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So my players are going to be exploring a ruined city in a few weeks. In addition to the normal loot, I want to include some very minor magic items, specifically items with no combat application of any kind. My thinking is that a highly magical society would produce items for a variety of uses -- entertainment, vanity, housework, etc. From a metagame standpoint, they're really just there to be sold -- but if I could inspire some spontaneous RP, that would be fantastic. Some examples:
- A whistle that attracts dragonflies -- almost a small swarm but not enough to provide any kind of concealment
- A hand mirror that allows the user to speed up the growth of facial hair
- A decanter that can change soup into wine and back
- A clockwork songbird that predicts the weather
I really want to create a sense of the strange and unusual, without giving the players any kind of immediately obvious practical advantage. Minor curses/drawbacks might be fun though. Anyway, I'm sure someone has tried this. If you could share ideas, it would be much appreciated.
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- Hair ties that change the wearer's hair to the color of the band.
- Pipe that creates a very small firework show in front of the smoker's eyes.
- Comb that cuts hair into any style desired while combing hair...be careful not to change your mind mid-way!
- Glasses that make the wearer's eyes appear to fill the entire lens.
It's a little old, I had to go digging to find it 'cause I couldn't remember the name.
A little cat statue that, when placed next to magic scrolls, becomes animated, sorting them into separate stacks by divine vs arcane, spell level, and school.
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A little cat statue that, when placed next to magic scrolls, becomes animated, sorting them into separate stacks by divine vs arcane, spell level, and school.
Gorizer's cat? (cat o' Gorizer)
In my Skull & Shackles game I had the pirates meet some fey creatures on an island and they each got a magic item that was more for fun than anything else. The halfling bard got pipes of ghost sound, the ratman got a hat that only works for ratmen that could make him look like a gnome, halfling or human and the tengu got a jug that could purify water or turn it into alcohol. I like throwing out things like this to see how creatively people use them.
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I had a campaign some time ago where a dwarf PC got ahold of an "Everful Mug" that would fill itself on command with whatever alcoholic drink he thought of. It got most of its use when he would interrogate enemies - he'd always begin by asking "What's your favorite ale/drink?" and then pause the questioning until he'd tried it, and judge the captive accordingly.
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Useless Magic Items
Kazred
1: A whistle that attracts dragonflies
2: A hand mirror that allows the user to speed up the growth of facial hair
3: A decanter that can change soup into wine and back
4: A clockwork songbird that predicts the weather
5: Hair ties that change the wearer's hair to the color of the band.
6: Pipe that creates a very small firework show in front of the smoker's eyes.
7: Comb that cuts hair into any style desired while combing hair...be careful not to change your mind mid-way!
8: Glasses that make the wearer's eyes appear to fill the entire lens.
Orthos Came up with 9-70
9: scoop snowglobe(needs description)
10: various different kinds of ghost sound noisemakers - kazoos, air horns, vuvuzelas, etc. (different one for each sound)
11: message cheering items, program in your favored competitor
12: spark cigar/pipe lighters
13: spark/dancing lights sparkler toys
14: prestidigitation items to color your clothing, etc. based on competitor/country of choice (one pattern/color per!)
15: alter taste items to flavor food (decorative “salt shakers”, etc.)
16: arcane/divine mark temporary tattoos
17: breeze self-ringing windchimes
18: touch of fatigue/jolt/muscle spasm joy buzzers
19: haunted fey aspect masks
20: create water spray flowers
21: mage hand grabbers/backscratchers
22: open/close secure journals
Useful(flashlights, disrupt undead “toy” wands/bows)
Useful(dust of stability)
23: ghost sound “talking” toy animals
24: mage hand self-playing instruments/music boxes (ghost sound? summon instrument?)
25: sift magnifying eyeglasses
26: boom firecrackers
27: dancing lights/light/gnome’s gold “actually shining” gemstones (probably actually cheap quartz or glass)
28: mage hand “magnets”
29: decrypt/encrypt decoder ring/lens
30: guide vessel miniature wagons/animal figurines
31: timers
32: smoke image flip”books”
33: unseen attendant hairstyling brush (limited preset styles)
34: trifling image nightlights
35: drench fire extinguisher
36: penumbra parasol
37: root or tie/unfasten trick shoelaces
38: idyllic sleeping pills
39: spook animal whistle
40: shield open flame/light my fire campfire logs
41: shelve bookmarks
42: alleviate beer cozy
43: cleanse of alcohol “miracle hangover cure”/”5-hour energy” shot
44: awake alarm clock
45: blossom floral hats
46: card trick decks
47: dancing shadows marionettes
48: disorienting quake marbles
Useful(light my fire matches)
49: pointer “sticks”/wands (“great for pets!”)
