Contingency magic item?

[Barstro]

My character has been asked to craft an item that will automatically activate based on a status effect (so that character does not have to spend a standard action). Is that possible?

[Westhart]

My character has been asked to craft an item that will automatically activate based on a status effect (so that character does not have to spend a standard action). Is that possible?

Theoretically you can make contingent items, although I guess it depends on what you specifically want... You could make an item with Contingency (insert effect here) always active, however this can be kind of cheesy, depending on how you use it of course...

EDIT: It would be helpful if you said what you wanted to do specifically (such as a permanent death ward type effect?) as there may be alternatives to a contingent custom item...

[unseenmage]

You're looking for the Craft Contingent Spell feat from Complete Arcane.

Alternatively, the basic Contingency spell might do what you want if what you want is within its limitations.

As a higher tier level of cheese an Energy Transformation Field spell from Spell Compendium is basically the spell version of a custom magic trap but it can't cast spells that gave costly components.

[Crake]

If you're looking for a one time effect, then craft contingent spell is the way to go. If you're looking for it to activate every time, then you're in custom magic item territory.

[Barstro]

Specifically, the player wants Freedom of Movement whenever the PC is grappled. So... something like an Unfettered Shirt that activates itself. Otherwise, I'll just go with the ring.

[Evolved Shrimp]

Specifically, the player wants Freedom of Movement whenever the PC is grappled.

Doesn’t that mean that - for practical purposes - the player wants permanent freedom of movement? I guess that I would treat it as a permanently active limited form of freedom of movement, not something use-activated.

[Barstro]

for practical purposes - the player wants permanent freedom of movement?

I consider that interpretation to be correct. I'd go so far as to say that "once per day" would be akin to permanent in this case.

Looking at the requirements, the player effectively wants FoM as an immediate action. More and more, I think it needs to just be the Ring.

I made my initial inquiry because another player said that the initial request was well within the rules, yet I was unable to find anything to even suggest it. Responses seem to be that "automatic FoM when grasped" is not possible, even if FoM Ring is.

[Crake]

I consider that interpretation to be correct. I'd go so far as to say that "once per day" would be akin to permanent in this case.

Looking at the requirements, the player effectively wants FoM as an immediate action. More and more, I think it needs to just be the Ring.

I made my initial inquiry because another player said that the initial request was well within the rules, yet I was unable to find anything to even suggest it. Responses seem to be that "automatic FoM when grasped" is not possible, even if FoM Ring is.

An item of contingency and freedom of movement 1/day will honestly likely come out to more than the cost of the ring.

6*11*2000/5, plus 4*11*2000/5, I wouldn't put the extra 1.5* cost on the freedom of movement casting, since it's technically all one effect, but the freedom of movement would be calculated based on the item's caster level, which is minimum 11 for contingency, so it would be a bit more expensive.

That comes out to 44,000gp. Even if you're more conservative and drop the cost of the freedom of movement effect to CL7, its still 37,600gp, vs the ring's cost of 40,000gp. May as well just get the ring.