Favorite Obscure Items in PFS

[Ferious Thune]

The thread about auditing characters and additional resources got me thinking... What are some of your favorite obscure items, spells, feats, traits, etc. that you've used (or wish you could use) in PFS? I'm looking for PFS legal items. Here are a few of mine:

Origami Swarm Ultimate Equipment

Way of the Kirin:

My geisha ninja has been carrying one around since somewhere around 2nd or 3rd level. At 7th level, she finally had a chance to use it, dropping it through the murder holes onto the group of conscripts that were trying to break down the door of the house. They couldn't very well do that why they were nauseated from distraction!

I really wanted to find an excuse for her to use it at the Blakross Wedding, but sadly, I couldn't.

Haunt Siphon Haunting of Harrowstone (Carrion Crown)

I've never actually purchased one, because I don't own Carrion Crown, and I don't want to be tempted to read it before I've played it. But man, what a great item for a non cleric to defend against haunts.

Bones of Founder Raccona What Lies in Dust (Council of Thieves)

Economically (both real world and in game) these don't make sense to buy, but flavorwise I wish I had them for my Oracle of Bones, who tends to be a bit squishy, despite being mostly a melee character, and who already wears carved bone jewelry.

[BigNorseWolf]

Smoke pellets, from the dungeoneers guide. Exposes invisible critters.

Familiar satchel from ultimate equipment: my druid goes into batform and hides in it.

Board game from ultimate equipment. My gnome has a deluxe paracountess bingo game.

[Cao Phen]

Robe of Infinite Twine, because you always have the need for rope, one way or another...

Clockwork Key, 500g item for a "Construct avoids attacking me" item. Great for positioning, and for the construct to attack those who do not have a key. =)

Liquid Ice, as a focus, Ray of Frost deals an additional 1 Damage. As a material component, deals an additional 1d3 Piercing Damage and 1 Cold Damage, on top of the standard 1d3.

Flag with the Flagbearer Feat, +1 Attack/Damage (Morale) withing 30 ft of Flagbearer. Toss a Bard into the mix and you are teamplaying quite a bit.

[Mahtobedis]

Sleeves of Many Garments 200g

Most of my characters don't use their wrist slots and these guarantee I am always dressed for the occasion.

[Epimetheus]

I'll go with Whispering Coin. Getting a yes or no question out of your GM once per game day is worth 3000gp and needing to speak Thassalonian.

[Avatar-1]

Dream Journal of the Pallid Seer (from What Lies In Dust, Pathfinder AP #27)

Lets you force a reroll of an opponent's d20 roll. Yes, including an attack roll (or critical confirmation) or saving throw. Only once use ever, but it's only about 600gp, and not destroyed once it's used.

You can even let other party members read it while the effect is still on you. Amazing in PFS.

[CanisDirus]

Avatar-1 wrote:

Dream Journal of the Pallid Seer (from What Lies In Dust, Pathfinder AP #27)

Lets you force a reroll of an opponent's d20 roll. Yes, including an attack roll or critical confirmation. Only once use ever, but it's only about 600gp, and not destroyed once it's used.

You can even let other party members read it while the effect is still on you. Amazing in PFS.

I agree this is a great item - 600gp to potentially save your PC from death... but I'm not so sure you can let other people read it...

[Avatar-1]

Mike Bramnik wrote:

Avatar-1 wrote:

Dream Journal of the Pallid Seer (from What Lies In Dust, Pathfinder AP #27)

You can even let other party members read it while the effect is still on you. Amazing in PFS.

I agree this is a great item - 600gp to potentially save your PC from death... but I'm not so sure you can let other people read it...

A quick search points out something I hadn't even thought of - selling it after reading it!

Look, I might be wrong, but everyone we've shown that to can't see anything implying that it "wears off" if someone else reads it or you otherwise ditch it.

There's nothing indicating you can't - but that's another thread if you want to start one up to look into it.