50: depilatory lotion
51: settle stomach mints
52: summarize school aids
53: conjurer’s toolbelt grab bag
54: clandestine conversation "walkie-talkies"
55: trifling image "cameras"
56: clean soap
57: lightsight "sunglasses"
58: rigged coins
59: quill pens
60: spider’s thread sticky hand thingies
61: iounic transportation toy halos
62: tie/unfasten self-tying ties/cravats/etc.
63: smoke image trick cigars
64: self-turning hourglass
65: self-activating swiss army knife
66: squirt flower hats AND
67: self-watering flowerpots
68: self-shuffling decks
69: self-heating expert cooking pots
70: quill + encrypt symbol pen
Tinalles
71: Candy that cleans your teeth.
72: Hair dye that changes colors every few seconds and lasts a day or two.
73: Spinning tops that change color as they rotate.
74: Dolls that cry, laugh, and burble according to how you treat them.
75: Little boxes that chill or heat food.
76: magic pots and pans that clean themselves on command. 10 gp each
Goth Guru
77: A campfire building badge that works 3 times a day.
78: A quiver that generates one normal arrow per day till full. (Blunt toy arrows)
79: "Rose colored glasses"
80: A tabard (a sleeveless shirt that fits over armor)with a slogan that glows in the dark and glitters in the light.
Beopere
81: Gorizer's cat? (cat o' Gorizer)
A little cat statue that, when placed next to magic scrolls, becomes animated, sorting them into separate stacks by divine vs arcane, spell level, and school.
A complete dining set for one person, a single bowl, plate, wine glass, 2 forks, 2 spoons, 2 knives that clean themselves (as by unseen servant, or maybe prestidigitation) after being used.
Mithril or Silver.
EDIT: oops just saw #76 :(
A complete dining set for one person, a single bowl, plate, wine glass, 2 forks, 2 spoons, 2 knives that clean themselves (as by unseen servant, or maybe prestidigitation) after being used.
Mithril or Silver.
EDIT: oops just saw #76 :(
I'll number it 82. Same magic, different item.
83: Reading glasses of study. These glasses readjust themselves to aid in reading. It shortens the time needed for research by half. That's one research point per half hour. It gives no benefit when watching an experiment or nature.| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
A magic length of pipe that heats or cools water by five degrees (C)
A stone that uses magic mouth but only when you specify a time for it to activate.
Measuring cups that measure exactly what they say on the outside, extra material won't fit in and they won't pour until you put in the measurement exactly.
A little cat statue that, when placed next to magic scrolls, becomes animated, sorting them into separate stacks by divine vs arcane, spell level, and school.
The cursed version of this acts the same until you try to use a scroll, then it will jump on the scroll, curl up and go to sleep.
I've designed some items that may fit the bill before, I'll post them here:
Butler Ball
Aura faint conjuration and transmutation; CL 1st
Slot – Price 4,800 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
This silver ball measures 5 inches in diameter and is covered in small squares on the surface, numbering 10 in total with a circle on the bottom. Each shape is both a sensor and a ‘hand’. The butler ball floats around a building at chest height and performs menial tasks such as cleaning, mending, cooking, picking fruit, objects, etc. It is capable of very minor intelligence and can be ordered to do certain things, like cleaning a wizard’s lab without touching any of the magical reagents or concoctions, or bathing children without harming them.
Each ‘hand’ of the butler ball is treated as having a strength score of 2, so each hand is capable of lifting 20 pounds and pushing/dragging 100 pounds, but the circle ‘hand’ is used exclusively to lift itself. The butler ball is capable of understanding any command given it, regardless of language.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, fox’s cunning, unseen servant Cost 2,400 gp
I was watching Star Wars: A New Hope on T.V. when a commercial came right after the scene with Luke training on that sphere, and the commercial was for one of those Roomba cleaning robot things. I could totally see wealthy nobility or wizards having these floating around everywhere, and in fact, is exactly what my wizard does have. Since the Fox’s Cunning spell is in no way being used to full potential, I think it should receive a 30% reduction.
