Casting Items
The magic items on this page vary widely in appearance and function, but they all have three things in common: (1) casting items have a pool of charges, (2) you can spend charges to cast spells through these items, and (3) these items add these spells to your known spells list if your caster level is high enough. They also can have other magical powers or uses.
Almost every casting item is associated with a type of magic: arcane, divine, or natural.
The pool of charges that a casting item has is equal at its maximum to your caster level. If you are caster level 6, then your casting item starts with a max of 6 charges. The number of charges you spend to activate a spell is the spell's level. For example, a staff of fire uses eight charges to cast a wall of fire spell, because that spell is an 8th level natural spell. If your caster level is less than 8, you do not have enough charges to create the wall, and if you are caster level 8 but you have used some charges and you currently have fewer than 8 charges, you also cannot create the wall. If you have an unused 8th level slot, however, you can use your own slot to cast the spell, since the staff has placed it on your known spells list.
When you use a casting item to cast a spell, you use your casting ability score, your caster level, your feats, your relevant class abilities — and so forth — to set the casting parameters for the spell, including saving throw. The casting ability you use is Intelligence for arcane spells, Wisdom for natural spells, and Charisma for divine spells. Instead of adding half the spell slot level to the DC, add half the spell level of the spell. Casting a wall of fire from a staff of fire, the save DC starts at 9 +4 because it is an 8th level spell.
Every day, your casting item regains a number of charges equal to your even (column B) modifier of the casting stat associated with the item.
A casting item adds its spells to your known spells list if (a) your caster level is at least equal to the level of the spell offered, and if (b) you already have least one spell of the same type (arcane, divine, or natural) on your known spells list.
If you know a spell of the casting item's type (arcane, divine, natural), then you can use the casting item's special power, if it has one.
If you have no spells of an item's type on your known spells list, then none of the item's magic powers function for you.
You can only use a casting item if you soul-link with it, and you can only soul-link with one casting item. As with all items that you soul-link, it costs you experience points to do so. You cannot use a casting item if you are lower than level 6.
Construction Requirements To create a casting item, you must have the Craft Casting Items feat. In addition, the spells bestowed by the item are the spells required for construction. The cost in gold to create a casting item is one quarter of its value, and the xp cost is one tenth of that.
All casting items fall into one of these categories: Orbs | Rods | Staves | Miscellany.
Orbs
An orb is a magical sphere that you activate by speaking a command while holding it in your hand. Orb are 1d12 inches in diameter and 1d12 pounds in weight; roll randomly for each. Orbs are made of any material, including gold, lead, ivory, precious stone, glass, and more (orbs that use natural spells are never made of metal). They may be hollow or solid, though it is clearly foolish to break one to find out. All orbs, regardless of make, have hardness 20 and 25 hit points. If wielded or thrown as an improvised melee weapon, an orb inflicts 1d6 bludgeoning damage with a range increment of 20 feet.
Ball of Holy Canon
Aura evocation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 30,000 gp
Spells: consecrate (divine 4), holy smite (divine 8), holy word (divine 14)
Special: You must honor a good-aligned god to use this orb. It grants you a +4 enhancement bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks related to the canon (lore, history, theology, etc.) of your god. In addition, once per day, after speaking a command phrase, you may lob the ball of holy canon at enemies within short range (25 feet plus 5 feet per two caster levels). Within a 15-foot radius of the place the ball lands, enemies must make a reflex save versus DC13 plus your even (Column B) Charisma modifier. If you actually make a ranged attack and hit an enemy with the ball as an improvised weapon, it takes the usual bludgeoning damage and saves at -2. Enemies who save are unaffected. Those who fail have the immediate choice of changing their alignment permanently to good and converting to your religion, or taking 1d6 damage per caster level.
Orb of Guidance
Aura divination; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 22,000 gp
Spells: augury (divine 4), divination (divine 7), commune (divine 9)
Special: You gain guidance as a cantrip you know.
Orb of Restoring
Aura conjuration and necromancy; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 16,000 gp
Spells: goodberry (natural 1), nap stack (natural 5), reincarnate (natural 7).