[Ferious Thune]

Avatar-1 wrote:

Dream Journal of the Pallid Seer (from What Lies In Dust, Pathfinder AP #27)

Lets you force a reroll of an opponent's d20 roll. Yes, including an attack roll (or critical confirmation) or saving throw. Only once use ever, but it's only about 600gp, and not destroyed once it's used.

You can even let other party members read it while the effect is still on you. Amazing in PFS.

I didn't know about this one, and I like it a lot. From reading the description, it seems like you decide after finding out the effect of the attack?

Dream Journal of the Pallid Seer wrote:

...at the moment he is about to die he may reroll any failed saving throw made within the last round or force an opponent to reroll a killing attack.

To me that sounds like you resolve the whole attack, including damage, and if it kills you, you can force a do over on the whole thing. Am I right it reading it that way?

I'm unsure about whether or not it can be used by someone else after it's been read. I can see how it would be interpreted both ways. But even if it can't, it's 600gp to potentially save you 5250gp plus a couple of Restorations.

Hmm... What Lies in Dust has this and the bones of the founder. I may have to reconsider my policy to not buy adventure paths until I've played them.

[Matthew Morris]

BNW already hit the smog pellets.

I have a preference for the aegis of recovery in the Rival guide. +2 two to ongoing saves is nice, so is the one shot cure moderate wounds when you are dropped below zero (even if this destroys the item)

1500 GP for the neck slot. Every witch should get one for their familiar. :-)

[Jiggy]

The bandolier, from Ultimate Equipment. Not the beneficial one or the endless one, just the bandolier. Nonmagical. You can wear up to two of them (cris-crossing your chest) and they each hold up to 8 small items.

What's so great? Their weight is negligible. So if you're a finesse guy with 10 or less STR, you should seriously consider a couple of those instead of even a masterwork backpack. (Not to mention you really look the adventurer with criscrossed bandoliers across your chest!)

[Tony Lindman]

Jiggy wrote:

The bandolier, from Ultimate Equipment. Not the beneficial one or the endless one, just the bandolier. Nonmagical. You can wear up to two of them (cris-crossing your chest) and they each hold up to 8 small items.

What's so great? Their weight is negligible. So if you're a finesse guy with 10 or less STR, you should seriously consider a couple of those instead of even a masterwork backpack. (Not to mention you really look the adventurer with criscrossed bandoliers across your chest!)

Bandolier going one direction, filled with wands, potions, and a dagger. Adventurers sash going the other way, with healer's kit, a few more potions, some pearls of power, and a scroll box tucked into the satchel at the bottom. Halfling cleric is ready to roll!

[Big Kyle]

Ioun Stones...

Good lord do I love my ioun stones...

So many of them...so beautifully implanted...mmmmmmmmm....

[zefig]

Folding shovel. You never know when you'll need to bury bodies. Err, dig up the treasure. Crowbars are pretty great too.

Could one implant an ioun torch?

[Xar'z]

Boots of the Cat - cheap and great
Bead of Newt Protection

and of course the Ioun stones!

[Fromper]

Not so obscure here on the forums, but I rarely see them in actual play - spring loaded wrist sheathe! Most of my characters can use a wand of CLW, and they carry it in one of these sheathes for easy access mid-battle. Not many people own the Adventurer's Armory, and I'm surprised this one isn't in Ultimate Equipment.

Here's another non-obscure one that most people ignore, but can be useful for just about anyone - a whip! Yup, just the plain old exotic weapon from the Core Rulebook. Even without proficiency, if you've got nothing better to do in battle, it lets you try to trip, disarm, or just aid an ally's attack from 15 feet away from the enemy, usually with easier target numbers than actually hitting the enemy's AC. My half orc cleric took the alternate racial trait to get whip proficiency, even though he usually tries to keep his non-shield hand empty for casting. My halfling buff/heal specialist cleric without whip proficiency carries one just to make aid another attacks (+4 from the Helpful halfling trait).

[Leathert]

I must say that Cloak of Manta Ray amuses me endlessly. It has come up twice during my paladin's career, and the image of her turning into a fish (with arms!) is just too funny. Especially when it was just couple of feet of water on the dungeon floor. The cloak gave her better swim speed than her land speed would be, so she just dropped, kind of glid over to the monsters as a manta ray and rose up as a human.

