LamensA lamen is a small totem or talisman that empowers the spellshape attacks of a spellshaper. The appearance of a lamen can vary widely, from a gemstone circling a spellsage's head to an ornate amulet worn by an elemental adept, but all lamens function in the same way. A lamen has negligible weight and takes up no magic item slots on the body. A spellshaper must simply wear the lamen in order to gain its benefits, but a spellshaper can benefit from only one lamen at a time.
Creating a lamen requires the use of material components worth 500 gp. In addition, at the beginning of the creation process, the lamen's creator must expend 60 XP. Creating a lamen requires one day, and the craftsman must work for 8 hours. The creator of a lamen must also possess the Craft Spellshape Items feat.
Enhancing LamensTo enhance a lamen with magic, a character needs basic tools, depending on the nature of the lamen. She also needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being the lamen to be enhanced. Enhancing a lamen requires the use of material components worth half of the base price given on Table 7-1, according to the lamen's total effective bonus. In addition, at the beginning of the enhancement process, the enhancer must expend XP equal to 1/25 of the enhancement's base price. Enhancing a lamen requires the Craft Spellshape Items feat.
Enhancing lamens has a special prerequisite: The enhancer's shaper level must be at least three times the enhancement bonus of the lamen. Thus, a 6th-level enhancer can make a
+2 lamen, a 9th-level enhancer can make a
+3 lamen, and a 15th-level spellshaper can make it
+5. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability (such as empowering), the higher of the two shaper level requirements must be met.
A lamen must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus to have any of the special properties described below. A character cannot create, for example, simply an
inhibiting lamen. An
inhibiting lamen needs an enhancement bonus of at least +1.
If formulae are involved in the prerequisites for enhancing the lamen, the creator must know the formulae, but need not shape them. However, the act of enhancing a lamen taps into the shaper's connection to the formulae in question, making them unavailable for shaping during each day of the enhancement process.
Enhancing a lamen requires one day for each 1,000 gp in the base price. A
+2 lamen has an item cost of 1,000 gp and a base price of 12,000 gp. It takes twelve days to enhance.
A lamen that has already been enhanced can be enhanced further. Doing so does not require that the enhancer pay the costs for enhancements already applied. Instead, she need only spend XP and use raw materials according to the difference in price between the existing enhancements and the total price after the new enhancements are applied. For example, further enhancing a
+2 lamen to a
+2 spellstorm lamen does not require an expenditure of 3,000 XP and 37,500 gp worth of raw materials, even though a
+2 spellstorm lamen has a base price of 75,000 gp. Instead, an enhancer would subtract the base price of a
+2 lamen and treat the item as though it had a base price of 63,000 gp; as such, she would need to spend only 2,530 XP and raw materials worth 31,500 gp. Moreover, further enhancing a lamen that has already been enhanced requires one day for each 1,000 gp in this adjusted price, not the full base price of the lamen.
Unlike most magic items, a lamen's enhancements are not bound to the composition of the item itself. By spending an extra day on the enhancement process, an enhancer can convert existing bonuses or properties to basic magic. In effect, the enhancement bonuses or properties are reduced to an unassigned magical enhancement equal in value to the converted enhancements. For example, an enhancer could spend a day with a
+3 empowering lamen to convert it to a simple
+1 lamen, with a total unassigned enhancement of +3.
An enhancer can use unassigned enhancements in place of materials and XP in order to enhance a lamen. For example, if a
+1 lamen had a total unassigned enhancement of +3, an enhancer could apply enhancements equal in value to a +3 enhancement bonus without supplying any materials or paying any experience point cost. Enhancing a lamen with unassigned enhancements still requires the normal time investment for enhancing a lamen.
An enhanced lamen targeted by a
Mordenkainen's disjunction spell or similar effect is not permanently disenchanted. Instead, if the item would be turned into a normal item, all of its existing enhancements are reduced to unassigned enhancements.
Lamen PropertiesLamens serve spellshapers in much the same way as magic weapons serve other characters. Lamens have enhancement bonuses ranging from +1 to +5. A spellshaper with a lamen applies this enhancement bonus on shaper level checks made to overcome spell resistance when shaping spellshape attacks that are subject to spell resistance, or to attack rolls when shaping spellshape attacks that are made as regular attacks instead of touch attacks.
In addition to enhancement bonuses, lamens may have special abilities, such as empowering spellshape attacks or allowing a spellshaper to give life to his attacks. Special abilities count as additional bonuses for determining the market value of the item, but do not modify shaper level checks or attack rolls (except if specifically noted). A single lamen cannot have a modified bonus (enhancement bonus plus special ability bonus equivalents) higher than +10. A lamen with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus.
