I'm looking for a wondrous item that will lead the PCs to the adventure hook. I'd like to use something from published Pathfinder material (i.e. no GM fiat).
I don't want it to teleport them there, or fly them there, or otherwise transport them there. I don't want it to force them to go there against their will. I don't want it to tell them what they will find there, or give them any information about the destination other than the direction to head in order to get there. I don't want them to be able to change the destination, or be able to plot a return trip.
I'm thinking of something that acts like a GPS, i.e. pointing them in the direction of a fixed and predetermined locale.
Any suggestions?
How about a helping hand spell? Duration of a few hours and range of 5 miles may require some other plot mechanism to cast it.
No, I need it to be a wondrous item. The idea is to have an NPC give it to the PCs to tell them how to get to a certain city. Any ideas?
you could always make a custom item using the rules in the paizo books that way its technically not gm fiatHow about a helping hand spell? Duration of a few hours and range of 5 miles may require some other plot mechanism to cast it.No, I need it to be a wondrous item. The idea is to have an NPC give it to the PCs to tell them how to get to a certain city. Any ideas?
Yeah, I'm starting to think that's what I need to do. Maybe something based on the Find the Path spell perhaps.
I stink at item creation, so can you all check my math? Here goes...
Find the Path is a 6th level cleric spell (minimum caster level 11th).
Question: Find the Path has verbal, somatic, and material components. I believe I do not need to factor material components into the cost, correct? Do I need to assume Silent and Still metamagic spell feats (thereby raising the spell level by +2, i.e. minimum caster level 15th)?
Find the Path will be continuous use, meaning that the compass will always point toward the city (no command word required). Since Find the Path's duration is not measured in rounds, this means the base price is Spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp. A regular compass costs 10gp, so the base price is (6 x 11 x 2000 + 10 =) 132,010 gp.
The crafting cost would be half of this, or 66,005 gp, and the crafting time would be (1 8-hour day per 1,000 gp base price, or) 133 days.
Putting all this together:
Compass of Navigation
Aura moderate divination; CL 11th; Slot --; Price 132,010 gp; Weight 1/2 lb.
Description
This needle of this compass always points toward a specific location, which is determined at the time of crafting, as per the Find the Path spell. As with a normal compass, it also grants the user a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks made to avoid becoming lost, and +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks made to navigate underground, but only when travelling toward the predetermined destination.
Construction Requirements
Craft Wondrous Item, Find the Path; Cost 66,005 gp.
Does that look about right?
One other question: Let's say that, at the start of each day, the compass will silently/subtly compel its owner to go to the city, as per the Suggestion spell. Since this makes it more of a cursed item, how would that figure into things?
Thanks!
it would be 6x11x2000=132000x1.5=198000 however since they dont get to pick just any destination and its a very specific destination i would reduce the cost by 90-95% so 19800 or 9900
What's the 1.5 for?
Ok, so the crafting cost is 92,000 gp, but the actual price is 19,800 gp.
What about the Suggestion curse part? How would that affect the build-out?
Thanks Lady J! :)
What about a Wayfinder that has the arrow pointing at the fixed location? There is one like it in the Iron Gods book 4 I believe.
Reskin a Ring of the Sophisticate as a wondrous item, and change the target to a particular city. At 11,000 gp, it is not to expensive, and as an existing item, it gives you a price point for the effect.
/cevah
Hematite Sphere Ioun Stone (Flawed)
When slotted into a wayfinder, the stone causes the wayfinder’s needle to point toward the nearest hematite sphere ioun stone, no matter the distance, enabling bearers to locate one another across a city or even across a continent. When an ioun stone of this type comes in contact with another hematite sphere ioun stone, one of the two stones fades into a dull gray ioun stone, while the other stone begins to home in on the next nearest stone.
I don't get it.
Why does this item need to have a mathematical formula to determine its cost and a specific spell description or existing magic item description to justify its use?
Are the PCs intended to sell it for a specific value, as a treasure item?
Are they intended to start making copies themselves?
Surely, this is a one-time campaign macguffin, that will point to one specific place, person, creature or object right up until the time when that portion of the campaign is finished, and then it will have no further purpose.
I mean, it sounds like the funky compass from Pirates of the Caribbean.
Ignore the magic item creation rules. You're the DM and it's a plot device. Just define how the item works, give it a resale value if you want, based on the gems encrusting it and the precious metals it's made of, but not based on its magic, which is so specific as to make it worthless once the quest is completed.
Call it a lesser artifact. Give it some additional powers if you like, based on spells, so that it has some continuing usefulness. Or not.