Incriptus
2011-12-21, 03:43 PM
Rough Draft - Eternal Wands
I'll start with the fact that I'm fairly new at this, so if you could pull your punches at least a little bit I would be much appreciative. Quite a bit of discussion has been on the usefulness of Eternal Wands. When should you use an Eternal Wand over a Normal Wand comes up quite a bit. I have scoured the Player's Handbook & The Spell Compendium for spells that I think fit the criteria for being a useful Eternal Wand. I have only used the Bard & the Wizard spell lists. I Believe that raiding other obscure spell lists is an unclean practice and I frown upon it. That said, I may look into them later, along with spells from splat books.
The question: When is an Eternal Wand useful?
My Hypothesis: There are 4 categories where an Eternal Wand is useful. 1) Spells with a duration such that it is casts for essentially 24 hours. 2) Spells where you are likely to be wasting the charge. 3) Spells that may be part of your normal repertoire, but not CL dependent. 4) Spells that are not on your spell list that you want to use, often, without UMD.
1) Long Duration Spells: These spells are inherently superior as an Eternal Wand vs a Normal wand. The Long duration are likely to be used everyday, but not needed multiple times per day. Often used for on the road effects. For Example Endure Elements, if you went on a mountain trip for two months, you would run out of charges, with an eternal wand you have essentially infinite effect.
Level 1 Spells
Endure Elements - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too.
Healthful Rest - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too.
Obscure Object - 8 hours duration likely need a second wand for 24 hour protection. Caster Level independent. Will likely be used when it's unnecessary.
Undetectable Alignment - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too.
Level 2 Spells
Alarm, Greater - 4 hours per level, caster level 3, twice per day = 24 hour alarm.
Level 3 Spells
Air Breathing - 2 hours per level. Means 10 hours per charge. 2 charges. You can breathe air 20 hours every 24 hours.
Anticipate Teleportation - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too. Although it does have a caster level element limiting it to 24 hours.
Explosive Runes - Big Book of Practical Jokes. Chapter 1: Exploding Books! Caster Level Independent, Permanent Duration.
Leomund's Tiny Hut - 2 hours per level. Means 10 hours per charge. 2 charges. Your hut lasts 20 hours every 24 hours.
Mage Armor, Greater - 1 Hour per Level, Caster Level 5, Two Charges a day. That's 10 hours a day. I can buy 2 of these for 10,900x2=21,800 or I can buy 36,000 for +6 Bracers of Armor. Penny Pinching, maybe
Regal Procession - 2 hours per level, Caster Level 5, 2 Charges = 5 horses for 20 hours.
Shrink Object - Day's per level duration means Permanent with Eternal Wand.
Skull Watch - Permanent duration.
Undead Lieutenant - 24 Hour Duration, Caster Level Independent effect.
2) Spells Prone to Waste: This applies mostly to divination spells. If you cast Detect Secret Doors in a room with no secret doors you have essentially wasted a charge. In a finite charged item you have literally thrown away gold for nothing, and it's even worse if you actually used a spell slot for no effect. With an Eternal Wand you can cast a detect spell when the target probably isn't there and not lose anything permanent.
Level 1 Spells
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Undead
Instant Search
Spontaneous Search
Level 2 Spells
Locate Object
Level 3 Spells
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
3) Spells that may be part of your normal repertoire but not caster level dependent: The following spells are, in many ways, just as good cast from an Eternal Wand as they would be from your spell slot. If you find yourself prepping these spells (without metamagic) it may be in your best interest to switch to an Eternal Wand. Also note I am not advocating any of these spells, just that if you are preparing them this may be an option. If you want access to a spell but do not prepare it, you're probably not going to be using it enough to need an eternal wand.
* Spells with a single asterisk have duration limitations that may make your spell slot a better option
** Spells with two asterisks have difficulties with spell resistance.
- Spells with a minus sign are swift spells, their usefulness is determined if you believe the rules compendium's ruling of "Activating a command item takes the same amount of time as the casting time of the spell that the item’s power duplicates" [Rules p84] supercedes the discription in the Magic Item Compendium.
