feathered bow

[Fitz10019]

I'm thinking of creating a bow that allows the bearer to turn into a standard tiny owl. Clothes are transformed with the bearer, but all items are left behind. So the bearer can transform, fly somewhere, and transform back to humanoid form, but without any arrows or other gear -- just clothes and the bow.

The idea is for it to be a low-powered item -- to make it less powerful than the druid class feature. It's not meant to be combat-useful, more RP-useful. The fluff is that a god/goddess declared, 'you will be my messenger, here is a tool that you may better serve me.'

What factors would make this a reasonable item for a 4th-level character? My target is a value around 4000 or 5000 gp.

no other gear but the bow and clothing go along (and what a tiny owl can bear/pick up after transforming)
1-minute transformation time each way
1 or 2 or 3 times a day? [turning back does not count]
time limit on length of transformation (1 hour per HD?)
activate by spending a class feature (like turn undead), or burning a spell slot or spell-like ability of the day
Fort save v. regurgitating owl pellets after you change back to humanoid (?)
1/20 chance of transforming into a flightless bird [penguin, ostrich, kiwi] (?)
other ideas/limitations/drawbacks to get to 4000gp(?)


Would the bow somehow be less valuable if it turned the bearer into a duck, instead of an owl? [note: it would lose the Fort save]

[Jormengand]

Honestly? It's barely worth any more than a normal bow even without other limitations. I can't think of a character who would willingly leave his Christmas Tree behind.

[Mehangel]

Hmm... Well, if you wanted a cheap weapon that would allow for transformation into an owl.. I would probably go with a bow able to cast the level 1 druid spell: winged watcher, from complete scoundrel. By referring to a particular spell, you and the players have the particulars in hand. Of course if you wanted the transformation to last hours.. well, the bow is going to become very costly.. But I agree with Jormengand.. If i had to leave everything behind... I dont think I would ever see myself use the bow..

[Extra Anchovies]

Fort save v. regurgitating owl pellets after you change back to humanoid (?)

Oh, yes. Please include this in the final product. For more fun, make it a fixed 1-in-3 chance, so that even high-Fort characters aren't immune.

[Fitz10019]

Thanks for the feedback, all.


Hmm... Well, if you wanted a cheap weapon that would allow for transformation into an owl.. I would probably go with a bow able to cast the level 1 druid spell: winged watcher, from complete scoundrel. By referring to a particular spell, you and the players have the particulars in hand. Of course if you wanted the transformation to last hours.. well, the bow is going to become very costly.. But I agree with Jormengand.. If i had to leave everything behind... I dont think I would ever see myself use the bow..

And thanks for directing me to that spell. It's quite spot-on.

To be more transparent, I guess I should add that my goal is to pique the interest of a specific player, and defuse the potential jealousy of the other players. It sounds like I'm on the right track with the no-Christmas-tree approach.

How would you value this?

longbow +1, composite +2
transformation to a tiny owl up to 1-hour a day, split across up to 3 activations
no gear but clothing
Fort save v. pellet

[aspi]

The question that pops into my mind is: why is this item a bow? A bow has nothing to do with a messenger's role. Furthermore, does the bow transform with you or do you have to leave it behind as well? In the first case, after you use it to fly someplace as an owl and transform back, you are stuck carrying around a bow but have no arrows. That's weird and impractical to say the least. And if it doesn't transform with you, how are you going to get back after delivering your message? So that's not a good option either.

Just make it some minor item that will transform along with you, maybe a messengers pouch would be fitting.

[Mehangel]

The question that pops into my mind is: why is this item a bow? A bow has nothing to do with a messenger's role. Furthermore, does the bow transform with you or do you have to leave it behind as well? In the first case, after you use it to fly someplace as an owl and transform back, you are stuck carrying around a bow but have no arrows. That's weird and impractical to say the least. And if it doesn't transform with you, how are you going to get back after delivering your message? So that's not a good option either.

Just make it some minor item that will transform along with you, maybe a messengers pouch would be fitting.

If I recall from the original post, the bow was supposed to be from some diety. Perhaps it was from a diety such like Athena whose animal was not only an owl, but who according to greek mythology often handed heroes divine equipment. Of course, if this was given by Athena the weapon wouldve been a better fit to be a spear or longspear. Then again, the diety that gave the bow, might not even be greek at all...