Improved Ring of Communication

[Melcar]

Hellow fellow scriberinos...

I was wondering if I could have some help designing an Improved Ring of Communication which would have a longer range?

The Price and build for the standard one mile range is: Faint divination; CL 5th; Forge Ring, detect thoughts; Price 2,000 gp.

I want a three mile range and a 10 mile range. What would be your estimate in terms of CL, spells, price etc?


Thanks!

[TheCorsairMalac]

Rather than looking at the scale of the numbers I would think of the change's effects on gameplay. Does increasing the range significantly change what this ring allows the players to do? Does communicating from 10 miles allow some form of shenanigans that 1 mile prevents?

I can't think of anything. Increasing the range is about as game-changing as moving from a +1 sword to a +2 sword.

So I'd just make one improved version. Infinite range. CL 10. 10,000gp. I justify the small price because this item requires the entire party to own them to make use of any of them.

[weckar]

Infinite seems a bit much. A party separated in any fashion could wander out of that 1-mile range in a decently sized city. Once communication breaks there can be a multitude of reasons for it, as the ring doesn't tell you how far companions are or if the subject is within range at all.

Thinking in terms of 'Shenanigans' is an odd approach. Infinite range is just significantly more powerful.

[Crake]

Generally speaking, a 1/day item is 1/5th of the cost of an at will item.

Extrapolating that from the sending stones (an unslotted item, thus costing double), 1400gp for 1/day sending in either direction, turning it into a ring would drop the price to 700gp, then multiplying it by 5 for at will would put an "at will, infinite range, cross planar (with small failure chance) communication" at 3500gp.

Edit: That is of course, only for a pair, ring of communication are done in bigger sets, so take that as you will, but 3500gp here would be for both rings, not just one.

[Jack_Simth]

Hellow fellow scriberinos...

I was wondering if I could have some help designing an Improved Ring of Communication which would have a longer range?

The Price and build for the standard one mile range is: Faint divination; CL 5th; Forge Ring, detect thoughts; Price 2,000 gp.

I want a three mile range and a 10 mile range. What would be your estimate in terms of CL, spells, price etc?


Thanks!
Most scaling magic items in D&D scale by X^2. By that logic, if a 1 mile range is 2k, then a 3 mile range would be 18k, and a 10 mile range would be 200k. Caster level... well, for swords it's linear. So CL 15 and 50... hmm....

[Melcar]

Most scaling magic items in D&D scale by X^2. By that logic, if a 1 mile range is 2k, then a 3 mile range would be 18k, and a 10 mile range would be 200k. Caster level... well, for swords it's linear. So CL 15 and 50... hmm....

That seems a little pricey don't you think? How would you price it yourself if one of your players or you as a player wanted what I want?

[Jack_Simth]

That seems a little pricey don't you think? How would you price it yourself if one of your players or you as a player wanted what I want?
Hence the "hmm..." - prices are supposed to be adjusted based on the real value, rather than formulas.

How useful it is, though, depends entirely on the campaign. Ultimately, the question boils down to "how much would YOU be willing to pay for it?" - as in, at what price point would you consider it to be on-par with the utility you'd be getting out of other things.

[Vogie]

Complete Scoundrel & Complete Mage have the Aspect Mirror, a non-slotted item for communication. It's scry-based, costs 4k gold per mirror (but must be created with at least 2, but no more than 6, IIRC)

When they are created they are "attuned" to the other mirrors in the set crafted. A player can activate a mirror with a standard action and a thought of which specific attuned mirror (by either owner or location) you want to connect to. When you connect you can see, hear, and speak as if you were at the other mirror. This works across any distance on the same plane but not across planes. Basically unlimited same-plane range, unlimited usage.

In creating a custom item, an "Aspect Ring" would be significantly less expensive, as it would be slotted and less powerful (as you wouldn't be able to see anything.)

[Melcar]

Complete Scoundrel & Complete Mage have the Aspect Mirror, a non-slotted item for communication. It's scry-based, costs 4k gold per mirror (but must be created with at least 2, but no more than 6, IIRC)

When they are created they are "attuned" to the other mirrors in the set crafted. A player can activate a mirror with a standard action and a thought of which specific attuned mirror (by either owner or location) you want to connect to. When you connect you can see, hear, and speak as if you were at the other mirror. This works across any distance on the same plane but not across planes. Basically unlimited same-plane range, unlimited usage.

In creating a custom item, an "Aspect Ring" would be significantly less expensive, as it would be slotted and less powerful (as you wouldn't be able to see anything.)

I must admit that I find 2000gp per mile more than reasonable. 20k, per ring for a two way radio at 10 miles range is frankly too much...

[icefractal]

I think for the distance increments, I'd go exponential: 1 mile -> 10 miles -> 100 miles -> 1000 miles -> infinite. And in many campaigns, you could go straight from 100 miles -> infinite.

For the cost, you could go either linear or quadratic. That would be:
10 miles: 4K or 8K
100 miles: 6K or 18K
1000 miles: 8K or 32K
infinite: 10K or 50K

Which is appropriate depends on how much long-distance communication comes up as an important thing in the campaign. In most campaigns, I think linear would be fine, but if being able to instantly contact people far away is important and rare enough to give a notable advantage over foes/competitors, then go with the quadratic ones.