Author Topic: Spells on Ammo questions  (Read 1462 times)

Offline Captnq

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Spells on Ammo questions
« on: February 14, 2013, 08:13:31 AM »
So, I'm looking at every spell you can cast on ammunition that is permanent.

Thoughts on what one should be charged for having these spells on your arrows? Should I just assume it's the cost of the scroll, or that I should go off that "hire a spellcaster" chart? And while we're at it, any reason why these spells won't work?

CONTINUAL FLAME
Glow glow glow?

DRAGONEYE RUNE
Trace your arrow?

EXPLOSIVE RUNES
On the shaft of the arrow. If someone reads it, Boom? How about I tie a message around the arrows shaft and THAT has the explosive rune?

GEM TRACER
Will it trace an arrow shot into someone?

GLYPH OF WARDING
On the end of the arrow. Will it work?

LEOMUND’S TRAP
Fool people into thinking the arrow is trapped so you can't remove it?

MAGIC MOUTH
Talking sling stone? DO NOT TAUNT HAPPY FUN BALL!

PROFANE ITEM
For those who trigger it, 1d4/level max 10d4. Only goes off on outsiders and shapeshifters, however.

REFUGE
So, I cast refuge on an arrow. If I say the command word when I shoot it into someone's chest (a standard action that "breaks" the arrow.) Do I teleport home?

SACRED ITEM
Only works on undead, but I can pack an extra 10d4 damage into my arrow. I mean, this spell costs NOTHING and is only cleric 4. Is there any reason a cleric can have say, 50 arrows with this cast on them at 10th level and just plunk arrow after arrow into undead, watching them explode in a burst of positive material energy? If they save, does the shaking condition stack from multiple arrows?

How much should I charge someone? How much for an empowered version (SL 6)? Maximized (SL7)? Twin (SL8)? Maximized/Empowered (SL9)? Repeat Empowered (SL9)?

The empowered version would be the most efficient version (Anything over SL6, no longer gains damage from the CL, as damage maxes out at 10d4), but people love overkill.

SEPIA SNAKE SIGIL
Can you put a sepia snake sigil on an explosive rune? Assuming I get to put explosive rune on the shaft of an arrow?

SKULL WATCH
There are some Fairly small humanoids out there. So I kill a pixie and cast skull watch on his skull. I then mount it in a sling and whip it at someone. I aim for a square and when it gets there it floats 5 feet off the ground. Will it go off? Do I have to choose where the skull is facing when I cast the spell, or when I fire it?

TROBRIAND’S GLASSEE
So I could make my sling bullets transparent? Metal bolts transparent? Would there be any advantage to having see through ammunition?
« Last Edit: February 14, 2013, 08:42:56 AM by Captnq »
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Offline Kethrian

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Re: Spells on Ammo questions
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2013, 11:16:55 PM »
Go with the "hire a spellcaster" chart.  You're having the spell cast directly upon the arrow, not turning the arrow into a scroll.

If you want a permanent, continuous spell effect on the arrow, and it's not a spell like Continual Flame which has a permanent duration, then the formula is Caster Level x Spell Level x 2000gp.

Continual Flame: 50gp plus any caster hiring fee, the cheapest way to permanently make something glow.

Dragoneye Rune: Dunno if the spell is still functional after the arrow breaks...

Explosive Runes: Either method should work.  Find out if your DM agrees that Explosive Runes should trigger if the object is destroyed, to find out which version is better.

Gem Tracer: I doubt it.  Arrows that hit their target are considered destroyed, so it's no longer intact to trace.

Glyph of Warding: You can't open an arrow, so it's not a valid target.

Leomund's Trap: You'd have to make sure the enemy thinks to check it for traps first, otherwise it won't have any effect.

Magic Mouth: Sure, why not?

Profane Item: Should work just fine, so long as the arrow hits.

Refuge: If it works, which I'm not sure it would, you would appear in the caster's abode, or the caster would appear within 10 feet of you, whichever version was cast.

Sacred Item: Same as Profane item.  Fear effects stack unless they state otherwise.  As for prices, since it's permanent until discharged, the hire a caster chart is good.

Sepia Snake Sigil: I have no idea how it would work in conjunction with Explosive Runes.  I'm sure there's an order of process that has to be followed, though, and if Exposive Runes goes off first, SSS shouldn't trigger because the object has been destroyed.

Skull Watch: Looks like you'd choose a facing when casting it.  Once it's been slung, I'd randomize the direction it faces.  As for going off at landing, I would think that only when a living creature enters its area after it lands would it be set off.

Trobriand's Glassee: Yes, you could make them transparent, like they were made of glass.  Advantages?  Not off the top of my head, but I'm sure someone can think of some...
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Offline NunoM

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Re: Spells on Ammo questions
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2013, 03:17:19 AM »
I agree with Kethrian.

As for the see through ammunition, i'd probably give the shooter an edge (+2 on Hide checks) when using the sniping tactical move, or something like that. Shooting under water or in dark environments are good candidates for this too...
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Offline veekie

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Re: Spells on Ammo questions
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2013, 11:50:18 PM »
Transparent ammo shouldn't really make a difference in use, though it might when trying to sneak weapons past inspection. The arrows already move faster than the target can see in time to dodge on that information, he'd be evading based on the shooter's posture and trajectory(or just moving around to throw the trajectery off), not the shot.

Even accounting for sniping, the target doesn't gain any more information if he could see the arrow, other than the attacker using an arrow, the direction he was shot from tells far more, and fortunately for him he has a hole in him that lines up with the attacker's position.
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