3.5 Vostian Cross (WndrsItm)

[Ent]

I'm trying to condense the legalese of this item. Vost is a deity in my campaign setting. Also, is it ridiculous?

Vostian Cross
This 10-foot pole is surmounted with a crossed circle. It has the weight and feel of iron but shines as if made of silver.

The Vostian Cross can only be activated by a follower of Vost, though it's effects can aid non-believers and worshipers of other deities unless otherwise noted (even evil creatures or worshipers of evil deities). Activating the cross is a full-round action that involves either bearing it in two hands or forcefully planting it into the ground (the nature of the magic allows it to pass into earth, worked stone, or similar surfaces, but nothing as solid as metal); all effects generated cease if the cross falls from the hands or ground.

When active the cross has several effects:
-The cross sheds light as the light spell continuously. Any spell with the [Healing] descriptor can be cast and channeled into the cross by a follower of Vost to raise the spell level of this effect from 0 to the level of the channeled [Healing] spell for 10 minutes/ caster level.
-Any creature who maintains physical contact with the cross for a full round gains fast healing 1 until they lose contact with it.
-The area is blessed with a magic circle against evil spell.
-The area is made holy with a Consecrate spell.
-Any followers of Vost within sight of the cross are under the effects of a remove fear spell.

Moderate abjuration?, moderate conjuration? faint evocation?; CL ??; Craft Wondrous Item, Light, Remove Fear, Lesser (or Mass Lesser?) Vigor, Consecrate, Magic Circle against Evil; Price ?? gp;Weight 12 lb.

[Magnor Criol]

I like it. I've not much of a head for figuring out appropriate price/cost, though, so I can't help you there.

One thing - it seems like it might be nice if channeling healing spells into the cross did more than just boost the CL of the Light spell. Perhaps it also raises the CL of the other spell effects at a lower ratio. I think at the least it should increase the fast healing rate somehow.

[Ent]

I like it. I've not much of a head for figuring out appropriate price/cost, though, so I can't help you there.

One thing - it seems like it might be nice if channeling healing spells into the cross did more than just boost the CL of the Light spell. Perhaps it also raises the CL of the other spell effects at a lower ratio. I think at the least it should increase the fast healing rate somehow.

Hm, I thought the boost on light was pretty substantial. It allows Clerics to spontaneously cast to dispell darkness within the 20' radius of light.

[Reptilius]

Hm, I thought the boost on light was pretty substantial. It allows Clerics to spontaneously cast to dispell darkness within the 20' radius of light.

Yes, but light is...well...light. Just a 0-level spell. One could just use dispel magic. One good use of the cross would be channeling healing magic into a radius or range effect, or making all healing spells empowered/maximized/whatever around the cross.

[arguskos]

Hm, I thought the boost on light was pretty substantial. It allows Clerics to spontaneously cast to dispell darkness within the 20' radius of light.
Actually, it does no such thing:

Normal lights (torches, candles, lanterns, and so forth) are incapable of brightening the area, as are light spells of lower level. Higher level light spells are not affected by darkness.
The darkness spell is immune to the light spell, being of a higher level.

As for the item, it's pretty neat. I dig it quite a bit, though it seems rather underpowered, you can probably give it a dispel darkness effect if you want, and maybe even a minor curative power, and call it 15,000 gp with no issue.

[ErrantX]

Actually, it does no such thing:

The darkness spell is immune to the light spell, being of a higher level.

As for the item, it's pretty neat. I dig it quite a bit, though it seems rather underpowered, you can probably give it a dispel darkness effect if you want, and maybe even a minor curative power, and call it 15,000 gp with no issue.

I dunno, the endless amounts of out of combat healing seems a bit strong to me. Fast heal 1 for however long you've got contact with it? A bit much.

-X

[arguskos]

Meh? It's not a big deal in most games (given the time constraints). If it is, specify that function only works for worshippers of Vost. Really, this item isn't that powerful, just REALLY flavorful, and flavor shouldn't really jack up the cost. :smallwink:

[Ent]

Actually, it does no such thing:

The darkness spell is immune to the light spell, being of a higher level.



Have I just always been wrong in thinking that if you raise the level of a [Light] spell via Heighten Spell or the way I was trying to word it on the cross (similarly to Heighten Spell's effect) would make it a higher spell thus countering a lower level [Darkness] effect? I can't really see any other way to read any of the [Light]/[Darkness] spells, please explain if my interpretation is wrong.

[arguskos]

With that interpretation, then yes, I think it works. That wasn't immediately clear, and I'm curious why you need to burn a healing spell to dispel darkness... you could always just let the Cross radiate a Daylight spell instead. It's easier for all involved, and avoids strange wording like this.

Anyways, I do like the item, just take a bit of offense to the light spell thingy for being hard to understand and pretty much useless (I'd rather have the Healing spell or a dispel magic). Just some food for thought. :smallwink:

[DracoDei]

Ent: I agree with you about how spell levels work with [Light] and [Darkness] spells.

[Ent]

With that interpretation, then yes, I think it works. That wasn't immediately clear, and I'm curious why you need to burn a healing spell to dispel darkness... you could always just let the Cross radiate a Daylight spell instead. It's easier for all involved, and avoids strange wording like this.

Anyways, I do like the item, just take a bit of offense to the light spell thingy for being hard to understand and pretty much useless (I'd rather have the Healing spell or a dispel magic). Just some food for thought. :smallwink:

I really appreciate the feedback so far. I guess I was trying to give the Cleric (who can spon cast for the cures) something special to do, not that they don't need those [Healing] spells in my games.

Do you have any suggestions how to incorporate Turn Undead attempts into the item? I haven't gotten any good inspiration from anything published about alternate things to spend turning attempts on.

Also, the magic circle against evil effect can be focused inward when activated, just like the spell. I thought it would be cinematic if instead of the silver circle being disturbed and releases whatever was bound within the circle, my cross's magic circle would break if the bearer dropped it or it was knocked out of the ground.