The item would be actually nice if it worked in all kinds of water, not just salty.

[thistledown]

Haven't had a character to use it yet, but I like the Commander's Banner from Knights of the Inner Sea. Your cavalier's tactician ability doubles its range, lasts 2 rounds longer than normal, and can be used once more per day. For 10000gp

I might make a character solely around that.

Corner item that I have used. Agile Alpenstock. Only 2000gp for a quarterstaff that gives +2 vs trip and +5' movement, and only weighs 1 pound.

[Fromper]

Dawnflower Sash - 2500 gp for a feather fall once per day, unlimited magic light source, endure elements vs heat, and an instant 1d8+5 healing once per day when you drop below 0 HP. Only catch is you have to worship Sarenrae, which is just fine for my cleric of Sarenrae and Dawnflower Dervish bard, but not my other 11 PCs.

[Todd Lower]

The insistent doorknocker. Creating a doorway anywhere you need it. It certainly helps with surprise.

[Kiinyan]

I've yet to see this, even though I think it's so good: feather step slippers. Ignoring difficult terrain should be at the top of a melee's shopping list, and it's only 2000gp.

I don't know if it's the table I play at or something, but I never see Eyes of the Eagle either. My Seeker Sorceror has them and hasn't missed a trap once yet. Or any other perception check.

To add on to the flag post: Banner of the Ancient Kings. No bard is complete without this and flagbearer. Oh, then make it an aasimar bard. And put the favored class points into inspire courage. This will make even rogues effective (and potentially make the TWF ones lethal).

Gloves of Reconnaissance are a pretty great way to ignore those doors nuisances. And maybe find secret doors.

My final one...finally.... Ghostsalt Weapon blanch. I've advised these (and most other blanches) to every archer I've met in PFS. 300 gp for 10 ghost touch arrows is worth every copper.

[Mazlith]

Fromper wrote:

Here's another non-obscure one that most people ignore, but can be useful for just about anyone - a whip! Yup, just the plain old exotic weapon from the Core Rulebook. Even without proficiency, if you've got nothing better to do in battle, it lets you try to trip, disarm, or just aid an ally's attack from 15 feet away from the enemy, usually with easier target numbers than actually hitting the enemy's AC. My half orc cleric took the alternate racial trait to get whip proficiency, even though he usually tries to keep his non-shield hand empty for casting. My halfling buff/heal specialist cleric without whip proficiency carries one just to make aid another attacks (+4 from the Helpful halfling trait).

Thanks Fromper! I'm about to start whipping up trouble

[Majuba]

Some of my favorites are from Gods & Magic:

Dawnflower Sash can save a lot of lives (immediate action cure light when going below 0, plus endure elements vs. heat, plus feather falling)

Pallid Crystal for worshipers of Urgathoa is a delight just for the roleplay potential. Plus no threat from inflict spells.

[Ferious Thune]

One of my favorite obscure spells is from Gods and Magic.

Defending Bone

For a melee based Cleric of Pharasma or Oracle, it's a great buff. My Oracle of Bones uses scrolls of it for now, and he'll take it when he gets 2nd level spells. Hour/level DR 5/Bludgeoning 9 levels before Armor of Bones grants it? Plus it's great for flavor. A lot of creatures do Bludgeoning damage, so it has its limits, but on a character who mostly casts to buff or heal himself, the 2nd level spell slots won't be missed. The 15-50 hitpoints saved per casting would.

[Chernobyl]

Iron Rope...very useful for all sorts of things...try and break out of that...
various cracked ioun stones, cheap, decent bonuses to ac, attacks, saves, initiative...
jingasa of the fortunate soldier...best 5K your fighter will ever spend...
+1 for Sleeves of many garments..."A man must always have the appropriate...costume..."

[Fromper]

Chernobyl wrote:

various cracked ioun stones, cheap, decent bonuses to ac, attacks, saves, initiative...

Good call. I should have remembered to mention those here earlier. You can pay 200 gp for a permanent +1 to any one skill. And you can do this for as many skills as you'd like at 200 gp each.

