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Liar's Dice
Aura: Faint Illusion; CL 3rd
Slot —; Price 2,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
These ivory dice always come in pairs of two with painted sides ranging in number from one to six. The faces of each side are actually a permanent illusion along the surface of each die. By simply willing them to, the roller of the die can alter the results to appear as whatever they wish. This combination must be visualized in the owner's mind before the dice are thrown. This ability can be used in conjunction with multiple sets of Liar's Dice. A DC 20 Perception check followed by a DC 20 Spellcraft check will reveal the true nature of the dice. Otherwise, the dice are still subject to spells such as true seeing or detect magic.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, silent image; Cost 1,250 GP
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The background behind all of this is that I'm attempting to increase my repertoire of GM skills by recreating (for myself) parts of RPG Superstar. I'm using it as my basis for things. This is my attempt at my "Round One: Create a Wondrous Item". Please keep it limited to constructive criticism as opposed to simply trolling.
I think you have a decent item something that would be found in most crooked gambling halls in a world with Illusion magic available for the trained. Here are some comments that I hope will help you in your quest to become a better designer.
I think saying that they are only found in pairs is confusing. Reading that makes me think, why are they always together? If I steal one from a table and walk away with it does it's partner magically join it or will it eventually return to it's partner and what determines which would move? I would suggest thinking of each die as a magic item instead of a pair and build accordingly.
I like that the roller has to visualize the number before thrown.
When you say "This ability can be used in conjunction with multiple sets of Liar's Dice" is another part where designing them in sets get a bit confusing. My suggestion is to state that a character can only effect a number of Liar's Dice equal to their Wisdom bonus, or even Wisdom bonus +2.
I don't think you need to list the DC's to discover their true nature. The illusion Will save covers that for any who wish to try and see through the Illusion, and Detect Magic and Identify are how characters can reveal the magic nature of the dice. I am led to wonder if you are trying to put a way in for characters to notice that the dice are "rigged" when watching them being used. If that is the case I suggest a line like, "Every time the dice are used there is chance that a character can see something is amiss with a DC:20 perception check. I think I would make it slightly higher though.
I think you did a good job of selecting the spell to use as a requirement, and it's good you didn't try to stack on other spells. I think your costing is good. I did the math and by the book they would be 3000 to make which is way steep for some cheaters dice, dropping it to 1250 seems fair and I don't think you have to limit their usage any to justify the cost.
I would drop the weight to --. They are dice and shouldn't have any impact on encumbrance.
I think you are off to a good start with this Item. It's a good solid idea and one that would find use in any Pathfinder/ D&D type RPG. I hope you will take mine and any other feedback and do a second draft.
Good luck.
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I think saying that they are only found in pairs is confusing. Reading that makes me think, why are they always together? If I steal one from a table and walk away with it does it's partner magically join it or will it eventually return to it's partner and what determines which would move? I would suggest thinking of each die as a magic item instead of a pair and build accordingly.
That was a question my wife brought up when I went over it with her, but for some reason (most likely lack of sleep), I forgot to change it. It's been changed now.
When you say "This ability can be used in conjunction with multiple sets of Liar's Dice" is another part where designing them in sets get a bit confusing. My suggestion is to state that a character can only effect a number of Liar's Dice equal to their Wisdom bonus, or even Wisdom bonus +2.
Suggestion has been taken into account and edited to reflect such. Now, the entry will read, as you will see shortly, "The roller is also able to affect an additional number of die equal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum 0)." I think it reads a bit better than it did before and hopefully in conjunction with the change to a single die rather than a pair, its become a bit less confusing.
I am led to wonder if you are trying to put a way in for characters to notice that the dice are "rigged" when watching them being used. If that is the case I suggest a line like, "Every time the dice are used there is chance that a character can see something is amiss with a DC:20 perception check. I think I would make it slightly higher though.
You're correct in your assumption of that. Seeing as how its supposed to be a low-level type of magic item, I did want to give others a chance to notice it. Especially given that many of the times I imagine this item being used is in less-than-reputable environments where everyone would be watching each other regardless (to make sure no one cheats). I added the additional line in there to clarify. Hopefully it does its job.
I think you did a good job of selecting the spell to use as a requirement, and it's good you didn't try to stack on other spells. I think your costing is good. I did the math and by the book they would be 3000 to make which is way steep for some cheaters dice, dropping it to 1250 seems fair and I don't think you have to limit their usage any to justify the cost.
Thanks!
I would drop the weight to --. They are dice and shouldn't have any...
Another oversight on my part. I was referencing RPG Superstar and must've accidentally typed that.
I was thinking they'd be highly useless with persistent cantrips running, but then I realised a canny rogue could use sleight of hand to replace nonmagic identical dice with the actual Liar's Dice once the false set had passed a magical inspection. A lie within a lie. Great stuff.
Thanks to you as well, Kestler! I play rogues quite a bit so I was trying to think of something a rogue would be able to have in his arsenal that isn't necessarily one of those items used for combat. Combat magic items have been done. I just wanted something fun to play around with.
And without further ado!
Aura: Faint Illusion; CL 3rd
Slot —; Price 2,500 gp; Weight -
DESCRIPTION
These dice vary in appearances but always have painted sides ranging in number from one to six. The faces of each side are actually a permanent illusion along the surface of each die. By simply willing them to, the roller of the die can alter the results to appear as whatever he wishes. This combination must be visualized in the owner's mind before the dice are thrown. The roller is also able to affect an additional number of die equal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum 0). When the die is initially rolled, a character has a chance of noticing that something is amiss via a DC 23 Perception check. The dice are still subject to spells such as true seeing or detect magic.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, silent image; Cost 1,250 GP
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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It's a cool idea. Personally, I think you should add magic aura to the construction requirements and have the dice register as nonmagical to casual inspection (such as detect magic). Obviously, magic capable of seeing through magic aura will also beat this ruse, but it prevents the dice from being exposed by a simple at-will cantrip.
If I was a caster creating these dice I would add a Magical Aura effect to remove the ability to detect the illusion through a simple detect magic. It seems a bit too easy to fool with a zero level power that many many many will have access to. I would stick with the DC (whatever) check to notice the illusionary nature.
Also if you added some well worded verbage that allowed the dice to change appearance to look like any other pair of dice
that would be helpful. It would give the dice more utility in various situations such as looking like a specific casino's dice, palming somone else's dice and rolling the magic (now identical) dice instead, etc.
Just my 2C.
It's a cool idea. Personally, I think you should add magic aura to the construction requirements and have the dice register as nonmagical to casual inspection (such as detect magic). Obviously, magic capable of seeing through magic aura will also beat this ruse, but it prevents the dice from being exposed by a simple at-will cantrip.
yup. that.
I like the changes and it makes the item read a lot better.
For clarity sake I think you need to make it read "affect and additional number of Liar's Dice equal to his Wisdom." Some would argue the vagueness means that if they have one Liars die that the can cause it to affect other normal dice around it the way it reads now. Also by putting a minimum of 0 I wonder does that mean a low Wisdom character can only use one die or none at all?
For the noticing I also think you need to be little more clear on what character has a chance to notice something amiss. The thrower, a watcher? And I think the DC is still to low for that. I have a 5th level bard/rogue character right now with a +9 perception skill bonus. He would only have to roll a 14 or better to notice the dice are off. Higher level characters with good Wisdom's and lots of Perception are going to notice the dice more often than not.
Fate and wesF have some great ideas too.
Thanks for sharing your changes, I hope you don't think I am nitpicking to much. I just want to help you by posing questions that come up for me as I read it as a DM.