Lute of Alterable Sounds
This musical instrument allows bards with psionic abilities not only to play music, but to change any sound as desired.
Description: A lute of alterable sounds is a string instrument with 24 strings. On the backside of the neck is a demantoid embedded, a green gem, which is being touched when the lute is played. Another demantoid is carved within the lute’s grill, which covers the rose.
Prerequisite: To use the control sound power, you must have at least 5 ranks in Perform (string istruments).
Activation: A lute of alterable sounds has two effects. One is automatically active, when a bard plays a countersong, or uses his bardic music abilities fascinate or suggestion, and the other can be activated by playing the lute of alterable sounds while channelling 3 power points into the gem at the lute’s neck, or expending 2 daily uses of ones bardic music ability. Playing a lute of alterable sounds is a standard action that provokes attacks of oportunities.
Effect: As a masterwork instrument, a lute of alterable sounds provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Perfom (string instruments) checks. A bard who uses his bardic music to play countersong, fascinate, or suggestion gains an additional +2 insight bonus on his Perform (string instruments) checks.
A character, who channels power points into the gem, or a bard who expends his bardic music ability, can alter any sound within 150 ft. as the power control sound. The character can use this ability up to 5 minutes and adress every round a different sound to alter, but he has to keep playing the lute of alterable sounds.
Aura/Caster Level: Faint psychokinesis; ML 5th.
Construction: Craft Universal Item, bardic music ability, control sound, 8,000 gp, 640 XP, 16 days.
Weight: 3 lb.
Price: 16,000 gp.
I'm not quite sure about the ML and the Price, because I'm not very good in creating psionic/magic items and determining their worth, so any help there would be nice.
The ML is ok at 3rd level.
One thing needs to be clarified: If any one can use the control sounds ability, how the manifester level of the power is equal to his bard's level only? Is there a minimum Perform (stringed instruments) check that must be made so the power can be used. So that only someone who can play ''well'' can use the power, and not necessarily a bard if another non-bard character succeed at his check.
With that said, for the price, I'd go with:
2,000 (use-activated) x 3 (manifester's level) x 2 (power's level) = 12,000 -15% (instead of 30% for a specific class because the ML is the same as the bard's (or character's - see comment above) one) = 10,200 Cp +
2 squared x 100 = 400 Cp for the perform bonus, even then, the cost for this ability could be a little higher.
So IMO about 10,600 Cp would be more appropriate.
Cool item Bengeldorn!
The ML is ok at 3rd level.
One thing needs to be clarified: If any one can use the control sounds ability, how the manifester level of the power is equal to his bard's level only?
Well the idea was to give bards powers, not psionics in general. Therefore I'd like to stay with bard level. So other characters could use the control sound power but only for 1 minute, while a bard could use this ability his bard levels in minutes.
Is there a minimum Perform (stringed instruments) check that must be made so the power can be used. So that only someone who can play ''well'' can use the power, and not necessarily a bard if another non-bard character succeed at his check.
Actually, I haven't thought about that much. I could add it, if you think it is nessecary. (Would this drop the price, too?)
With that said, for the price, I'd go with:
2,000 (use-activated) x 3 (manifester's level) x 2 (power's level) = 12,000 -15% (instead of 30% for a specific class because the ML is the same as the bard's (or character's - see comment above) one) = 10,200 Cp +
2 squared x 100 = 400 Cp for the perform bonus, even then, the cost for this ability could be a little higher.
So IMO about 10,600 Cp would be more appropriate.
Thanks for the formula. So if I'd keep ML = bard level than it would be 9,000 cp (12,000 - 30 % + 400).
Btw. is it the general rule to change 1 gp = 1 cp for magic/psionic items? When it comes to magic/psionic stuff, I'd like the change 1 gp = 1 sp, because that also gives reasons, why ther aren't so many magic/psionic items on athas. I use this change for material components in my campaign, and so far it was ok.
Cool item Bengeldorn!
The ML is ok at 3rd level.
One thing needs to be clarified: If any one can use the control sounds ability, how the manifester level of the power is equal to his bard's level only? Is there a minimum Perform (stringed instruments) check that must be made so the power can be used. So that only someone who can play ''well'' can use the power, and not necessarily a bard if another non-bard character succeed at his check.
With that said, for the price, I'd go with:
2,000 (use-activated) x 3 (manifester's level) x 2 (power's level) = 12,000 -15% (instead of 30% for a specific class because the ML is the same as the bard's (or character's - see comment above) one) = 10,200 Cp +
2 squared x 100 = 400 Cp for the perform bonus, even then, the cost for this ability could be a little higher.
So IMO about 10,600 Cp would be more appropriate.