[SCPRedMage]

Jiggy wrote:

The bandolier, from Ultimate Equipment. Not the beneficial one or the endless one, just the bandolier. Nonmagical. You can wear up to two of them (cris-crossing your chest) and they each hold up to 8 small items.

What's so great? Their weight is negligible. So if you're a finesse guy with 10 or less STR, you should seriously consider a couple of those instead of even a masterwork backpack. (Not to mention you really look the adventurer with criscrossed bandoliers across your chest!)

Bandoliers are awesome for flavor, but they define the action to retrieve items from them as the "retrieve a stored item" action, which provokes, and cannot be combined with actual movement.

For weapons and weapon-like objects, you're better off NOT using them, to head off table variation.

[Rusty Ironpants]

Ferious Thune wrote:

One of my favorite obscure spells is from Gods and Magic.

Defending Bone

For a melee based Cleric of Pharasma or Oracle, it's a great buff. My Oracle of Bones uses scrolls of it for now, and he'll take it when he gets 2nd level spells. Hour/level DR 5/Bludgeoning 9 levels before Armor of Bones grants it? Plus it's great for flavor. A lot of creatures do Bludgeoning damage, so it has its limits, but on a character who mostly casts to buff or heal himself, the 2nd level spell slots won't be missed. The 15-50 hitpoints saved per casting would.

I love this spell! I wish I had known about it when my Cleric of Pharasma was lower level - I didn't know about it until he was about 9th level!

Another good spell for Pharasmins is Bone Shatter. Just Brutal. Sorry can't link to it from work.

[Lab_Rat]

Sandals of quick reaction - 4000gp

Combine this with 1 lvl of foresight wizard and you have the ability to always act in the surprise round AND take both a move and standard action.

[WalterGM]

Tree feather token -- makes a permanent, rooted tree for 400 gold. Perfect for climbing out of pits or (ab)using your level 9 druid ability.

[Rusty Ironpants]

Lab_Rat wrote:

Sandals of quick reaction - 4000gp

Combine this with 1 lvl of foresight wizard and you have the ability to always act in the surprise round AND take both a move and standard action.

oooh, my Diviner Wizard Archer may be getting some fancy footwear. What is the source?

[Cao Phen]

Walter Sheppard wrote:

Tree feather token -- makes a permanent, rooted tree for 400 gold. Perfect for climbing out of pits or (ab)using your level 9 druid ability.

...Or you can try attaching it to an arrow, and shoot it to see what happens...

[nosig]

Cao Phen wrote:

Walter Sheppard wrote:

Tree feather token -- makes a permanent, rooted tree for 400 gold. Perfect for climbing out of pits or (ab)using your level 9 druid ability.

...Or you can try attaching it to an arrow, and shoot it to see what happens...

I think you would have to hold it to activate it... so it would just fly with the arrow, and become loot for someone an arrow shot away from you.

But I have used them to anchor web spells before. I've also triggered them on the deck of a ship (back in LG days!). Lots of fun!

[Ferious Thune]

Rusty Ironpants wrote:

Ferious Thune wrote:

One of my favorite obscure spells is from Gods and Magic.

Defending Bone

For a melee based Cleric of Pharasma or Oracle, it's a great buff. My Oracle of Bones uses scrolls of it for now, and he'll take it when he gets 2nd level spells. Hour/level DR 5/Bludgeoning 9 levels before Armor of Bones grants it? Plus it's great for flavor. A lot of creatures do Bludgeoning damage, so it has its limits, but on a character who mostly casts to buff or heal himself, the 2nd level spell slots won't be missed. The 15-50 hitpoints saved per casting would.

I love this spell! I wish I had known about it when my Cleric of Pharasma was lower level - I didn't know about it until he was about 9th level!

Another good spell for Pharasmins is Bone Shatter. Just Brutal. Sorry can't link to it from work.

