Magic Weapon problem

[Burley]

Long story short: The PCs are reincarnations of great heroes, and their weapons are... sorta like the conduits. Each character right now has their masterwork weapon of choice and some rags for clothes... that's it. (Level 1 party.)
When they gain a level (will happen tonight), the PCs that use weapons will find that their weapons have regained some of their former glory, making them +1. (The weapons will continue to get bonuses at each level, although not +1s each time.:smallredface:)
My problem is this: Two of the characters chose to not get weapons. One is a wizard and needed his spellbook, so, I allowed him to use the advanced prices in Complete Arcane to build one. The other is using Ofuda(sp?) for her Shugenja from Complete Divine, but I couldn't think of a single way to make them masterwork like the others, though she said she didn't mind.

I'm wondering how I can make the spellbook and ofuda magical like the rest of the party. Maybe the Spellbook lets him increase his CL a bit X/day? Maybe the Ofuda lets her cast a spell she doesn't know if she makes a DCx Religion check?
I just dunnoo.... :smalleek:

[shadowmage]

Maybe make them more Wondrous Item like? Or even staff or wand like? I really liked the new Staffs from the 3.5 Magic Item compendium that gave you acess to spells but you had to use your own spell levels to cast them. I.E. The staff had a list of spells you could do the spontaneous casting of as long as you had the staff. So maybe each level they gain a new spell they do not currently know or Wondrous Item like ability, Such as +1 stat or gain a spell that it cast and has a daily uses #. That was another thing added with 3.5 Magic Item compendium. Items could have daily uses instead of charges.

[Funkyodor]

For the spellbook and ofudas, Pearl of Power and Prayer Bead abilites sound kinda cool. Also, adding spontaneous metamagic X times a day would be thematic.

[Telonius]

Maybe homebrew up a Rod for your Wizard. Bonuses to casting, overcoming SR, that sort of thing. For the Shugenja... that's harder. Possibly have him receive a special medallion from his Obi-Wan inscribed with symbols of all of the elements. It gradually awakens power as he attunes to it (ie goes up in level).

[Fax Celestis]

Maybe they have non-weapon items? Rings, for example, or bracers?

[Starbuck_II]

I just dunnoo.... :smalleek:

For the Wizard:
Maybe make his spellbook naturally turn into a Bacobb's Blessed Book.

Though, the caster level thing sounds cool too.

[Burley]

Okay, a little more focused: It has to be an enhancement to the spellbook and ofuda. The PCs are, unbeknownst to them, playing as the items that have inadvertantly taken over the bodies of slaves.
So, when they think their bodies are getting stronger, it's really their weapons increasing their body's strength.

So, when the PC levels, the item that their being actually resides in gets stronger. Instead of switching out old weapons for better ones, they'll eventually be able to switch out old bodies for better ones.

So! It needs to be spellbook and ofuda stuff.

[Fax Celestis]

...make the spellbook/ofuda into intelligent items or Item Familiars (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm)?

[bosssmiley]

Weapons of Legacy (or similar with the "You are destined to wield this blade...and suck!" penalties removed) - apply to non-weapon items. Bob's yer uncle. :smallwink:

[Hal]

No idea how the Ofuda works, but as for the spellbook . . .

Each time the other players would receive an enhancement to their weapon, the wizard's spellbook allows him to perform a new trick. Perhaps he gets access to a reserve feat. Perhaps he gets to prepare an appropriate level of metamagic with a smaller of no penalty (but limited to one spell/day). Perhaps his book suddenly acts like an eternal wand, letting him cast a few certain spells a few times a day without preparing them.

You can mix and match those suggestions as you like. There's no set system that I'm aware of for advancing a spellbook as there is for a weapon.

[ErgoBibamus]

Several people have mentioned the possibility of allowing for a limited amount of spontaneous casting via possession of the spellbook or access to limited uses of metamagic. I think these kinds of homebrew mixtures are really your best bet. Each level that the weapons gain a +1 could be reflected in access to a new metamagic feat 1/day while minor increases between those levels could have either a Pearl of Power effect (increasing spell slots) or grant access to a new spontaneous casted spell.

[Blackfang108]

Each time the other players would receive an enhancement to their weapon, the wizard's spellbook allows him to perform a new trick. Perhaps he gets access to a reserve feat.

This could work.

I'll caution against Dimension Jaunt: a free 20 ft + teleport is fun as a player, but a nightmare for a DM.

Yes, it's a standard action, but think for a second. Outside of combat, what will he be doing?

I've used it to ignore the fact that I can't find stairs/open doors/etc.

It comes in handy.

[Burley]

Perhaps he gets access to a reserve feat.
Snipped...

I like that suggestion. The Wiz probably will, too.

Ofuda are basically wood or metal charms with scrolls on them. Basically, you have a divine sorcerer who, instead of casting from memory, spontaeously casts from the ofuda. Or... something like that. (It's a gestalt game, and she's playing Shugenja//Dragonfire Adept. So, she's got unlimited AoE 'spells', and is playing the party healer, ie. Sanctuary+Run'n'heal.)

[Hal]

Snipped...

I like that suggestion. The Wiz probably will, too.

Ofuda are basically wood or metal charms with scrolls on them. Basically, you have a divine sorcerer who, instead of casting from memory, spontaeously casts from the ofuda. Or... something like that. (It's a gestalt game, and she's playing Shugenja//Dragonfire Adept. So, she's got unlimited AoE 'spells', and is playing the party healer, ie. Sanctuary+Run'n'heal.)

Okay. So how about when a player would receive an enhancement bonus, one of the ofuda become "unlocked" and it grants the player access to one of the Complete Champion domain feats?

The downside is that the feats aren't nearly as powerful without Turn Undead attempts to fuel them, but you could just rule them into encounter powers rather than daily powers if you wanted to give him a hand.