Need help creating a custom item

[xkaliburr]

I am not sure if this should go here or in the homebrew area, but I figured I would take a shot here.

I am DMing a Pathfinder campaign, and sending it out into the stars. With that, I am looking to create a few custom items, and some ideas on what they should cost and what it would take to make them.

The biggest one I can think is a device which can amplify spells so that buffs can effect the actual ship. An example would be being able to cast Mage Armor onto the ship to increase it's AC, or Energy Resistance to make it withstand fire attacks. What would you think we are looking at, if no such thing exists already?

[LTwerewolf]

The problem with those spells isn't the area that they can be cast in, but the target. Unless you make the ship a creature, it's not a valid target for the spells. If you make the ship a creature, it becomes a valid target and can be affected regardless of the creature's size.

[xkaliburr]

Thank you for the response. So I would need to homebrew an item that would allow the ship to count as a creature for spell purposes?

Or do you think it would be better to have the same effect by just creating new spells?

There is the matter of how Spelljamming helms work, where they temporarily bond with a caster. Would it be fair to say any buff that is done to the caster would apply to the ship if it has the applicable score?

[Denver]

The problem with those spells isn't the area that they can be cast in, but the target. Unless you make the ship a creature, it's not a valid target for the spells. If you make the ship a creature, it becomes a valid target and can be affected regardless of the creature's size.

Perhaps a solution to that problem could exist in some kind of "Spell Converting" crystal or gem or perhaps even NPC attached to the ship. In order to buff the ship, you have to hit the gem, and the gem only converts a predetermined list of buffs (and perhaps some harmful spells) to work for the ship.
The gem has to be worked into the ship somehow, and so in order for the party to buff up the ship, they have to be in a certain room or within view of a certain part of the ship.


OP: You may find you think it should take more than one casting of Mage Armor to cover a whole ship, or that allowing Bless to affect the ship's weapons may seems a bit wonky (assuming they have those spells, or analogs, in Pathfinder. I'm led to believe much of the game is relatively transferable.) Be sure to go over the party's spells, special abilities, spell-like abilities, and magic items, to see any problematic combinations or issues that may happen down the road.

Other than that, I imagine finding a way to reliably cast certain spells into the ship will not be an overly difficult problem - good luck!

[LTwerewolf]

I would recommend breaking the ship up into different parts and have spells affect based on those parts. Mage armor would be able to affect the hull, bless the weapons, etc. This would prevent a lot of easy shenanigans (accidental or intentional) without forcing them to use an appropriate amount of spell slots to do it, and prevent the use of any type of enlarge person spell to affect them. Enlarging the hull without enlarging the rest of it could be rather disastrous. Working in magical items that simply allow the object to be affected by certain spells would be easiest for you. Start with a small list of spells you choose, and have the party able to upgrade the item based on your discretion of how powerful it would be, so over time they have an active way to improve it whilst making it not too broken to start.

[Red Fel]

Alternatively, why not go full Farscape and make it a living ship? This is PF we're talking about, here, the concept isn't far fetched. Have the ship be a living creature with manufactured, grafted parts. Say that it can be treated as either a creature or an object as needed. This creates added complications, because - unless it's a type of creature generally immune to such things - being a creature means it can be affected by negative spells, such as mind-affecting ones.

[xkaliburr]

That may be a ship they can get down the line (one of my inspirations for bad guys are the yuuzhan vong of Star Wars. Here I think they will be part of the dominion of the Black)

I was more looking for the silly feel of a pirate galleon floating through the stars, before of course crushing them with existential terror.

I have designed space squid fighter crafts, and a few additional races, but I am trying to find ways to keep their ship relevant a bit longer in case they become attached. Let's face it, a galley is no match for an X-Wing, let alone the Enterprise.