ut PC magic-users cannot generally predict these situations in advance when they are selecting and memorizing their spells for the day, nor can they expect the action to grind to a halt while they study their spellbooks. This is why most PC magicusers load up on major-destruction, “big blast” spells like fireball, lightning bolt, magic missile, and cone <strong>of</strong> cold, which are applicable to a large number <strong>of</strong> unpredictable situations but lack the more subtle, intellectual touch appropriate to the role <strong>of</strong> the wily mage. However, if the above spells were always on hand via magic-focusing items, many PC magic-users would experiment more with other spells that might be useful, as above; paradoxically, the guaranteed availability <strong>of</strong> the “big blast” spells might cause them to be cast less frequently. This could be considered a benefit to the Dungeon Master also, who might be getting tired <strong>of</strong> watching his magic-users blast their way out <strong>of</strong> every situation and who might appreciate a little innovation and clever spell-use from time to time. A list <strong>of</strong> all the possible magic-focusing items and their individual characteristics would be far too long to be included here. This article is intended only to present the general idea <strong>of</strong> magic-focusing items; the details <strong>of</strong> the individual items will be up to the individual DMs and designers. I have generally confined myself to magic-focusing items through which one and only one spell may be cast. The forms I have used have been mostly wands (for directional and basically <strong>of</strong>fensive spells), rings (for defensive spells and others that the caster is most likely to cast on himself or in his own area), and talismans or amulets (for short-range spells involving divination and enchantment). The spells I have used or most strongly considered using in designing these items are listed below. Wands: magic missile, knock, ray <strong>of</strong> enfeeblement, fireball, lightning bolt, ice storm, polymorph other, cone <strong>of</strong> cold, feeblemind, teleport (target must be touched), disintegrate, vanish, meteor swarm. Rings: feather fall, shield, spider climb, in visibility levitate, blink, fly water breathing, dimension door, fire shield, airy water. Talismans or amulets: charm person, detect magic, detect evil, ESP, forget, scare, suggestion, charm monster, fear, repulsion, mass charm. Other spells could be added to these lists, including some <strong>of</strong> the new spells in Unearthed Arcana. Other DMs may also wish to use other forms, such as boots, hats, musical instruments, etc. I have used wands, rings, and amulets because they are traditional (note that many <strong>of</strong> the spell functions above appear in conventional magical wands, rings, and talismans and amulets) and because it is relatively easy for a character to carry and use several <strong>of</strong> each. This is not an invitation for DMs to indiscriminately shower their magic-users 10 JULY 1986 with all the focusing items they can carry — focusing items may be less valuable than most other magic items, but they are more valuable than that. However, since these items allow a magic-user only greater variety in his choice <strong>of</strong> spells, and not more spells or more spell power, I might allow a mid- to high-level magic-user to accumulate three or four or more <strong>of</strong> each over the course <strong>of</strong> a campaign. I exempt magicfocusing rings from the usual rule <strong>of</strong> “one per hand,” and allow as many to function as the character can reasonably and comfortably wear, since many <strong>of</strong> the ring spells are geared to emergency use (feather fall, etc.) and are not very useful if the magic-user must fumble for the correct ring. On the other hand, I also stipulate that spells cast through focusing rings must be cast by and on the wearer <strong>of</strong> the ring (i.e., the magicuser himself), which does limit their use somewhat. A few issues in the definition <strong>of</strong> magicfocusing items — what they can and cannot do — are so controvertible that they should probably be decided separately by each DM, with the demands <strong>of</strong> his own campaign in mind. One <strong>of</strong> these is the question <strong>of</strong> whether a magic-focusing item can convert one level <strong>of</strong> a spell into another, given equal total spell power. For example, could a wand <strong>of</strong> fireball casting combine three magic missile spells into one fireball, or vice versa? Could a wand <strong>of</strong> magic missile casting split one fireball spell into three magic missile spells? There is the precedent <strong>of</strong> the rod <strong>of</strong> absorption, but it does not apply well because many other powers <strong>of</strong> that device are specifically denied to magic-focusing items and because analogies between magicfocusing items and conventional magic items are tenuous at best and must be drawn with great care to preserve the general point that they are basically different animals. Rary’s mnemonic enhancer is a better precedent because it involves actual spell-casting, but it is important to note the costly material components <strong>of</strong> this spell and the net loss in spell power involved (ineluded, apparently, to discourage frequent use <strong>of</strong> the spell). Some DMs may find this kind <strong>of</strong> power conversion (with or without penalty) logical, others not; including this feature would make magic-focusing items considerably more powerful and desirable, which again might or might not be appropriate to any given campaign. In any case, it must be reiterated that magic-focusing items will not allow a magic-user to cast a spell <strong>of</strong> higher level than he is able to learn, and they will not convert different kinds <strong>of</strong> spell energy (magical, clerical, etc.) from one to the other. There is also the question <strong>of</strong> whether a magic-focusing item will enable a magicuser to cast a spell, <strong>of</strong> appropriate type and level, that he has never learned, including even spells he is unable to learn due to an unlucky roll <strong>of</strong> the dice (see Players Handbook, page 10). If a magic-user does not have fireball in his spellbook, but can cast 3rd-level spells, can he use a wand <strong>of</strong> fire- ball casting or not? The logic <strong>of</strong> the case depends on how much one assumes the magic-focusing item aids the magic-user in casting the spell — does it “know” the spell itself, or merely jog the magic-user’s memory? Allowing this option would make magic-focusing items more useful and desirable (though not as much so as using the previously described option), and would tend to deemphasize the importance <strong>of</strong> spell acquisition in a campaign or draw some <strong>of</strong> the sting from it in a campaign in which it is strongly emphasized, if magic-focusing items became common enough. Again, different DMs might view either <strong>of</strong> these effects as either good or bad. This option also allows the DM to make sure that a given spell will be available to the party at a crucial point in the adventure — a knock spell, for example, when the party is about to enter a dungeon level full <strong>of</strong> locked doors. Traditionally, this is accomplished by leaving the appropriate scroll lying around; leaving the appropriate magic-focusing item lying around instead removes the risk that the magic-user will blow the aforementioned dice roll, or simply copy the spell into his spellbook and then forget all about it. Since the item would not “teach” the magic-user the spell, no matter how many times he used it, he would be able to cast that spell only by using the item. This might lead to some interesting situations; it would also allow the DM to remove a spell from the campaign simply by removing the item, via a thief, disenchanter, fire trap, or the like (an especially useful trick in the case <strong>of</strong> DM-invented or PC-invented spells which later turn out to be too powerful). Another set <strong>of</strong> issues concerns the effects <strong>of</strong> magic-focusing items on the manner <strong>of</strong> casting spells — the casting time, components, concentration required, etc. For example, it may not seem logical to require material components for spells cast through a device. If material components are to be eliminated, the spells should be restricted to those without elaborate or expensive material components (as in the lists above), unless a special provision has been made for including them (as with the bag <strong>of</strong> conjuring focus below), for game balance reasons. There is no logical need to eliminate or alter verbal components, but it might be reasonable to reduce the somatic components to simply pointing or waving a wand, touching or twisting a ring, or presenting or clutching a talisman or amulet, etc. If the DM decides that this should shorten the casting time, spells with long casting times should be avoided, again as in the list above, and again for game balance reasons. Also, discharging spell-like powers from conventional magic items requires considerably less concentration than casting spells in the usual way. While analogies between conventional magic items and magic-focusing items must always be drawn with great care, the logic <strong>of</strong> this limited parallel may still appeal to some DMs. Allowing magicusers to cast spells through magic-focusing items while arrows whistle past their ears
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