I know this has probably been done before, but I've been trying to figure out how magic might affect everyday things. Whether it is enhancing or altering flavors and smells to changing the color of items to music, there's a lot of potential.
I'll go into specific examples:
Permanently recoloring some item. (Making a piece of cloth a different color or giving it patterns, making armor or a shield have specific colors, etc)
Creating a magical music box. (Or music from some item in general - the music doesn't have to be enchanted, but I can imagine quite a lot of interest in magical lullabies for parents).
Making a cake (or other edible item) with an enhanced flavor or different one than one expects (vanilla that tastes like chocolate, for instance).
The magical equivalent of air fresheners or other ways to alter smells for a set duration.
Permanently making something feel harder/softer/warmer/cooler etc. (no damage, mind you, just making a feather pillow feel lumpy or a lumpy pillow feel soft or a blanket that is always warm and cozy, etc.)
Anyway, I'm just not sure what it would be like in a society where the average house has an interior climate control for hot and cold via magic as well as maybe something like an unseen servant helping to keep things tidy.
I brewed up a setting where magic was commonplace. What I found most intriguing was the spells which were permanent or instantaneous.
For example, a sorcerer who knows Illusory Wall can mass-produce what amounts to holographic walls, turning ugly or crumbly walls into beautiful structures. Wall of Stone, Stoneshape, Wall of Iron, Create Water... these can all make a big impact on a localized scale.
Think about what an engineer could do if they could Create Water out of nothing. It's like free mass, and thus free energy!
Or Animate Dead... imagine using a skeletal ploughhorse to turn a mill, without any need for rest or food.
I brewed up a setting where magic was commonplace. What I found most intriguing was the spells which were permanent or instantaneous.
For example, a sorcerer who knows Illusory Wall can mass-produce what amounts to holographic walls, turning ugly or crumbly walls into beautiful structures. Wall of Stone, Stoneshape, Wall of Iron, Create Water... these can all make a big impact on a localized scale.
Think about what an engineer could do if they could Create Water out of nothing. It's like free mass, and thus free energy!
Or Animate Dead... imagine using a skeletal ploughhorse to turn a mill, without any need for rest or food.
*nods* Well, this is the sort of thing that I'm trying to figure out. I mean, I can't imagine a lot of sorcerers and wizards doing that sort of thing for a living, but the people who would don't usually have the magic to do so.
Used sparingly, this can add a bit of local color into a campaign.
For example, in my Rise of the Runelords campaign, on the PCs' first arrival in Magnimar, on the outskirts of the city they came across a tavern called "L'Auberge du Golem Triste" (the inn of the sad golem) and sure enough, out back there was a stone golem turning a millstone 24/7, probably generating fantastic profits in ground wheat for the owner.
The only trouble is when players themselves try to set up something like this, and convert the profits into infinite magic items. <g> It all comes down to who your players are and how much they want to break your game.
PRESTIDIGITATION
School universal; Level bard 0, sorcerer/wizard 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range 10 ft.
Target, Effect, or Area see text
Duration 1 hour
Saving Throw see text; Spell Resistance no
Prestidigitations are minor tricks that novice spellcasters use for practice. Once cast, a prestidigitation spell enables you to perform simple magical effects for 1 hour. The effects are minor and have severe limitations. A prestidigitation can slowly lift 1 pound of material. It can color, clean, or soil items in a 1-foot cube each round. It can chill, warm, or flavor 1 pound of nonliving material. It cannot deal damage or affect the concentration of spellcasters. Prestidigitation can create small objects, but they look crude and artificial. The materials created by a prestidigitation spell are extremely fragile, and they cannot be used as tools, weapons, or spell components. Finally, prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects. Any actual change to an object (beyond just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour.
Best spell in the game
Easily available, with a GM possessing a spine of sorts, no characters are going to take over the game with a cantrip, but adds a ton of flavor, worth a 1 level dip in bard.| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
From my comments on the Ring of Sustenance thread 4 years ago:
We've been so used to play D&D like it's in a medieval setting. Big name settings like Forgotten Realms reinforced this theme of "everyone is mud farmers except for a few people who horde all the better living".
Eberron made a valiant attempt at pushing magic into more mainstream concepts. It's at least closer to a more renaissance era of magic-as-everyday-use.Pathfinder came along and made some key changes that just shook this up completely:
1. Unlimited Cantrips
2. No XP costs for magic item craftingWhile these things made the game more fun to play as a player, it pretty much brought on the industrial revolution of magic-as-technology.
