My woes with Rod of Absorption abuse.

[cjdc1973]

During my last game session, my group of five Epic (CL 25) players figured out a very creative, but ultimately very abusive means to use their Rod of Absorption that they have had for the last 6-8 levels. One player noticed that he was low on high level spells due to multiple encounters during a single in-game day. He asked a second player to cast numerous low-level single target spells, in this case Magic Missile, at him. The spells were absorbed by the Rod and became usuable instantly as higher level spell slots. Effectively, they had stumbled onto the use of the Rod as a battery for spells and a means to recharge high level spells slots using lower level spells.

The date of the game session, I choose to ignore that issue because it allowed the group to participate in what would eventually become seven combats in a single game day due to plot reasons. I ignored the potential for abuse because it allowed pooling of resources to facilitate better role play and forwarding the story along when it made sense. Now that that single in-game day is over, I realized that I would need to come up with some type of simple ruling that still allowed the use of the item as intended, but kept it from becoming a battery all of the time.

My first, and most simple solution, is to simply limit the number of spells allowed to be stored and reused in any given day to the maximum number allowed to be stored in the Rod. In the case of a normal Rod of Absorption, that is 50 spell levels. Allowing that number of spell levels to be absorbed and reused in any given game day seemed to allowed for the impressive utility of the item but provided checks and balances to avoid spellcasters abusing it during every single game session.

Other thoughts or ideas on the issue? I certainly do not want to Rule Zero the item. I just want to find the line between utility and potential for continued abuse.

 

[Nifft]

Uh, yeah, like you said: they can only do this for 50 spell levels total before their trick stops working. They use a limited resource, they get a benefit. Sounds like a good use of a good magic item, and everything's working nicely.

"Let" them keep doing it, until the Rod runs out of charges. Then, let them either make more Rods or spend time & money looking for and buying new ones.

-- N

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

(this should probably go in the Rules Forum)

Absorption: This rod acts as a magnet, drawing spells or spell-like abilities into itself. The magic absorbed must be a single-target spell or a ray directed at either the character possessing the rod or her gear. The rod then nullifies the spell’s effect and stores its potential until the wielder releases this energy in the form of spells of her own. She can instantly detect a spell’s level as the rod absorbs that spell’s energy. Absorption requires no action on the part of the user if the rod is in hand at the time.
A running total of absorbed (and used) spell levels should be kept. The wielder of the rod can use captured spell energy to cast any spell she has prepared, without expending the preparation itself. The only restrictions are that the levels of spell energy stored in the rod must be equal to or greater than the level of the spell the wielder wants to cast, that any material components required for the spell be present, and that the rod be in hand when casting. For casters such as bards or sorcerers who do not prepare spells, the rod’s energy can be used to cast any spell of the appropriate level or levels that they know.
A rod of absorption absorbs a maximum of fifty spell levels and can thereafter only discharge any remaining potential it might have. The rod cannot be recharged. The wielder knows the rod’s remaining absorbing potential and current amount of stored energy.

First of all, Magic Missile can't be used, IMO, to charge a Rod of Absorption, since it is not a single-target spell.

Also, when the rod is in hand, the wielder cannot choose not to use it. If the wielder receives a cure spell, the spell is absorbed.

For spellcasters that prepare spells, the spell must still be in the caster's "memory" for him to use the Rod to cast it. If your wizard has used all of his high-level spells, a Rod of Absorption won't do him any good. For spontaneous casters, there are no problems.

Finally, the way I read it, the Rod can't be used over and over again. Once 50 spell levels have been absorbed, and 50 spell levels have been used to cast spell, the Rod is burnt and useless. The Rod doesn't "lose" spell levels when the spells are cast.

50,000 gp would be very cheap for a magic item that basically lets you cast 5 9th-level spells every day for free, since 5 9th-level scrolls would cost ~20,000 gp. Every day.

Hope this helps!

AR

 

[Mouseferatu]

(this should probably go in the Rules Forum)



First of all, Magic Missile can't be used, IMO, to charge a Rod of Absorption, since it is not a single-target spell.

Also, when the rod is in hand, the wielder cannot choose not to use it. If the wielder receives a cure spell, the spell is absorbed.

For spellcasters that prepare spells, the spell must still be in the caster's "memory" for him to use the Rod to cast it. If your wizard has used all of his high-level spells, a Rod of Absorption won't do him any good. For spontaneous casters, there are no problems.

Finally, the way I read it, the Rod can't be used over and over again. Once 50 spell levels have been absorbed, and 50 spell levels have been used to cast spell, the Rod is burnt and useless. The Rod doesn't "lose" spell levels when the spells are cast.

50,000 gp would be very cheap for a magic item that basically lets you cast 5 9th-level spells every day for free, since 5 9th-level scrolls would cost ~20,000 gp. Every day.

Hope this helps!

AR

Exactly. It's like any charged item. Once it's out, it's out. It goes from being a rod of absorption to being a really pretty stick. And unless they made it, as opposed to finding it, there's no guarantee it had all 50 charges to start with. (Unless you've already told them it did, if/when the cast identify or the like.)

So even if you can't find a way around the abuse, consider the fact that it's a temporary situation.

That said, everything else Altamont said is also accurate; it's not always going to do what the players need it to.

 

[Taluron]

Effectively, they had stumbled onto the use of the Rod as a battery for spells and a means to recharge high level spells slots using lower level spells.

Um, yeah, that's pretty much exactly the use for the Rod of Absorption. Where the spells come from may be unconventional but that is the use/intent of a RoA AFIAK.