The Rod of Greater Wonder! (3.5, PEACH)

[Frathe]

The Rod of Greater Wonder is a bizarre and chaotic artifact that, when activated, generates a random effect. Not all of these effects are positive for the wielder; in fact, some are very... inconvenient.

{table=head]d%|Wondrous Effect
01|as disintegrate, but only deals 5d6 damage to creatures (no Fort save)
02|summon an animal—a rhino (01-25%), elephant (26-50), or mouse (51-100)
03|shoots web; target is entangled (half-speed, -2 attack, -4 Dex) for 1d6 rounds (DC 25 strength check to escape)
04|stops time; wielder gets 1d4 free extra turns
05|cone of cold aimed at target
06|sprays glitterdust in 40-ft cone (blinds creatures for 1d4 rounds and outlines invisible things for 1d6 rounds; -40 penalty to Hide checks for the 1d6 duration)
07|wielder turns to gaseous form for 1d4 rounds (can fly 10 feet per turn, immune to poison/critical hits/magic damage; can't attack or speak)
08|creates a miniature elephant (see below for statistics)
09|target is set on fire, with flames dealing 1d6 damage per turn; lasts 1d4 rounds or until an action is used to put it out
10|wielder itches uncontrollably for 1d4 turns, must make DC 20 concentration check before any non-move action
11-12|renders target blind or deaf (wielder's choice) for 1d4 rounds
13-14|wielder can understand and speak all intelligent creatures' languages for 1d6 rounds
15|zone of silence for 1d6 rounds in 20-foot radius centered on target
16-17|wand disappears for 1d4 rounds
18|sprays acid in 60-foot cone (1d6 damage)
19|sprays dust of dryness in 60-foot cone
20-21|reverses gravity in 20-foot sphere centered on target for 1d6 rounds
22-23|turns target's weapon floppy for 1d4 rounds (-4 penalty to attack rolls)
24|target and wielder are teleported to another dimension for 1d4 rounds; this dimension is gray, featureless, and is only the size of a cube 25 ft on every side
25|+1d6 to wielder's strength for 1d4 rounds
26-27|heals target 5d6 hp
28|dispel magic on target
29-30|turns wielder into tree for 1d6 rounds (as tree shape: hit points are unaffected, but you have a +10 natural armor bonus and an effective speed and Dex of 0)
31|makes wielder intangible for 1d6 rounds (use ghost rules)
32|casts earthquake in a 80-ft radius around the target
33|terrifies target (DC 13 Will save or forced to flee)
34|thousands of monarch butterflies fly from the wand's tip, obscuring visibility and providing concealment (20% miss chance) in a 20-ft radius around the wielder, then disperse after 1d4 rounds
35|slows target for 1d4 rounds(as slow: they get only one action (either standard or move) per turn, and take a -1 penalty to attack rolls, AC, and Reflex)
36|shoots poison dart at target (1d6 Con damage)
37|a single red rose blooms from wand's tip
38|gives both the wielder and target a permanent, extreme irrational phobia of rats and mice (1-25%), snakes (25-50), spiders (50-75), or miniature elephants (75-100)
39|heals wielder 2d6 hp
40|roll another effect, and count all rolls to determine the specifics of that effect as the highest number possible (1d6 as 6, 2d4 as 8, etc.)
41|phantasmal killer on the target
42|invisible knives slash target, dealing 1d8 damage
43|stony hands rise out of the ground and grip target for 1d4 rounds; DC 25 Strength or Escape Artist check to move
44|casts heat metal(1-50%) or chill metal(51-100%) on target
45-46|opens all doors, lids, and drawers within a 100-ft radius
47|wielder sprouts 1d4 extra arms that last for 1d4 rounds
48-49|energy zaps the target, dealing 1d8 damage (DC 13 Reflex save for half) and stunning the target for 1d4 rounds (DC 14 Fortitude save negates)