Orb of Retainers
Aura conjuration and abjuration; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 20,000 gp
Spells: unseen servant (arcane 1), phantom steed (arcane 5), mage's faithful hound (arcane 11)
Orb of Storms
Aura conjuration and evocation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 28,000 gp
Spells: sleet storm (natural 5), call lightning storm (natural 10), fire storm (natural 15).
Special: You gain personal stormcloud as a cantrip you know. In addition, if you use this orb as an improvised weapon, the orb inflicts an extra 1d4 electrical damage on a touch or strike.
Pearl of the Sirens
Aura transmutation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 16,000 gp
Spells: touch of the sea (natural 2), water breathing (natural 5), control water (natural 8).
Rods
Rods are scepter-like devices that usually have one spell to bestow on an owner, and almost always have a special magical power as well. Rods weigh 1 pound if they are useless in combat; 3 pounds if they can be used as a light mace, and 5 pounds if they can be used as a heavy mace (see below). They range from 2 feet to 3 feet long and are usually made of iron or some other metal; they resize to suit your size, but the weight remains the same. These sturdy items have 15 hit points and hardness 10.
Immovable Rod
Aura abjuration; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 12,000 gp
Spells: wall of force (arcane 10)
Special: This rod looks like a flat bar with a small button on one end. When the button is pushed (a move action), the rod does not move from where it is, even if staying in place defies gravity. Thus, the owner can lift or place the rod wherever he wishes, push the button, and let go. An immovable rod can support up to 8,000 pounds before falling to the ground. If a creature pushes against an immovable rod, it must make a DC 30 Strength check to move the rod up to 10 feet in a single round. This rod can be used as if it were a light mace.
RandoRod
Aura varies; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 10,000 gp
Spells: varies
Special: To activate this thin, fragile-looking rod, hold it so that it is both pointing at yourself and at a target. Roll 1d3 for arcane, divine, or natural; that's the spell type. Roll any standard die you like, so long as the highest possible result is still equal to or lower than your current pool of charges; that's the spell level (for example, if you currently have 5 charges, roll a d2, d3, or d4). Roll randomly to pick a spell of that type and level. The game master may choose to secretly preroll your next random spell to hasten game play, although it is fun to roll it yourself. After you know what the spell is, choose whether the spell affects you or your target (if you pick the target, but it is outside your range or not applicable to that target, the use is wasted and the charges expended). Until the next time you use this rod, that spell is on your known spell list, even if you did not previously have a spell of that type on your list. Each morning, the RandoRod regains 1d4+1 charges. This rod cannot be used as a mace.
Rod of Passage
Aura varies; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 20,000 gp
Spells: phase door (arcane 13)
Special: On command, once per day, you can use this rod to create a physical passage through wooden, plaster, or stone walls, but not through metal or other harder materials. The passage is 5 feet deep per two caster levels, and lasts for one hour per caster level. If the wall's thickness is more than the depth of the passage created, then the rod simply makes a niche or short tunnel. When the effect ends, creatures within the passage are ejected out the nearest exit. This rod can be used as if it were a light mace.
Rod of Sanctuary
Aura conjuration; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 12,000 gp
Spells: temple of sanctuary (divine 9)
Special: After your turn in battle ends, the first opponent attempting to directly attack you must make a Will save to do so, against a DC base 10 + your even (Column B) Charisma modifier. If the save succeeds, the opponent can attack normally and is unaffected. If the save fails, the opponent can't follow through with the attack, that part of its action is lost, and it can't directly attack you until the start of your next turn. This rod can be used as if it were a light mace, but it deals only nonlethal damage.
Rod of Shocking Grasp
Aura evocation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 6,000 gp
Spells: shocking grasp (arcane 1)
Special: This sturdy metal rod has a metal hand at one end. When you use the rod to cast shocking grasp, you touch that hand to the enemy to make your touch attack. If you cast the spell with your own spell slot, you can use your own hand, as usual, or you can choose to use the rod to touch the enemy. If you use the rod to cast shocking grasp, and you miss, the rod will hold the charge for you until you do hit with another attempt, so that you can cast other spells before then. It will hold the charge until discharged or the day ends. This rod cannot be used as a mace.