Fox’s Cunning: CL 1 * SL 1 * 2,000 * 2 * 0.7 = 2,800
Unseen Servant: CL 1 * SL 1 * 2,000 = 2,000
2,800 + 2,000 = 4,800 gp
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Instant Painting
Aura faint illusion and transmutation; CL 3rd
Slot – Price 4,500 gp (I); 6,200 gp (II); 7,800 gp (III); 9,500 gp (IV); Weight varies
This empty frame is a marvel of a device for any that can afford it. The frame can come in any size, up to a 10 ft by 10 ft frame. This frame looks like it would contain a painting, but instead, contains highly lifelike images. By holding up the instant painting itwill capture the view and display it for view within the frame. If multiple images are stored, the frame will cycle through the images. Once an image has been stored, a switch on the side of the instant painting will display the images, leave the frame blank, or pause the instant painting on a chosen image. While paused, speaking a separate command word will delete the image.
Each instant painting has a limited memory capable of storing a small number of images. The type I instant painting can store up to 10 images; the type II instant painting can store up to 20 images, the type III instant painting can store up to 30 images, and the type IV instant painting can store up to 40 images.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, fox’s cunning, silent image Cost 2,250 gp (I); 3,100 gp (II); 3,900 gp (III); 4,750 gp (IV);
We got one of those digital picture frames for my mother for Christmas and stored some 7,000 pictures on it showing our lives from new-born – adult hood. I was watching this frame one day, when I also thought of the Harry Potter moving paintings and thought of a magical version of the digital frame for Pathfinder. The Fox’s Cunning spell provides the intelligence required for memory, and the silent image is the display mechanism. I also decided that the spells used are not used to their full power, and I applied the uses per-day mechanic and a 30% reduction as well. I decided that since Silent Image doesn’t fall under the duration modifiers present, I would use the Fox’s Cunning modifier for it instead.
Silent Image: CL 1 * SL 1 * 2,000 * 2 = 4,000
Fox’s Cunning (I): (CL 3 * SL 2* 2,000) / 5 = 2,400
Fox’s Cunning (II): (CL 3 * SL 2* 2,000) / 2.5 = 4,800
Fox’s Cunning (III): (CL 3 * SL 2* 2,000) / 1.66 = 7,229 ~ 7,200
Fox’s Cunning (IV): (CL 3 * SL 2* 2,000) / 1.25 = 9,600
Instant Painting (I) 4,000 + 2,400 * 0.7 = 4,480 ~ 4,500
Instant Painting (II) 4,000 + 4,800 * 0.7 = 6,160 ~ 6,200
Instant Painting (III) 4,000 + 7,200 * 0.7 = 7,840 ~ 7,800
Instant Painting (IV) 4,000 + 9,600 * 0.7 = 9,520 ~ 9,500
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Pit of Infinite Happiness
Aura faint universal; CL 1st
Slot -; Price 200 gp; Weight varies
This pit varies in size, up to a 10x10x10 ft pit, but it contains hundreds if not thousands of brightly colored, 2 - 3 inch diameter, hollow balls made of a very light, but solid material. The balls can be easily crushed by just a few pounds of pressure, but when crushed, the pit of infinite happiness simply conjures a new one. The pit is used for entertaining children of any race, but many adults find enjoyment in the pit as well. The pit of infinite happiness is self-cleaning so no one will be catching any germs that could be lingering on the balls.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Items, prestidigitation Cost 100 gp
YAY! A BALL PIT!!!!!!!!1111!!!!
Seriously, I love these things, I will have one of these in my house one day, and I don't care how childish it is. Now, we all know Prestidigitation has 1,001 uses, but per the description for the spell, only 8 are listed. Now, a Constant Effect 0-level spell is 1,000 gp (1/2 * 1 * 2,000) but since you're only getting a quarter of the listed uses (conjuring small items and cleaning) I figure a similar price deduction should be allowed.
Prestidigitation: (1/2 * 1 * 2,000) / 4 = 200 gp
[Edit] An official item you could have laying around could be Apprentice's Cheating Gloves. Mage Hand and Prestidigitation aren't really 'combat' spells though they may have some minor uses in combat. However, giving these things to anyone could make their lives a lot easier. Simply giving anyone access to Prestidigitation at-will can spice up the fun in a game.