50|all fires within 100 ft of wielder are extinguished (fire-based creatures take 4d6 damage, with a DC 15 Fortitude save for half)
51|casts stoneskin on wielder for 1d4 rounds (ignore 10 points of damage per attack)
52|removes any ongoing effects on the target (does not remove area effects)
53-54|wand zaps the wielder with a mild electric shock. Wielder must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude check or drop wand.
55-56|casts resilient sphere on target(1-50%) or wielder(51-100%) for 1d4 rounds
57|chain lightning
58-59|summons a large elemental for 1d4 rounds-roll a d4 for earth(1), air(2), water(3), or fire(4)
60-61|casts flaming sphere for 4 rounds (use DC 15 for the Reflex save)
62-63|wielder's speed doubles for 1d4 rounds
64-65|wielder is cloaked by shimmering veils of force that provide concealment(20% miss chance) for 1d4 rounds
66-67|casts baleful polymorph on target for 1d4 rounds. Roll a d4 to determine the form: monkey(1), toad(2), lizard(3), or bat(4)
68-69|wielder receives a +4 bonus to an ability score for 1d6 rounds. Roll a d6 to determine if the affected ability is Str(1), Con(2), Dex(3), Cha(4), Int(5), or Wis(6)
70|target receives a -4 penalty to an ability score for 1d6 rounds. Roll a d6 to determine if the affected ability is Str(1), Con(2), Dex(3), Cha(4), Int(5), or Wis(6)
71|wielder's hair grows long and vibrant, obscuring their vision, so all creatures they attack are counted as having concealment (20% miss chance). After 1d4 rounds, the effect ends and the hair falls out, leaving the wielder bald until their hair grows back.
72|for 1d4 rounds, any object weighing less than 20 pounds that the wielder touches with the wand turns to either lead(1-80%) or gold(81-100%). (A pound of gold is worth 50 gp; a pound of lead is worth about a fifth of a copper piece)
73-74|wielder coughs up 2d4 slugs(1-65%) or 2d4 diamonds(65-100%) every round for 1d6 rounds (each diamond is worth 1 gp). During each affected round, they must make a Concentration check of 10 + items coughed up that round.
75-76|a miniature rainstorm appears above the target for 1d4 rounds, waterlogging the target and its equipment, and miniature lightning from the cloud deals 1d4 electrical damage per round
77-78|confuses target for 1d4 rounds
79|target gains 1d4 negative levels for 1d4 rounds
80|ends any ongoing effects on the wielder
81|fireball at target or 100 ft. straight ahead, 6d6 damage (Reflex DC 15 half)
82|lightning bolt (70 ft. long, 5 ft. wide), 6d6 damage (Reflex DC 15 half)
83-84|wielder learns target’s surface thoughts (as with detect thoughts) for 1d4 rounds (no save)
85|faerie fire surrounds the target
86-87|wielder becomes invisible for 1d6 rounds
88-89|flesh to stone (or stone to flesh if target is stone already) if target is within 60 ft. (Fortitude DC 18 negates)
90|reduce wielder to 1/12 height (no save) for 1d4+2 rounds
91-92|wielder and target trade weapons for 1d4 rounds
93|wielder and target change gender, as the Girdle of Femininity/Masculinity. The effect is permanent, and can only be removed by spells or effects that remove curses. Alternately, multiple instances of this effect cancel each other.
94|deludes wielder for 1 round into believing the rod functions as indicated by a second die roll (no save)
95|paralyzes target for 1d4 rounds, DC 14 Will save negates
96|puts wielder to sleep for 1d4 rounds (DC 17 will save negates)
97|wielder and target switch physical location
98|2d6 hornets erupt from the wand, sting the target for 1 point of damage each, and disappear
99|wielder chooses another effect
100|produces two other effects (when this is rolled, roll again twice)
[/table]

Strong enchantment; CL 12th; Craft Rod, confusion, creator must be chaotic; Price 15,000 gp.

