Spell Storage

[Captnq]

Now, I'm slowly getting back to having access and having free time to work on the spellbook again, I've even updated TSB with Eberron spells. Now I'm trying to determine things spells can be stored in.

1) Technically you can create a staff with a single spell. Should that be allowed?

2) Do you consider eternal wands actual wands? It someone was making a big random table of wands, would you want eternal wands on that list?

3) Are there any examples of a wand, potion, or staff having a spell with range of personal?

4) SHALANTHA’S DELICATE DISK: There is no reason that I couldn't open up a shop with an Adept who casts Heal into a delicate disk. My shelves would be stocked with disks of 90 points of Heal for... 200 gp base? A heal scroll by the same source would be 562.5 gp and 22 xp base.
Why aren't there magic shops full of delicate disks?

5) Besides Scrolls, Wands, Staves, Potions, and Shalantha's delicate disk, are there any other ways of storing a spell for later use? Note, said magic device needs to last effectively forever in storage.

[kitep]

1) Technically you can create a staff with a single spell. Should that be allowed?

If it's technically allowed, you know people on here will want it.  I could easily see it used when someone first creates a staff but doesn't have the money to put more spells in it yet.  Do the one you can afford now, add the rest later.

2) Do you consider eternal wands actual wands? It someone was making a big random table of wands, would you want eternal wands on that list?

Yes, and ditto with Runestaves.

3) Are there any examples of a wand, potion, or staff having a spell with range of personal?

I looked and couldn't find any.  No reason there shouldn't be though.

4) SHALANTHA’S DELICATE DISK: There is no reason that I couldn't open up a shop with an Adept who casts Heal into a delicate disk. My shelves would be stocked with disks of 90 points of Heal for... 200 gp base? A heal scroll by the same source would be 562.5 gp and 22 xp base.
Why aren't there magic shops full of delicate disks?

Seems like there should be.  I reckon it's because it an a book a lot of people don't use.

5) Besides Scrolls, Wands, Staves, Potions, and Shalantha's delicate disk, are there any other ways of storing a spell for later use? Note, said magic device needs to last effectively forever in storage.

Weapon of spell-storing.  It's even easily rechargable.
Ditto with rings of spell-storing.

Runes.  There's some creature that keeps it in ice.  I think maybe tattoos?  Contingency spell.  Craft Contingency feat.  I think Glyphs of Warding can hold offensive spells (and there's a magic item that duplicates it).

Some artificer prestige class can keep "potion blanks" that can hold up to 9th level spells.

I'm gonna get this wrong, but there's something like an "etch-schema" which is the scroll version of eternal wands.

[NunoM]

Don't have much time to answer properly to all your questions, but here's a quick reply...

1. Sure, why not...? You'd just end up with big wand

2. I'd go for an houserule like that... If eternal wands are allowed and commonly used in a campaign, a custom table of wands wouldn't surprise me

3. Example: Wand of False Life

4. Probably because of a shortage of golden chickens

5. Items like Ring of spell storing, Ring of Theurgy, weapon "Spell storing" ability or Bloodstone (but only for vampiric touch)

From the top of my head... and quick google-fu. Will update later, if needed...

[sirpercival]

Now, I'm slowly getting back to having access and having free time to work on the spellbook again, I've even updated TSB with Eberron spells. Now I'm trying to determine things spells can be stored in.

1) Technically you can create a staff with a single spell. Should that be allowed?

Why not? Though custom staves are not explicitly allowed in the same way that custom wands or custom scrolls are.

2) Do you consider eternal wands actual wands? It someone was making a big random table of wands, would you want eternal wands on that list?

Personally, I don't.  They're dissimilar enough that they aren't spell trigger items.

3) Are there any examples of a wand, potion, or staff having a spell with range of personal?

Staff of Abjuration has shield.

4) SHALANTHA’S DELICATE DISK: There is no reason that I couldn't open up a shop with an Adept who casts Heal into a delicate disk. My shelves would be stocked with disks of 90 points of Heal for... 200 gp base? A heal scroll by the same source would be 562.5 gp and 22 xp base.
Why aren't there magic shops full of delicate disks?

Oh, that's a wonderful idea.

5) Besides Scrolls, Wands, Staves, Potions, and Shalantha's delicate disk, are there any other ways of storing a spell for later use? Note, said magic device needs to last effectively forever in storage.

