(4e) lvl 1 Consumables that have out of combat effects?

[Ozreth]

So I've got a garden that needs to have some status changing flowers in it, nothing too major, but pleasurable enough that the players will smile when they pick one and apply it for the first time.

Any ideas?

[LordShotGun]

Um I dont know much about 4e but minor +1 bonuses to anything are worth while to low level characters.

[Ozreth]

Um I dont know much about 4e but minor +1 bonuses to anything are worth while to low level characters.

I don't know much about it either at this point : )

Thats true, simple but definitely worth it. What would you think a flower grown by Druids would give you a +1 to? Wisdom/Will most likely...

[Reluctance]

+1 to a stat is not the sort of thing 4e likes to play around with, both for balance and flavor reasons. Static bonuses are powerful, but have no real flavor.

I'd be tempted to give them another at-will for the rest of the day. (Alternately, a base class feature, or if you want a level 2 item, a utility power.) Let them pick something appropriate from any primal class, then downgrade encounter powers to dailies and at-wills to encounters. It'll be an interesting tactical perk, as opposed to a pure math booster.

[Ozreth]

I realized I just contradicted myself. I originally wanted something that would be worthwhile outside of battle. Something that you would find druids and/or wood elves using.

The above idea is a good one though. And thanks for the insight : )

[BobTheDog]

Out of combat?

Okay, let's see...

Flower of Seduction (+5 to next diplomacy check with opposite gender).
Flower of Vigor (+1 or +2 to Endurance for the rest of the day).
Flower Power (+2 to Perception and Insight for one encounter).
Magic Grass (mounts get a bonus to overland speed for a week).
Four leaf clover (automatically succeed next skill check).

Since, by your description, these are items the PCs can't store or shop for easily, these powers are nice. Most of them would be broken if the PCs have free access, though.

[Aron Times]

What about treating the garden as a lair item? Lair items are a special category of wondrous items that are not portable and are intended for use in the party's base of operations, their lair, so to speak. Let me see if I can find the preview article for lair items...

Here you go...

http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ex/20090803

Perhaps the fruits in the garden are nutritious enough to provide sustenance for a whole day or even longer? In this case, you could treat it as a lair item version of Everlasting Provisions, a level 4 item that produces food for the adventurer on the go. Or perhaps the garden produces the equivalent of a handful of healing potions everyday in the form of fruits/nectar/leaves of healing.

There are even some lair items that allow characters to retrain powers, like the Arcane Laboratory for arcane characters and the Austere Dojo for martial characters. In this case, the entire building is treated as a level 23 magic item.

[DabblerWizard]

Out of combat?

Okay, let's see...

Flower of Seduction (+5 to next diplomacy check with preferred gender).

I fixed your statement. It was heterosexist before. All better now.

[BobTheDog]

I fixed your statement. It was heterosexist before. All better now.

Actually it should read "people whose preferred gender you are" or something. I think. Not sure which way the flower would work.

[Colmarr]

I don't know much about it either at this point : )

Thats true, simple but definitely worth it. What would you think a flower grown by Druids would give you a +1 to? Wisdom/Will most likely...

4e doesn't grant bonuses to abilities (Str, Con etc). It grants them to attacks, defences, skill check and ability checks.

If these are going to be 1st-level consumables, particularly ones that the PCs can obtain for free, then a +1 bonus is sufficient.

You would generally phrase it as:

Item A: Minor action. You gain a +1 bonus to the next B check you make before the end of your turn.

Eg. Silvertongue blossom: Minor Action. You gain a +1 bonus to the next Diplomacy check you make before the end of your turn.

[Kurald Galain]

Um I dont know much about 4e but minor +1 bonuses to anything are worth while to low level characters.
Well, technically they're really not worthwhile, but most players tend to think they're worthwhile, which is the effect you want.

I would go for something like healing (add +3 to your surge value until end of combat), granting lowlight vision for one encounter, or ignoring plant-based difficult terrain for one encounter.