The properties of a lamen apply only to spellshape attacks that are shaped normally. A spellshape champion who channels her spellshape attacks through a sword, for instance, would receive no benefits from a lamen. However, spellforge warsmiths and flamedancers benefit from lamens normally, as their abilities note that the weapons they create are subject to effects that would modify their spellshape attacks.
Shaper Level for Lamens: The shaper level of a lamen with a special ability is given in the item description. For a lamen with only an enhancement bonus and no other abilities, the shaper level is three times the enhancement bonus. If a lamen has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability, the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met.
Additional Damage Dice: Some lamen effects add additional dice of damage to spellshape attacks. Unlike other modifiers to damage, additional dice of damage are not multiplied when the attacker scores a critical hit.
Lamens and Critical Hits: Some lamen abilities have an extra effect on a critical hit. An
empowering surge lamen, for example, adds extra dice of damage to a spellshape attack on a critical hit. This special effect functions against creatures not subject to critical hits, such as undead, elementals, and constructs. When fighting against such creatures, roll for critical hits as you would against humanoids or any other creature subject to critical hits. On a successful critical roll, apply the special effect, but do not multiply the spellshape attack's regular damage.
The items in this section are arranged alphabetically.
AnimatingPrice: +4 bonus
Shaper Level: 15th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) conjuration
This lamen seems to sometimes move of its own accord.An animating lamen allows you to give brief life to your spellshape attacks. As a standard action, you can animate one of your spellshape attacks, allowing it to fight on its own. The animated spellshape attack fights for 4 rounds, using your attack bonus, and then disappears. While animated, it cannot make attacks of opportunity, and you cannot make attacks with it or shape formulae with it. An animated spellshape attack is immune to any damage or other effects that might harm creatures, though it can be dispelled or suppressed just like a spell effect. An animated spellshape attack is treated as a spell whose level is level is equal to 1/4 your shaper level. If an animated spellshape attack is dispelled, you cannot animate another spellshape attack for 4 rounds.
While animated, a spellshape attack occupies your space and can attack foes within its range. The spellshape attack accompanies you everywhere, whether you move by physical or magical means. If you have an unoccupied hand, you can reach out to it while it is attacking on its own as a free action; doing so ends the animation effect and allows you to shape the spellshape attack normally once more. After a spellshape attack has been retrieved in this way, you cannot animate another spellshape attack for 4 rounds.
You may only animate a single spellshape attack at a time.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Tendril of the Deep formula
BlastingPrice: +2 bonus
Shaper Level: 10th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) evocation
This lamen is light and warm to the touch.A blasting lamen causes your spellshape attacks to deal extra damage to any creatures near your intended target. For as long as you wear a blasting lamen, each successful hit with one of your spellshape attacks deals two dice of damage, of the size and damage type normally dealt by that spellshape attack, to all creatures in a 5-foot burst, including your original target. A successful Reflex save (DC 13 + your spellshaping ability modifier) halves this damage.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Sporeburst formula
BuffetingPrice: +3 bonus
Shaper Level: 11th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 20) abjuration
The surface of this lamen is glassy in appearance, as though it were surrounded by some sort of force.A buffeting lamen causes your spellshape attacks to drive your targets back. On a successful hit with one of your spellshape attacks, your target must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 15 + your spellshaping ability modifier) or be knocked back 10 feet, falling to the ground instead if such movement is impossible. If the first save fails, the target must succeed on another Fortitude save (same DC) or be dazed for 1 round.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Forceful Propulsion formula
Devastating [Synergy]Price: +3 bonus
Shaper Level: 15th
Aura: Strong; (DC 22) evocation
Synergy Prerequisite: Overpowering
The surface of this lamen seems to flicker from time to time, as if the lamen possesses some source of inner radiance.A devastating lamen functions as an overpowering lamen. In addition, whenever you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll or confirmation roll with one of your spellshape attacks, you have a chance for the attack to devastate your foes.
Upon a roll of natural 20 on an attack roll (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the critical multiplier of your spellshape attack increases by one step, as from x3 to x4, for that attack.. In addition, if you roll a natural 20 on a roll made to confirm a critical hit, you may then roll another confirmation roll to determine whether your spellshape attack's critical multiplier increases by one step.
This effect can occur multiple times on a single attack. For example, if you roll a natural 20 on your attack roll, followed by a natural 20 on the confirmation roll, and then a successful confirmation roll to increase your attack's critical multiplier, your spellshape attack's critical multiplier would instead increase by two steps. On three consecutive natural 20s (followed by another successful confirmation roll), your spellshape attack's critical multiplier would increase by three steps, and so on.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Disintegrating Spray formula
DirectedPrice: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 12th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) divination
When placed on a surface or left unattended, this lamen seems to always face in the same direction.A directed lamen causes your spellshape attacks to veer towards your targets, seeking out even the most well-protected of foes. For as long as you wear the lamen, your spellshape attacks ignore any miss chances that would otherwise apply to your attacks, such as from concealment. (You must still aim your attacks at the right square. Attacks made into an empty space, for example, do not veer and hit invisible enemies, even if they are nearby.)