Minor Schemas are 1/day scrolls (similar to Eternal Wands).  A Runesmith can share runes with others, but I don't remember how long it lasts.  A Runecaster (some FR book) can do similar for longer periods of time.  A Rune Circle (RoS) can affect a person with a spell who stands inside it.  A Scepter (some FR book) is essentially a 2-spell wand, a cross between a wand and a staff. A Contingent Spell effectively lasts as long as you want it to.

[kitep]

You sure don't like easy projects, do you? 

Looking at a list of Item Creation Feats, I see

Gems
Skull Talisman
Infusions  (A 3.0 thing, not to be confused with an artificer's infusions)

The others have already been mentioned (except for Epic versions).  I assume you don't want items that hold psionic powers.

[sirpercival]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Skull Talismans!  Make potions up to 9th level

[kitep]

I think Glyphs of Warding can hold offensive spells (and there's a magic item that duplicates it).

The items I was thinking of are Glyph Seal, and Glyph Seal Greater, both MIC-161.

----

There's also the druid spell Spellstaff.  Notice it says "one spell you can normally cast" and not "druid spell", so if a wizard uses UMD to cast spellstaff from a scroll, he could put wizard spells in the staff (or any other class can do likewise).

[Vicerious]

For what it's worth, potions explicitly cannot be made from personal-range spells.
d20srd source

[ksbsnowowl]

5) Besides Scrolls, Wands, Staves, Potions, and Shalantha's delicate disk, are there any other ways of storing a spell for later use? Note, said magic device needs to last effectively forever in storage.

Many of these have already been mentioned.

Scepters (Lost Empires of Faerun), like a staff, but up to 7th level spells; 5th+ level spells cost two charges.
Skull Talismans (Frostburn is most recent, but also some FR book)
Talismans (Oriental Adventures - basically potions in another form, but no restriction against personal range spells)
Minor Schema (Magic of Eberron - 1/day reuseable scroll, sort of like an eternal wand)
Runes (Incribe Rune feat, FRCS & PGtF)

[kitep]

It should probably be mentioned, but while potions normally are limited to 3rd level spells or lower, there are at least 2 PRCs that can make up to 9th level potions.  Can somebody name them?  (not a quiz - I just don't know)

[ksbsnowowl]

It should probably be mentioned, but while potions normally are limited to 3rd level spells or lower, there are at least 2 PRCs that can make up to 9th level potions.  Can somebody name them?  (not a quiz - I just don't know)

Master Alchemist (Magic of Faerun)
The other is from Magic of Eberron, I think, and can also make potions of the fly. (Alchemist Savant?) - nope, this isn't it.

[ksbsnowowl]

5) Besides Scrolls, Wands, Staves, Potions, and Shalantha's delicate disk, are there any other ways of storing a spell for later use? Note, said magic device needs to last effectively forever in storage.

Many of these have already been mentioned.

Scepters (Lost Empires of Faerun), like a staff, but up to 7th level spells; 5th+ level spells cost two charges.
Skull Talismans (Frostburn is most recent, but also some FR book)
Talismans (Oriental Adventures - basically potions in another form, but no restriction against personal range spells)
Minor Schema (Magic of Eberron - 1/day reuseable scroll, sort of like an eternal wand)
Runes (Incribe Rune feat, FRCS & PGtF)

Oh, another one - 3.0's Candle Caster (Tome and Blood) could make candles that were basically scrolls.

[Captnq]

Okay, I just want to confirm all the limitation on the following magic items:

Potion/Oil
1. Max 3rd level spells.
2. Can have Metamagic feats built in.
3. The original spell's casting time can be no greater then 1 minute.
4. Oils can be used on objects or corporeal creatures.
5. Potions can only be used on corporeal creates that can consume the potion.
6. The spell must be have a valid target line.
7. Spells with a range of personal cannot be made into potions.
Note: There are prestige classes that allow potions up to 9th level. I'm going to have to assume said potions would be so rare as to be unbuyable. There are other items that do the same thing below.

Retail Cost: SL x CL x 50 GP


Scrolls
1. Max 9th level spells.
2. Can have Metamagic feats built in.

Retail Cost: SL x CL x 25 GP


Wands:
1. Max 4th level spells
2. Can have Metamagic feats built in.
3. Examples of wands with personal range are in the DM's guide, therefore, a wand can have a range of personal.