[Frathe]

The Wand Rod of Greater Wonder is based on the Rod of Wonder, but it has over three times as many effects, and its effects are more varied.

I realize that "wand" is misleading from a mechanics standpoint, but it sounds good.

[Debihuman]

This is technically illegal in 3.5 since wands can now only cast one spell, which is why it was renamed it to a rod of wonder in the first place. As a variant of a rod of wonder, I rather like it. You should probably note the Caster Level of the wand.

Spells are normally italicized just to make them stand out.

#28 should say casts dispel magic just to match format of other spells.
#32 should be as a earthquake spell perhaps.
#24 and #100 should be swapped. This is pretty standard for lists that if you roll a natural 100 something special happens (like getting to roll twice).
#51 and #99 should probably be switched for the same reason.
#71 is the wielder left bald permanently or does hair grow back normally?

It looks good otherwise.

Debby

[Frathe]

This is technically illegal in 3.5 since wands can now only cast one spell, which is why it was renamed it to a rod of wonder in the first place. As a variant of a rod of wonder, I rather like it. You should probably note the Caster Level of the wand.

Spells are normally italicized just to make them stand out.

#28 should say casts dispel magic just to match format of other spells.
#32 should be as a earthquake spell perhaps.
#24 and #100 should be swapped. This is pretty standard for lists that if you roll a natural 100 something special happens (like getting to roll twice).
#51 and #99 should probably be switched for the same reason.

It looks good otherwise.

Debby

Thanks! I'm glad you like it.

Fine, I won't call it a wand. I did say that it was mechanically misleading.: wands can only cast one spell, 4th level or lower. I'll rename it the Rod of Greater Wonder for now (unless I think of something better).

I'll italicize the spells later; it's late in my time zone. I made the other changes you suggested.

[Debihuman]

I actually liked the chart better when 97-98 was "2d6 hornets erupt from the wand, sting the target for 1 point of damage each, and disappear" as 98 and 99 are a bit too similar.

Debby

[Frathe]

I actually liked the chart better when 97-98 was "2d6 hornets erupt from the wand, sting the target for 1 point of damage each, and disappear" as 98 and 99 are a bit too similar.

Debby

Changed back!

[Frathe]

If anyone has suggestions for additional rod effects, I'd kind of like to make it to an even hundred.

[cha0s4a11]

It might be fun to have a few things that mess with both the target and the wielder such as:

Have the effect of Helm of Opposite Alignment on both wielder and target.
Have the effect of Girdle of Opposite Gender on both wielder and target.
Wielder and target switch positions.
Wielder and target swap equipment/possessions (including the rod).
etc.

[SilverSavio]

Change users gender, change users race, fills a 20ft area centered on users square with butterflies, [F**KING BUBBLES] the rod becomes useless for 2d12 hours while it produces nothing but bubbles, produces one half of a ring gate, kill a kitten, produce a tiny elephant, creates a phobia of tiny elephants, gives user a Fu manchu, makes user 1/6 his size, generates a Sustaining Spoon.

[Amechra]

It doesn't have a chance of destroying the entire campaign setting.

What kind of sissy random table are you trying to peddle here?

(I kid, I kid... I think it's pretty nice...)

[Frathe]

It might be fun to have a few things that mess with both the target and the wielder such as:

Have the effect of Helm of Opposite Alignment on both wielder and target.
Have the effect of Girdle of Opposite Gender on both wielder and target.
etc.

Yeah, gender/alignment swap could work. How long were you thinking that would last? Permanent alignment change would just be nasty.

It might be fun to have a few things that mess with both the target and the wielder such as:

Wielder and target switch positions.
Wielder and target swap equipment/possessions (including the rod).
etc.

Position swap is solid; I'll add it (added %97). If you look at 91-92, I already have a weapon swap. I actually used to have position swap too; my DM has the rest of the 30 or so others that got our group's wand up to 100.

