Best Spells for Eternal Wands

[TeslaJr]

My character recently came into a lot of money, and I was looking at getting some eternal wands for those all day buffs. I've already got: GMA, Rope Trick, Heroics (good for the fighter), and Create Magic Tattoo.

[Zanos]

Wings of Cover
Primal Instinct

[Starmage21]

Wings of Cover
Primal Instinct

Knock

other arcane spells you'd want scrolls for because you only use them OCCASIONALLy

[chaos_redefined]

Eternal Wand of Greater Magic Weapon, CL 20 costs 43,300 gp and gives 2 weapons an enhancement bonus of +5. +5 weapon cost 50,000. One of these is not like the other...

As for the lower level versions...
A +2 bonus costs 8000 as a weapon, and 17380 as a wand.
A +3 bonus costs 18000 as a weapon, and 26020 as a wand.
A +4 bonus costs 32000 as a weapon, and 34660 as a wand.

And each of these covers two weapons...

[sleepyphoenixx]

Wings of Cover needs a normal wand because eternal wands are always activated as a standard action. Useful spells include anything with a standard action that doesn't need a high CL. Benign Transposition is classic suggestion.
Also useful: Joyful Noise, Comprehend Languages, Undetectable Alignment, Glibness, Circle Dance, Heroism, Silence, Sonorous Hum, Tongues, Wall of Stone, Knock, Command Undead, Augment Object, Celestial Brilliance.


Eternal Wand of Greater Magic Weapon, CL 20 costs 43,300 gp and gives 2 weapons an enhancement bonus of +5. +5 weapon cost 50,000. One of these is not like the other...
Unlike normal wands, eternal wands have a fixed CL so that won't work.

[Psyren]

Endure Elements for travel in harsh climates
Undetectable Alignment for daily life in a hostile locale

[TeslaJr]

Unlike normal wands, eternal wands have a fixed CL so that won't work.

Where does it say that?

[Psyren]

While the listed wands top out at CL 5, I see no reason you couldn't craft one with a higher CL, provided you stick with 3rd-level spells and lower.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Where does it say that?

See the table on page 159 of the MIC. A wand of a certain spell level has a certain CL, with no option to change that CL mentioned.
Eternal wands do not follow the same rules for wands, they follow those listed in their entry. "It doesn't say i can't" is not a valid argument otherwise.

You can certainly ask your DM for a houserule, but if you houserule i'd rather get the activation time changed to "as the spell" like normal wands.

[bjoern]

Wings of Cover needs a normal wand because eternal wands are always activated as a standard action. Useful spells include anything with a standard action that doesn't need a high CL. Benign Transposition is classic suggestion.
Also useful: Joyful Noise, Comprehend Languages, Undetectable Alignment, Glibness, Circle Dance, Heroism, Silence, Sonorous Hum, Tongues, Wall of Stone, Knock, Command Undead, Augment Object, Celestial Brilliance.


Unlike normal wands, eternal wands have a fixed CL so that won't work.

Wow! I've never noticed that an EW was standard. I just seen command and went off of what a regular wand says. I guess my eternal wand of nerveskitter won't work anymore. I'll have to swap it out for a regular one.

Also, an eternal want of identify is very useful since it allows you to bypass the 50gp component cost.

Benign transposition is handy and I've recently found Blockade to be a nice spell to have around.

[Psyren]

See the table on page 159 of the MIC. A wand of a certain spell level has a certain CL, with no option to change that CL mentioned.
Eternal wands do not follow the same rules for wands, they follow those listed in their entry. "It doesn't say i can't" is not a valid argument otherwise.

You can certainly ask your DM for a houserule, but if you houserule i'd rather get the activation time changed to "as the spell" like normal wands.

No, those are CLs for eternal wands found as treasure. The only restriction on creating them is that they must be 3rd-level spells or lower. Wands (like every other magic item) can be crafted at a higher CL than minimum, and nothing in the eternal wand entry contradicts that rule.

[Fax Celestis]

No, those are CLs for eternal wands found as treasure. The only restriction on creating them is that they must be 3rd-level spells or lower. Wands (like every other magic item) can be crafted at a higher CL than minimum, and nothing in the eternal wand entry contradicts that rule.

