Hot Rods II
Revenge of the Rod
I like rods. They’re a fun group of magic items that have most of the flavor and mystery of staves (as well as some additional flavor of their own, in the form of things like lordly scepters), but without the expectation that they have to be nothing more than spells-on-a-stick (by the way, if you want to see some staves that aren’t spells-on-a-stick, might I recommend The Ebon Vault: Secrets of the Staff, which provides a large number of staves that attempt to break the mold on what, exactly, a staff should be and do). Besides some types of wondrous items, rods have perhaps the least restrictions on them as far as what is “appropriate” for a magic rod to do. Today I bring you three new rods, and while at a glance they seem to be aimed mostly at spellcasters, I think that characters of all stripes can find something useful here.
HEDGEWIZARD’S ROD
Aura faint varies; CL 1st
Slot none; Price 1,500 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Construction Requirements Craft Rod, creator must know the spell associated with the rod; Cost 750 gp
These rods vary wildly in appearance, and tend to be stylized based on the spell that they replicate. In general, they tend to have particularly elaborate carvings and decorations, usually depicting some aspect of the spell that they contain, and are also usually painted quite fastidiously, making them some of the most beautiful and artistic rods one is likely to find. While they are typically made of wood, it is not unheard of for them to be made of other materials.
Each hedgewizard’s rod has a single 0-level spell associated with it. As long as the rod is held, the wearer can cast the associated spell as a spell-like ability at will.
ROD OF LIGHTNING ATTRACTION
Aura moderate evocation [electricity]; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 45,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Construction Requirements Craft Rod, call lightning; Cost 22,500 gp
These rods are typically made of copper, and are always made of some kind of metal. The rod’s cap is usually stylized in the likeness of a two-faced man, with one side showing a smiling, slightly mischievous-looking face, and the other showing a face of howling agony and pain.
These rods magically attract electricity in the area around them, which can be very useful if applied properly, and very dangerous if not. All spells or effects that deal electricity damage and require either a ranged touch attack or have an area of effect that occur within 60 feet of the rod of lightning attraction are automatically redirected to the rod of lightning attraction. Even in the case of spells with an area of effect, or with multiple targets, only the rod (and its wielder) is affected. The rod itself is immune to electricity damage, but does not extend this protection to its wielder, and any creature or object in contact with the rod of lightning attraction when it is struck in this way suffers electricity damage as though they had been hit with the attack, spell, or effect as well.
In the case of spells or effects requiring a ranged touch attack, the spell or effect is “within 60 feet” of the rod if either the target or the attacker are within 60 feet of the rod, or if the line of effect from the attack to the target passes through a space within 60 feet of the rod. In the case of spells or effects with an area, the spell or effect is “within 60 feet” of the rod if any part of that area is within 60 feet of the rod.
In addition to its ability to attract nearby electricity, the rod can also be used to call down lightning bolts. This functions as call lightning. The lightning bolts called by this ability are affected normally by the rod’s ability to attract electricity, so any lightning bolts targeted within 60 feet of the rod itself will automatically strike the rod, though lightning bolts targeted more than 60 feet from the rod are not affected. This ability can be activated by a command word even by those who are not currently holding the rod itself, as long as they are within audible range of the rod. This ability can be used three times per day.
SPONTANEOUS METAMAGIC ROD
Aura strong (no school); CL 17th
Slot none; Price 12,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Construction Requirements Craft Rod, creator must possess the metamagic feat associated with the rod; Cost 6,000 gp
Preferred over more standard metamagic rods by spontaneous spellcasters who favor one particular metamagic feat, each of these rods is tied to a particular metamagic feat, determined at the item’s creation, which cannot later be changed. As long as the rod is held, whenever the wielder spontaneously casts a spell, he may choose to apply the metamagic feat associated with the rod to that spell. This adjusts the spell level that the affected spell takes up, exactly as though the wielder possessed the metamagic feat in question and applied it accordingly, except that it doesn’t increase the amount of time required to cast the spell. A spontaneous metamagic rod cannot be used in conjunction with spells that are prepared ahead of time.