A Ridiculous Artificier Idea

[AtwasAwamps]

So I had a completely ludicrous and terrible idea I would like to share. This is completely a flavor oriented concept that involves heavy item customization but I think would be incredibly fun to roleplay.

First, we take an artificier. A slightly deranged, gung-ho artificier.

Then we take a light crossbow.

Then we BREAK the light crossbow, removing the bow part and leaving us with the butt and stock, IE, the primitive makings of a gun.

Then we add a wand chamber.

Now, we have what looks to be a useless crossbow as, in fact, a magic shooting gun-thing. Nifty to start with and probably something I’d need to talk to a DM about, certainly! But wait!

I haven’t even gotten to the ludicrous and terrible part.

I want to make a wand “drum”. Basically, a cylindrical chamber that holds three wands and is integrated into the makeshift weapon. You would rotate the drum, slide a switch forward to push the appropriate want into place, slide it back to pull the wand back into the drum. I’m imagining something fairly small, about three wands worth of size. Would that be possible in “DnD” technology levels, with a class that can make things like constructs and what not? Would this have any gamebreaking effects? Really it’s just like carrying a few wants and switching between them, it would just look really cool.

Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? Just want to see how it could work.

[Vizzerdrix]

.......

Needs to be belt fed!

[Deth Muncher]

So I had a completely ludicrous and terrible idea I would like to share. This is completely a flavor oriented concept that involves heavy item customization but I think would be incredibly fun to roleplay.

First, we take an artificier. A slightly deranged, gung-ho artificier.

Then we take a light crossbow.

Then we BREAK the light crossbow, removing the bow part and leaving us with the butt and stock, IE, the primitive makings of a gun.

Then we add a wand chamber.

Now, we have what looks to be a useless crossbow as, in fact, a magic shooting gun-thing. Nifty to start with and probably something I’d need to talk to a DM about, certainly! But wait!

I haven’t even gotten to the ludicrous and terrible part.

I want to make a wand “drum”. Basically, a cylindrical chamber that holds three wands and is integrated into the makeshift weapon. You would rotate the drum, slide a switch forward to push the appropriate want into place, slide it back to pull the wand back into the drum. I’m imagining something fairly small, about three wands worth of size. Would that be possible in “DnD” technology levels, with a class that can make things like constructs and what not? Would this have any gamebreaking effects? Really it’s just like carrying a few wants and switching between them, it would just look really cool.

Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? Just want to see how it could work.

Welllll...there's the Rod of Many Wands in CMage, which holds three wands and shoots them all at the same time, draining X charges per wand where X is the number of wands in the rod.

So if you used that...is that what you're looking for?

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

I actually had an Artificer who did exactly this, with one exception.

Instead of a hand-rotated, 1-wand-at-a-time device, this was, for all intents and purposes, a gatling cannon. It worked like this:

Firing the first wand cost 2 charges. Firing the second wand cost 3 charges. Firing the third wand cost 4 charges...all the way up to the 8th wand. It burned charges like candy, but, when something absolutely positively had to be killed yesterday, Gideon's Cannon never disappointed.

After all, most enemies can't stand, say, 8 Scorching Rays to the face.

[AtwasAwamps]

Nah, I'm not trying to fire them all at once (though that is awesome).

I just want to have a badass and nifty way to switch wands, rather than gain any real mechanical advantage.

"Precision job...switchin' ta da Magic Missile cartridge."

"Crowded room..." ::click click:: "TIme to burn!"

"How big is 'e? Hell with that!" ::loads disintegrate::

[Deth Muncher]

Nah, I'm not trying to fire them all at once (though that is awesome).

I just want to have a badass and nifty way to switch wands, rather than gain any real mechanical advantage.

"Precision job...switchin' ta da Magic Missile cartridge."

"Crowded room..." ::click click:: "TIme to burn!"

"How big is 'e? Hell with that!" ::loads disintegrate::

Perhaps you could, then, go for a cheaper version of the RoMW. Your premise is obviously not outlandish, as there's an existing item that does more. So go for it!

[AtwasAwamps]

Perhaps you could, then, go for a cheaper version of the RoMW. Your premise is obviously not outlandish, as there's an existing item that does more. So go for it!

