Water clock

[J-H]

What's the deal with the water clock? It's in the SRD, listed with adventuring gear, despite being absurdly expensive and heavy.

Is it some kind of throwback or reference to 1E?

[kaminiwa]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_clock

It's an actual real-world way of accurately tracking time. I'd assume largely useful for having a clock in your lair :)

[lsfreak]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_clock

It's an actual real-world way of accurately tracking time. I'd assume largely useful for having a clock in your lair :)

Yes, but it makes poor adventuring gear (actually the one RL version I know of off the top of my head is non-transportable). It's rather odd placement for a book so focused on adventuring.

[Tiktik Ironclaw]

It's bandit repellant. Any bandit who sees their target carrying a water clock knows that these guys have enough money to blow on a useless item like that and therefore enough power to rip him or her limb from limb, make a cloak and matching hat, and travel between planes, all in the time it takes them to finish eating their morning scone and latte.

[Slipperychicken]

I could have sworn we had this exact thread, right down to the "bandit-repellent" bit, just one week ago.