I had Boneshatter on my Sorcerer for a while, actually. I ended up trading it in after it got spell turned back on me and almost killed me. Also, I figured out an Empowered Scorching Ray was more effective for the same spell slot. I do like Boneshatter, though. D6/level damage plus Exhausted, or save for half but still be Fatigued. I just needed a different 4th level spell more.

[nosig]

I like the cheap things.
Like sunrods. It's always amazing how many people don't have a sunrod. Lasts for 6 hours. AOE is 30' (bigger than the 20' for light or for a torch). and it only costs 2 bp.

Also Whetstone (AA Pg9), gives a +1 damage for a normal weapons for the first time it hits after you sharpen it. Cost? 2 cp. Yeap, 2 COPPER PIECES! What 1st level PC (or 2nd for that matter) Can't afford this? And the RP of sitting around, sharpening a blade while the "Face" PC is doing an Intimidate roll...

[BigNorseWolf]

Moonrod ARG Gnome section. Only gives off dim light but it gives off a LOT of dim light. Good for hiding your exact position from the baddies, and in the humancentric PFS often gives your enemies no light.

[nosig]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Moonrod ARG Gnome section. Only gives off dim light but it gives off a LOT of dim light. Good for hiding your exact position from the baddies, and in the humancentric PFS often gives your enemies no light.

Yeap - I have an Elven Alchemist who gives these out. uses them alot! and cheap too!

[Cao Phen]

nosig wrote:

I like the cheap things.

Like sunrods. It's always amazing how many people don't have a sunrod. Lasts for 6 hours. AOE is 30' (bigger than the 20' for light or for a torch). and it only costs 2 bp.

Also Whetstone (AA Pg9), gives a +1 damage for a normal weapons for the first time it hits after you sharpen it. Cost? 2 cp. Yeap, 2 COPPER PIECES! What 1st level PC (or 2nd for that matter) Can't afford this? And the RP of sitting around, sharpening a blade while the "Face" PC is doing an Intimidate roll...

Remember downtime and the 200+ arrows that you have in your quiver. =)

[nosig]

Cao Phen wrote:

nosig wrote:

I like the cheap things.

Like sunrods. It's always amazing how many people don't have a sunrod. Lasts for 6 hours. AOE is 30' (bigger than the 20' for light or for a torch). and it only costs 2 bp.

Also Whetstone (AA Pg9), gives a +1 damage for a normal weapons for the first time it hits after you sharpen it. Cost? 2 cp. Yeap, 2 COPPER PIECES! What 1st level PC (or 2nd for that matter) Can't afford this? And the RP of sitting around, sharpening a blade while the "Face" PC is doing an Intimidate roll...

Remember downtime and the 200+ arrows that you have in your quiver. =)

while I would allow it, a lot of judges restrict it to slashing weapons...

[SCPRedMage]

Cao Phen wrote:

nosig wrote:

I like the cheap things.

Like sunrods. It's always amazing how many people don't have a sunrod. Lasts for 6 hours. AOE is 30' (bigger than the 20' for light or for a torch). and it only costs 2 bp.

Also Whetstone (AA Pg9), gives a +1 damage for a normal weapons for the first time it hits after you sharpen it. Cost? 2 cp. Yeap, 2 COPPER PIECES! What 1st level PC (or 2nd for that matter) Can't afford this? And the RP of sitting around, sharpening a blade while the "Face" PC is doing an Intimidate roll...

Remember downtime and the 200+ arrows that you have in your quiver. =)

The description specifies it provides the bonus to blades, so prepare for some table variation if you try to use it on anything that doesn't belong to one of the "blades" fighter weapon groups...

[Arizhel]

I love gnomes. I love sheriffs whistle. I can hear it, the other gnome can hear it. That badger down his hole can hear it. None of those pesky humans can. Yay whistle!

I love bells. Bells and string are great! I put thread across the door, and tie it off to a bell so when someone trips on the thread, the bell rings! Huzzah for alarms.

I love Smoked Goggles, Ear Plugs, chalk, charcoal sticks, rice paper, and anything with weight listed as -.

I love smokesticks for concealment because then I am not flankable.

I love moon rods because I am a gnome.