Keep in mind those two things above, and then look what kind of magic is expected in the game:- Even a Thorp (a spit of community, no more than 20 people!) is expected to have at least 1st level spellcasting for hire. That 1st level caster likely can have unlimited casting of Create Water.
- You only need to go as far as a Hamlet (60 or fewer people) before you can find a spellcaster high enough level to craft wondrous items.
The world of Pathfinder feels like it would be more similar to the late 1800s or early 1900s. The first commercialized air conditioner was invented in 1902. Craft Wondrous + Endure Elements, Communal. Now we have comfortable living, and potentially an advancement in non-magical industrialization as well (for things that aren't economical to have magic do).
When's the last time you experienced a lack of water or food in your home. Drought? Create Water, control weather, decanter of endless water, etc.
I can imagine a spellcaster paramedic coming to the aid of a victim of an attack or an accident, and performing triage with stabilize, prestidigitation (to clean any wounds/clothing), virtue, light (to always have good lighting conditions), detect poison, and any number of other things.
Decide if person A won't make it without a restoration or curative spell, and if person B can be handled with a Heal check and not waste limited resources.In larger cities, I can see such cantrips in a magic item, allowing non-spellcasters with some ranks in Knowledge and Heal skills to run around as paramedics, and sending off "worse cases" to the real casters for more important healing.
.In such a world, where these things are either already happening, or are only not happening because someone simply hasn't thought of doing it yet (the dawn of an industrial era), a ring of sustenance simply doesn't break my suspension of disbelief.
It would still be a very expensive item for the common person. A lot of money pooled into a single physical object, where daily life requires a lot of resources.
I can see emergency services and other important skilled people getting such an item as a matter of course.In a world of controlled weather and access to unlimited water, it's not like the ring is even necessary anyways. It seems that basic survival is fairly cheap to maintain.
More than likely, it's an item for going out and exploring or working in places where you might not have access to the industrialized living.
We don't all carry oxygen tanks.. but people who go under water, go into space, or climb into thin air regions, all bring that stuff with them.
This ring should be treated in a similar manner.
I've also come up with a few adventurer specific magic items that give some utility magic along the lines of what you were discussing. Since they are quite expensive (even with forgiving pricing), it's sort of a Gold Adventurer line of items.
Camping Stick
Price 30,000gp; Aura moderate varied; CL 10th; Weight 5 lbs.
Description
This black metal rod has a button on one end. When pressed, the rod extends and unfolds itself to widen out into a 2 foot black metal framed cube, with a four sided pyramid rising from the top to the handle with the button. This device grants a number of benefits, including a unique effect found on each face of the cube.
While the rod is extended into it's cube form, any creatures within a 40' radius sphere feel comfortable in temperature extremes, as if under the effects of endure elements, and rain, wind, snow and other inclement weather is kept out. The entire area is also sheltered as if under the effects of a hide campsite effect.
BOTTOM
The bottom face is a flat surface that when pressed, causes the whole device to hold in space, exactly like an immovable rod. This effect can also be done while in rod form by tapping the tip opposite the button.
TOP
When initially pulled out, the top pyramid lights up, granting 20' normal light, and increases light by one step for another 20'. Each face of the pyramid's sides emits this light in a cone; when all are on it is a 20' radius. When a side is pressed, it will reduce the light by half, and when pressed again it turns off. Pressing a side a final time turns it back to full.
Heat can also be created by any lifted side, allowing cooking food or boiling water on anything placed on it. This heat is similar to above a campfire.
SIDE PANELS
Each side face has a panel that can be swung upward and locked open, allowing access to that side's contents, as well as granting a shelf to place cooking implements close to the heat from the top. Each side has an image imprinted, indicating what it contains:
Humanoid: This panel contains enough food and water to sustain 6 humanoids for 24 hours, once per day. While the food comes in a simple array (bread, dried meat, prepared fresh meat, and cheese, as well as fresh water), it is all quite bland and lacking flavour. The food is real, and can be seasoned normally with outside assistance.
Horse: This panel contains enough feed and water to sustain 6 horses (or similar large herbivores) for 24 hours, once per day.