Change users gender, change users race, fills a 20ft area centered on users square with butterflies, [F**KING BUBBLES] the rod becomes useless for 2d12 hours while it produces nothing but bubbles, produces one half of a ring gate, kill a kitten, produce a tiny elephant, creates a phobia of tiny elephants, gives user a Fu manchu, makes user 1/6 his size, generates a Sustaining Spoon.

TWO gender change suggestions! Who would have thought?

I could have it shoot bubbles, although that seems way too long for it to be useless. I think we actually might've used to have something with butterflies. I'm not going to kill a kitten, though. You monster!

...where's the other end of that ring gate? And 1/6 size is an awful lot like 1/12 size (%90).

Instead of a tiny elephant, I could add

34-36 Summon an animal—a rhino (01-25 on d%), elephant (26-50), or mouse (51-100).

Seems kinda similar (a tiny animal AND an elephant), but with greater effect.

Instead of a Sustaining Spoon, how about it squirts out gruel itself?

[Frathe]

It doesn't have a chance of destroying the entire campaign setting.

What kind of sissy random table are you trying to peddle here?

(I kid, I kid... I think it's pretty nice...)

Actually, my DM used a slight variant of this during our last campaign (it was his idea; we had a hundred effects; he came up with twenty- or thirty-something; some of them were in-jokes). It certainly... altered the campaign, considering that we were playing Ravenloft (the module, not the setting) at the time. And we gave it to a first time player without any limit on charges or daily uses, so it was the only thing he ever used. Kind of ruined the game for him.

Certainly made the final battle with Strahd interesting, though. Gravity reversal. Good times.

[cha0s4a11]

Yeah, gender/alignment swap could work. How long were you thinking that would last? Permanent alignment change would just be nasty.

I'd say as a general guideline for the alignment change, definitely not permanent, but long enough to be interesting. Say a week on average (2d6 days)?

[Frathe]

I'd say as a general guideline for the alignment change, definitely not permanent, but long enough to be interesting. Say a week on average (2d6 days)?

2d6 days? I think I could work with that.

If you didn't see above, I added your suggestions of gender-flip (as of now, it lasts 1d4 days) and position swapping, and I already have weapon swapping.

I might add alignment flip. I'm a little afraid it's too much, though; then again, people know what they're getting into when they use the wand. And on second thought, I think the alignment flip had better be just on the wielder; I don't want them turning some BBEG to good in the middle of a climatic fight. Unless I had a Will save...

Change users gender, change users race, fills a 20ft area centered on users square with butterflies, [F**KING BUBBLES] the rod becomes useless for 2d12 hours while it produces nothing but bubbles, produces one half of a ring gate, kill a kitten, produce a tiny elephant, creates a phobia of tiny elephants, gives user a Fu manchu, makes user 1/6 his size, generates a Sustaining Spoon.

Hey, I added a butterfly cloud at 34, and elephants reminded me of the (normal) Rod of Wonder effect now added at 2. Giving the user a Fu Manchu mustache seems kind of like the hair growth effect already at 71.

I might do the tiny elephant for the comedic value, but I don't really want to go to the work of figuring out how a change in size category would affect an elephant's size and grapple modifiers, and I would feel like I should diminish its Strength, and after a certain point I'm homebrewing a tiny elephant.

I might add short-term bubble spraying, but I don't want to pile on too many effects that don't actually do anything (see the rose at 37, probably the extra arms at 47). And I know you were suggesting that it incapacitate the wand, but that's what the floppy wand (22-23) is for.

[Debihuman]

Caster Level 12 means the aura is Strong not Moderate.

What do you think of this--

The magical miniature elephant created by a rod of greater wonder has the following stats:

Elephant, Miniature
Tiny Magical Beast (Augmented Animal)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 Size+3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-6
Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d3) and 2 stamps -1 melee (1d3);or gore +4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Trample (1d4)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 7
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary (Unique)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Every rod of greater wonder creates its own elephant whose name and gender are known to the wielder of the rod. The elephant created by the wand looks exactly like a miniature version of a normal elephant but is smarter. It can understand Common but cannot speak and is illiterate. The elephant is friendly towards the wielder of the rod.