Yeah, I figured there might be a precedent. It's not about power, more about having a crazy looking gnome/dwarf with singed hair, a mad look in his eyes, beakers hanging from his belt, and the world's most terrifying boomstick in his hands.

I'm not sure if I will ever get to play this character but I will spend all my time convincing the rogue/skillmonkey in the party I play with that I should be opening all the doors.

With the fireball "clip".

[Deth Muncher]

Yeah, I figured there might be a precedent. It's not about power, more about having a crazy looking gnome/dwarf with singed hair, a mad look in his eyes, beakers hanging from his belt, and the world's most terrifying boomstick in his hands.

I'm not sure if I will ever get to play this character but I will spend all my time convincing the rogue/skillmonkey in the party I play with that I should be opening all the doors.

With the fireball "clip".

You know, for an even more ridiculously complicated version of this, you could have a bunch of Delayed Blast Fireballs in a hopper filled with Quintessence, and just shoot them somehow. O_o

[Tyndmyr]

Eternal wands are your best friend, then. Given that you'll be using a lot of these wands every single day, it'll be worth it.

I actually plan to have something like that for a current character, with one significant difference. The ring of wands is mounted on, and rotates around his arm. Completely pointless use of an item slot? Sure. But the mental image is awesome.

[AtwasAwamps]

You know, for an even more ridiculously complicated version of this, you could have a bunch of Delayed Blast Fireballs in a hopper filled with Quintessence, and just shoot them somehow. O_o

Slingshot. Obviously.


EDIT: And yeah, I have to do a lot of research. I'm not really forseeing this guy as a viable powerful type character and am more oriented on having a ridiculously fun RP character with one hell of a conversation piece. Eternal wands...wheeeee.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Here's what I'd suggest: price it as you would price an item that grants you Quick Draw as a bonus feat, since this amounts to the same thing. So somewhere between 2,000 and 8,000, depending on however much Quick Draw is actually worth (I never remember...I know there's some weapon enhancement that does it, but...).

[Deth Muncher]

Slingshot. Obviously.


EDIT: And yeah, I have to do a lot of research. I'm not really forseeing this guy as a viable powerful type character and am more oriented on having a ridiculously fun RP character with one hell of a conversation piece. Eternal wands...wheeeee.

Actually, although I like the slinging DBFs around, y'know what actually almost looks like that?

A paintball gun.

Think about it.

[Sinfire Titan]

EDIT: And yeah, I have to do a lot of research. I'm not really forseeing this guy as a viable powerful type character and am more oriented on having a ridiculously fun RP character with one hell of a conversation piece. Eternal wands...wheeeee.

Actually, a properly built Wandificer is a terror to behold! The only problem is practicality, seeing as you need to abuse the unholy hell out of Metamagic Spell Trigger, which means you'll be burning through your wands like lava through frozen butter.

[arguskos]

Actually, although I like the slinging DBFs around, y'know what actually almost looks like that?

A paintball gun.

Think about it.

The most lethal paintballs in the history of forever!

I've played a character once that actually did something similar. He made a pair of Scepters (best magic item category ever; a scepter is a 2-spell wand, basically), each with one good combat spell, and one good utility/defensive spell. He then put one on each arm, and strapped them down, so that he had arm blasters. The left was Scorching Ray and Fly, the right was Orb of Force (I think, it's been awhile) and Greater Mirror Image. Man, that was fun. He also kept a bandoleer of wands, all of which were awesomely amusing.

Best part? He managed to acquire a Glowstone in his lifetime (artifact that can recharge magic items like wands and staves). That character was good times.

[Deth Muncher]

The most lethal paintballs in the history of forever!

I've played a character once that actually did something similar. He made a pair of Scepters (best magic item category ever; a scepter is a 2-spell wand, basically), each with one good combat spell, and one good utility/defensive spell. He then put one on each arm, and strapped them down, so that he had arm blasters. The left was Scorching Ray and Fly, the right was Orb of Force (I think, it's been awhile) and Greater Mirror Image. Man, that was fun. He also kept a bandoleer of wands, all of which were awesomely amusing.

Best part? He managed to acquire a Glowstone in his lifetime (artifact that can recharge magic items like wands and staves). That character was good times.

Glowstone? Where is this from?

[arguskos]

Glowstone? Where is this from?

