New Magic Item [3.5]

[Fortuna]

Arrow of Tracking
Whenever a character is hit by this arrow, they must make a Will save. If they fail, then the character who fired the arrow may pinpoint the location of original target of the arrow as a swift action for one week, as long as they are on the same plane of existence. Otherwise they determine which plane of existence the target is on.

faint divination
Track, Craft magic arms and Armour, locate creature
Price: 1400 gp

[Debihuman]

There generally isn't a Save vs. Spell unless you are making a saving throw (Fort, Will or Reflex) against a specific spell, The DC is 10 + 1/2 caster's level [use minimum number to cast spell] and Spell's level.

The spell needed for this item seem to be locate creature and the creater should have ranks in Knowledge (the Planes) and the Track feat.

Debby

[Fortuna]

Duh. I feel stupid for using 1e terms now. Thank you for the correction.

[Debihuman]

No need to feel stupid, a lot of us grognards tend to use older terms and then we get that blank-eyed look from the young'uns.

I wish I could figure out the costs but I'm absolutely clueless as to figuring that out. Locate creature is a 4th level spell so the lowest caster level is 8th. An Arrow of Tracking is probably a single use item.

Debby

[Fortuna]

What makes me feel stupid is that my physical age should put me with the "young'uns." At any rate, thank you for your help. I would add tentative requirements, but I wouldn't even know what format they should be in.

[Milskidasith]

There's... little use for the item. Ignoring costs, when is it ever going to get used? If you see somebody and have access to arrows of tracking, you can probably just get somebody to scry for you, and that has the added benefit of not requiring you to shoot them (which tells them there is somebody intending to shoot them.) Plus, this can probably be dispelled (I'd assume) while being scryed is a bit harder to dispel.

And, of course, the final factor: In any PC versus monster fight, anything that isn't instantly lethal isn't going to be useful because they will generally just kill things.

So even if it was cheap, it wouldn't be that useful aside from fringe cases in intrigue games where being shot was the typical greeting.

[Fortuna]

I was aware from the start that PCs were never going to use it. I originally thought of this for cases in which a lone enemy is trying to track the PCs, but is not a wizard. It is a very niche item, true, but I was bored.

[Lysander]

I think it's a useful item. Obviously not against a one-encounter enemy, but if the story requires hunting down a recurring and tricky foe this would be handy. It's more of a plot type item though. An NPC would give the PCs some of these arrows so they can follow an enemy.

[Fortuna]

I still need help with the cost and requirements (i.e. what format should they be in?) but I have come up with a more powerful version.

Arrow of Tracking, Greater
This arrow functions identically to an Arrow of Tracking. However, once per day the character who fired the arrow may teleport next to the creature that was hit with the arrow, in addition to the effects of the Arrow of Tracking.

Strong Conjuration
Track, Craft Magic Arms and Armour, locate creature, greater teleport
Cost: 6650 gp

[Debihuman]

See the SRD for details: http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/magicItems.htm

[Fortuna]

I have put in draft requirements, but those prices seem somewhat insane (although that could just be my first edition evaluations coming through).

[Temet Nosce]

I'd suggest statting it out as a single use item (1,400 GP for the first type using just Locate Creature, and 6,650 for the greater version with both spells).

It's still got a narrow focus, but with your listed prices there'd be no reason for anyone to ever use it.

[Volos]

I would rather put ranks in spot and survival, take the track feat, and have my bow enchanted with 'seeking'. That way my arrows can negate cover and hit invisible targets if I aim in the right square.

[DracoDei]

Track feat doesn't work so hot in a city, and completely fails against teleportation or flight (well, until Epic).

[Fortuna]

Thanks temet! I have edited that in.