Level 1 Spells
Arrow Mind*
Benign Transportation
Blades of Fire-
Blood Wind-
Breath Flare-
Critical Strike-
Crabwalk
Enlarge Person*
Fist of Stone
Focusing Chant
Golem Strike-
Grave Strike-
Guided Shot-
Guiding Light**
Insightful Feint-
Inspirational Boost-
Invisibility Swift-
Lightfoot-
Master's Touch*
Protection From _____*
Shield*
Sniper's Shot-
Raging Flame
True Strike
Level 2 Spells
Battering Ram**
Bear's Endurance
Bull's Strength
Burning Sword
Blur
Cat's Grace
Darkness
Delay Poison*
Eagle's Splendor
Fog Cloud
Fox's Cunning
Heroics*
Heroism
Hurl
Invisibility*
Lively Step
Mechanus Mind
Ray of Sickness**
Ray of Stupidity**
Ray of Weakness**
Scintillating Scales
Slapping Hand
Sonic Weapon
Sonorous Hum
Snake Swiftness
Speak to Allies
Spectral Hand
Stone Bones
Touch of Idiocy**
Veil of Shadow
Whirling Blade
Wraith Strike-
Level 3 Spells
Allegro
Circle Dance
Dolorous Blow
Flame Arrow
Girallon's Blessing
Good Hope
Hamatula Barbs
Invisibility Sphere*
Keen Weapon
Primal Form*
Snake’s Swiftness, Mass
Ray of Dizziness*/**
Weapon of Impact
4) Spell lists other than your own: Obviously this item came from Eberron and was designed for magewrights so they could have combat spells but it can be useful for any class. Does a wizard want to throw around some glibness when talking to that snobby sorcerer? Does you Bard or Beguiler want to know what it would feel like to throw a fire ball (albeit a low damage low save)? Does your Warmage want detect magic? Obviously this list is often personal opinion due to the variety of spell lists out there, but I would point to type 3's still being good options for your Eternal Wand.
I'll start with the fact that I'm fairly new at this, so if you could pull your punches at least a little bit I would be much appreciative. Quite a bit of discussion has been on the usefulness of Eternal Wands. When should you use an Eternal Wand over a Normal Wand comes up quite a bit. I have scoured the Player's Handbook & The Spell Compendium for spells that I think fit the criteria for being a useful Eternal Wand. I have only used the Bard & the Wizard spell lists. I Believe that raiding other obscure spell lists is an unclean practice and I frown upon it. That said, I may look into them later, along with spells from splat books.
The question: When is an Eternal Wand useful?
My Hypothesis: There are 4 categories where an Eternal Wand is useful. 1) Spells with a duration such that it is casts for essentially 24 hours. 2) Spells where you are likely to be wasting the charge. 3) Spells that may be part of your normal repertoire, but not CL dependent. 4) Spells that are not on your spell list that you want to use, often, without UMD.
1) Long Duration Spells: These spells are inherently superior as an Eternal Wand vs a Normal wand. The Long duration are likely to be used everyday, but not needed multiple times per day. Often used for on the road effects. For Example Endure Elements, if you went on a mountain trip for two months, you would run out of charges, with an eternal wand you have essentially infinite effect.
Level 1 Spells
Endure Elements - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too.
Healthful Rest - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too.
Obscure Object - 8 hours duration likely need a second wand for 24 hour protection. Caster Level independent. Will likely be used when it's unnecessary.
Undetectable Alignment - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too.
Level 2 Spells
Alarm, Greater - 4 hours per level, caster level 3, twice per day = 24 hour alarm.
Level 3 Spells
Air Breathing - 2 hours per level. Means 10 hours per charge. 2 charges. You can breathe air 20 hours every 24 hours.
Anticipate Teleportation - 24 hour duration means you can use it every day. You can even use one on a friend too. Although it does have a caster level element limiting it to 24 hours.
Explosive Runes - Big Book of Practical Jokes. Chapter 1: Exploding Books! Caster Level Independent, Permanent Duration.