I love a spiked gauntlet because i dont provoke on unarmed attacks, I can cast spells with the hand, and I can make AoOs or more importantly (if absolutely needed) flank/provide aid to hit a bad guy without provoking an AoO.

I love hamakai for 1 AC no penalties on wizards/sorcerers

I love mithral light quickdraw shields for the same reasons I love Hamakai

[Lab_Rat]

Rusty Ironpants wrote:

Lab_Rat wrote:

Sandals of quick reaction - 4000gp

Combine this with 1 lvl of foresight wizard and you have the ability to always act in the surprise round AND take both a move and standard action.

oooh, my Diviner Wizard Archer may be getting some fancy footwear. What is the source?

Ultimate Equipment

[kinevon]

Not technically obscure, but way too many people in my area seem to forget that they exist: Tanglefoot Bags

[waltero]

Don't forget the alchemical remedies in Ultimate Equipment: Meditation Tea, Wismuth Salix, Twitch Tonic, Antitoxin, Antiplague, etc.

The Meditation Tea came in handy when one of our party was under a mind effect and got a reroll save at +2. Well worth the 30gp.

[Matthew Morris]

kinevon wrote:

Not technically obscure, but way too many people in my area seem to forget that they exist: Tanglefoot Bags

I love taglefoot bags. Tangleburn bags moreso.

[Matrix Dragon]

I don't know if this counts of obscure, but the Ring of Spell Knowledge is amazing for sorcerers. Just carry around one of these and a bunch of scrolls, and you can learn any low level spell on your spell list with just one round and a spellcraft check. If you get it at low levels it makes you more versatile than a wizard.

[Akerlof]

Fromper wrote:

Here's another non-obscure one that most people ignore, but can be useful for just about anyone - a whip! Yup, just the plain old exotic weapon from the Core Rulebook. Even without proficiency, if you've got nothing better to do in battle, it lets you try to trip, disarm, or just aid an ally's attack from 15 feet away from the enemy, usually with easier target numbers than actually hitting the enemy's AC. My half orc cleric took the alternate racial trait to get whip proficiency, even though he usually tries to keep his non-shield hand empty for casting. My halfling buff/heal specialist cleric without whip proficiency carries one just to make aid another attacks (+4 from the Helpful halfling trait).

I like the Net better than the whip: It uses dex, which a non-melee character is less likely to have dumped, targets touch armor class, and doesn't put your CMB up against their CMD. Tripped might be a better condition than entangled, but entangled is still a really nasty condition. (And having played an archer, far too many people don't realize that trapping the enemy hurts your ranged teammates.)

[Rerednaw]

Another +1 for Origami Swarm. 300gp UE. Portable one-use paper swarm.

And the rest is more like my typical adventurer loadout...

Silver Light Mace 25 gp
Cold Iron Dagger 4gp
Alchemists' Fire
Acid Flask
Rope
Smokestick
Tanglefoot Bag
Grappling Hook
Ghost Salt
Quick-draw wrist sheath.

Club...it's free, it's a blunt melee and ranged weapon so a better than nothing backup weapon. It's better than bad, it's good.

[nosig]

Rerednaw wrote:

Another +1 for Origami Swarm. 300gp UE. Portable one-use paper swarm.

And the rest is more like my typical adventurer loadout...

Silver Light Mace 25 gp
Cold Iron Dagger 4gp
Alchemists' Fire
Acid Flask
Rope
Smokestick
Tanglefoot Bag
Grappling Hook
Ghost Salt
Quick-draw wrist sheath.

Club...it's free, it's a blunt melee and ranged weapon so a better than nothing backup weapon. It's better than bad, it's good.

add holy water too...

it even hits demons

[Ferious Thune]

Matrix Dragon wrote:

I don't know if this counts of obscure, but the Ring of Spell Knowledge is amazing for sorcerers. Just carry around one of these and a bunch of scrolls, and you can learn any low level spell on your spell list with just one round and a spellcraft check. If you get it at low levels it makes you more versatile than a wizard.

Pair that with a Mnemonic Vestment and cover your higher level spells as well. Once a day, anyway.