[3.5] *Protecting/Concealing* your Spell Component Pouch!

[Miss Disaster]

By now, we all know how extremely vulnerable a spellcaster's spell component pouch (SCP) is. There are tons of threads on how to sunder, Shatter and Sleight of Hand a SCP and as a result, seriously gimp-up a spellcaster's primary schtick.

What surprises me is that I can't seem to find any game resources that provide protection or obfuscation for the SCP. You'd think that a savvy wizard would do spell research and make a spell or magic item that would properly safeguard his/her SCP from sundering, Shattering and stealing.

Or am I wrong? Are there any good game resources that do this? Even if there's anything in Pathfinder, I'd welcome that as well. Granted, things like providing protection/concealment on the spellcaster (Blur, Displacement, Mirror Image, etc.) help. But I'm looking for resources that *independently* protect or conceal the SCP.

[tyckspoon]

Mostly you just buy extras. They're cheap, they don't weigh all that much, and they should never be more than a move action away from being ready to use. Having one attacked shouldn't be more than a minor inconvenience unless your DM has every single enemy go for it and tun you out of spares (if he does, he's probably trying to drive you out of the game and can'tbring himself to tell you,)

[Zanos]

Eschew materials.

I always take it so I don't have to touch bat guano.

[HaikenEdge]

I keep them up my sleeves, which is why I'm constantly reaching up my sleeves; also, see if you're allowed a sleight of hand check to conceal where you're pulling those spell components from.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Hat of Disguise (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#hatofDisguise) to make it look like anything but a spell component pouch. Keep in mind that you can also use that to disguise the items you're holding, so they don't have to look like spell components at all. It can appear that you're reaching into a pocket and drawing forth bits of lint, or it can look like there's a snake wrapped around your waist that belches forth the bones and fur of various rodents on demand.

[Miss Disaster]

These are very creative ideas, gentlemen. :smallsmile:

****

I've always wanted to use Create Wondrous Item to make a wizard's cloak that combines the following tricks and feats into one garment:

1. False Theurgy (Skill Trick - C. Scoundrel)
2. Conceal Spellcasting (Skill Trick - C. Scoundrel)
3. Eschew Materials (Feat - PHB)

Such a cloak would basically hide the wizard's hands during somatic gesturing and eliminate the need for material components (by "providing" them via the magic of the cloak). This magic item would seem like a no-brainer for wizards who worry about counterspelling and SCP sundering/stealing.

I just don't know how to price such an item. :smallfrown: Especially because I don't know how to price Skill Tricks.

[doomlord]

A skill trick is worth 2 skillpoints, right? And the Open Minded feat suggests that a feat is worth 5 skill points. So an item that grants two skill tricks should be worth four fifths of a feat. You can round that up to one feat if you like, or you can round it down to half a feat by the rationale that Open Minded is a pretty lame feat.

[xroads]

What about the "Fire Trap" spell? I usually have my wizards cast it on their spellbooks to discourage theft.

[Miss Disaster]

A skill trick is worth 2 skillpoints, right? And the Open Minded feat suggests that a feat is worth 5 skill points. So an item that grants two skill tricks should be worth four fifths of a feat. You can round that up to one feat if you like, or you can round it down to half a feat by the rationale that Open Minded is a pretty lame feat.

Interestingly, the Crystal Mask of Languages (MIC p. 91) grants you, basically, 5 ranks of Speak Languages [or 5 skill ranks]. It's cost is 2,500 gp. Then again, I think the designers construe the value of a Speak Languages skill rank a little different than that of the more showcased and typical skill ranks.

Still, all this has me thinking. I'll have to hunker down and figure out the cost of this cloak sometime tomorrow.

[Crake]

What about the "Fire Trap" spell? I usually have my wizards cast it on their spellbooks to discourage theft.

why? So when the party rogue is taking a look through your stuff at night he can blow up your spellbook by accident?

[bekeleven]

I generally have a Belt of Hidden Pouches or Belt of many Pockets. I keep my component pouch in one of the pouches and open the top of the pouch. Free access but you can't sunder, and probably massive slight of hand penalties.

