PDA

View Full Version : Is there a spell that disguises an object?



Frosty
2008-05-01, 10:21 PM
Disguise Self and Seeming both only work on creatures. Let's say I found some awesome Staff of Magic-ness and I wanted to disguise it to look like a staff of decrepit walking-stick, what spell would I use?

Collin152
2008-05-01, 10:24 PM
Disguise self while holding it.
Don't let go.

DementedFellow
2008-05-01, 10:32 PM
Actually I agree, Hat of Disguise would do the trick. You can look like virtually anything, including yourself normally with a decrepit looking walking stick.

RTGoodman
2008-05-01, 10:37 PM
The others have covered making it look different, and I think they're right. As far as making it look non-magical, (Nystal's) magic aura (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicAura.htm) can help.

Wooter
2008-05-01, 10:43 PM
You could use Prestigitation to change its color. So instead of looking like an incredible staff of power, it will look like a blue incrdible staff of power.

That didn't help, did it?

Frosty
2008-05-01, 10:45 PM
That didn't help in the sense that, as a Beguiler, I don't have Presitidigitation. :smallannoyed:

Patashu
2008-05-01, 10:49 PM
Couldn't you craft it to give it a different appearance? Does D&D have rules for that?

Riffington
2008-05-01, 11:32 PM
Paint. A good paintjob fixes everything.

Frosty
2008-05-01, 11:36 PM
Well basically I want to know this for a situation where...the rest of the party isn't looking. I see an item of coolness, and don't want the rest of the party to know that and then possibly demand it, so I change its appearance to look like something worthless.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-01, 11:38 PM
Paint. A good paintjob fixes everything.Literally. Paint it (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#marvelousPigments) to look expensive (justified as adding the appearance of a veneer to it) and it will look valuable from a distance and cheap from up close, and actually be valuable.

Edit: Temporarily, Persistant Image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/persistentImage.htm) would work.Long-term, ask your DM about Seeming (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/seeming.htm).

holywhippet
2008-05-01, 11:56 PM
Well basically I want to know this for a situation where...the rest of the party isn't looking. I see an item of coolness, and don't want the rest of the party to know that and then possibly demand it, so I change its appearance to look like something worthless.

You could use something like silent image to disguise it's appearance in the short term. When you have a chance, stuff it in a bag of holding. If they ask where you got it later, claim you bought it.

Riffington
2008-05-01, 11:59 PM
Well basically I want to know this for a situation where...the rest of the party isn't looking. I see an item of coolness, and don't want the rest of the party to know that and then possibly demand it, so I change its appearance to look like something worthless.

Ah. Sleight of Hand is what you want.
My dagger is now on the altar, and the altar dagger is in my boot. You have to have the Bluff to back it up, but if your Beguiler doesn't have Bluff, you might need to kill yourself and start over.

Smiley_
2008-05-02, 12:02 AM
Wood Shape
Transmutation
Level: Drd 2
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One touched piece of wood no larger than 10 cu. ft. + 1 cu. ft./level
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

Wood shape enables you to form one existing piece of wood into any shape that suits your purpose. While it is possible to make crude coffers, doors, and so forth, fine detail isn’t possible. There is a 30% chance that any shape that includes moving parts simply doesn’t work.

Pay someone to do it for you. Should be very easy, if the staff is wooden

Frosty
2008-05-02, 12:35 AM
Ah. Sleight of Hand is what you want.
My dagger is now on the altar, and the altar dagger is in my boot. You have to have the Bluff to back it up, but if your Beguiler doesn't have Bluff, you might need to kill yourself and start over.

What Beguiler doesn't have bluff? I did not, however, have any points to spare for Sleight of hand. I had to pump Disguise due to story reasons.

Chronos
2008-05-02, 12:41 AM
That didn't help in the sense that, as a Beguiler, I don't have Presitidigitation.Whoa, Beguilers don't get Prestidigitation? That's harsh. In that case, be a gnome beguiler.

And I should point out that <Silent/Minor/Major/Persistent> Image won't help out one lick here, since those are all figments, but you need a glamer to change the appearance of something that already exists. I don't see why Magic Aura wouldn't fit the bill, though, unless there's something distinctive about a particular shiny that would make it recognizable on sight to the party. A staff of great arcane power that's not showing any aura looks like... A stick.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-05-02, 01:04 AM
I don't see why Magic Aura wouldn't fit the bill, though, unless there's something distinctive about a particular shiny that would make it recognizable on sight to the party. A staff of great arcane power that's not showing any aura looks like... A stick.Be careful with that. This (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0129.html) might happen and not be your plan.

Kurald Galain
2008-05-02, 02:48 AM
The spell Invisibility can be cast on objects, and iirc is on the beguiler list. Does that help?