Like I said, ARTIFACT. It can be found in Magic of Faerun, page 169. As far as I'm aware, it's the only printed way to recharge magic items. Sweet artifact too.

[Sinfire Titan]

Like I said, ARTIFACT. It can be found in Magic of Faerun, page 169. As far as I'm aware, it's the only printed way to recharge magic items. Sweet artifact too.

Artificers get an Infusion that lets them recharge Wands and Staves.

[hamishspence]

Concerning firing the wands all at once- there was a rather entertaining Nodwick strip in Dragon Magazine on this- the wizard Artax glues a whole bunch of near-empty wands together, and gives them the same command word.

It doesn't turn out well though.

[Deth Muncher]

Like I said, ARTIFACT. It can be found in Magic of Faerun, page 169. As far as I'm aware, it's the only printed way to recharge magic items. Sweet artifact too.

Oh, hehe. I missed the bit about it being an artifact, but I kinda figured it would be anyway.

And yeah, that's kind of great. Like more than kind of.

[arguskos]

Artificers get an Infusion that lets them recharge Wands and Staves.

Permanently? Or are the charges temporary? Also, where is said infusion?

@Deth: the Glowstone has some limitations. It has a limited amount of charges itself, and simply transfers them from itself to something you stick it on (it sticks as if glued) at a rate of 10 minutes per charge transferred. They have 1,000 charges when made, and now typically have d%x10 when found. It's a pretty neat item. Frankly, I was never sure it should be an artifact, but that's just me being crazy. Make it have 100 charges instead of 1,000, cut it's other special effects (for dwarves/gnomes with divine casting) and make it cost 100,000 gp or something, and it'd be a pretty decently balanced wondrous item, IMO.

[Deth Muncher]

Permanently? Or are the charges temporary? Also, where is said infusion?

I think what it does is give "phantom charges" that get used up before you use up real charges. So it's KINDA like recharging.

[arguskos]

I think what it does is give "phantom charges" that get used up before you use up real charges. So it's KINDA like recharging.

That's what I thought. I'm just wondering if they have a duration or not. I don't keep up with Eberron material (didn't like the setting much myself), so I'm not up to speed on Artificers.

[hamishspence]

Artificers get an Infusion that lets them recharge Wands and Staves.

Really? Which book- and what is it called- and what level?

I couldn't find it in the Campaign Setting book.

[Deth Muncher]

That's what I thought. I'm just wondering if they have a duration or not. I don't keep up with Eberron material (didn't like the setting much myself), so I'm not up to speed on Artificers.

They do. I think it's in the minutes/level or 10 minutes/level range. It's either in Magic of Eberron or Player's Guide to Eberron.

[Tyndmyr]

Permanently? Or are the charges temporary? Also, where is said infusion?

@Deth: the Glowstone has some limitations. It has a limited amount of charges itself, and simply transfers them from itself to something you stick it on (it sticks as if glued) at a rate of 10 minutes per charge transferred. They have 1,000 charges when made, and now typically have d%x10 when found. It's a pretty neat item. Frankly, I was never sure it should be an artifact, but that's just me being crazy. Make it have 100 charges instead of 1,000, cut it's other special effects (for dwarves/gnomes with divine casting) and make it cost 100,000 gp or something, and it'd be a pretty decently balanced wondrous item, IMO.

So, it always transfers charges at a 1 to 1 rate?

I never thought a wand of wish with one charges would be so useful...

[Deth Muncher]

So, it always transfers charges at a 1 to 1 rate?

I never thought a wand of wish with one charges would be so useful...

Oh dear lord. Don't let any monks get ahold of it...

I'm sorry, I had to.

[arguskos]

So, it always transfers charges at a 1 to 1 rate?

I never thought a wand of wish with one charges would be so useful...

Yeah, the Glowstone drains one charge from itself to put one charge in the item.

Also, that'd have to be a staff of wish, and you can't make them with less than 50 charges.

[Tyndmyr]

I believe MiC has some nifty rules for doing just that. =)

[arguskos]

I believe MiC has some nifty rules for doing just that. =)

Does it really? Damn, that's impressive. Didn't know that.

Unless you're talking about Runestaffs, which don't benefit from the Glowstone, I can't find anything about making staves with less than 50 charges...

[Fluffles]

Wands have a maximum level of 4 for the spells...