My Conjuration Wizard just found a Book of Extended Summoning (great news!) but I'm having a problem with the number of uses that it has.
This leather-bound book is inscribed with runes relating to outsiders and conjuration magic. It enhances spells that summon monsters. The user may apply the Extend Spell feat to these spells as they are cast. This does not change the spell slot of the altered spell. The book counts as a metamagic rod for the purpose of combining multiple metamagic effects on a spell. A normal book of extended summoning can be used with spells of 6th level or lower, while a lesser book can be used with spells of 3rd level or lower, and a greater book can be used with spells of 9th level or lower. Each book is keyed to a particular alignment (equal chances of chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) and only works when used to summon a creature with that alignment. Once the book is used, it crumbles into cold ash and is destroyed.
My DM told me that the book had been used once before by it's previous owner which implies that it has multiple charges on it, but I can't find the number of charges it would have on it anywhere. The description implies that it only has one use (with the last sentence) but the book obviously hasn't crumbled into dust. Does this mean that the writer of the module (Dragon's Demand) and my DM are mistaken or does this book have multiple uses? If anyone can list source material in addition to their answers, that would be great!
-Kym
Not sure what to tell you on this... it's 1/4 the price of an equivalent metamagic rod, to get 1 use on a tight subset of spells instead of 3/day uses on any spell. It should probably work once per day, without limit, but as written it is just once. No reason yours couldn't have been a "two-use special" as far as that goes.
As written, I'm fairly sure you found a pile of ash. That's a really limited item for a one-use.
It's a single use item. I'm running a group through Dragon's Demand right now and I had the same question.
As to how it was used before without crumbling to ash... that Hunclay guy is pretty smart. He had his ways. ;)
As a comparison, Varisian Idols cost something like 75gp and give +2 hp/HD for summoned creatures (among other things) for one use, which is roughly as good as extend. I can't imagine a one use lesser book being more than 150 gp.
It's a single use item. I'm running a group through Dragon's Demand right now and I had the same question.
As to how it was used before without crumbling to ash... that Hunclay guy is pretty smart. He had his ways. ;)
But not very wise.