Shower flask
This item looks like a Decanter of Endless Water, with a small cage attached over the open end. The cage is the right size to stick a bar of soap into. When a bar of soap is inserted and the command word given a stream of hot soapy water sprays out. Five minutes later a spray of cold clean water comes out for an additional two minutes.
Just the thing you need when the half-orc refuses to bathe regularly,
Shoes of Smelllessness: these shoes have been enchanted with a Prestidigitation-like effect that negates the odor of smelly feet. This is purely a cosmetic effect and has no in game bonuses.
Dagger of Swagger: this knife and its sheath are richly but gaudily decorated and inlaid with gold and minor gemstones. When a wielder openly displays the sheathed dagger (for example by wearing it on his or her belt) and walks with a leisurely, slightly exaggerated stroll of no more than 30 ft per round, he or she gets a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.
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Shoes of Smelllessness: these shoes have been enchanted with a Prestidigitation-like effect that negates the odor of smelly feet. This is purely a cosmetic effect and has no in game bonuses.
Dagger of Swagger: this knife and its sheath are richly but gaudily decorated and inlaid with gold and minor gemstones. When a wielder openly displays the sheathed dagger (for example by wearing it on his or her belt) and walks with a leisurely, slightly exaggerated stroll of no more than 30 ft per round, he or she gets a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.
I like the Dagger of Swagger....walkin' roun' jus oozin' maccheezmo. Have to give it a price of around 150 over the cost of the knife for the magical ability.
The Unsinkable Stones
Stones of various sizes and shapes that once fully submerged into any liquid will never sink in that liquid or be affected by that liquid. Resetting the stone requires Dispel magic being cast on it.
Rod of infinite coin flipping.
A magical rod, when aimed at a coin, it will randomly flip it.
Though not too useless, everything depends on the users imagination.
An animated footstool with a dog-like personality (comes when you whistle, has a tongue-like tag, etc.) that can vary its height to allow short creatures to reach high shelves
Journeybook- a pair of small pocket sized books that appear blank, but things written in one immediately appear in the other. (from Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series). Even better, a series of such books that can be personalized for a particular user by signing the dedication in the inside cover (i.e. "for Whomever" or "this book belongs to Whomever"). Thereafter, anyone who writes a message in their book and addresses it "To Whomever" or "Dear Whomever" or somesuch, that same message would instantly appear in Whomever's book- like e-mail!
Clockwork pets
A chess-like game that summons tiny (Fine) versions of great monsters onto a board that move according to the players' choices, turns, and the game rules. When one piece "takes" another, they fight to the "death". (Star Wars IV: A New Hope)
They had better be extremely lawful, or sometimes the defending piece will defeat the attacking piece.
The effects needn't be true summonings, rather illusory effects, but clever observation, G.G.
I love this thread. I use these kind of items all the time. Our techie lives give us lots of analogs for what would be useful to medieval peeps, but useless to adventurers... but are they really? If you embellished the big list a little they might actually serve alternate creative purposes.
For example:
a soup stone: anything solid added to a pot with it becomes an edible pasta-like substance and anything liquid becomes broth. An interesting way to destroy things!
talk-rocks: one is ear shaped, the other a mouth shaped. talking into the ear makes sound come out of the mouth stone. usually sold in pairs. unfortunately, when they get too far apart they begin to heat up exponentially. put one on a ship and another in the ground and eventually the ship will catch fire!
pyros stone: causes 1 pt fire damage, igniting anything appropriate. verbally activated up to 30 ft away. slip it into a bottle of alchemists fire for a remote detonator... and more.
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A bauble that holds a single charge. It can spend one charge to to restore its amont of charges to full.
A fork that makes food taste like the food you're eating.
A knife enchanted with the ability to cut your steak once per day.
A wooden whistle with the power to play slightly offkey
A blank book that has the power to stay blank.
A fire cracker magically enchanted to make a loud popping sound when its ignited.
A candle that has 1 point of fire resistance.
A sive magically enchanted to hold water.
A magical towel enchanted with the ability to dampen people who are wet as they try to dry off.
A pair of shoes that are magically two left shoes when they are put on.
A stone that glows in bright light.
A set of clothes that automatically adjusts to perfectly fit the wearer.
110:Shaker of Salt: This shaker pulls toward any amount of salt greater than it's contents. The owner can find saltmines with this item on a string like a leash.