Rod of Splendor
Aura enchantment; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 26,000 gp
Spells: suggestion (arcane 5)
Special: This fantastically bejeweled rod grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Charisma score. Once per day, the rod garbs you in magically created clothing of the finest fabrics, plus adornments of furs and jewels. Apparel created by the magic of the rod remains in existence for 12 hours. However, if you attempt to sell or give away any part of it, use it for a spell component, or the like, that part immediately disappears. The same applies if any part of it is forcibly taken from you. The garb grants you a +2 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks to impersonate a noble or wealthy individual. This rod can be used as if it were a heavy mace.
Staves
A staff is a long shaft that usually stores two or three spells. A typical staff measures anywhere from 4 feet to 7 feet long and is 2 inches to 3 inches thick, weighing about 5 pounds. Most staves are wood, but an exotic few are bone, metal, or even glass. A staff often has a gem or some device at its tip or is shod in metal at one or both ends. Staves are often decorated with carvings or runes. A typical staff is like a walking stick, quarterstaff, or cudgel. It has AC 7, 10 hit points, hardness 5, and a break DC of 24. Staves an always be used in combat as a masterwork quarterstaff that resizes to suit you.
Staff of Curing
Aura conjuration; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 24,000 gp
Spells: cure moderate wounds (divine 3), breath of life (divine 9), cure many moderate wounds (divine 12)
Staff of Fire
Aura evocation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 18,000 gp
Spells: produce flame (natural 1), flame blade (natural 4), wall of fire (natural 8)
Special: Used as a weapon, this staff inflicts an extra 1d4 fire damage.
Staff of Goodness
Aura conjuration, divination, evocation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 16,000 gp
Spells: gift of the liontaurs (divine 1), archon's aura (divine 6)
Special: This staff can only be used by those of good alignment. It glows with dim light in a 5 foot radius when an evil-aligned creature is within 25 feet and is in line of sight. Used as a quarterstaff against evil creatures, it gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attacks and damage.
Staff of Sleep
Aura enchantment; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 24,000 gp
Spells: sleep (arcane 1), deep slumber (arcane 6), cloak of dreams (arcane 11)
Staff of the Woodlands
Aura conjuration, transmutation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 20,000 gp
Spells: tree shape (natural 3), grove of respite (natural 7), tree stride (natural 10)
Staff of Ice
Aura abjuration, conjuration, evocation; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 26,000 gp
Spells: icicle dagger (arcane 2), wall of ice (arcane 7), cone of cold (arcane 11)
Special: Used as a weapon, this staff inflicts an extra 1d4 cold damage.
Miscellany
These items function as do all casting items, but their shape varies widely. If they use a body slot, then the item does take up that slot. They make poor improvised weapons, if they can be used as such at all.
Cloak of Etherealness
Aura conjuration; CL use your CL
Slot shoulders; Value 9,000 gp
Spells: ethereal jaunt (arcane 13)
Lenses of Comprehend Languages and Read Magic
Aura divination; CL use your CL
Slot eyes; Value 4,500 gp
Spells: comprehend languages (arcane 1)
Special: You gain read magic as a cantrip you know.
Medallion of Thought
Aura divination; CL use your CL
Slot neck; Value 9,000 gp
Spells: detect thoughts (arcane 3), telepathic bond (arcane 10)
Prayer Beads
Aura conjuration and enchantment; CL use your CL
Slot neck; Value 9,000 gp
Spells: bless (divine 1), remove blindness/deafness (divine 5), remove disease (divine 5)
Seven League Boots
Aura conjuration; CL use your CL
Slot feet; Value 8,000 gp
Spells: teleport I (arcane 9)
Special: When you use one of your own spell slots to cast teleport I, the spell functions normally. When you use your pool of charges to cast through the boots, you cannot travel more than 21 miles, you can only bring with you a single creature you can carry, you must have a clear line of effect in the direction towards which you are travelling, and when you roll to see how well the teleportation works, reroll results of "Similar Area" or "Mishap."
Tablecloth of Plenty
Aura conjuration; CL use your CL
Slot —; Value 20,000 gp
Spells: create food and water (divine 5), heroes feast (divine 12)
Special: This tablecloth is activated by spreading it out on a table or on the ground as if for a picnic. It resizes to fit the number of people to be fed. When spread on the ground, vermin will depart and not approach within 20 feet of the tablecloth.