Cuddly
2008-05-02, 02:52 AM
Nice, Kurald. Good call.

seedjar
2008-05-02, 09:47 PM
You can superimpose a figment on a real object, so I don't think Image spells are out entirely. I think better yet would be to get something like a Glove of Storing and poof an item before replacing it with a figment or a conjured duplicate. A transmutation would be spiffy, too, but I don't know of one off the top of my head.
~Joe

FlyMolo
2008-05-02, 09:54 PM
Whoa, Beguilers don't get Prestidigitation? That's harsh. In that case, be a gnome beguiler.

And I should point out that <Silent/Minor/Major/Persistent> Image won't help out one lick here, since those are all figments, but you need a glamer to change the appearance of something that already exists. I don't see why Magic Aura wouldn't fit the bill, though, unless there's something distinctive about a particular shiny that would make it recognizable on sight to the party. A staff of great arcane power that's not showing any aura looks like... A stick.

Just take it, use it as a walking stick. Remember to ask for your fair share of the treasure, though.

Mewtarthio
2008-05-02, 10:00 PM
I don't see why Magic Aura wouldn't fit the bill, though, unless there's something distinctive about a particular shiny that would make it recognizable on sight to the party. A staff of great arcane power that's not showing any aura looks like... A stick.

Bear in mind, it's entirely possible that it's look alone will give it away. Yes, you could pass off an average wooden staff as a simple stick, but if you start walking around with an ebony staff which is covered in arcane runes that perpetually drip with blood and is topped with a sapphire which gleams with an unnatural inner light and whispers horrible thoughts into the minds of those that look directly at it, you might draw suspicion if you start claiming it's totally mundane.

hylian chozo
2008-05-02, 10:38 PM
In the Rules Compendium there are rules for disguising objects (page 106).
It's nearly identical to disguising creatures except that your disguise roll is opposed by a search check rather than spot. Assuming that the staff is a small or medium object, it takes 1d8x10 minutes.

It's not a spell, but it will get the job done.

Frosty
2008-05-02, 10:40 PM
Oh sure. The Disuise skill definitely helps if I cna have time. But if it's like "I found the cool STAFF OF ARCHMAGI AND I NEED TO DISGUISE IT NOW!" then it's less useful.

Chronos
2008-05-02, 11:02 PM
Bear in mind, it's entirely possible that it's look alone will give it away. Yes, you could pass off an average wooden staff as a simple stick, but if you start walking around with an ebony staff which is covered in arcane runes that perpetually drip with blood and is topped with a sapphire which gleams with an unnatural inner light and whispers horrible thoughts into the minds of those that look directly at it, you might draw suspicion if you start claiming it's totally mundane.I think that if you go walking around with that staff, it's going to draw suspicion no matter what its aura looks like.

Mewtarthio
2008-05-02, 11:29 PM
Oh sure. The Disuise skill definitely helps if I cna have time. But if it's like "I found the cool STAFF OF ARCHMAGI AND I NEED TO DISGUISE IT NOW!" then it's less useful.

Alright, how about casting persistant image over it as a quick fix, then store it in your bag of holding before anyone gets a chance to interact with it. Later, if you can get about ninety minute of free time, you can use the Disguise skill to make it look more ordinary.


I think that if you go walking around with that staff, it's going to draw suspicion no matter what its aura looks like.

That's precisely the point. You need to disguise it, and pray it's not offended.

Frosty
2008-05-02, 11:33 PM
Rofl. A sentient Item can cast Disguise Self on itself.

query: If a Sentient Item casts Alter Self on itself, what can it turn into? What about Polymorph?

NEO|Phyte
2008-05-02, 11:52 PM
query: If a Sentient Item casts Alter Self on itself, what can it turn into? What about Polymorph?

IIRC According to the rules for such things, intelligent items are treated as Constructs. So construct-y things, I'd assume.

Frosty
2008-05-02, 11:56 PM
Umm...Transformers, Roll out??

Eita
2008-05-03, 12:18 AM
Disguise Self and Seeming both only work on creatures. Let's say I found some awesome Staff of Magic-ness and I wanted to disguise it to look like a staff of decrepit walking-stick, what spell would I use?

Ask your DM to make all awesome staffs in your setting to look like Gandalf the Grey's walking stick. Failing that, make your character Gandalf. The guy makes an ivory staff seem like a walking stick to trained soldiers. Now that's an awesome bluff check.

tbarrie
2008-05-03, 01:22 AM
Disguise Self and Seeming both only work on creatures. Let's say I found some awesome Staff of Magic-ness and I wanted to disguise it to look like a staff of decrepit walking-stick, what spell would I use?

Deceptive Facade from Complete Mage, if your campaign happens to use that book. Works the same as Disguise Self except you can use it on others, including objects.

Kurald Galain
2008-05-03, 04:43 AM
Bear in mind, it's entirely possible that it's look alone will give it away. Yes, you could pass off an average wooden staff as a simple stick, but if you start walking around with an ebony staff which is covered in arcane runes that perpetually drip with blood and is topped with a sapphire which gleams with an unnatural inner light and whispers horrible thoughts into the minds of those that look directly at it, you might draw suspicion if you start claiming it's totally mundane.

Or, you could just call it a walking stick. (http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=922)