Author Topic: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?  (Read 6227 times)

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Aharon

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Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« on: December 07, 2009, 12:50:29 PM »
Hi!

I've never actually played an artificer, so I don't have any intuition on how it actually turns out when played. On the WoTC boards, the guide mentions one way to artificer power is Metamagic Item (Persist) in conjunction with eternal wands. In MIC, eternal wands are reprinted as command activated items not usable with Metamatic Item. Is it viable to use normal wands to do the same thing? Or does the Artificer have to wait till 11th level, when he can persist spells from Minor Schemas, which are spell completion items?
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Bloody Initiate

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2009, 01:22:28 PM »
Persisting from a normal wand is viable because metamagic item still works on regular wands. 1 charge a day out of a 50 charge buff wand (buff wands last the longest) is going to last you 50 days. If you can't make enough money in 50 days of adventuring to replace the wand, then your problems are larger than a few wand charges.

The metamagic spell completion ability is really badass but the UMD check jumps up really fast.
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CantripN

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2009, 02:00:02 PM »
In fact, while I adore Eternal Wands, in reality regular Wands are often better, what with the no-limit per day, and not really running out.

Personally, other than wands of healing spells, I'm yet to drain any wand. Think of the sheer amount of spell-power within and you'll see why. By the time a wand is no longer useful because it's CL or spell are useless, you still have quite a few charges left.

Eternal Wands are for people like me who have a hard time spending finite resources in game. ...even though you'll never really run out.
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CantripN

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2009, 02:03:11 PM »
In fact, I vote you go and use Scepters (LEoF). It's like a discount on buying Wands en-masse.

Still bothering you? There's a feat in the same book that lets you pay with spell slots for charges. It's a good feat for anyone who has a lot of wands/staves, like an Artificer, and can't use nonsense like Action Points to fire for free.
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Aharon

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2009, 03:19:56 PM »
cool, that's exactly what I was looking for. I only new about Master Wand though, which is [Epic]. No action points, so this will probably be it. Thanks!

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Havok4

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2009, 05:21:54 PM »
If you want to not waste any charges at all you can just use the unfettered heroism wand surge combo. Basically you persist unfettered heroism (races of ebberon) through metamagic item infusions. This gives you one extra action point which recharges each round. Wand surge lets you spend action points instead of charges. Infinite wand or staff ammo.

CantripN

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2009, 05:23:07 PM »
Which was my point about not ridiculously abusing action points...
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CantripN

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2009, 07:18:17 PM »
There's also this: (Source)

Soul Charge
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 24 hours or until discharged
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You steal a portion of the target's soul and use it to activate a wand or other spell-trigger item. The spell bestows one negative level to the target (with the normal repercussions of gaining a negative level, including the possibility of losing a level 24 hours later) and transfers the soul's energy to a crystal you carry. When the crystal holds a charge, you can use the energy in it to power a spell effect from a wand or other spell-trigger item instead of using a charge from the wand. Even if the spell normally expends two charges from the item, soul charge can add only one charge per use.

To use this spell to active an item, you must be able to activate the item yourself. That is, the spell effect you activate must be on the spell list for your class. The spell also must be 3rd-level or lower, and the item's caster level must be less than or equal to your caster level.

Example: A 13th-level wizard with a staff of defense wants to use this spell to trigger the staff. Only one of the staff's powers -- shield -- meets the requirements for soul charge. The other powers, shield of faith, shield other, and shield of law, aren't on the wizard's spell list.

Focus: A piece of crystal worth at least 100 gp. The crystal receives the energy stolen from the soul. A single crystal can hold only one charge. A character can carry more than one charge at a time, but must have a separate crystal for each charge.

[spoiler]
Utterly irrelevant, but very useful for tricks with Artificers:
Source

Awaken from Afar
Evocation
Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Clr 6, Drd 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One spell trigger activation item
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

An awaken from afar spell allows you to use a spell trigger item without actually touching the item. The item to be activated must be within the range of the awaken from afar spell, and it functions as though you yourself were triggering it from its current position. All other conditions, such as the requirement that you have the spell on your spell list or if the item's enchantment restricts its use to a particular race or individual, still apply. Both you and the item to be activated have to be on the same plane. The item cannot be in the possession of another creature at the time of activation, and it must be an item that you have previously triggered normally (in other words, without the aid of an awaken from afar spell.

New Magic Items

Ring of Spell Triggering: This ring allows the wearer to continually utilize the effects of the spell awaken from afar.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Forge Ring, awaken from afar; Market Price: 90,000 gp.[/spoiler]
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 07:24:25 PM by CantripN »
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Operation Shoestring

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2009, 03:15:49 AM »
Technically, a slotless command word item of (Spell) is Spell level x Caster level x1800gp x2, equivalent to (cost of Eternal wand of that level - 100gp) x5, and doesn't have a limitation on uses, IIRC.

That requires your DM to approve such a custom magic item however.

Also, command word items require a standard action, so you can't have a command word item of Wings of Cover.

snakeman830

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Re: Eternal Wands - How does the Artificer fare without them?
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2009, 12:40:25 PM »
Also, command word items require a standard action, so you can't have a command word item of Wings of Cover.
You could, you would just have to ready actions for it to be of any use.
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