this in exchange. It is a powerful item that brings you the strength of a bull, i'd teach you its word... You see? I'm bursting in power!". Then the party fight the orcs again in the middle of the night, the orcs' leader uses the item, no extra strength, the whole party clearly sees him and take it down with bows and some spells.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Where are you getting that "1800" figure? \$\endgroup\$
    – GMJoe
    Commented Jan 29, 2016 at 4:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ Magic Item Creation, where it says Magic Item Gold Piece Values > Table: Estimating Magic Item Gold Piece Values > Spell Effect > Command word: Spell level × caster level × 1,800 gp. He is a monk, so he cannot use the spell completion or spell trigger. \$\endgroup\$
    – cablop
    Commented Jan 29, 2016 at 4:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ Ah, you're using the core rules only? Then I should point out that the spell level of light is 0, so it's treated as if it were spell level 0.5 for the purposes of calculating price, not 1 as you have here; Your calculated cost should be 900 gp, in line with the hand of the mage wondrous item. More importantly, this is still kinda overpriced; Again according to the core rules, the cost guidelines for spells are a starting point only... and any magic weapon can optionally include a light effect for free. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMJoe
    Commented Jan 29, 2016 at 4:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ What he asks for is not the light spell; he wants the light surrounding his shape. The spell Faerie Fire, level 1, does it; just add red to its colors and allow it to burst like a flame. Read Faerie Fire description and you see it is a harmless spell that just shed light as a candle. Anyway, note that i already reduced the spell to level 0 by reducing its duration to 5 rounds only; to further reduce the cost i limited the daily charges. And read how useful the item is, it's not just cosmetic in the right hands. \$\endgroup\$
    – cablop
    Commented Jan 29, 2016 at 12:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ You can also modify a spell like Unwelcome Halo, if Faerie Fire seems to provide too little burst around the character. Again, it is a level 1 spell. \$\endgroup\$
    – cablop
    Commented Jan 29, 2016 at 12:56

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