Roethke
2007-02-26, 11:36 AM
Thought this might be a neat idea. I liked the fluff of a 'bug' being created out of a gem. Might work better as a magic item, though. Basically a souped up Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, with moderately priced material components and a chance of failure.
Please criticize-- I'm particulary interested in range/duration/chance of failure balance. Also any obvious avenues of abuse that I missed.
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Wentworth's Glitterbug
Divination (Scrying), Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: see Text
Target: 1 ring with inset gem
Duration: see Text
Saving Throw: N/A
Spell Resistance: N/A
Wentworth's Glitterbug is cast upon a non-magical ring with an inset gem. Upon conclusion of the casting, the gem sprouts tiny wings and legs, and hovers at the caster's eye-level. The Glitterbug may be directed by the caster to fly to any location the caster is familiar with (as in the Clairaudience/Clairvoyance spell).
The Glitterbug lasts for a duration equal to 1 hour for every 50gp value of the gem, up to a maximum of 24 hours.
For every 1000' the Glitterbug must travel, there is a 1% cumulative chance that it suffers some mishap en route, such as being eaten by a frog, or getting caught in a spider web. If this happens, the spell is a failure and the gem is lost.
The Glitterbug travels at 1000 ft per hour. On arrival at its destination, it becomes a fly-on-a-wall, unobtrusively landing on a suitable surface. It stays there, recording and viewing everything that occurs in a 30' radius, for a duration specified by the caster. A DC 35 spot check, or a DC 25 search check will reveal the Glitterbug's presence. If either succeeds, the Glitterbug may be dispatched with a swat, in which case the spell is a failure and the gem is lost.
Upon successful return, the Glitterbug settles back onto the caster's ring. It transforms back into a non-magical gem, and in doing so transfers knowledge of where it landed to the caster, as if she had been using Clairaudiance/Clairvoyance.
A caster may only have 2 Glitterbugs active at any given time.
Please criticize-- I'm particulary interested in range/duration/chance of failure balance. Also any obvious avenues of abuse that I missed.
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Wentworth's Glitterbug
Divination (Scrying), Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: see Text
Target: 1 ring with inset gem
Duration: see Text
Saving Throw: N/A
Spell Resistance: N/A
Wentworth's Glitterbug is cast upon a non-magical ring with an inset gem. Upon conclusion of the casting, the gem sprouts tiny wings and legs, and hovers at the caster's eye-level. The Glitterbug may be directed by the caster to fly to any location the caster is familiar with (as in the Clairaudience/Clairvoyance spell).
The Glitterbug lasts for a duration equal to 1 hour for every 50gp value of the gem, up to a maximum of 24 hours.
For every 1000' the Glitterbug must travel, there is a 1% cumulative chance that it suffers some mishap en route, such as being eaten by a frog, or getting caught in a spider web. If this happens, the spell is a failure and the gem is lost.
The Glitterbug travels at 1000 ft per hour. On arrival at its destination, it becomes a fly-on-a-wall, unobtrusively landing on a suitable surface. It stays there, recording and viewing everything that occurs in a 30' radius, for a duration specified by the caster. A DC 35 spot check, or a DC 25 search check will reveal the Glitterbug's presence. If either succeeds, the Glitterbug may be dispatched with a swat, in which case the spell is a failure and the gem is lost.
Upon successful return, the Glitterbug settles back onto the caster's ring. It transforms back into a non-magical gem, and in doing so transfers knowledge of where it landed to the caster, as if she had been using Clairaudiance/Clairvoyance.
A caster may only have 2 Glitterbugs active at any given time.