Excerpts: Reagents


4th Edition

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

A look at the Adventurer's Vault

Reagents enhance the use of a power of a specified type and level. When used in conjunction with an attack power, a reagent’s effect typically applies only to one target hit by the power. Only one reagent can be used to enhance any given power. You must be holding a reagent to use it (which might require a minor action to retrieve the item). A reagent is consumed during the power’s action.

Each reagent affects powers up to a specified maximum level. In some cases, more refined or concentrated versions of a reagent can be used, with an increased maximum level for the power it can affect.

Black Cave Pearl Level 14+
This rare black pearl is found in subterranean lakes and favored by mesmerists and hypnotists.
Lvl 14 800 gp
Lvl 24 21,000 gp
Reagent
Power (Consumable): Free Action. Expend this reagent when you use of a power with the charm keyword of up to 7th level. Roll twice for the power’s attack roll and take the better of the two results.
Level 24: Power up to 17th level.

Creeping Gatevine Level 10+
This red-flowering vine grows on the stones of magical gates and menhirs.
Lvl 10 200 gp
Lvl 20 5,000 gp
Lvl 30 125,000 gp
Reagent
Power (Consumable Teleportation): Free Action. Expend this reagent when you use a power with the teleport keyword of up to 10th level. Increase the distance teleported by 2 squares.
Level 20: Power up to 20th level, increase by 5 squares.
Level 30: Power up to 30th level, increase by 10 squares.

Flame Rose Level 10+
Your fire magic is augmented by this beautiful crimson rose.
Lvl 10 200 gp
Lvl 20 5,000 gp
Lvl 30 125,000 gp
Reagent
Power (Consumable Fire): Free Action. Expend this reagent when you use a power with the fire keyword of up to 7th level. Each target takes ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Level 20: Power up to 17th level, ongoing 10 fire damage (save ends).
Level 30: Power up to 27th level, ongoing 15 fire damage (save ends).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rings

Gargoyle Ring Level 25
Wearing this ring of rough stone allows you to adopt a rocky form.
Item Slot: Ring 625,000 gp
Property: While you are petrified, you can make a saving throw at the end of your turn to remove the effect.
Power (Daily): Standard Action. You become a stone statue, gaining resist 25 to all damage and tremorsense 10. You lose all other senses and can take no actions in this form other than a minor action to resume your normal form. If you’ve reached at least one milestone today, you can spend a healing surge to regain hit points equal to your surge value at the same time you turn into a statue or resume your normal form.

Boots
Boots of Teleportation Level 28
Wearing these elegant boots, you never need to raise your feet to move.
Item Slot: Feet 2,125,000 gp
Power (At-Will Teleportation): Move Action. Teleport a number of squares equal to your speed.


Very cool. Things like Power Components are something I don't feel DnD ever did right. These show some promise ... hopefully they have a sufficient number and price them well enough to make it really worth using them.

The two higher level items look interesting. The ring seems to make you invulnerable to Petrification. Intriguing!

Cheers! :)


I read the excerpt last night, and went ahead and changed some of the worms in Age of Worms into reagents that can empower necrotic spells.


Antioch wrote:
I read the excerpt last night, and went ahead and changed some of the worms in Age of Worms into reagents that can empower necrotic spells.

Interesting concept. I'm playing in AoW right now myself, although it is still 3.5 (a different group of mine is running through 4E's KotS currently)

What are the game affects you are attaching to the worms?

Scarab Sages

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

any good Heroic magic items?


Special spell components existed in D&D since AD&D 1st edition, maybe even before.
They have been covered in some Dragon Magazine articles too.
Good to see them coming back in D&D4, but that's not new.


Seldriss wrote:

Special spell components existed in D&D since AD&D 1st edition, maybe even before.

They have been covered in some Dragon Magazine articles too.
Good to see them coming back in D&D4, but that's not new.

No,it's not a new concept (and, really, it has always survived in material components), but it's never really been handled well. Even material components had issues, which led to the Spellcaster's Pouch, which was just a mechanism for keeping track of all that silliness. I believe Eberron had some expendable items that affected spellcasting, as well. I have been waiting for a system to put together a mechanic like this that is priced appropriately and has appropriately scaled effects. I hope this one works!

O


Seldriss wrote:

Special spell components existed in D&D since AD&D 1st edition, maybe even before.

They have been covered in some Dragon Magazine articles too.
Good to see them coming back in D&D4, but that's not new.

Oh, I know. I just don't feel earlier editions ever got it quite right. Hopefully this one is more pleasing to me. :)

Mac,

Have you seen the excerpts of the Bag of Tricks or the Figurines of Wondrous Power they've done previously? It is my impression the Vault will have items across all level ranges.

Cheers! :)

Edit: Arc beat me to it! And stated my own thoughts much more eloquently than I did myself! Curses! :P


Just a little precision :
My point was not to discredit this article, the reagents or the 4th edition in general.
I was merely mentioning that this concept dated from older elements.

In this period of civil war D&D3.5 vs D&D4, i felt necessary to add this precision...


Antioch wrote:
I read the excerpt last night, and went ahead and changed some of the worms in Age of Worms into reagents that can empower necrotic spells.

care to post some notes on this, I could use something like this on my AOW 4e game.

