Magical Focus Implements (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Magical Focus ImplementsEdit
Wealth disparity has been a major part of D&D; the fighters need magical weaponry to be effective, while casters for the most part rely entirely on their spellcasting ability modifier to affect enemies with their spells. This variant attempts to address this matter, while at the same time adding the "coolness" of many magical weapons to spellcasters.
Another advantage of this system is that it allows low-level spells which require a DC to remain relevant in higher-level games, as the difference between a first-level spell and a ninth-level spell is 4 (as opposed to 8).
Mechanics ChangesEdit
With this variant, spellcasters are required to wield special focuses to cast their spells at full effectiveness, usually a staff, orb, or wand for arcane casters, or a holy symbol of their appropriate deity for divine casters. Without such a focus, the caster reduces the DC of any of their spells by 4 and takes a -4 penalty to concentration checks and their caster level (which may mean that they are unable to cast their highest-level spells).
Casters with the Eschew Material Components feat do not take the above penalty to DC and caster level, even without a focus implement in addition to not requiring material components to cast their spells.
Furthermore, the DC of spells is now equal to 10 + their spellcasting ability modifier + the focus implement enhancement bonus + 1/2 the spell level, rounded up.
Masterwork focus implements (which cost an additional 300 gold) may be enchanted (just like weapons) to increase the DC of spells cast, costing as per the table below:
| Effective Enhancement Bonus | Base Price |
|---|---|
| +1 | 2,000 gp |
| +2 | 8,000 gp |
| +3 | 18,000 gp |
| +4 | 32,000 gp |
| +5 | 50,000 gp |
| +61 | 72,000 gp |
| +71 | 98,000 gp |
| +81 | 128,000 gp |
| +91 | 162,000 gp |
| +101 | 200,000 gp |
- A focus implement can’t actually have a bonus higher than +5. Use these lines to determine price when special abilities are added in.
Even if more than one magical focus implement is wielded, any given spell can only gain the benefit of one magical focus implement at a time.
Focus Implement EnchantmentsEdit
As is indicated in the table above, focus implement may be enchanted with various effects in addition to the simple enhancement bonus that increases the DC of their spells. The following section includes some of the enhancements which may be added, including their effective enhancement or cost increase adjacent to the name. If a spell deals damage more than once for a given action (such as multiple magic missiles or scorching rays) and the magical implement increases the damage of the spell, the increase in damage only affects one such attack or effect (one of the missiles or rays in the above examples).
Anarchic (+2)Edit
Add an additional 2d6 damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement when affecting a creature of Lawful alignment. This focus also bestows one negative level on any lawful creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
Axiomatic (+2)Edit
Add an additional 2d6 damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement when affecting a creature of Chaotic alignment. This focus also bestows one negative level on any chaotic creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
Bane (+1)Edit
Upon the creation of an implement with the Bane enchantment, choose one type or subtype of creature. Increase the DC of spells cast through this implement by 2 and the damage dealt of spells by 2d6 against creatures of the chosen type or subtype.
Corrosive (+1)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 acid damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement.
Corrosive, Greater (+5)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 acid damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the acid resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement. Lastly, treat immunity to acid as acid resistance 30 for spells cast through this implement.
Corrosive, Improved (+3)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 acid damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the acid resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement.
Flaming (+1)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 fire damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement.
Flaming, Greater (+5)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 fire damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the fire resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement. Lastly, treat immunity to fire as fire resistance 30 for spells cast through this implement.
Flaming, Improved (+3)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 fire damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the fire resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement.
Focused (+1)Edit
Spells focused through this implement gain a +2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast or maintain them.
Focused, Greater (+5)Edit
Spells focused through this implement gain a +2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast or maintain them. In addition, spells cast through this focus are always considered to be cast defensively, if the caster would be able to normally do so under the spellcasting circumstances (for example, not while being threatened by someone with the Magekiller feat). Finally, spells focused through this implement are considered to be Stilled for the purpose of casting while being grappled.
