3.x - Magic Items with Modes and Where to Find Them

[unseenmage]

Example being the Rod of Lordly Might, a magic item whose superpowers are gatewayed behind some activation or another.

What's the fastest action one of these modular magic items can have?

Normally activating a magic item is a standard action. For custom magic item precedent I am hoping someone can point me to one whose mode is changed via swift or immediate action. Or better yet contingently.

[Thurbane]

Morningstar of the Many can switch between different weapon types as a swift action.

A Bowstaff can change between quarterstaff and longbow forms as a swift action.

The Sizing weapon property has a swift action activation, but it's not really the same kind of thing as the Rod of Lordly Might, I guess.

[jintoya]

Are there special requirements for making an item that has qualities like "mode swapping? Or is it just up to your creativity?

[Thurbane]

The only other item I can think of (off the top of my head) that is very similar in function to the Rod of Lordly Might, is the Rod of Surprises: and that is also a standard (manipulation) action to acitvate.