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Item, must know the Conductivity Surge formula
EmpoweringPrice: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 10th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 20) evocation
This lamen is warm to the touch, and touching it gives you a sense of strength.An empowering lamen augments your spellshape attacks, making them deadlier and more powerful. For as long as you wear an empowering lamen, your spellshape attacks all deal an additional die of damage.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Scorching Blast formula
Empowering Surge [Synergy]Price: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 12th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) evocation
Synergy Prerequisite: Empowering
The surface of this lamen seems to flicker from time to time, as if the lamen possesses some source of inner radiance.An empowering surge lamen functions as an empowering lamen. In addition, for as long as you wear the lamen, your spellshape attacks surge with power upon striking a successful critical hit.
In addition to the extra damage from the empowering ability, an empowering surge lamen causes your spellshape attacks to deal an additional extra die of damage on a successful critical hit. This effect instead adds two dice of damage if your spellshape attack has a critical multiplier of x3, three dice of damage if your spellshape attack has a critical multiplier of x4, and so on.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Searing Blast formula
Formula StoringPrice: +2 bonus
Shaper Level: 12th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) evocation
This lamen glows faintly with stored energy.A formula storing lamen can hold a single formula in a semi-prepared state. Whenever you prepare formulae or change your formulae prepared, you can choose to store a single formula in the lamen. This formula must be one that you have not prepared, and you cannot store a formula in the lamen if doing so would prevent you from preparing your full number of formulae.
Once per encounter, you can shape a formula that is stored in the lamen as though you had prepared it. However, once the formula stored in the lamen has been shaped, it cannot be shaped again for the duration of the encounter--it cannot be recovered like expended formulae that you prepared normally.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Item, must know the Cold Moonlight formula
Formulaic SurgePrice: +5 bonus
Shaper Level: 15th
Aura: Strong; (DC 23) evocation
This lamen pulses with a brief flash of light whenever you shape a formula.A formulaic surge lamen allows you to shape devastatingly powerful formulae. For as long as you wear the lamen, you mulitply any extra dice of damage added by formulae whenever you score a critical hit with one of your spellshape attacks.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Convergence formula
HorizonPrice: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 6th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) divination
No matter how close it is, this lamen always seems as though you are seeing it from a great distance.A horizon lamen allows you to reach greater distances with your spellshape attacks. For as long as you wear the lamen, your range with all spellshape attacks is doubled. This effect stacks with the effect of the Tactical Shaper feat, for a cumulative tripling of range.
The benefits of a horizon lamen apply only to spellshape attacks made as ranged attacks.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Soaring Leap formula
InhibitingPrice: +2 bonus
Shaper Level: 11th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 20) abjuration
Lines of cold iron trace out an intricate design on the surface of this lamen.An inhibiting lamen mimics the impeded magic planar trait (see page 150 of the
Dungeon Master's Guide). Whenever one of your spellshape attacks strikes a creature, the target's ability to cast spells or use spell-like abilities is impeded for 1d6 rounds. To cast an impeded spell or use an impeded spell-like ability, the creature must attempt a Spellcraft check, Intelligence check, or Charisma check (whichever one is made with the highest bonus). The DC for this check is 15 + the spell level. If the check succeeds, the effect functions normally; if the check fails, the effect does not function and the spell or the use of the spell-like ability is lost.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Mindfreeze formula
LifefeederPrice: +4 bonus
Shaper Level: 10th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) necromancy
Possessing a dark tint to its coloration, this lamen is cold to the touch. Indeed, it seems to absorb your body heat.A lifefeeder lamen allows you to draw vitality from other living creatures. As a free action, you can declare any attack you make with one of your spellshape attacks to be a lifefeeding attack. Whenever you deal damage with such an attack, you gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage dealt by the attack. These temporary hit points last for up to 1 minute and don't stack with those from any other source, including additional uses of this effect.
The lifefeeder property functions three times per encounter.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Devouring Touch formula
Mana SwellPrice: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 7th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) transmutation
This lamen hums faintly, almost indiscernibly.A mana swell lamen allows you to store magical power from your spellshape attacks. Every time you deal damage to a creature with one of your spellshape attacks, the lamen gains 1 "mana point," which it can store for up to 1 hour. The lamen can store a maximum of 10 mana points. This effect is continuous and requires no activation.