Debby

[Edit] It's a rod not a wand.

[Frathe]

Caster Level 12 means the aura is Strong not Moderate.Debby

Oh yeah, thanks. You're right. I probably should have checked when I was changing the CL. It's fixed now.

What do you think of this--

The magical miniature elephant created by a wand of greater wonder has the following stats:

Elephant, Miniature
Tiny Magical Beast (Augmented Animal)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 10 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 Size+3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-6
Attack: Gore +4 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d3) and 2 stamps -1 melee (1d3);or gore +4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Trample (1d4)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 7
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary (Unique)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

Every wand of greater wonder creates its own elephant whose name and gender are known to the wielder of the wand. The elephant created by the wand looks exactly like a miniature version of a normal elephant but is smarter. It can understand Common but cannot speak and is illiterate. The elephant is friendly towards the wielder of the wand.

Debby

...wow, I wasn't expecting someone else to homebrew a miniature elephant. Nice. Looks good.

I guess I could use this, but I'd have to somehow package the stats with the rod. Maybe that's not a big deal, though.

(It probably doesn't matter, but it's called a rod now. You said wand a few times.)

[Debihuman]

Old habits die hard (and in this case almost don't die at all). I still have a hard time calling it a rod of wonder since it was wand of wonder for so very long. Yep, just find and replace "wand" with "rod" and it's all good.

Debby

[Deth Muncher]

Can you explain what you meant by #40? I'm not quite sure. Is it a reroll? Because what it sounds like is that it just resets the dice to 100, which in itself constitutes two rerolls. So I'm not really sure what you want.

Otherwise, amusing. Not Gygaxian levels of random douchery, which means it's probably safer and more fun for everyone.

[Frathe]

Can you explain what you meant by #40? I'm not quite sure. Is it a reroll? Because what it sounds like is that it just resets the dice to 100, which in itself constitutes two rerolls. So I'm not really sure what you want.

Otherwise, amusing. Not Gygaxian levels of random douchery, which means it's probably safer and more fun for everyone.

To explain 40: it means that you first re-roll a single (1) other effect, then, once you have that effect, you assume you rolled the highest possible roll.

Example: You roll %40. That means you re-roll to get another random effect; let's say you get 08-09 (set target on fire). That means the effect is guaranteed to deal 6 damage (the max roll of 1d6) each round, and lasts for 4 rounds (the max of 1d4) if it isn't put out. The max re-roll is for after you've already rolled another effect. But you're right, it sounds like you might just get effect %100. I'll change the description to be clearer.

I'm glad you enjoy it otherwise. I actually tried to be more of a jerk when coming up with the effects, but my DM wouldn't allow any that actually injured the wielder. So I had to change the hornets (98) to sting the target instead.

[toapat]

Gender Swap is typically applied as a curse, and so its simply dispellable with the rod itself, as well as having a permanent duration

[Frathe]

Gender Swap is typically applied as a curse, and so its simply dispellable with the rod itself, as well as having a permanent duration

Good point. I might have to change that. The thing is, though, there's only a very small chance of the wand itself reversing the curse: just because there are so many effects, you're not likely to get the one you want. Then again, the "remove ongoing effects" effect (52) would also work, and there's the "wielder chooses an effect" effect (99), so maybe it isn't too unlikely. And I guess, unlike some things, a gender change probably wouldn't derail any campaigns.

It's changed now. I have been told it's funnier and better narratively this way.


Also, for your enjoyment: new effects at 24, 38, and 41!

24 and 41 I remembered; 38 is based on the fear of miniature elephants suggestion. I should probably specify more about how the fear works, though.

Update: I added miniature elephant creation at 08. I think it's worth it for the humor value, even if it requires the new creature's statistics to be specified. Now my prior main reason to avoid it--having to do the work of homebrewing a mini elephant myself--has been removed, so... it's added.