SPELL SCROLLS:
clerics, druids, magic-users, illusionists, gnomes and elves of any
level (but not bards) can scribe a scroll of any spell he can cast. First the caster must have 1 sheet of Purest
Vellum (50gp) per spell scribed. Secondly,
the caster must use 1 dose of Magic Ink (arcane) or Sacred Ink (cleric), per
spell level of the spell. Each dose
costs 100gp. The scroll takes 1 week
per spell level to write.
MAGICAL FOCUS:
every spell casting class has the ability to make permanent magic
devices known as Magical Foci. To do so,
he must permanently sacrifice 1 spell slot from his casting power. He then imbues the magic focus with the power
to bring forth a spell that the caster knows and is able to cast with the
desired spell slot three times per day, regardless of the caster’s state of
rest or study. The device takes 1 week
per spell level of prayer or incantation to create, and 100gp per spell level
in either Holy Incense (clerics) or Mystic Myrrh (other casters). Primitive or impoverished casters can skip
the incense or myrrh, but it multiplies the preparation time by 4. The focus forever functions as if the spell
it produces was cast by a caster at the level at which the creator was when the
focus was created. At a later date, if
the caster wishes to make an additional focus, he can either add another spell
to the same device or create a separate device.
Since the focus is bound to the creator’s personal energies, if the
caster dies, there is a 90% chance minus 5% per experience level that each of
his foci will be destroyed at the same time, and if the caster is raised from
the dead, his foci do not reform. If a
focus is destroyed by some other means, on the other hand, the caster does not
get his spell slot back. A focus can be
used by anyone of the same class as the creator, but for such a person it will
only operate once per day.
Example: Orville of Redenbacker is a 3rd
level magic-user. He can cast 2 level 1
and 1 level 2 spells per day. He
decides that he needs more magic power.
He decides to give up one level 1 spell slot permanently, in order to
make “Orville’s Bitchin’ Headband of Magic Missiles”, a magic focus. He will be able to use the Focus to cast
Magic Missile spell three times per day, but will forever cast 1 fewer first
level spell than his level allows. At
third level, his magic missile spell launches 2 missiles, but even when Orville
has advanced to 10th level and could cast 5 missiles with a normal
spell, his head band will still only launch 2 missiles per casting. One day when Orville was 8th
level, he is killed by a poison trap.
90% minus 5%x8 equals 50% chance that his head band will survive. It does so, and his partner Steve the Elf and
his Apprentice Cheesy Joe both claim it.
However, since Steve is of a different class (elf) he can’t use it and
gives way and allows Joe to take it. Joe
can now use the headband to cast 1 free magic missile spell per day.
Since the magical focus is tied in with the personal energies of the caster, there should be a way for the caster to bring the spell stored up to his current level of power, like performing a reduced incantation/ceremony. Like making that magic missile item made at 3rd level with 2 missiles firing, work at 10th level with 5 missiles firing.
ReplyDeleteThe thing with the focus is that it is an exchange of long-term flexibility for short-term power gain. It should be a hard choice. It essentially gives you 2 extra spell slots a day but fixes the spell choice. Making the spell scale with the caster level makes there no real reason not to take focuses of Fireball and Lightning Bolts A.S.A.P.
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