Useful items to buy that you can't use yourself...


Pathfinder Society

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4/5

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So from level 1 most PFS players are told to get a Wand of Cure Light Wounds (or Infernal Healing) even if you can't use it yourself just to have it and hand to a party member who can use it.

But what I'm curious about are what other items have you bought (or should consider buying) to have even though you can't use them yourself.

Extreme example - scroll of Raise Dead and 5000gp diamond dust. Perhaps along with a scroll with 2 castings of Restoration (and 2000 gp in components)

I was prompted to this thought by the idea of getting a scroll of Nap Stack to have on hand "just in case" since it is one of those spells that clerics never seem to prepare when it would be possible to use - but when you need it, you really really need it. (to let spell casters regain their spells in 2 hours not 8 or to make 4 saves in an 8 hour period against poisons or diseases or even just to get a lot of natural healing especially of ability damage).

But then I just realized that a Potion of Nap Stack is, I think, possible and just 850 gp. (initially wrote 750gp but realized that there is a 100 gp material component - so a scroll or a potion of it would cost more than otherwise)

So what items have you considered buying?

4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

My Barbarian used to hand a scroll of Unbreakable Heart to someone who could cast it in case she got hit with Confusion.

Most of my characters carry Oils of Magic Weapon and Bless Weapon even when they have magic weapons, in case someone else doesn't.

Monks often carry wands of Mage Armor.

A Scroll of Comprehend Languages is handy to have around.

4/5

I should add that I'm especially curious at higher levels - stuff like cure light wounds, mage armor, comprehend languages are all useful but their utility diminishes a bit at higher levels (and/or more characters can more easily UMD them)

But even at higher levels casting a higher level spell from a scroll may be risky for most UMD characters to attempt especially when it is something that is needed.

I've seen some fairly broken combos of an ioun stone (or other spell storing item but the ioun stone is the cheapest) and a wand to hand to someone to cast as a means of getting a personal targeted spell in the hands of a non-caster. Abundant Ammunition or Shield being common examples of this I saw on a rent

Sovereign Court 5/5

We see a lot of scrolls of Breath of Life (comes complete with a spring loaded wrist sheath).

2/5

BREATH OF LIFE SCROLLS

My wizard was saved thanks to our barbarian/ranger carrying 2. We lived, but our tengu oracle was killed, so I payed for a large part of his raise dead :)

4/5

the problem with a spring-loaded scroll of breath of life is the coordination that is required to get the spell off in time - though indeed that's not a horrible idea.

Oils of timelessness is another that someone mentioned on another thread - for preserving your body (or other PC's bodies) in case of death away from civilization...)

Dark Archive

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It is somtimes better to buy a peralvof power and get the wiz/sor/wtc to recast their own higher caster lever mage armor on you, compared to them activating a caster level 1 wand.

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/5 RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8

My bard had some vibrant purple prism ioun stones that he'd cast a variety of spells into and hand out to other PCs. A self enlarging barbarian, or a fighter with lead blades, or an archer with abundant ammunition is always nice.

1/5

Potion of Nap Stack doesn't work as it doesn't have a target. All potions must have a target.

1/5

Pretty much my bone's oracle's entire scroll collection falls under this, since Haunted screws him out of making use of them.

I tend to carry around oils of daylight, potions of fly, breath of life scrolls, align weapon scrolls, scrolls of mount, and the like for people in case they don't have their own. I was considering buying a scroll of raise dead or perhaps learning the spell until I realized that I don't have the money to drop like 5k-6k gp on someone who by the rules cannot reimburse me.

Shadow Lodge 3/5

Spring loaded wrist sheathes.

Lots of reasons:


  • cheap - 5gp each (for one - 10gp for a pair)
  • incredibly useful item. Often potentially life-saving
  • only found in a semi-rare book: Adventurer's Armory
  • because it meets the above criteria, it encourages others to buy that semi-rare book and support Paizo if they're not likely to be playing with you at every single table

There's probably a few other items that meet those criteria, and should also be listed in this thread because of it.

Dark Archive 4/5

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For my monk, I'm may buy First Aid Gloves from the PFS PRIMER. It'll have some pretty great healing in an emergency. Although since, I'm dipping paladin for champion of Irori, a wand of cure serious would last longer.

Shadow Lodge

Wand of Longstrider. It doesn't always come in handy, but when it does, it is REALLY good.

Scroll/Wand of Protection from Evil.

A 20th level sorcerer (although, it is pretty hard to buy people in society :P)

Liberty's Edge 4/5

I am not sure I can recommend a pearl of power 1 for a monk. I bought one on my monk, but now days most casters I encounter do not prepare spells. I receive more mileage out of my wand of mage armor, though I sometimes don't get to have it up.

