ArtificialElf
2017-04-16, 11:27 AM
OK, so this is my first post and I should probably say I have a habit of rambling and overusing commas. So please let me know how I did, and if there's anything horribly wrong with my post :smalltongue:. Anyway, on to the thing...
MINOR CONJURATION
In my opinion, the 2nd level Wizard School of Conjuration ability Minor Conjuration has some big problems. I've seen posts on forums like this discussing conjuring a book you glanced at once, a key you saw part of in a guards hand, or even your own spellbook. I've even seen someone post about conjuring a chunk of the sun! Not to mention conjuring expensive material components for resurrection rituals and the like. But at the same time, you can't conjure a bag of ball bearings, a set of simple tools, or a quill and paper. Finally, what happens when you conjure and use a shield - or if you are caught in an AoE with said shield, is a complete mystery.
For these reasons and more, I feel that Minor Conjuration could do with a more clear-cut set of rules, that explain the magic behind the ability, prevent possible rules abuse, and let players be more creative with what I feel is 'the ultimate ribbon feature' - as well as preventing needlessly complex work arounds, such as conjuring a set of thieves tools which are all connected by a string so as to argue they are a single object.
COLOUR CODING
BLACK indicates existing rules.
GREEN indicates existing rule clarification/interpretation.
BLUE indicates changes to the rules.
RED indicates rules I've scrapped.
THE RULES -(I won't actually copy out Minor Conjuration as it's not in the SRD so I'm not sure if I can.)
1. Minor conjuration uses your action.
2. You can conjure one or more objects.
This is one of those rules that can be gotten around with creative thinking (see first paragraph), and just limits player on overall balanced uses - I'll go over examples later.
Anyway, I feel that with the changes I've made, this shouldn't be open to abuse.
3. Objects are conjured in your hand or on the ground in an unoccupied space you can see within 10 feet.
4. All objects conjured must fit (and be conjured) within a 3 foot cube and weigh no more than 10 pounds (in total).
5. Conjurations must take the forms of nonmagical objects you can clearly picture in your mind.
This has always been my interpretation of 'object you have seen', as it is (in my opinion) far better. I'll go over examples later, but this means you must be able to clearly picture all elements of the object in your mind (ie. writing in a book - no conjuring unread books now...), and also allows the creativity of inventing new objects - for example a thin steel pole with handles at each end to lift the bar on a barred door. I'm looking at you, Vox Machina.
6. Conjurations are visibly magical, as they all emit dim light for 5 feet.
This level of light is dimmer than a candle, so while perhaps less noticeable (passive perception/check DC 10-15?) in broad daylight, the light is otherwise instantly noticable. As for whether a conjured weapon is magical (for damage res. purposes), I'd rule yes because the object is formed of magic, and this should be fine in most campaigns, though you're free to rule otherwise.
7. Conjurations disappear after 1 hour or when you use this feature again.
8. Conjurations disappear when they take (or deal - see errata) damage.
This has always been a debated rule. Is a tiny scratch considered damage, or does this mean 1HP of damage? And is using a shield, or parrying with a weapon, enough?
Frankly, I think this is unnecessary given the allowance for multiple objects - as the rule simply prevented breaking an object into multiple. As far as the dealing damage errata rule goes,
I think this was just a simple solution to the issue of conjuring chemical weapons or the like, and is unnecessary as well due to changes. (And hey, Warlocks can conjure magical weapons and gain proficiency in them - no fair!) So all in all, this means a conjuration made to mimic steel will (with certain altered properties below) just act exactly as the normal steel would - making it easy for a DM to rule how objects such as a shield work.
THE BIG CHANGE
The objects you conjure are formed from raw magic, with certain fixed and optional properties and can include solids and liquids. This means you cannot use conjurations as the material components for spells, or as a spellbook. All conjurations have the following properties:
1. They are completely inert/unreactive (so no explosives, and they don't burn/ignite).
2. They are the same temperature as the surroundings (no, you can't make a lump of sun).
3. They are nonconductive - so no fancy computer stuff...
4. They are nontoxic and otherwise harmless materials - no poisons/acids, ect. and liquid formed cannot affect traits such as the vampires 'Harmed by Running Water'.
