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RedMage125
2020-12-21, 01:26 AM
Where is it?

I've been playing 5e since it came out. I've played in 2e, 3.x (extensively), 4e, and now 5e. I am familiar with the Rod of Cancellation...or thought I was.

Because I just now noticed that it isn't in the DMG. The PHB mentions it specifically in Prismatic Wall (as something that instantly brings down the wall). I can't find any other mention of it. I've searched the DMG and XGtE.

Am I missing something? Did they errata Prismatic Wall to not mention it, or errata it into the DMG? My current internet access (on a boat) won't let me visit the wotc site, so I can't check it myself?

I even did a search of the forums, but couldn't find an earlier thread discussing this. This has to have been noticed before, right?
Greywander
2020-12-21, 01:41 AM
This reminds me of the Staff of Discontinuation. Shame they don't make them any more.

In all seriousness, I've never seen the rod in the DMG. You might be able to port it over manually, depending on what exactly does. Or maybe it's buried in a module somewhere.
Ortho
2020-12-21, 02:03 AM
id they errata Prismatic Wall to not mention it, or errata it into the DMG?

My version of the PHB doesn't mention it, so I think it has been errata'd out. Early printings of the PHB had a few references to things that didn't actually exist in the game.
Mr Adventurer
2020-12-21, 03:18 AM
Don't believe it's anywhere.

I'd suggest that it's part of the magic counterplay element of previous editions which 5e seems to have largely done away with.
MoiMagnus
2020-12-21, 04:40 AM
Official errata (https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/PH-Errata.pdf)


Prismatic Wall (p. 269). The spell no longer refers to a rod of cancellation, and the text clarifies that dispel magic works only against the violet layer.
Unoriginal
2020-12-21, 07:19 AM
Gods and angels, they cancelled the Rod of Cancellation...
Waazraath
2020-12-21, 07:24 AM
Yes, yes, it was a relic from the past and all that. And one that afaic never used in the past decades, so gone with it, more fun items and less waste of space. They can make another trip like that through the items list when they design 6e, and the spell list as well.
stoutstien
2020-12-21, 08:12 AM
Gods and angels, they cancelled the Rod of Cancellation...

Maybe it cancelled itself? Mental note: add in self-canceling rods as magical items.
Mr Adventurer
2020-12-21, 10:39 AM
Maybe it cancelled itself? Mental note: add in self-canceling rods as magical items.

Like this!


Rod of Cancellation
Minor, Uncommon
This rod can magically cancel itself. As an action, you can press the button on the top of the rod, which
Willie the Duck
2020-12-21, 10:50 AM
Yes, yes, it was a relic from the past and all that. And one that afaic never used in the past decades, so gone with it, more fun items and less waste of space. They can make another trip like that through the items list when they design 6e, and the spell list as well.

Probably for the best. I remember that, when it did show up, it almost always got inserted into a hollow bamboo casing (such that it couldn't touch any magic items carried) and then forgotten about until (if) the party ran into a Sphere of Annihilation.
RedMage125
2020-12-21, 09:53 PM
Probably for the best. I remember that, when it did show up, it almost always got inserted into a hollow bamboo casing (such that it couldn't touch any magic items carried) and then forgotten about until (if) the party ran into a Sphere of Annihilation.

Funny, that was the only time I've used one.

I was running Age of Worms.

Party brought the Sphere of Annihilation out when they went into the tower. Since that starts like a 30 minute countdown until a "Blessed Angel" shows up with a Rod of Cancellation to eliminate it, they only got one round of use of it against Kyuss himself.
Willie the Duck
2020-12-22, 08:56 AM
Funny, that was the only time I've used one.

Well that's kinda my point -- it became known as the busta-busta to the busta that is a Sphere of Annihilation (or honestly Sphere of Annihilation plus Talisman of the Sphere). Thus if you ever find one you keep it in your back pocket indefinitely waiting for a Sphere of Annihilation to show up, which probably will never happen. Even if it does, you just solved a epic battle with 'oh yeah, I have something for that,' which just deflated an epic battle*, probably leaving neither players nor DM feeling all that satisfied with the situation.
*In a similar vein, arrows of _____ slaying are now significantly less 'kill the epic boss in one fell swoop'
Phhase
2020-12-23, 07:29 PM
There are many magic items and magic item types that were gutted from 5e RAW for....some reason. It's kinda sad. Just port things over.