Leomund's Tiny Hut - 2 hours per level. Means 10 hours per charge. 2 charges. Your hut lasts 20 hours every 24 hours.
Mage Armor, Greater - 1 Hour per Level, Caster Level 5, Two Charges a day. That's 10 hours a day. I can buy 2 of these for 10,900x2=21,800 or I can buy 36,000 for +6 Bracers of Armor. Penny Pinching, maybe
Regal Procession - 2 hours per level, Caster Level 5, 2 Charges = 5 horses for 20 hours.
Shrink Object - Day's per level duration means Permanent with Eternal Wand.
Skull Watch - Permanent duration.
Undead Lieutenant - 24 Hour Duration, Caster Level Independent effect.
2) Spells Prone to Waste: This applies mostly to divination spells. If you cast Detect Secret Doors in a room with no secret doors you have essentially wasted a charge. In a finite charged item you have literally thrown away gold for nothing, and it's even worse if you actually used a spell slot for no effect. With an Eternal Wand you can cast a detect spell when the target probably isn't there and not lose anything permanent.
Level 1 Spells
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Undead
Instant Search
Spontaneous Search
Level 2 Spells
Locate Object
Level 3 Spells
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
3) Spells that may be part of your normal repertoire but not caster level dependent: The following spells are, in many ways, just as good cast from an Eternal Wand as they would be from your spell slot. If you find yourself prepping these spells (without metamagic) it may be in your best interest to switch to an Eternal Wand. Also note I am not advocating any of these spells, just that if you are preparing them this may be an option. If you want access to a spell but do not prepare it, you're probably not going to be using it enough to need an eternal wand.
* Spells with a single asterisk have duration limitations that may make your spell slot a better option
** Spells with two asterisks have difficulties with spell resistance.
- Spells with a minus sign are swift spells, their usefulness is determined if you believe the rules compendium's ruling of "Activating a command item takes the same amount of time as the casting time of the spell that the item’s power duplicates" [Rules p84] supercedes the discription in the Magic Item Compendium.
Level 1 Spells
Arrow Mind*
Benign Transportation
Blades of Fire-
Blood Wind-
Breath Flare-
Critical Strike-
Crabwalk
Enlarge Person*
Fist of Stone
Focusing Chant
Golem Strike-
Grave Strike-
Guided Shot-
Guiding Light**
Insightful Feint-
Inspirational Boost-
Invisibility Swift-
Lightfoot-
Master's Touch*
Protection From _____*
Shield*
Sniper's Shot-
Raging Flame
True Strike
Level 2 Spells
Battering Ram**
Bear's Endurance
Bull's Strength
Burning Sword
Blur
Cat's Grace
Darkness
Delay Poison*
Eagle's Splendor
Fog Cloud
Fox's Cunning
Heroics*
Heroism
Hurl
Invisibility*
Lively Step
Mechanus Mind
Ray of Sickness**
Ray of Stupidity**
Ray of Weakness**
Scintillating Scales
Slapping Hand
Sonic Weapon
Sonorous Hum
Snake Swiftness
Speak to Allies
Spectral Hand
Stone Bones
Touch of Idiocy**
Veil of Shadow
Whirling Blade
Wraith Strike-
Level 3 Spells
Allegro
Circle Dance
Dolorous Blow
Flame Arrow
Girallon's Blessing
Good Hope
Hamatula Barbs
Invisibility Sphere*
Keen Weapon
Primal Form*
Snake’s Swiftness, Mass
Ray of Dizziness*/**
Weapon of Impact
4) Spell lists other than your own: Obviously this item came from Eberron and was designed for magewrights so they could have combat spells but it can be useful for any class. Does a wizard want to throw around some glibness when talking to that snobby sorcerer? Does you Bard or Beguiler want to know what it would feel like to throw a fire ball (albeit a low damage low save)? Does your Warmage want detect magic? Obviously this list is often personal opinion due to the variety of spell lists out there, but I would point to type 3's still being good options for your Eternal Wand.