5/5 5/55/55/5

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My druid has a lance for overland travel: he assumes horsie form and lets a martial ride him.

My aid rock: 200 gp cracked ioun stone that has +1 competence bonus to diplomacy. He's not making the roll to aid so he just hands it over.


Heya, I have a level 4 Wizard and have found that most of the "tank/melee"
players beat me on Init and move into combat and I cant fire off my better
area spells or hit them. I dont have a good ranged attack, either with
a xbow or ranged touch attack to offset the minuses firing into melee.
So what I have used to some success is a Wand of Bungle to give the possibility of a d20 check fail, especially vs casters in melee and they
lose their spell they were trying to cast, failing the concentration
check. And the duration is Concentration + 2r. If the target fails a save vs a Bungle and does not use an action that requires a check, then I cast again making the save vs the next Bungle automatically fail. LOL

Silver Crusade 5/5 5/5 **

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6 saps. For those occasions where YOU want the group to take prisoners. At least it eliminates the "But I didn't have a weapon that could do non lethal damage" excuse.

Silver Crusade 5/5

Zarcon, consider picking up a lesser metamagic rod of Selective. Only 3k, and it'll let you ignore up to your int mod of allies in combat. Sucky for a spontaneous caster like my sorcerer, though since it's a full round action (which means I have to either spring load it, or have it in hand as I start my turn), but great for a prepped caster like a wizard.


Ohh,, I really need to finish reading the Ultimate Equipment book..
LOL

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Alex McGuire wrote:
Zarcon, consider picking up a lesser metamagic rod of Selective. Only 3k, and it'll let you ignore up to your int mod of allies in combat.

Actually, the rod selectively ignores up to 4 targets. Unlike the feat itself, it does not rely upon your caster stat.

Silver Crusade

Alex McGuire wrote:
Zarcon, consider picking up a lesser metamagic rod of Selective. (snip) Sucky for a spontaneous caster like my sorcerer, though since it's a full round action (which means I have to either spring load it, or have it in hand as I start my turn), (snip)

Does this actually work? Most rods are five pounds, and the examples I've seen for what the spring-loaded wrist sheath can deploy are more around 1 to 3 pounds. Wouldn't a GM be in their rights to tell you it's too heavy to use this way?

Liberty's Edge 5/5

EVERYTHING in my handy haversack when I wild shape! lol

I have all my handy potions, wands, scrolls and super fun items (like smelling salts, vermin repellent and universal solvent) all in my handy haversack and I hand it off to one of the other PCs and I wild shape. Then I kindly ask the group wizard or sorcerer if they would use my wand of mage armor on me. This circlet of animal speaking is very handy...

Next on the list - polymorphic pouch! So all my wands will be in easy reach...of my teeth?

Maybe an extra saddle too. Who wants to ride the tiger into battle?

And maybe I should pick up extra Beads of Newt Prevention and hand one to everyone at the table before the adventure, just to prevent any awkward situations... so...you're a newt now? Hmm...uh, I gotta go..

Grand Lodge 4/5

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Potion of CLW or higher, so you can use it on the healer when he goes down.

An X4 crit weapon for my PC with a high crit weapon and the feat Butterfly's Sting.

Cracked vibrant purple prism Ioun stones, along with a wand of a useful 1st level spell, like True Strike, Shield, Longstrider, Expeditious Retreat, etc.

Spoiler:
My set of three of these let us do enough cold damage in a round to break a Rune in a certain high-level scenario, when no one had a tanglefoot bag, and only one caster had cold spells...

As mentioned, those cheap, 200 gp, cracked Ioun stones that can add to a Charisma skill. Or any other skill you might find it beneficial to pump for another party member.

Cold iron daggers, silvered maces, oils of Bless Weapon or Magic Weapon, etc.

I have at least two PCs with wands of Endure Elements. Both can use it, but they can also use it on everyone in the party and mounts/ACs, familiars, etc. And save the prepared spellcasters a slot, since the only benefit to casting it over using a wand is for when someone tries to Dispel it. And they usually want to dispel something else, anyhow.

Silver Crusade 5/5

kinevon wrote:

Potion of CLW or higher, so you can use it on the healer when he goes down.

An X4 crit weapon for my PC with a high crit weapon and the feat Butterfly's Sting.

Cracked vibrant purple prism Ioun stones, along with a wand of a useful 1st level spell, like True Strike, Shield, Longstrider, Expeditious Retreat, etc.
** spoiler omitted **

As mentioned, those cheap, 200 gp, cracked Ioun stones that can add to a Charisma skill. Or any other skill you might find it beneficial to pump for another party member.

Cold iron daggers, silvered maces, oils of Bless Weapon or Magic Weapon, etc.