See also: the wand table in the DMG.

[DeltaEmil]

The user PrinceRenais devised the formula for how to calculate the costs for eternal wands with a higher caster level (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=13899316&postcount=9).


Sorry to dig up old bones, but this wasn't really answered completely, I think.


To answer the OP, I'd say yes, you can increase your caster level - but only if you make them as, simply, a Wondrous Item. If you're trying to make them as an Eternal Wand specifically, they're sadly limited in their guidelines and it isn't an option by RAW. Feel free to bring the following up to your DM, though.

If you scroll up a little bit from that table I link later in the post, the fourth note below the "Summary of Magic Item Creation Costs" table says that for all magic item categories, "A character creating an item pays 1/25 the base price in experience points."
4420gp (2210x2 for Base Price) divided by 25 gets you and 176.8, rounded down (as almost everything is in D&D) for a total cost of 2210GP, 176XP, and 4-5 days of work, depending on how you read the "1 day per 1000GP in the Base price". I've heard more often that it's rounded up, but I always round it down - like almost everything else in D&D.


Someone elsewhere had once mentioned an Eternal Wand's cost was that of a Command Word Item with X per day use, as per this table.

So, this is what it seems to be:
Spell level * Caster level * 1800 (command word) * 2 / 5 ( 2 charges per day) + 100 (for the crystal rod).

That would mean the prices are as follows, which are the same as they are in the book. Keep in mind, to make one yourself costs half as much as the totals shown below, along with some EXP and Material Spell Component costs.
0.5 * 1 * 1800 * 0.4 + 100 = 460 gp
1 * 1 * 1800 * 0.4 + 100 = 820 gp
2 * 3 * 1800 * 0.4 + 100 = 4420 gp
3 * 5 * 1800 * 0.4 + 100 = 10900 gp.


Hopefully this helps someone still looking for an answer.

[sleepyphoenixx]

An eternal wand is not a wand, rules-wise. It's a different class of item. The entry lists "cost to create:see table" and the table provides fixed costs instead of formulas like normal wands, with no allowance for a variable CL. There is no reference to normal wands (which it doesn't have anything in common with besides the name) and their rules for crafting.

[Psyren]

An eternal wand is not a wand, rules-wise. It's a different class of item.

It doesn't matter if they're magic bongs. All magic items can be crafted at a higher CL than the one listed in their entry.

[sleepyphoenixx]

It doesn't matter if they're magic bongs. All magic items can be crafted at a higher CL than the one listed in their entry.

Specific trumps general. And the rules for crafting Eternal Wands are quite specific and do not include a formula based on CL. Unless there's errata any CL adjustment for eternal wands is a houserule.

[Psyren]

Even if you read it that way - simply create the eternal wand at the listed CL and improve it later.


A creator can add new magical abilities to a magic item with no restrictions.

[Fax Celestis]

As wondrous items, they follow the general rules for wondrous items.

[DeltaEmil]

Since eternal wands require both the Craft Wand and the Craft Wondrous Item feats, they would qualify as both wands and wondrous items, wouldn't they?

[Psyren]

Since eternal wands require both the Craft Wand and the Craft Wondrous Item feats, they would qualify as both wands and wondrous items, wouldn't they?

Regardless of which one you classify them as, both can be crafted at a higher CL.

[Rebel7284]

I really like Ray of Stupidity. You won't fight animals every day, but when you do, it's nice to have 2/day kill button. :)

[bjoern]

I really like Ray of Stupidity. You won't fight animals every day, but when you do, it's nice to have 2/day kill button. :)

Its great for making enemy casters more manageable also.

[Extra Anchovies]

I really like Ray of Stupidity. You won't fight animals every day, but when you do, it's nice to have 2/day kill button. :)

Shuts down a lot of other monsters, too. From the Monster Manual:
Ankheg, Basilisk, Bulette, Carrion Crawler, Cockatrice, Darkmantle, Digester, any Dinosaur, any Dire Animal, Frost Worm, Girallon, Gorgon, Hippogriff, Hydra, Owlbear, Phantom Fungus, Purple Worm, Roc, Rust Monster, Sea Cat, Shocker Lizard, Spider Eater, Stirge
Gray Render, Grick, Rast, Tendriculos
Chimera, Choker, any Small or Medium Elemental, Shadow Mastiff
Yes. Rust Monsters, Rocs, Purple Worms, Frost Worms, Girallons, and Hydras can all be dropped with a second-level spell and a ranged touch attack. Gotta love Ray of Stupidity.