Focused, Improved (+3)Edit
Spells focused through this implement gain a +2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast or maintain them. In addition, spells cast through this focus are always considered to be cast defensively, if the caster would be able to normally do so under the spellcasting circumstances (for example, not while being threatened by someone with the Magekiller feat).
Force (+2)Edit
Add an additional 1d8 force damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement.
Frost (+1)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 cold damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement.
Frost, Greater (+5)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 cold damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the cold resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement. Lastly, treat immunity to cold as cold resistance 30 for spells cast through this implement.
Frost, Improved (+3)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 cold damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the cold resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement.
Ghost Touch (+1)Edit
Spells focused through this implement affect incorporeal and ethereal creatures as though they were corporeal or on the material plane. Note that this does not let the caster see or target ethereal creatures if he could not normally see them.
Holy (+2)Edit
Add an additional 2d6 damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement when affecting a creature of Evil alignment. This focus also bestows one negative level on any evil creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
Metamagic Focus (+4)Edit
Upon the creation of an implement with the Metamagic Focus enchantment, choose one metamagic feat. The spell level increase of casting a spell with this metamagic feat is reduced by one (minimum of 0).
Merciful (+1)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. All damage dealt by the spell is nonlethal damage.
Piercing (+1)Edit
Increase the caster level of the spell cast through this implement by one for the purpose of piercing spell resistance.
Piercing, Greater (+5)Edit
Increase the caster level of the spell cast through this implement by three for the purpose of piercing spell resistance.
Piercing, Improved (+3)Edit
Increase the caster level of the spell cast through this implement by two for the purpose of piercing spell resistance.
Point Blank (+1)Edit
If you focus a spell with a range of Close, Medium or Long through this implement, you may instead have it have a range of Touch and affect only the touched target. Should you decide to do so, increase the DC of the spell by 2.
Reach (+1)Edit
Increase the caster level for the purpose of range by 2 for spells focused through this implement.
Reach, Improved (+2)Edit
Increase the caster level for the purpose of range by 5 for spells focused through this implement.
Screaming (+1)Edit
Add an additional 1d4 sonic damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement.
Screaming, Greater (+5)Edit
Add an additional 1d4 sonic damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the sonic resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement. Lastly, treat immunity to sonic damage as sonic resistance 30 for spells cast through this implement.
Screaming, Improved (+3)Edit
Add an additional 1d4 sonic damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the sonic resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement.
Selective (+3)Edit
When focusing a spell with the Instantaneous duration through a focus with this enchantment, you may choose a number of creatures up to one-half your spellcasting modifier. The chosen creatures are unaffected by the spell.
Shocking (+1)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 electricity damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement.
Shocking, Greater (+5)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 electricity damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the elecriticity resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement. Lastly, treat immunity to electricity as electricity resistance 30 for spells cast through this implement.
Shocking, Improved (+3)Edit
Add an additional 1d6 electricty damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. Furthermore, reduce the electricity resistance of any creature effected by spells cast through this implement by one-half your caster level against spells cast through this implement.
Vicious (+1)Edit
Add an additional 2d6 damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement. When casting a spell through this implement, the caster takes 1d6 damage, though this does not provoke a concentration check to cast the spell.
Unholy (+2)Edit
Add an additional 2d6 damage to the damage of any spell focused through this implement when affecting a creature of Holy alignment. This focus also bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded.
Special MaterialsEdit
Not all focus implements are made of the same material. While most are made from wood, silver, gold, or even platinum, some made from more rare materials which may imbue them with additional abilities.
Adamantine (+3,000 gp)Edit
When dealing damage to objects or creatures with hardness, spells cast through adamantine implements ignore hardness of less than 20.
Mithral (+500 gp)Edit
When focusing a spell through a mithral implement, reduce the ASF chance of failing to cast the spell by 5%.
MiscellaneousEdit
Spellsword (+1,000 gp)Edit
This weapon enhancement allows a weapon to be used as a focus of the appropriate type (chosen upon the enchanting of the weapon). Effectively, the weapon is considered to have another "side" (like a two-handed weapon) which must be enchanted separately, but can only be enchanted as a magical focus implement.
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