I have at least two PCs with wands of Endure Elements. Both can use it, but they can also use it on everyone in the party and mounts/ACs, familiars, etc. And save the prepared spellcasters a slot, since the only benefit to casting it over using a wand is for when someone tries to Dispel it. And they usually want to dispel something else, anyhow.

In lines with the crit thing... every one should carry a light pick for CDG... owns.

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Celestial Pegasus wrote:
Alex McGuire wrote:
Zarcon, consider picking up a lesser metamagic rod of Selective. (snip) Sucky for a spontaneous caster like my sorcerer, though since it's a full round action (which means I have to either spring load it, or have it in hand as I start my turn), (snip)
Does this actually work? Most rods are five pounds, and the examples I've seen for what the spring-loaded wrist sheath can deploy are more around 1 to 3 pounds. Wouldn't a GM be in their rights to tell you it's too heavy to use this way?

Rods should not at all be allowed in wrist sheaths. They are the same weight as a crowbar, so way too large and heavy.

Scarab Sages 4/5 **

Pathfinder PF Special Edition Subscriber
Mazlith wrote:
For my monk, I'm may buy First Aid Gloves from the PFS PRIMER. It'll have some pretty great healing in an emergency. Although since, I'm dipping paladin for champion of Irori, a wand of cure serious would last longer.

Agreed. Recently bought my first pair for my toolbox character, and it is a great emergency tool to have.

Silver Crusade 4/5

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned scrolls/wands of Lesser Restoration. Ability damage comes up a lot starting around level 3-4, so make it easy for the cleric/oracle of the group to heal you of it if necessary.

4/5

Wand/Scroll of Resist Energy
Scroll of Resist Energy, Communal
Scroll of Suppress Charms & Compulsions
Scroll of Remove Fear/Curse/etc.

The Exchange 5/5

I have a Rogue with one level of wizard (8th level PC, only one level of wizard).

He has a very large spell book - just to pass the spells to other Wizards/Alchemists/Magus PCs. It used to be MUCH more valuable (back when a PC had to buy a scroll to gain access to the spells). I've got spells all the way up to 5th level, each marked on the page I pass over as to what classes each are useable by.

A lot of PC wealth is wrapped up in that book...

Sovereign Court 2/5 *

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A wand of Sure Casting (750gp). It's basically true strike for casters against SR

A Haversack to switch out those Rods, potions, scrolls, etc.

Wand of Infernal Healing

Pearls of Power lvl 1

These are all things my lvl 4 wizard has/wants/needs

Scarab Sages 5/5

Fromper wrote:

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned scrolls/wands of Lesser Restoration. Ability damage comes up a lot starting around level 3-4, so make it easy for the cleric/oracle of the group to heal you of it if necessary.

Potion of Lesser Restoration is also good, even if it is more expensive to use - it skips the the three round cast time. Drink it and cure the 1d4 ability damage.

Also, infernal healing potions for the same reason. Drink it and it is working and for the next 10 rounds you heal 1 point (and detect as evil but that is just a side effect). It is a decent auto-stabilizer if the fight looks dicey. With prehensile tails and accelerated drinker, you can make it happen very fast.


Antitoxin and Antiplague.

Most sessions I have begun handing out both. I can make them quite cheaply and they have saved party members (including myself) more than once. That +5 to save against poison or disease makes a huge difference.

And being able to reroll against a disease has saved the use of Lesser Restorations or PP.

Scarab Sages 4/5 **

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path Subscriber
Yiroep wrote:

Wand/Scroll of Resist Energy

Scroll of Resist Energy, Communal
Scroll of Suppress Charms & Compulsions
Scroll of Remove Fear/Curse/etc.

I had no idea that Suppress CHarms and Compulsions existed... you are a life-saver (especially in Season 4: year of the Confusion).

I find there are many spells the party needs, but the requisite caster fails to memorize/know/carry scrolls for:

Detect Secret Doors
Comprehend Languages
Water Walk
Water Breathing
Speak with Dead
Communal Resist Energy
Communal Share Language (or share language)

Along with the Sap suggestion: lesser MM rod of Merciful Spell
I am also fond of Feather Step (wand or potions depending on your needs)

For your own protection, carry scrolls of Death Ward, Freedom of Movement, and Restoration (800gp) to have others use on you when needed. Most of these are purchasable with prestige points, so it doesn't hurt your cash flow much at high level.

If you're an archer, carry scrolls of Named Bullet - that one is crazy awesome to have on hand for the BBEG.

Scarab Sages 5/5

Rods of Reach and their lesser companions, make Communal Spells more easily used in combat - so those would apply. Plus who doesn't like what a Rod of Reach does for Breath of Life.

1/5

zarconww wrote:
If the target fails a save vs a Bungle and does not use an action that requires a check, then I cast again making the save vs the next Bungle automatically fail. LOL

That is not a correct reading of the spell.