Crossed Fork and Knife: This panel contains a complete set of cookware and implements, all made of the same black metal. This includes a cooking kit, and 6 mess kits. It also contains 6 folding chairs (adjustable to sizes ranging from small to large), and a "double-size" folding table (expands to 3' by 12', 3'x3' folded)
Bed: This panel includes bedding for up to 6 people, including cots, bedrolls, pillows and blankets. The items retrieved are packaged together (the cot unfolds and is made of the same black metal), and are adjustable to the size of the user (from small to large size).
When the top button is pressed, all non-food items disappear and return to the cube, and the cube retracts. Any food and feed remain, but will disappear after 24 hours if not consumed.
Construction
Requirements Craft Rod, create food/water, endure elements, hide campsite, levitate, and produce flame; Cost 15,000gp
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Comfy Bedroll
Aura faint necromancy and abjuration ; CL 5th
Slot --; Price 6,000gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Description
This bedroll seems normal at first glance. It is quite thick, and has a plush pillow attached at the head. Once inside though, the user will experience better sleeping conditions than known anywhere else.
Once inside the bedroll, the sleeper is always comfortable and dry, no matter what the external temperatures or climate are; they are even protected by rain and wind. The sleep is so restful in fact, that one night's rest in the bedroll is considered as having a full day's rest, repairing twice the hitpoints and ability score damage. A full night's rest is treated has having an entire additional 8 hours of rest (regaining three times the hitpoints and ability score repair). This healing is considered natural healing.
Additionally, the bedroll is reversable. Once per week, reversing the bedroll will grant an accelerated sleeping period, granting the effects of a nap stack spell.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, endure elements, nap stack, and restful sleep; Cost 3,000gp
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Memory Gem
Aura faint divination and illusion; CL 3rd
Slot --; Price 12,000gp; Weight -
Description
This clear gem is carved to be flat on one side, and pointed on the other, with a gold frame encircling it. When held up against the forehead, the user can impart a single memory of up to 1 minute by concentrating on that memory for a full round. Once imbued, the gem flickers with an inner light.
When placed on a flat surface and the frame twisted, the gem emits a small three dimensional (3' cube) repeating image of the memory, presenting sight, sound, smell and thermal effects of the memory. The memory is complete and perfect, allowing study of details that may have been missed at the time. This does allow a new Will save to disbelieve any illusions at a +5 bonus, however as the image is presented exactly as the user perceived the events, success only reveals that the image or effect was illusory, it does not actually reveal what was hidden (if anything).
A new memory can be imparted, however it replaces any currently held memory.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, minor image, and share memory; Cost 6,000gp
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Superior Spectacles
Aura faint divination; CL 3rd
Slot eyes; Price 12,250gp; Weight --
Description
These wireframed glasses look normal at first glance, although quite fashionable in some social circles. However, while worn they grant the wearer a number of vision based effects:
Detection: The spectacles may be used to detect a number of normally hidden details by using one of three command words. By concentrating and saying the word "Mana", the lenses tint purple and magical auras are revealed exactly as the detect magic spell, lasting up to one minute at a time. When concentrating on a single creature, object, or 5 ft cube area, and speaking the word "Toxic", the lenses briefly tint green and the wearer can determine if there is any poison or disease present, exactly as the detect poison and diagnose disease spells. Finally, by concentrating and saying the word "Hidden", the lenses tint yellow and secret doors, openings, and compartments are revealed, exactly as the spell detect secret doors.
Reading Glasses: At any time, the wearer can understand any written language, including deciphering any magical inscriptions similar to the read magic spell.
Scrutiny: By focusing on a 10-ft cube area within a range of 30 feet, the wearer can make a Perception as if searching for fine details without any range penalty. The check is otherwise modified as normal for conditions (such as lighting). The area must be visible to sight, however you gain details that would be gained normally through sight and touch. This kind of scrutiny also grants a +5 competence bonus to Survival checks when tracking, and you can track at speed without penalty.
Many superior spectacles double as corrective lenses. While most will not affect normal sighted wearers, there is a 1% chance that a found pair of spectacles will cause headaches to the average user who wears them for extended periods (a number of minutes equal to the wearer's Constitution score).
Headaches from eye strain can be considered a weaker form of sickened condition (-1 to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks). It does not stack with the sickened condition and is only temporary, going away naturally after 1d4 minutes of not using the glasses.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, comprehend languages, deadeye's lore, detect magic, detect poison, detect secret doors, read magic, and sift; Cost 6,125gp
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Utility Jacket
Aura faint varied; CL 9th
Slot vest; Price 8,825gp; Weight 7 lbs.
