Enchanting Questions 3.5e

[shadow_archmagi]

THOUGHT: What if I have, say, a Wonderous Item that is a table that shoots Scorching Ray at will? This is a legit and normal use of the item crafting rules.


Except a table is rather bulky and strange to fire. What if it were something my character is already used to, like, say, a crossbow-shaped one? Why not an actual crossbow with "Fires Lasers" as an added feature?

Wait, what if I enchant bolts as a 1-charge Scorching Ray item, so that it feels more like operating an actual magical laser cannon? What if I fire them from an enchanted crossbow?

Does my Scorching Ray get a +1 to hit because it was fired from a +1 crossbow?

What if I have a wand of Ghoul Touch and so I add Throwing and Returning to it? Or just a +2 so in addition to shooting Scorching Rays, my wand comes with auto-aim?

EDIT: I realize this is all very silly and probably doesn't work by RAW, but I'd still like to understand the rules on it.

[Crafty Cultist]

Whether its acceptable or not depends on your Dm. personally, I encourage creative magic items. Once I made a pistol that fired lesser acid orbs. I like the idea of a laser crossbow

[Sinfire Titan]

I prefer the Pyri Box of Infinite Doom.


Skies of Arcadia reference. There's an item called the Pyri Box, an unlimited use magic item that did roughly 500 Fire damage to all enemies unless they were resistant. 3 of those within the first dungeon means you could kill everything but the boss. Hence the Doom part. It retained some use throughout the entire game when I didn't feel like spending MP, but was fairly weak later on.

What if I have a wand of Ghoul Touch and so I add Throwing and Returning to it? Or just a +2 so in addition to shooting Scorching Rays, my wand comes with auto-aim?

I don't think Improvised weapons can be Enchanted, and I know a wand counts as an Improvised weapon.

[shadow_archmagi]

I don't think Improvised weapons can be Enchanted, and I know a wand counts as an Improvised weapon.

What if I tape a knife to it

[Keld Denar]

If you got a +1 Force Hand Crossbow, you'd have a lazer pistol that shoots beams of light that even hurt ghosts. Force is in the MIC and is a +2 equiv, for easy reference.

[Another_Poet]

THOUGHT: What if I have, say, a Wonderous Item that is a table that shoots Scorching Ray at will? This is a legit and normal use of the item crafting rules.

By at-will do you mean use activated? Command word?

If you use the proper item crafting rules it is legal. I used a door that could fire 10 magic missiles as a trap once.

Except a table is rather bulky and strange to fire. What if it were something my character is already used to, like, say, a crossbow-shaped one?

That will also work, and look cool & stylish.

Why not an actual crossbow with "Fires Lasers" as an added feature?

Because now you're blurring the lines between wondrous items and enchanted weapons. It can be done, but now you're making your DM nervous.

For instance, when you fire the crossbow you have to roll vs AC. But firing scorching ray, you roll against touch AC. You might want the whole thing to be a single attack roll, but it isn't. You roll one ranged touch for each ray and one normal attack roll per bolt.

Wait, what if I enchant bolts as a 1-charge Scorching Ray item, so that it feels more like operating an actual magical laser cannon?

Then you are wasting your money. It is rules-legal, however.

Bear in mind also that bolts deal damage on impact, but scorching ray is a ranged spell. Is it OK with you if it only targets the creature the bolt hits? If not, why are you putting it on bolts at all?

What if I fire them from an enchanted crossbow? Does my Scorching Ray get a +1 to hit because it was fired from a +1 crossbow?

No, because your scorching ray is not the ammunition fired by the crossbow. The bolt get a +1 because it is fired by the crossbow; the scorching ray, however, is cast by the bolt, and does not gain the enhancement bonus.

Also, even if the crossbow itself is casting the scorching ray (that is, if you enchant the crossbow rather than the bolts) you STILL don't get the +1 on the ray. This is because the ray is not a weapon nor is it ammunition. It is a spell effect, and not eligible for a weapon enhancement bonus.

What if I have a wand of Ghoul Touch and so I add Throwing and Returning to it?

You cannot, because it is not a weapon.

To answer your question about taping a knife to it: yes, you could enchant the knife with Throwing and Returning. However, this would not allow you to use the wand at range. This is because the rules on wands specifically state that you must hold the wand in your hand (or other similar appendage) and point it at the target while activating it. Once it leaves your hand, with a knife or without a knife, you automatically fail whenever your try to use it.

Moreover, the knife would probably have an attack penalty due to having a stick taped to it. If I were the DM, I would thank you for giving my bad guys a wand of Ghoul Touch.

Or just a +2 so in addition to shooting Scorching Rays, my wand comes with auto-aim?

Nope.

EDIT: I realize this is all very silly and probably doesn't work by RAW, but I'd still like to understand the rules on it.

Hope I helped