I agree with Meth in most of this - except with the cost for the perform bonus - this cost should just be the same cost for a masterwork lute, not the 2 squared x 100 - I would only use this if the bonus was higher then +2, and then it would be the new bonus squared x 100 less 2 squared x 100.
Darn math!!!!
Nice job Bengeldorn
Looks good enough for the equipment guide :D
You mean that mythical guide to wondrous arms and weapons from across the ages of Athas?
I had once heard rumors of such a thing, and in my younger years I was foolish enough to believe. It was during long season of raging sandstorms that swept the Tablelands back in the Year of Friend's Vengeance, 190th King's Age.
I had been such a fool to follow the fickle and illusive trail of second-hand account and rumors that had sprung up across the Seven Cities.
The journey had been cursed to begin with, but like all young men, my friends and I believed ourselves to be immortal. Needless to say, but we learned quite the opposite during our months of wanderings.
Lives were lost or ruined, trust and friendship broken, and all for nothing.
the last of the warrior-poet...Do keep in mind that for the stated price (12,000 Cp), you would be supposed to have the control sounds ability at only a manifester level of 3rd. Here, it could be as high as 20th for a bard (10th for another class), which is much more powerful than a standard item. The price could be higher to reflect that.
Personnaly, I would erase the 5 ranks in Perform (string instruments) in the construction section, but keep the bardic music ability which already answer the question of whom would create such an item.
Kalthandrix, about the masterwork price: I didn't even count it. What I calculated was the +2 bonus on Perform check that are to be used with the specific bard ability in addition to the bonus given by the masterwork state of the item. This bonus is an insight bonus while the normal type of bonus to a skill by an item is competence, so this +2 bonus would almost always stack with other bonuses the bard could have. So the price would at least be the one in gave (400 Cp).
Even better now Bengeldorn.
Do keep in mind that for the stated price (12,000 Cp), you would be supposed to have the control sounds ability at only a manifester level of 3rd. Here, it could be as high as 20th for a bard (10th for another class), which is much more powerful than a standard item. The price could be higher to reflect that.
My itentional idea was that only bards would benefit from increasable ML, but I changed it because of comments that were given. As I said, I don't know much about calculating base prices, and I thought it has also something to do with, how usefull an item is. I can't remember where it was written, but I rembered a guide that went something like that: "If many people would buy a specific item, its price is probably too low. If nobody wants to buy that item, its price is pobably too high." As I only can speak for myself, I can't follow this rule for myself, but I don't think that I would by a lute of alterable sounds , if it would be much more than 10,000.
Personnaly, I would erase the 5 ranks in Perform (string instruments) in the construction section, but keep the bardic music ability which already answer the question of whom would create such an item.
I don' know....IIRC most magic instruments require some ranks in the according Perform skill.
If you are a 20th level bard who buy it, you get a real deal since in reality the same item should have cost you at least 56,000 Cp (if you only allow bards to use the item).
I don' know....IIRC most magic instruments require some ranks in the according Perform skill.
Probably right but your rquirement of having the bardic music ability is more than enough for the power given by the lute.
Increasable ML is very useful and very rare - I don't know of many universal items that give that kind of power. That should cost more than a similar item with a fixed ML for the power confered by the item.
If you are a 20th level bard who buy it, you get a real deal since in reality the same item should have cost you at least 56,000 Cp (if you only allow bards to use the item).
I see...I have changed the item's description. I hope it is ok now.
Probably right but your rquirement of having the bardic music ability is more than enough for the power given by the lute.
I guess we could argue a very long time about it, because I don't know how to convince you for my POV, and so far you didn't convince me neither. So I keep it as it was, but if you're going to take it for your purposes, you can change it anyway.
I guess we could argue a very long time about it, because I don't know how to convince you for my POV, and so far you didn't convince me neither. So I keep it as it was, but if you're going to take it for your purposes, you can change it anyway.
Fair enough, and thanks for the permission, Bengeldorn.
Sorry to bother you again with that, but I verified in the SRD, and no ''instrumental'' items have a prerequisites of ranks in Perform, but one has the bardic music ability for one.
The benchmarks for skill prerequisites in masterwork magical instrument use are those found in Magic of Faerûn. I used the same general rules to confection Topassima's tama.
Topassima's tama is found in that above mentionned mythical guide from across the ages, of which I happen to own a copy. Lucky me
Sorry to bother you again with that, but I verified in the SRD, and no ''instrumental'' items have a prerequisites of ranks in Perform, but one has the bardic music ability for one.
Fair enough...changed...although, I did had the instrument of Complete Adventurer in mind...
Fair enough...changed...although, I did had the instrument of Complete Adventurer in mind...
Oooo, forgot about that one. Good stuff in there. It's still based on Magic of Faerûn though (I think!), or is the next logical evolutionary step starting from it.