When you deal damage to a creature while wearing a mana swell lamen, you can activate the lamen as a free action to spend up to 5 stored mana points. Each mana point you spend in this way deals an extra 2 points of damage to your target. The lamen doesn't gain any mana points from an attack on which you use this ability.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Vitality Drain formula
OverpoweringPrice: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 10th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 20) evocation
A single gemstone set in the center of this lamen glimmers slightly in the light.An overpowering lamen makes your critical strikes with spellshape attacks more devastating. For as long as you wear an overpowering lamen, the critical multiplier of all of your spellshape attacks increases by one step. A critical multiplier of x2 becomes a critical multiplier of x3, and so on.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Biting Acid formula
PotencyPrice: +2 bonus
Shaper Level: 11th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 20) transmutation
When struck, this lamen gives off a low, ringing tone that rises in pitch as it resonates.A potency lamen causes your spellshape attacks to grow in power over time. When shaping a spellshape attack against a target that took damage from the same attack in the previous round, the dice of damage dealt by the spellshape attack (including damage added by formulae) increase in size by one step. For example, if you make a fireblast attack against a creature that took damage from your fireblast attack in the previous round, your attack would deal damage in the form of d8s, rather than d6s.
If your target took damage from the spellshape attack in the previous two rounds, your attack's damage dice instead increase in size by two steps. This effect cannot increase an attack's damage dice to a size greater than d12.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Demolishing Blow formula
Power FlarePrice: +3 bonus
Shaper Level: 12th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) transmutation
When illuminated, this lamen shines brilliantly.A power flare lamen fills your spellshape attacks with destructive power, allowing them to score critical hits against creatures that would normally be immune. For as long as you wear a power flare lamen, your spellshape attacks are capable of critically striking creatures that are immune to critical hits, such as constructs, elementals, oozes, and undead, as well as creatures with fortification abilities. When fighting against such creatures, roll for critical hits as you would against humanoids or any other creature subject to critical hits. On a successful critical roll, you deal critical hit damage normally.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Light Unbound formula
SpellburnPrice: +3 bonus
Shaper Level: 9th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) conjuration
This lamen is detailed with gold runes that flash brilliantly in the sun.A spellburn lamen causes your spellshape attacks to engulf your foes in damaging magical energy. Whenever one of your spellshape attacks deals damage to a creature, traces of power remain and the creature takes an additional die of damage (of the size and type normally dealt by the spellshape attack in question) at the start of each of your turns for the next 5 rounds. Multiple instances of this effect are cumulative (a creature struck by your fireblast three times in the same round would take 3d6 points of fire damage per round for the next 5 rounds).
This continued damage can be stopped by a successful DC 15 Spellcraft check or any effect that restores hit points (such as
cure light wounds). However, while the effect is active, anyone attempting to cast a spell on the target that would restore hit points must succeed on a DC 15 caster level check.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Blazing Radiance formula
SpellstormPrice: +3 bonus
Shaper Level: 15th
Aura: Strong; (DC 22) transmutation
The edges of this lamen seem slightly blurred, as though it is constant motion.A spellstorm lamen allows you to make multiple spellshape attacks in a short period of time. Whenever you make a spellshape attack, including attacks made as a part of shaping a formula, you may make an additional attack with that spellshape attack against the same target, at your highest attack bonus. If the spellshape attack was made as a part of a formula, the formula resolves normally if either or both attacks hit, and the formula fails normally if both attacks miss.
This benefit is not cumulative with similar effects, such as a
haste spell or the Warped Minutes formula.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Warped Seconds formula
VolatilePrice: +1 bonus
Shaper Level: 10th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 20) evocation
This lamen feels heavier than it looks, and it gives off a faint sense of power.A volatile lamen allows you to channel the power of your arcane formulae into spellshape attacks that you shape. While you wear a volatile lamen, you can expend one of your prepared formulae once per round as a free action. If you do so, you gain a competence bonus on attack and damage rolls with your spellshape attacks equal to the expended formula’s level. This bonus lasts until the end of your turn.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Critical Mass formula
WardshatterPrice: +5 bonus
Shaper Level: 15th
Aura: Strong; (DC 22) abjuration
The surface of this lamen bears a simple design, detailed with dark stones.A wardshatter lamen allows you to circumvent the magical defenses of your targets. Whenever one of your spellshape attacks strikes a creature with spell resistance, that creature must make a Will save (DC 19 + your spellshaping ability modifier) or lose the benefits of its spell resistance for 1d4 rounds. The target's spell resistance returns to normal after this effect ends.
Prerequisites: Craft Spellshape Items, must know the Piercing Starlight formula