[3.5] Twinkling Little Trinkets (Opinions Appreciated)

[Terumitsu]

Well, this is an idea spawned from a lot of time spent playing The World Ends With You. Basically, in the game one uses little button pins to activate various abilities and powers. While the game explained this away as psychic shenanigans, the idea of cheap little items with minor magical effects was a rather appealing one.

My thinking is that it would be rather nifty to have 1/day items that could be carried around without taking up an item slot and activated as a swift or immediate action. Some ideas include:

An extra 1d6 to damage for one attack
+20 to Attack for one attack roll
Heal 1 point of HP the moment one hits negative HP
Feather Fall 1/day, activated when one falls farther than 10 feet.

Generally, 0th and 1st level spell effects. Maaaybe a few 2nd level effects but that's not the point of this at the moment. Generally, things that work in a pinch or as a panic button. The fact of the matter is, I'd like this to be aimed at lower level adventurers but given the costs involved, (1200 for just a 0-level spell effect with the given parameters) such things are going to be overlooked for weapons, armor, and other things that have a reliably constant effect.

Now, a one way to drop the cost would be to make them single use items but I'm not exactly fond of that idea. I'd rather have something that I can keep using for a while but that's just my play style. It might work better for others.

Another would be to introduce a new body slot for such minor magical items as that would cut the price in half. I'm pretty sure a player wouldn't feel terribly bad dropping 600 gold into a 1/day item around levels 3-6 or so.


So, what do you all think of this? Nifty idea or the result of playing too much TWEWY?

[Veklim]

Now, a one way to drop the cost would be to make them single use items but I'm not exactly fond of that idea. I'd rather have something that I can keep using for a while but that's just my play style. It might work better for others.
I'm with you there, it sucks a little too much to make them 1 shot deals, but then again, if they were 1 shotters then they'd likely benefit the same creation rules as ammunition, do it by the quiver or suchlike. Then you'd have little talismans, like a thunderstone or a sunrod they don't do much, and they only do it once.


Another would be to introduce a new body slot for such minor magical items as that would cut the price in half. I'm pretty sure a player wouldn't feel terribly bad dropping 600 gold into a 1/day item around levels 3-6 or so.
That makes slightly more sense, but then you'd spend half your time swapping them in and out. I'd personally make them to be designed as a 1/day effect which you literally 'tag on' to an item. For example, the +1D6 sneak talisman would attach to the weapon used for the attack, the feather fall could pin onto your boots, the true strike on a pair of gloves, and the cure minor on your clothing or armour.
They're not part of the equipment but because they can only be attached to the kit itself, not directly to you, they would be restricted. For instance, you can only have as many 1/day +1D6 sneaks as you have weapons to put them on.

[DracoDei]

One use items do not USUALLY use the rules for ammunition.

The concept you are referring to was done in terms of Weapon Augmentation Crystals. I don't have the book for those, but it might be worth looking at if you can. Of course, re-creating something like that without knowledge of the original is a perfectly acceptable solution.

[Mutazoia]

Kind of sounds like the the Foci from Shadowrun....

Personally, if they are marketed towards lower level characters, I would make them one shot items. Otherwise your PC's will be walking around looking like they work at TGI-Fridays

[DracoDei]

The slotting thing would help with that. If you throw on a "must be worn/attached for 24 hours before it can be used" clause it would also help. If that isn't enough you can make it a week.

[cfalcon]

Remember, you want 37 pieces of flare.