However, you can decide the following properties:
1. The texture of the substance - coarse, smooth, ect. to make it feel like the real thing.
2. The flexibility of solids.
3. The elasticity of solids.
4. The strength and density of substances- which are proportional up to the strength and density of steel.
5. The viscosity of liquids.
6. The optical properties of solids and liquids (ie. colour, refractive index, opacity ect.).
EXAMPLES
As a general rule of thumb, if you could, with the necessary tools and proficiency to use them, create an object, then you can with Minor Conjuration, if it follows the other rules.
In the case of a key, you must be able to completely picture the key and all grooves/features. With locksmith training, you could use an action to identify the specific groves of a key you can understand, thereby letting you conjure a replica. Alternatively, the keen mind feat would let you use an action closely examining the key to build a mental picture of the key - also letting you form a replica despite not necessarily understanding the key, as you can clearly picture the individual grooves/features. Otherwise, simply looking at a key gives you no power to conjure it - think about it like this; if you look at a key, could you then go away with the necessary tools and replicate it without the key to hand? No. Because you aren’t a locksmith who knows what to identify, or someone with a photographic memory to keep a detailed enough image of the key to mind.
A clock is far more complex than a key however, and as such may prove a greater challenge to replicate. If you are an expert, you could form a clock - knowing exactly what goes where and how it works. Once again, the keen mind feat may also be used, but examining each element of a clock closely enough requires a large amount of time, and for the clock to be dismantled to have the clear visual picture needed to replicate the clock. Additionally, the feat may not allow for new/different clocks to be made more easily without an understanding of the clock.
The shield example is what actually made me change the rules on objects taking damage. Because even with the standard rules, it is unclear how a shield would work.
With these rules it's simple; for the purpose of blocking with a shield, it will work exactly the same as an ordinary shield. Note that the shield won't work the same in every scenario, ie.
conducting lightning.
Right then. Thanks if you've read this far (sorry there's a lot, I get carried away), please let me know what you think, and try your best to find examples of ways these rules could be abused or run into issues, along with asking any questions you may have.
MINOR CONJURATION
In my opinion, the 2nd level Wizard School of Conjuration ability Minor Conjuration has some big problems. I've seen posts on forums like this discussing conjuring a book you glanced at once, a key you saw part of in a guards hand, or even your own spellbook. I've even seen someone post about conjuring a chunk of the sun! Not to mention conjuring expensive material components for resurrection rituals and the like. But at the same time, you can't conjure a bag of ball bearings, a set of simple tools, or a quill and paper. Finally, what happens when you conjure and use a shield - or if you are caught in an AoE with said shield, is a complete mystery.
For these reasons and more, I feel that Minor Conjuration could do with a more clear-cut set of rules, that explain the magic behind the ability, prevent possible rules abuse, and let players be more creative with what I feel is 'the ultimate ribbon feature' - as well as preventing needlessly complex work arounds, such as conjuring a set of thieves tools which are all connected by a string so as to argue they are a single object.
COLOUR CODING
BLACK indicates existing rules.
GREEN indicates existing rule clarification/interpretation.
BLUE indicates changes to the rules.
RED indicates rules I've scrapped.
THE RULES -(I won't actually copy out Minor Conjuration as it's not in the SRD so I'm not sure if I can.)
1. Minor conjuration uses your action.
2. You can conjure one or more objects.
This is one of those rules that can be gotten around with creative thinking (see first paragraph), and just limits player on overall balanced uses - I'll go over examples later.
Anyway, I feel that with the changes I've made, this shouldn't be open to abuse.
3. Objects are conjured in your hand or on the ground in an unoccupied space you can see within 10 feet.
4. All objects conjured must fit (and be conjured) within a 3 foot cube and weigh no more than 10 pounds (in total).
5. Conjurations must take the forms of nonmagical objects you can clearly picture in your mind.
This has always been my interpretation of 'object you have seen', as it is (in my opinion) far better. I'll go over examples later, but this means you must be able to clearly picture all elements of the object in your mind (ie. writing in a book - no conjuring unread books now...), and also allows the creativity of inventing new objects - for example a thin steel pole with handles at each end to lift the bar on a barred door. I'm looking at you, Vox Machina.