[kestrel404]

If you can get one at CL8, then an Eternal Wand of Rope Trick means you never have to worry about sleeping arrangements again, for up to 14 people. Otherwise, Tiny Hut works right out of the box, even if it's a touch expensive.

Alarm at CL4 is good for the same reason.

Any 1st-3rd level spell with a permanent effect is also just phenomenal:
Continual flame - infinite free everburning torches. Basically, ~50 free gold a day if you just save them up and sell them.
Animate Dead - everyone in the party has the wands CL * 4 in skeleton & zombie HD under their control. May annoy paladins.
Explosive Runes - I hope I need not explain this.
Illusory Script - Not permanent, but 5 days minimum is still plenty for an unlimited use 'Suggestion Runes' spell. Carry a large protest sign and wave it at armies while it has 10 separate Illusory Scripts on it all telling them to do silly things. Watch as havoc ensues.
Phantom Trap - Make houses secure for friends, or endlessly troll the party rogue. Or both!
Magic Mouth - Buy this one at the beginning of the campaign. Cast them all on the same stick, twice a day, every day, for all 10 in game years. Call it your 'Boom Stick'. Effect when 7000+ magic mouths simultaneously yell "Boom" when you throw it at the Big Bad? Pure awesome.

You get the idea.

[Rubik]

Remember, all arcane casters can use all eternal wands, no matter what spells are encoded in them, meaning you should look at oddball lists that your character couldn't normally use. Also look for lists with spells at a much lower level than normal, such as the trapsmith list.

[Extra Anchovies]

Explosive Runes - I hope I need not explain this.

Sorry to disappoint :smallbiggrin:

I've never really understood the full extent of this spell's popularity. I know it's a good spell, 6d6 of no-save force damage with a permanent-until-discharged duration and all. Does the appeal come just from that alone, or is it based also in part on the ambiguity of what "close enough to read the runes" means and/or the auto-trigger on a failed dispel?

[Psyren]

Sorry to disappoint :smallbiggrin:

I've never really understood the full extent of this spell's popularity. I know it's a good spell, 6d6 of no-save force damage with a permanent-until-discharged duration and all. Does the appeal come just from that alone, or is it based also in part on the ambiguity of what "close enough to read the runes" means and/or the auto-trigger on a failed dispel?

They're probably talking about the "write them on numerous small objects, fling them and have someone else area dispel" trick.

[Rubik]

They're probably talking about the "write them on numerous small objects, fling them and have someone else area dispel" trick.You don't need someone else to dispel. Either prepare Dispel Magic at the lowest possible caster level and cast as an AoE to fail to dispel on the CL check, or use a low-CL wand.

One of the reasons people like Explosive Runes is because it's a long-term benefit (a permanent-until-used paper bomb) for a short-term loss (a daily spell slot). Metamagicked up, you can use all of your slots on your downtime to have lots and lots of explodey traps that can be used any number of ways during your adventuring days.

[Psyren]

You don't need someone else to dispel. Either prepare Dispel Magic at the lowest possible caster level and cast as an AoE to fail to dispel on the CL check, or use a low-CL wand.

You do actually, because:

"You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any spell that you cast yourself."

This is not optional, and it will even apply if you cast from a wand.

[Rubik]

You do actually, because:

"You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any spell that you cast yourself."

This is not optional, and it will even apply if you cast from a wand.You may want to look again. That passage is under "Targeted Dispel." Under "Area Dispel," it says, "You may choose to automatically succeed on dispel checks against any spell that you have cast."

[Talya]

Specific trumps general. And the rules for crafting Eternal Wands are quite specific and do not include a formula based on CL. Unless there's errata any CL adjustment for eternal wands is a houserule.

Nothing in the entry for Eternal Wands indicates they are an exception to the crafting rules applicable to all crafted items.