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GMWestermeyer
Learned Scribe
USA
215 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Dec 2011 : 01:28:40
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So, I was rereading Haunted Halls of Eveningstar last night and I was a bit confused by one of the magic items it introduces, magestars.
The magestar absorbs spells, which it later discharges the energy of as healing, when required by its owner. What I'm confused about is how it absorbs spells - the description is unclear. Do they have to be cast directly at it, or does it absorb spells cast at its owner? It's less powerful if it only absorbs spells cast at it intentionally - making it more likely to work as a cool magic item for low level pcs. :)
Also, it says they have limits, if it absorbs more spell energy over the limit they explode. But it doesn't say how the limit is determined.
Any guidance, or suggestions welcome. Especially if the item is discussed in later products. :)
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"Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that is even remotely true."
Homer Simpson, _The Simspons_ |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8030 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2011 : 02:14:11
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I would treat the absorb powers as similar to those in a rod of absorption or staff of the magi (both in the 2E DMG). My understanding is that this function requires the wielder deliberately uses the item much like a shield, basically spending an "action" standing in place and trying to interpose the object between himself and spells that are directed at him. The absorption is usually automatically successful. These objects will explode if overcharged, which suggests that absorption/charging is better done as a deliberate action instead of any time the object happens to be exposed to incoming magic (we assume this function is activated with command words/etc). The rod has a capacity of 50 charges, the staff only 25 charges.
I would personally treat a magestar as a rod for all magical purposes, ie: generally operates as an 8th level item and holds a maximum of 50 charges (usually 40+1d10 when first found). Magical rods are roughly the same size as one-handed bludgeons, indeed some actually take the forms of sceptres and maces.
If you feel the item is too powerful as written then you might require the user makes a Save to absorb, or must succeed some check in a battle-of-wills vs the hostile spellcaster (perhaps calculate a percent chance as per dispel magic spell), or that the magestar can only absorb spells of a certain school or up to a certain level. You might allow it to absorb all manner of magical attacks, even things like dragon's breath or spellfire, but a large number of charges might be involved.
We've had to make some (non-canon) house rules involving such items in the past:
It is immediately obvious that the spell/magic was somehow neutralized or absorbed by the object. For example, a fireball would swerve to unerringly hit the object and dissipate in a flashy but harmless shower of smoking magical motes, while the object would briefly burn off a tiny fraction of the dweomer in a sulphurous stench. It could just as easily be covered in a snarling web of electrical arcs, or drip a layer of frost, or simply radiate an eerie Mystra-blue glow, or it could flash intense pulses of strobelight as magic missiles "fwump-fwump-fwump" into it - or whatever - as different spell effects are absorbed. The purpose is to indicate to everyone (on both sides) that the spell was working until the object interfered. One of my PC wizards has theorized that this is "leakage" caused by inefficient energy transfer.
The wielder doesn't need to be skilled in physical defense, the absorb properties will magically redirect the object and/or the spell to ensure they collide; the real point is that the wielder focusses on this effort instead of just holding the object in an otherwise empty hand while he's focussed on doing other things.
The wielder can brandish the object defensively in the hopes of intercepting any hostile magics, even when he isn't sure if any are being cast, or from what source. And the object will absorb all incoming spell/magic attacks during that combat round, from multiple sources, regardless of the wielder's intent (and overcharge = boom). It's an obviously defensive posture, although some people might be annoyed when the PC insists on holding a weapon.
A special case for the above: the object absorbs every spell being cast at the wielder while it is active. This includes friendly and healing magics, this includes remote scrying magics. I've not had to rule whether it would absorb a wish spell which would otherwise directly affect the wielder, although that sounds like a bit of a headache.
The wielder can absorb area-effect spells, so long as he is within the targeted area of effect. Yes, this can make it a potent tool on a battlefield.
The wielder can attempt to intercept spells cast at others, provided he can physically get himself and the object into the spell's path.