6. Conjurations are visibly magical, as they all emit dim light for 5 feet.
This level of light is dimmer than a candle, so while perhaps less noticeable (passive perception/check DC 10-15?) in broad daylight, the light is otherwise instantly noticable. As for whether a conjured weapon is magical (for damage res. purposes), I'd rule yes because the object is formed of magic, and this should be fine in most campaigns, though you're free to rule otherwise.
7. Conjurations disappear after 1 hour or when you use this feature again.
8. Conjurations disappear when they take (or deal - see errata) damage.
This has always been a debated rule. Is a tiny scratch considered damage, or does this mean 1HP of damage? And is using a shield, or parrying with a weapon, enough?
Frankly, I think this is unnecessary given the allowance for multiple objects - as the rule simply prevented breaking an object into multiple. As far as the dealing damage errata rule goes,
I think this was just a simple solution to the issue of conjuring chemical weapons or the like, and is unnecessary as well due to changes. (And hey, Warlocks can conjure magical weapons and gain proficiency in them - no fair!) So all in all, this means a conjuration made to mimic steel will (with certain altered properties below) just act exactly as the normal steel would - making it easy for a DM to rule how objects such as a shield work.
THE BIG CHANGE
The objects you conjure are formed from raw magic, with certain fixed and optional properties and can include solids and liquids. This means you cannot use conjurations as the material components for spells, or as a spellbook. All conjurations have the following properties:
1. They are completely inert/unreactive (so no explosives, and they don't burn/ignite).
2. They are the same temperature as the surroundings (no, you can't make a lump of sun).
3. They are nonconductive - so no fancy computer stuff...
4. They are nontoxic and otherwise harmless materials - no poisons/acids, ect. and liquid formed cannot affect traits such as the vampires 'Harmed by Running Water'.
However, you can decide the following properties:
1. The texture of the substance - coarse, smooth, ect. to make it feel like the real thing.
2. The flexibility of solids.
3. The elasticity of solids.
4. The strength and density of substances- which are proportional up to the strength and density of steel.
5. The viscosity of liquids.
6. The optical properties of solids and liquids (ie. colour, refractive index, opacity ect.).
EXAMPLES
As a general rule of thumb, if you could, with the necessary tools and proficiency to use them, create an object, then you can with Minor Conjuration, if it follows the other rules.
In the case of a key, you must be able to completely picture the key and all grooves/features. With locksmith training, you could use an action to identify the specific groves of a key you can understand, thereby letting you conjure a replica. Alternatively, the keen mind feat would let you use an action closely examining the key to build a mental picture of the key - also letting you form a replica despite not necessarily understanding the key, as you can clearly picture the individual grooves/features. Otherwise, simply looking at a key gives you no power to conjure it - think about it like this; if you look at a key, could you then go away with the necessary tools and replicate it without the key to hand? No. Because you aren’t a locksmith who knows what to identify, or someone with a photographic memory to keep a detailed enough image of the key to mind.
A clock is far more complex than a key however, and as such may prove a greater challenge to replicate. If you are an expert, you could form a clock - knowing exactly what goes where and how it works. Once again, the keen mind feat may also be used, but examining each element of a clock closely enough requires a large amount of time, and for the clock to be dismantled to have the clear visual picture needed to replicate the clock. Additionally, the feat may not allow for new/different clocks to be made more easily without an understanding of the clock.
The shield example is what actually made me change the rules on objects taking damage. Because even with the standard rules, it is unclear how a shield would work.
With these rules it's simple; for the purpose of blocking with a shield, it will work exactly the same as an ordinary shield. Note that the shield won't work the same in every scenario, ie.
conducting lightning.
Right then. Thanks if you've read this far (sorry there's a lot, I get carried away), please let me know what you think, and try your best to find examples of ways these rules could be abused or run into issues, along with asking any questions you may have.