Bungle: wrote:
The target takes a –20 penalty on its next attack roll or check that requires a d20 roll. The action must be one deliberately taken by the target on its turn. Creatures with more than 10 HD are unaffected by this spell.

Emphasis mine. A saving throw is not an action taken deliberately - it's a reaction to someone else's action.

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

grandpoobah wrote:
I had no idea that Suppress CHarms and Compulsions existed... you are a life-saver (especially in Season 4: year of the Confusion).

Don't forget that this spell is from Andoran: Spirit of Liberty so you'll need an official copy (physical or watermarked .pdf) in order to use it.


Hmm so you are saying that if I dont take my saving throw against something..... what will happen? and automatic fail? that is what the Gm's run around here.

Shadow Lodge 4/5

He's saying Bungle won't apply to saving throws against your spells, because

1) They are involuntary, although you can choose to fail them

2) It would have to happen on their turn.

Dark Archive 4/5

Bungle is not particularly useful, considering the it applies to the next check regardless of what it is, I just make a Knowledge Arcana check vs the Spell in Effect (Bungle) which must be done on my turn anyway for me to figure out what I failed the save against (as a free action mind you) fail the check as DC40+spell level is probably too high to make and then full attack with no penalty and this is an action any character or NPC with Knowledge Arcana would take every time they fail a save anyway just to see what it was they were effected by (assuming they failed the spellcraft to identify the effect as it was cast).


You dont think you see it. My GM's ruling on this is... a caster in melee
is threatened and has to make a Concentration Check to cast a spell.
Concentration is an action and casting a spell is voluntary so is subject
to Bungle. And Bungle has a duration of Concentration +2 rounds on
that casters part.

4/5

Michael Eshleman wrote:
Don't forget that this spell is from Andoran: Spirit of Liberty so you'll need an official copy (physical or watermarked .pdf) in order to use it.

That book has two of my most used spells. Suppress Charms & Compulsions and Liberating Command.

The Exchange 5/5

Yiroep wrote:
Michael Eshleman wrote:
Don't forget that this spell is from Andoran: Spirit of Liberty so you'll need an official copy (physical or watermarked .pdf) in order to use it.
That book has two of my most used spells. Suppress Charms & Compulsions and Liberating Command.

Detect Charm also!

and the Trait "Kobold Neighbor" (I run several "Trapfinder" PCs)

Silver Crusade 2/5

But a Caster in melee then can take a 5' step and there isn't in melee!! Bungle duration is 25+concentration or until triggered... and only Will save, agains a spellcaster probably success wand hve only DC 10 or 11, isn't?

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

Yiroep wrote:
Michael Eshleman wrote:
Don't forget that this spell is from Andoran: Spirit of Liberty so you'll need an official copy (physical or watermarked .pdf) in order to use it.
That book has two of my most used spells. Suppress Charms & Compulsions and Liberating Command.

FYI liberating command has been reprinted in Ultimate Combat.

Scarab Sages 1/5

I had a cleric in 3.5 that bought a wand of Barkskin for Druids/Rangers/high UMD characters to cast on him when possible. It was great.

In PFS, if I buy something new that makes another item obsolete, I often keep the older item until I absolutely need to sell it off for money, and let another PC at the table that could benefit from the item borrow it.

The Exchange 5/5

I have 12 PCs now.
On the back of my Table Tents I often put notes to remind myself of something about the PC...

Several have notes that say something like "Loan out Hat of Disguise" or "give everyone Anti-Toxen/Anti-Plague/Sooth Syrup".

5/5

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For those who like communal resist energy, may I suggest a riffle scroll of communal resist energy. This bumps the minimum caster level up to 7, which means resistance of 20 instead of 10, plus it lasts longer and requires no verbal components.

5/5 5/55/55/5

Pathfinder chronicles. +2 to a knowledge skill for a measly 50 gp. Pass one to mr wizard when he's trying to do some arcane ritual and lessen your chances of an all expenses paid vacation to the abyss.

Silver Crusade 4/5

Kollanti wrote:


In PFS, if I buy something new that makes another item obsolete, I often keep the older item until I absolutely need to sell it off for money, and let another PC at the table that could benefit from the item borrow it.

Believe it or not, I saw this done with armor once. A level 2 or 3 front line type had just upgraded his armor, and even his old armor was better than what the level 1 fighter with 0 xp could afford on the starting 150 gp.

4/5

Mike Lindner wrote:
For those who like communal resist energy, may I suggest a riffle scroll of communal resist energy. This bumps the minimum caster level up to 7, which means resistance of 20 instead of 10, plus it lasts longer and requires no verbal components.

Huh, I wasn't aware of that. Would also be good for scrolls of suppress charms and compulsions, where you would be able to affect 2 targets instead of 1.

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