The Exchange

Lazaro wrote:
Reagents enhance the use of a power of a specified type and level. When used in conjunction with an attack power, a reagent’s effect typically applies only to one target hit by the power. Only one reagent can be used to enhance any given power. You must be holding a reagent to use it (which might require a minor action to retrieve the item). A reagent is consumed during the power’s action.

On the role-playing aspect of this, I think this could open up a whole realm of "reagent addiction." As a mature DM I'd be tempted to hold that in my back pocket until I noticed a player utilizing a specific reagent(s) repeatedly, then I could use that to introduce a sort of addiction side-story. Perhaps even introduce a penalty when the player ISN'T using reagents. It would be interesting.

Just food for thought I'd like to share with y'all.

The Exchange

TigerDave wrote:


On the role-playing aspect of this, I think this could open up a whole realm of "reagent addiction." As a mature DM I'd be tempted to hold that in my back pocket until I noticed a player utilizing a specific reagent(s) repeatedly, then I could use that to introduce a sort of addiction side-story. Perhaps even introduce a penalty when the player ISN'T using reagents. It would be interesting.

Just food for thought I'd like to share with y'all.

Nice idea. Very nice idea.

Actually, I've just remembered what this all reminded me of. The old 'Volos guide to all things magical' had a really good chunk of fluff on ways that gemstones and other things could be used to enhance/suppress certain spell effects.

Scarab Sages

I wonder if there any "permanent" reagents. Something that has the same effect as a black pearl, maybe daily or an encounter use, but isn't consumed. It would have to fill a slot for balance I would imagine.


Stedd Grimwold wrote:
I wonder if there any "permanent" reagents. Something that has the same effect as a black pearl, maybe daily or an encounter use, but isn't consumed. It would have to fill a slot for balance I would imagine.

This is, I think, a very good niche item idea. A more expensive item, and maical focus perhaps, costing perhaps ten or twenty times the normal price, but that can be used once per day like normal magic items.

I've also considered doing something similair for rituals and components. An increased up front cost, but with repeatable beneifits. It would put it outside the cost range of the level for the ritual or reagant being made repeatable, but if a party were to pool their resources they could get a reuseable resource appropriate to their level, or a high level character could get a repeatable low level effect.


Stedd Grimwold wrote:
I wonder if there any "permanent" reagents. Something that has the same effect as a black pearl, maybe daily or an encounter use, but isn't consumed. It would have to fill a slot for balance I would imagine.

Hmm, could themed implements do this as well? An orb enhances divination rituals, or a rod that enchances charm powers. I think that would make for interesting material in a pre-existing design space.

The Exchange

Stedd Grimwold wrote:
I wonder if there any "permanent" reagents. Something that has the same effect as a black pearl, maybe daily or an encounter use, but isn't consumed. It would have to fill a slot for balance I would imagine.

That, or it is a rare or unique item/artifact that is found, not purchased. Perhaps a fabled item from ages past, or some forgotten lore.

Do take note of the item cost however. When I sit down tonight I'll crunch numbers, but PCs basically have an "allowance" now as opposed to a treasure trove - the amount of cash available to have a pocket of black pearl may not be available.


This pertains to the knowledge worms that you can find in The Spire of Long Shadows.

Spoiler:
Knowledge worms are found within jars filled with necrotic fluid, effectively trapping them in stasis. They are covered in runes. If you consume one, it does what a worm normally does, but you can make a Fortitude save. If you make the save, you actually kill the worm and retain various bits of knowledge. In game terms, this is a permanent +2 enhancement bonus to various Knowledge skills.
What I figured I would do instead is have the worms deal lots of ongoing necrotic and psychic damage. If you make a successful saving throw before you drop or die, you get to add +1 to a predetermined skill (the DM decides which skill the worm is keyed to: you could stick with Arcana, Religion, and other similar skills, or branch out into other areas).
I was considering allowing the worms to retain rituals, and "teach" you a ritual if you consume one (and have the Ritual Caster feat). Finally, you could develop arcane powers that can be learned by eating the worms.

Now, onto reagents. The one that I've done so far was one that added bonus necrotic damage when you use a power with the necrotic keyword. Basically, its a necromancy booster.

Dark Worm Level 10+
Lvl 10 200 gp
Lvl 20 5,000 gp
Lvl 30 125,000 gp
Power (Consumable): Free Action. Expend this reagent when you use a power with the necrotic keyword of up to 7th level. Each target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends).
Level 20: Power up to 17th level, ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends).
Level 30: Power up to 27th level, ongoing 15 necrotic damage (save ends).

Another reagent would add the immobilization condition when you use the spell (causing several conjured worms to erupt out of the ground and bind a character into place).

Yet another might roll on the weakened condition, help you ignore necrotic resistance, impose radiant vulnerability (by inducing an "undead"-state), add a push effect due to fear, and other thematic thingies. I'm going to replace a lot of the arcane worms with various reagents to round out the treasure parcels and to see how the players react to fighting fire with fire.

Of course, I'm mad that I'm halfway done with the adventure path: there were plenty of opportunities to add these things into the game beforehand. Heck, the new Adventurer's Vault article has standards: I'd like to throw in a standard of the Worm in there that could let allies draw upon Kyuss's dread powers.


Oh, if anyone is interested, I've done some conversions for all of the Kyuss minions in Spire of Long Shadows (eviscerator beetle, sword of Kyuss, wormcaller, wormswarm, overworm, knight of Kyuss, worm naga, and spellweaver lich).
I should work on various spawn of Kyuss monsters...

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