I'd like a phone. Just a way for 2 characters to instantly contact each other and speak no matter distance. In a world with people who turn into dragons and the ability to see anyone, anywhere, I feel like this should be possible. Is it?
Bonus points if it's in the form of something that anyone can use, i.e. two Fighters could use it to talk to each other.
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I'd like a phone. Just a way for 2 characters to instantly contact each other and speak no matter distance. In a world with people who turn into dragons and the ability to see anyone, anywhere, I feel like this should be possible. Is it?
Bonus points if it's in the form of something that anyone can use, i.e. two Fighters could use it to talk to each other.
Custom Wondrous Item based on the Sending spell.
You'd need to use it in 25 word increments, one of which would, of course, have to be 'Over'.
Can't find anything that fits what you need exactly:
Missive stone - Pass whispered messages with the paired stone (must be within 3 miles).
Communique Rings - Pass whispered messages with the paired ring (must be within 1 mile).
Shell of Sending - 1/day message of 25 words or less, no range limit.
None of those are even close. How weird is it that this doesn't seem to exist in Pathfinder?
Crystal Ball with telepathy ("The viewer is able to send and receive silent mental messages with the person appearing in the crystal ball. Once per day, the character may attempt to implant a suggestion (as the spell, Will DC 14 negates) as well.")
None of those are even close. How weird is it that this doesn't seem to exist in Pathfinder?
Instant verbal communication of any significant distance in the real world is a fantastically new technology comparatively, with the telephone originating somewhere in the 1850s, radio in the 1890s, the cellphone in the 1970s, etc. Arguably, there are few greater discoveries/inventions in terms of the impact, both overt and subtle, upon human existance.
Lets compare those dates to some of Pathfinder's notable anachronisms: gunpowder and the printing press. In the real world, the printing press has existed since the 14th century, and gunpowder dates as far back as the 9th.
If I were a deity tasked with managing elements of a vibrant world, I would likely vote to delay instantaneous communication as long as possible, regardless of what my portfolio is. Only the most change-focused, status-quo-destroying forces would aggressively advocate it. This isn't a judgement on the morality of it, change occurs when ideas and knowledge is shared, and removing the "wait time" of such interactions (especially those that might not ever have occured due to distance) exponentially speeds up that process.
The ascension of Nethys could be seen as the ultimate cautionary tale of instant communication, actually.
And then of course, is the good for goose, good for gander argument. If instant communication exists for one, it exists for all, unless that one is somehow unique and impossible to replicate (which would make it a greater artifact). Imagine what Cheliax could become with a state controlled cellphone network. What could the orc warchiefs of Belkzen do with the ability to be heard nationwide? What could cultists of Gyronna, Lamashtu, or Ghlaunder accomplish?
For that matter, what of Hell? The abyss? What could the Four Horsemen do, with the armies and weapons of Szuriel, Horseman of War?
Finally, as an amateur author, I can say that instant communication is the single biggest obstacle in effective mystery or horror stories, which depend on restricted information and/or isolation. Hence the Cell Phones are Useless trope, where you commonly find in such stories that the phone gets broken, runs out of battery, is lost, etc.
Certainly, what you do in your game is up to you and your group. But I would caution that certain doors shouldn't be opened unless you are willing to either accept the consequences or willfully pretend it didn't happen.
tldr; Knowledge is power, and instant knowledge is instant power. Smart game designers treat such abilities with care.
PS Not trying to be harsh or anything, just wanted to present some good reasons why the abilities aren't in the game.
This is of course not even touching on the fact that the subject title is something science fiction has to handwave or vaguely talk about how their communications are based on entangled particles technobabble. The fact is that as soon as you start trying to communicate between worlds much less solar systems you start dealing with a tremendous lag issue. Even communications systems that travel "at light speed" would deal a considerable amount of communications lag.
unlimited range is huge thing to introduce and it comes with a lot of ramifications that you have to be willing to deal with once its been introduced.
You could have the characters find an ansible in Numeria somewhere.
Lets compare those dates to some of Pathfinder's notable anachronisms: gunpowder and the printing press. In the real world, the printing press has existed since the 14th century, and gunpowder dates as far back as the 9th.
People forget the printing press didn't originate in Europe either. 9th century in China, just like gunpowder, albeit with some severe limitations compared to Gutenberg's improved version.
Lets compare those dates to some of Pathfinder's notable anachronisms: gunpowder and the printing press. In the real world, the printing press has existed since the 14th century, and gunpowder dates as far back as the 9th.People forget the printing press didn't originate in Europe either. 9th century in China, just like gunpowder, albeit with some severe limitations compared to Gutenberg's improved version.
I could have sworn that somebody in ancient Greece or somewhere nearby invented a printing press or at least moveable type, but it didn't catch on due to the ready availability of slave scribes, But now I can't find this.
Yep, the rest of the world kept going even if Europe stalled once Rome fell.
Rome wasn't the most friendly to technological innovation, again due to the ready availability of slave labor.
ring gates~?
100 miles on same plane. cost 40k. 20k to make'em.
depending on gm if sound can travel from one side to the other (if it is like an open window or is it a phase door that only object pushed can travel).
if it won't work like a window you can still stick your head through(it is actually one of it's many uses described) to talk. and it won't count against the daily limit since :
"(Objects only partially pushed through and then retracted do not count.)".
btw if you'r filthy rich and need longer distance you can make a relay by putting more rings in between and linking the 'out' side of one to the 'in' side of the other.
edit:
after looking again it seem to me that it work more like a window. if it was like a phase door that you can't hear (and maybe see) through it then attacking, and even more so casting a spell, would be somewhat problematic. but since it say "A spellcaster could even cast a spell through a ring gate" without anything added -which mean any normal spell can be cast through even word depended spells like 'command'. so voice seem to not be hindered going through like an open window effect and not a phase door. (sticking one's head was mentioned for looking around)
The 3rd level spell Irrisen Mirror Sight can be made into an item. A rank in linguistics gets you lip-reading. I made a 1/day magic item of the spell with a price of 6,000 gp. I used it to run my info/spy net across the inner sea.
/cevah
Permanent telepathic bonds, though admittedly that is a bit inflexible.
The 3rd level spell Irrisen Mirror Sight can be made into an item. A rank in linguistics gets you lip-reading. I made a 1/day magic item of the spell with a price of 6,000 gp. I used it to run my info/spy net across the inner sea.
/cevah
If Paizo ever does a Nineteen Eighty-Four AP, this spell and its permanent items should totally be a thing.