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This ornate ring of sanctified silver is engraved with a golden signet that incorporates the holy symbol of the wearer’s deity after being worn for 24 hours. The ring can be used to seal parchments or to mark any surface as the arcane mark spell at will.
Since this item bears the wearer's holy symbol, does this mean it can be used as a divine focus? Or does this functionality only apply to items that explicitly state this, like the Holy Symbol Flask or Tattoo, or the Cassock of the Clergy?
My understanding was that a 'divine focus' just meant anything with the deity's symbol, and does not require a specific item. I'd say the ring counts.
The ring could possibly count. The idea of the Divine Focus is a symbol of your deity which you can "present". The ring could be argued to be too small to properly present. However, keep in mind that you can literally paint your holy symbol onto your armor or shield or have it hang from wrist. If you use your gods favored weapon it could count as your holy symbol and divine focus.
Ultimately you will have to ask your GM whether he will count it or not. Personally I would say it's too small, but I would let you use any of the above examples I provided. Ultimately, the rules are a little sparse on the subject and open to interpretation.
... keep in mind that you can literally paint your holy symbol onto your armor or shield or have it hang from wrist. If you use your gods favored weapon it could count as your holy symbol and divine focus.I'd suggest those are all house rules. I don't believe they're written anywhere.
There aren't really well defined rules written anywhere. This is all we get:
Divine Focus (DF): A divine focus component is an item of spiritual significance. The divine focus for a cleric or a paladin is a holy symbol appropriate to the character's faith. The divine focus for a druid or a ranger is a sprig of holly, or some other sacred plant.
If the Components line includes F/DF or M/DF, the arcane version of the spell has a focus component or a material component (the abbreviation before the slash) and the divine version has a divine focus component (the abbreviation after the slash).
Those are the only relevant rules I can find for divine focus. The symbol of your god painted onto your chest doesn't satify the condition of being a holy sybol appropriate to your faith?
In any case I did state to ask your GM because the rules are ambiguous.
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The symbol of your god painted onto your chest doesn't satify the condition of being a holy sybol appropriate to your faith?
I think SKR clarified that point in this post. If "the point of getting the tattoo" is so you can have a hands free divine focus, it would kind of defeat the point of having to spend 100gp on it when you can just paint in on your shield.
I don't think that was his intent. When I read it he's clarifying that by having the tattoo you don't need to utilize a hand to present your divine focus. The question that Sean asked was, "Does this allow you to not need a free hand manipulating a divine focus when casting a spell?" Nothing to do with whether or not you could cheaply paint a holy symbol onto your shield or armor for more cheaply and get the same effect. A tattoo is more permanent and more difficult to get rid of, it can't be sundered or stolen. Each has its draw backs and benefits. Besides which, by 3rd level the 100gp can be practically ignored.
If your position revolves around balance by cost of the item then say that it requires 100gp worth of high quality paints to properly portray your faith without denigrating it.
Several classes require some kind of "kit" and in every case,the "kit" refers to exactly the item listed in the equipment section under Tools and Skill Kits.
A Spell Component Pouch is a specific item, Thieves' Tools are not simply tools owned by thieves.
Holy Symbols should probably follow the same logic.
No class "requires" a kit. You might need the items in a kit to perform certain duties, but thats pretty rare.
For instance, under the Tools and Skill Kits section you mention:
Tools and Skill Kits
These items are particularly useful to characters with certain skills and class abilities.Alchemist's Lab: This lab is used for making alchemical items, and provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks. It has no bearing on the costs related to the Craft (alchemy) skill. Without this lab, a character with the Craft (alchemy) skill is assumed to have enough tools to use the skill but not enough to get the +2 bonus that the lab provides.
Artisan's Tools: These special tools include the items needed to pursue any craft. Without them, you have to use improvised tools (–2 penalty on Craft checks), if you can do the job at all.
Artisan's Tools, Masterwork: These tools serve the same purpose as artisan's tools, but masterwork artisan's tools are the perfect tools for the job, so you get a +2 circumstance bonus on Craft checks made with them.
Climber's Kit: These crampons, pitons, ropes, and tools give you a +2 circumstance bonus on Climb checks.
Disguise Kit: The kit is the perfect tool for disguise and provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. A disguise kit is exhausted after 10 uses.
Healer's Kit: This collection of bandages and herbs provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Heal checks. A healer's kit is exhausted after 10 uses.
Holly and Mistletoe: Druids commonly use these plants as divine focuses when casting spells.
Holy Symbol, Silver or Wooden: A holy symbol focuses positive energy and is used by good clerics and paladins (or by neutral clerics who want to cast good spells or channel positive energy). Each religion has its own holy symbol.
Unholy Symbols: An unholy symbol is like a holy symbol except that it focuses negative energy and is used by evil clerics (or by neutral clerics who want to cast evil spells or channel negative energy).
Magnifying Glass: This simple lens allows a closer look at small objects. It is also useful as a substitute for flint and steel when starting fires. Lighting a fire with a magnifying glass requires bright light, such as sunlight to focus, tinder to ignite, and at least a full-round action. A magnifying glass grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Appraise checks involving any item that is small or highly detailed.
Musical Instrument, Common or Masterwork: A masterwork instrument grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Perform checks involving its use.
Scale, Merchant's: A merchant's scale grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Appraise checks involving items that are valued by weight, including anything made of precious metals.
Spell Component Pouch: A spellcaster with a spell component pouch is assumed to have all the material components and focuses needed for spellcasting, except for those components that have a specific cost, divine focuses, and focuses that wouldn't fit in a pouch.
Spellbook, Wizard's: A spellbook has 100 pages of parchment, and each spell takes up one page per spell level (one page each for 0-level spells).
Thieves' Tools: This kit contains lockpicks and other tools you need to use the Disable Device skill. Without these tools, you must use improvised tools, and you take a –2 circumstance penalty on Disable Device checks.
Thieves' Tools, Masterwork: This kit contains extra tools and tools of better make, which grant a +2 circumstance bonus on Disable Device checks.
Tool, Masterwork: This well-made item is the perfect tool for the job. It grants a +2 circumstance bonus on a related skill check (if any). Bonuses provided by multiple masterwork items do not stack.
Aside from Holy Symbol, Spell Component Pouch, and Spellbook all the items either provide a +2 bonus or keep you from taking a -2 penalty. Also, a wooden holy symbol costs 1gp. Why couldn't I buy that and then tie it to my wrist or onto my armor or otherwise affix it to my person? Nothing in the rules to suggest that I can't. In fact, the fact that you can have a holy symbol tattooed on your person so you don't have to hold it supports this idea. And once again it comes down to price for benefit. My answer to this question is: Not all items or goods are about optimization, sometimes they're about roleplay.