There has been some idle discussion about whether such an object, when overcharged, could be employed as a grenade or bomb. None of my players has ever actually dared to risk their precious absorption objects on such an experiment, so I never actually decided any "official" house ruling on the matter. I point out that the "retributive strike" function from a staff of the magi (which automatically occurs when the staff overcharges) has a flat 50/50 chance of turning the wielder into ashes smeared across a ground-zero crater; the rest of the time it only blasts him comatose into some alternate plane or something ... this kinda suggests to me that there just isn't enough time to discard the overcharge or throw it at an opponent. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 15 Dec 2011 03:51:57 |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8030 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2011 : 07:29:20
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I've just looked through FRQ1: Haunted Halls of Eveningstar. I'd mistakenly thought magestars were some kind of mace/morningstar, but they aren't.  The description of magestars given on page 30 contains the following:quote:
... Spells cast at a magestar are absorbed and give the device 1 hp per spell level (a fireball sucked into a magestar gives it 3 hp and negates the effect of the fireball). All known spells cast at a magestar (including area effect spells) are absorbed, but active magics are not cancelled if a magestar enters the area.
At the owner's mental bidding (or automatically if he collapses or falls unconscious), the device moves to touch him and passes absorbed hit points to him as healing energy. If not charged with spells, it gives only 1d4 hp.
... Magestars have energy limits which vary unpredictably from one to another. A starved one shrinks, grows dim, then vanishes; an overloaded one explodes (4d6 blast damage to all within 20 feet; save for half damage).
From this description I would rule that a magestar is depleted (and vanishes) at 0 charges, it heals 1d4 hp when expending its last charge (depleting itself, then vanishing), and has a maximum capacity of 4d6-1 charges. Basically roll 4d6 to determine the "energy limit which varies unpredictably" for each particular magestar, and that particular magestar will explode when (over)charged to this capacity. The "energy limit" for another magestar would be determined by a different 4d6 roll, and a "perfect" magestar would safely hold a maximum "energy limit" of 23 charges, at 24 it explodes. This explosion causes 1 point of damage for each charge (save for half damage) and has a 20 foot radius.
I would ask if there's any mechanism for the owner to discern how many charges are stored within the magestar, or at least how many were just absorbed. The rod and staff from the DMG I mentioned above both provide this knowledge during use, although I admit that I keep my players guessing a little by ignoring this detail; the "leakage" effects implemented as a house rule hint at the identity of spells being absorbed. Magestars seem only to become "starved", shrinking and dimming as they're emptied, and I expect growing more robust, energetic, and brighter as they're filled up ... but this might not be sufficient to determine when they're approaching their minimum and maximum limits. Unless they maybe begin to sputter convulsively and fade and droop sluggishly when running on fumes; or become hyperactive, uncomfortably bright, and slowly build up a painfully loud high-pitched phaser whine when explosion is imminent.
I would also ask if they discharge their healing energy in controllable measures, or if it's sort of an all-or-nothing deal beyond the owner's control (outside from when he has fewer injured hps than magestar charges). Can the owner apply these charges one at a time or in desired increments until the magestar becomes dangerously dim? I might suggest magestars somehow resist expending that last special 1d4 hp charge, perhaps having to be double-clicked or presenting some sort of warning signal before being forced to deplete themselves to nonexistence.
I would also rule the absorb function works the usual way described in my above post, except in this case the owner activates the device (by touch/etc) and it hovers nearby, presumably automatically interposing itself between owner and hostile magic until deactivated. It makes me ask what happens when the owner casts, say, an area-effect spell which damages everybody in the room including himself ... does the magestar then suck up his spell?
I think it's best if the letter of the text is not accepted literally in this instance. I doubt many spells will specifically target the magestar instead of the wielder, and I doubt magestars will constantly absorb every spell ever directed at them - forcing their owners to constantly get hurt enough to drain healing charges, or to pass the magestar to other owners to do the same (one owner per round!), or until the magestar finally overloads and explodes - as written, you'd be able to remotely overload and destroy magestars (blasting all within 20 feet) just by repeatedly scrying on them. 
The text of FRQ1 only mentions magestars in two other places: page 7 (one owned by Lord Tessaril Winter) and page 22 (one in the Armory, easily procured by the PCs), but the "energy limits" for these two magestars are not specified. Encyclopedia Magica (page 687, Volume Two) describes magestars, using the FRQ1 text copied verbatim, ambiguous wording and all.
Here is a scroll from the Dragonsfoot library wherein other scribes offered their answers to your OP question, which has been asked before several times.
Here and here are copies of a scroll from the DND-L and D20MODERN-L Archives wherein a newer description adds some interesting embellishments and states "a magestar can absorb fifty spell levels" ... although this value seems arbitrary (<cough>magical rod 50 charges<cough>) and looks to be of dubious canon. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 15 Dec 2011 14:17:36 |
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2e magic item question - magestars