Also, I keep another component pouch in a hidden pocket behind the first in case something goes wrong, although I think it would take a move action for me to open it.

[TuggyNE]

why? So when the party rogue is taking a look through your stuff at night he can blow up your spellbook by accident?


The item protected by the trap is not harmed by this explosion.

If the Rogue is routinely (or at all) pawing through your stuff, especially your spellbook and SCP, then they deserve to die messily as soon as possible. Just make sure you make this clear up front, and, if possible, keep your spellbook separated from your SCP by a sufficient distance to keep their respective traps from damaging each other.

[Slipperychicken]

Personally, if I was that worried, I'd just get like 10 of them. Or take Eschew Materials.

Pathfinder gives an easy way out for this. Just take False Focus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/false-focus) and get a 100gp holy symbol tattoo (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services/toys-games-puzzles#TOC-Holy-Symbol). This has the added benefit of letting you ignore costly material components up to 100gp, so you can cover your valuables with phantom traps and magic mouths for free.


If the Rogue is routinely (or at all) pawing through your stuff, especially your spellbook and SCP, then they deserve to die messily as soon as possible. Just make sure you make this clear up front, and, if possible, keep your spellbook separated from your SCP by a sufficient distance to keep their respective traps from damaging each other.

You could always make the spellbook out of riverine or aurorum. It would only take 6000gp to make a riverine spellbook (2000/lb * 3lbs = 6000gp.

[Miss Disaster]

So far, for a creative solution that is fairly common, cheap, adaptable and aesthetically alluring .... I really like Biffoniacus'. Especially since so many people end up getting Hats of Disguise.

[Fouredged Sword]

See, I just get a riverine bag for my spellbook. Cheaper than getting the whole thing made out of the stuff, and if you block line of effect, nothing can touch it.

[Captnq]

Go to your DM.
Ask for Craft (Mechanical Thingy) 1 skill.
Get the spell magecraft, Unseen Crafter.
Craft is a Int skill. As a wizard, you should have an 18. If you don't, you're not playing a wizard right.

1+4 (int) +5 (Magecraft spell) take 10 (unseen crafter) = Auto 20.
DC for Complex or superior item = 20.

What are you building?

Take the Gnome Quickrazor. Replace blade with a spell component pouch.
DC 20.

Take your device. Work on adding the Complete scoundrel weapon quality Hidden

Hidden Blade (Hidden): This weapon is a hidden weapon. A hidden blade is a spring loaded blade attached to the inside of armor or boots or strapped to the scoundrel’s body. Activating a hidden blade requires a move action. Hidden blades can be made masterwork or magic just as normal weapons can be. Attacking with a hidden blade imposes a –2 penalty on the attack roll. Discovering a hidden blade before it has been activated requires a DC 15 Search check

Now your enemies have to take the action (a SEARCH) action to find it. Furthermore, it only is in your hand while you are using it, then it disappears back to where they need to search.

You know, I should write a handbook on "Things you can do with a DC 20 craft check."

[Slipperychicken]

See, I just get a riverine bag for my spellbook. Cheaper than getting the whole thing made out of the stuff, and if you block line of effect, nothing can touch it.

How do you block line of effect while still having the components available to cast?

[Fouredged Sword]

It was a reference to the spellbook issue raised earlier, not the pouch issue.

For pouches, I carry 12.

[Miss Disaster]

I like it, Captnq. :smallsmile: I find that precise example to be an awkward-to-conceive visual bridge to your concept ... but your context is brilliant.

I wish more folks would use the Craft skills for such innovated gear.

Yeah, it would seem that countless generations of spellcasters would've created an evolved method of usage and concealment of the SCP in whatever game world one plays in (Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc.). It's almost hokey to think that any wizard worth his/her salt would want to walk around town or enter combat with a belt-attached brown leather SCP dangling over their abdomen. But it's likely most spellcasters in the game are probably doing just that.