Description
This jacket has every tool an adventurer could possibly need when out in the wild. The vest has a multitude of pockets of varying sizes and shapes, most containing an item with a specific power and purpose:
Washcloth: When wetted and then applied to skin or clothing, this normal looking washcloth will instantly clean the object or person touched entirely.
Canteen: A silver canteen that holds up to two gallons of potable water at a time, and is automatically refilled when the cap is closed. By speaking the word "hot" or "cold" before opening the canteen, the water inside will change in temperature (boiling or chilled). The canteen itself does not change in temperature with this command. It takes two full rounds to completely empty the canteen.
Flip Light: This pocket is designed to have a flap that can be flipped out to reveal a disc about 1-inch in diameter. When revealed in this manner, the disc creates light similar to a torch (bright light for 20' radius, and raising the ambient light by one step for another 20'). It can be rotated as a move action, causing an iris to close partially and narrowing the light so that it works similar to a bull's eye lamp (bright light in a 40' cone, and raising the ambient light by one step for another 40'). On command the disc will narrow the light down to a single beam igniting combustibles like the spell spark up to a distance of 20 feet.
The disc is pinned to the flap, and can be removed and held or affixed to any other thin fabric as desired.
Miniature Toolkit: This small leather folding toolkit contains 2 items: a large bone needle and a tiny silver hammer. These tools can be used to repair damage on any material; typically using the needle for pliable items like paper or objects of hardness 2 and lower, and the hammer for solid items like glass or objects of hardness 3 and higher. With 10 minutes of work with the tool (gently tapping or poking the object), the tool may restore 1d4 hitpoints of damage to an item, exactly like the mending spell. Despite having two tools, only one object can be repaired at a time, and any interruption in the process ruins any progress.
Wooden Spoon: A thin wooden spoon that can be used to alter the flavour of food and drink by touching it, seasoning it to the known palette of the user. It can also return spoiled or contaminated food and drink into an edible state, removing even poisons and disease. It requires a full minute of applying the spoon to the food or drink to apply either effect, although both effects may be done during the same application.
Additionally, the vest has a number of pockets filled with mundane equipment: a climber's kit (including 50ft of silk rope), a compass, a healer's kit (with 10 uses), and a map maker's kit (with 5 sheets of paper). Each of these items function exactly like the normal item, however once every 24 hours, if any item (mundane or magical) is missing from the pocket, it disappears and the pocket replaces the item. This includes the charges on the healer's kit and the papers in the map making kit. Any papers taken from the map making kit are considered used and do not disappear; replacements are instead created.
There are also 3 empty pockets that are treated like a bag of holding, each capable of holding up to 1 cubic foot, or 10 pounds in weight. The contents are moved such that the object desired is at the top, allowing them to be accessed quickly. This allows retrieval as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity, and is considered ready to be drawn such that it can be used for a component pouch or drawing throwing weapons.
All three empty pockets, as well as the climber's kit and healing kit pockets, are treated as extra dimensional space, and cannot be accessed while the vest is inside another extra dimensional space.
Finally, no matter what is placed inside the jacket, and no matter what has been removed, it always weighs 7 pounds.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, create water, light, mending, minor creation, prestidigitation, purify food and water, secret chest, and spark; Cost 4,412gp
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Whisper Stone
Aura faint transmutation; CL 1st
Slot neck; Price 750 gp; Weight -
A seemingly simple necklace made of a leather thong, adorned with only a single smooth, flat stone that is wound with copper wire, exposing one half of the stone. One piece of leather can be pulled as a move action, drawing the stone upward to rest against the throat, turning the necklace into a choker. As another move action, it can be lengthened again into a necklace.
When the stone is tapped against another whisper stone, it becomes attuned to it. There is no limit to how many stones that can be attuned at once. The stone can be detuned from a single stone by tapping it again, or can be wiped of all attunement by twisting the stone out of the copper and reinserting it.
Whenever the whisper stone is tightened as a choker, the wielder may communicate with only a whisper to any other attuned whisper stones, as long as they are within 100 feet, exactly as the spell message.
The receiving whisper stones do not have to be tightened as a choker to hear the message, but they do if the user wishes to respond.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, message; Cost 375gp
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The utility jacket probably has the stuff that fits most of what you are talking about.