Item Time

March 27th, 2018

Time can be tricky subject in Pathfinder. After all, such fundamental features as how we tell time might vary based on setting, and manipulating time either forward or backward can really muddle and confuse game mechanics. So how is it that we even dare to create four new time-themed magic items? Well, frankly, we just thought it would be real cool. There’s a lot of ways to look at time, and a few different mechanics that can explore its role in a campaign, which I hope to highlight in the following selection.

CLOCK OF TRAVEL PRICE 90,000 gp
Slot —; CL 13th; Weight 2 lbs.
Aura strong conjuration

The origins of these curious clocks are unknown, but their power is the stuff of legends. Each clock remains silent and unmoving until its magic is invoked, causing the mysterious porcelain device to spring to life and action.

This clock can be used to transport up to 6 creatures from its location to another, and then recall them after a certain period of time has passed. In order to use the clock, one must first wind it, setting an alarm to go off after a designated amount of time, and then must touch the clock and speak a command word. The clock’s alarm can be set for up to 12 hours, after which time a character that used the clock to travel will be instantly transported back to the clock's location. The clock can be used to transport a character to any location as with a greater teleport spell, and can even be used to bring characters to other planes, as with the plane shift spell.

Construction Requirements Cost 45,000 gp

Craft Wondrous Item, plane shift, teleport

RING OF STOP TIME PRICE 20,000 gp
Slot ring; CL 17th; Weight —
Aura strong transmutation

These gorgeous gold bands feature a diamond marked with a clock face for a center stone and seem to tick and tock on the wearer’s finger. Touching the diamond can stop this ticking, or stop time itself.

Three times per day, this ring allows the wearer to temporarily halt time around him, giving him the ability to act freely for a brief moment. This functions like the spell time stop, except that the effect lasts for only 1d4 rounds, and that the wearer cannot cast spells, use spell completion or spell trigger items, or use spell-like abilities while using this ability. Removing the ring ends the time stop effect early, returnings things to normal time.

Construction Requirements Cost 10,000 gp

Forge Ring, time stop

TEMPORAL CHAIN PRICE 90,300 gp
Slot armor; CL 5th; Weight 40 lbs.
Aura moderate transmutation

This odd suit of turquoise chains bears numerous devices for telling time hanging suspended from its large imposing links. Each seems to keep its own time, and though the devices are almost silent, a careful listener can hear the cacophony of subtle ticks, each tuned to some alien day.

In addition to functioning as a suit of +5 chainmail, a temporal chain can alter time around the wearer by altering the armor’s properties. Up to three times per day, the wearer can alter his time by speaking a command word. The wearer can speed up his time, doubling his movement rate, and allowing him to make an additional attack each round at his highest base attack bonus. While his speed is increased in this way, he suffers a –4 penalty to his AC, as the chains loosen to accommodate his faster movement. Alternatively, the wearer can choose to slow down his time, gaining the staggered condition. If he does, he is able to anticipate incoming attacks and gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC and to all saving throws. In either case, his time remains altered for 1 minute.

None of a temporal chain’s unique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +5-equivalent armor for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.

Construction Requirements Cost 45,300 gp

Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste, slow

WATCH DAGGER PRICE 4,302 gp
Slot none; CL 5th; Weight 1 lb.
Aura faint transmutation

This gorgeous dagger is a fine work of both the blacksmith and the clockmaker’s craft, and serves as both a functional weapon and a stylish timepiece. Featuring an intricate and ornate long stiletto blade with hollow places, giving it an almost clockwork appearance, these daggers are far more formidable than they appear. They also feature a handsome, magically powered 12-hour clock.

A watch dagger features a magical clock that always tells the correct time based on the wielder’s current location, provided it is not in an antimagic field or similar area (in which the clock simply ceases to function). Additionally, this weapon functions as +1 dagger and offers different benefits depending on the time of day. In the morning hours (6:00 am to 12:00 noon), the dagger deals fire damage, rather than its normal type of damage, and deals an additional 1 point of fire damage on a successful hit. During the daytime hours (12:00 noon to 6:00 pm), the dagger deals an additional 2 points of slashing damage on a successful hit, and deals an additional 1d4 points of damage on a successful critical hit. During the evening hours (6:00 pm to 12:00 midnight), the weapon deals cold damage, rather than its normal type of damage, and deals an additional 3 points of nonlethal cold damage with each successful hit. Finally, during the nighttime hours (12:00 midnight to 6:00 am), the dagger deals nonlethal damage rather than regular damage, and deals an additional 4 points of nonlethal damage with each successful hit.

None of a watch dagger’s unique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +1-equivalent weapon for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.

Construction Requirements Cost 2,302 gp

Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill touch, flame blade, keen edge, sleep