Retail Cost: SL x CL x 750 GP


Attuned Gem
1. Max 9th level spells
2. Spell must be able to target itself, or a creature within 5 feet.
3. Arcane Spells Only.
4. Can have Metamagic feats built in.

Retail Cost: (SL x 50) + (SL x CL X 50) GP


Skull Talisman
1. Max 9th level spells
2. Spell must target one or more creatures.
3. Can have Metamagic feats built in.

Retail Cost: SL x CL x 100 GP


Minor Schema
1. Max 6th level spells
2. Can have Metamagic feats built in.
3. No XP Cost to spell.
4. No Expensive material component.

Retail Cost: SL x CL X 400 GP


Runes
1. Max 9th level spells
2. Can have Metamagic feats built in.
3. Divine spells only.
4. Spell must be able to target that which activates it.

Retail Cost: SL x CL x 50 GP


Eternal Wands
1. Max 3rd level spells
2. Can have Metamagic feats built in.
3. Arcane Only.
4. No XP Cost to spell.
5. No Expensive material component.

Retail Cost: (SL x CL x 720) + 100 GP


Spellstaff
Since it is any spll you can cast, it is, in theory, possible for someone to take a scroll of spellstaff and  UMD to make a spellstaff of a wizard spell. However, only the caster of the Spellstaff scroll can use a spellstaff, therefore you would never find it in a magic shop.

Infusions:
I'm going to limit myself to 3.5 magic items.

Staffs:
After much thought, the staff is intended to be created with multiple available spells. Therefore, for purposes of The Spell Book, they are not included. If I figured out EVERY possible combination of spells in a staff, I'd never finish. I'm only looking for objects that hold one spell.

Scepter:
Again, a scepter can hold two spells, and i'm looking for single spell use items.

Shalantha's Delicate Disk:
Frankly, this spell breaks the system. Any 5th level spell can be stored in a disk for 200  GP. That means, if you follow standard rules of calculating retail cost from base cost, any 5th level spell can be stored in a disk anyone can activate without UMD for 400 GP. A potion with a 2nd level spell costs 400 GP. From a game balance point of view, I simply cannot include them.




So, did I screw anything up?

[kitep]

You missed weapon of spell-storing and rings of spell-storing

There's also Tattoo Magic.

[kitep]

There's also a "universal potion", created by an Alchemist Savant (Magic of Eberron, p55)

Can hold any arcane spell or alchemist infusion of 3rd level or lower.  The thing is, the crafter doesn't actually put the spell into the potion - anyone can do it, simply by shaking the potion and knowing the spell or infusion - it doesn't even cost the spell slot, you simply have to know the spell or have it in your spellbook, which I'm sure can lead to some abuse.

Cost = SL * CL * 100 gp (twice a normal potion's cost)

I'm wondering if they meant the spell/infusion had to be placed into the potion right after brewing it instead of waiting until you needed it.  I can't imagine they meant to let you have any 3rd level spell in your spellbook available to you at a moment's notice - on the other hand, the Amulet of Spell Conversion does it, up to 6th level spells.

[betrayor]

I respectfully disagree about the Staffs....
I think that you can have a staff with only one spell in it.....
I never seen it played different and everybody here responded that this is the correct way too.....

[kitep]

There's also the Craft Contingent Spell feat.

There's also the Contingency spell.  It has a range of personal, so you probably don't want to include it.  Though in my games, I allow some shenangins with Magic Jar to be able to put it on anybody.

[betrayor]

Also for what is worth it the FAQ also says that you can have a staff with only one spell.....

Can a magic staff hold only one spell?
Yes. Even though all the staffs presented in the DMG
contain multiple spells, the rules don’t expressly ban you from
crafting a staff with only one spell (and what’s more, it’s not
significantly unbalancing to do so).

From FAQ 3.5 page 64.....

[kitep]

Caster's Shield (DMG-221) - it contains a strip that you can write a 3rd-level spell on for just 1/2 price.

[sirpercival]

Forgot Rune circles.

Also left out a Runesmith's runes, but it seems you're leaving out stuff based on PrCs so never mind   Ditto with the Unbound Scroll's scroll dominance (there's even a handbook about that one).

What about psionic items?

Moving away from the area of RAW, an arcane swordsage could write Martial Scripts of spells.