Robe of Useful Items and Shrouds of Disintegration

[UltimaGabe]

Hey, everyone. I've got a couple questions regarding two items in the DMG.

1. The Robe of Useful Items. The description states that it comes with several items already in it, and then there's a chart you roll on for the rest (and you get 4d4 of the items on this chart). If a player is making the item, do they have to roll to see what items they get? I mean, the chart idea is fine if you're finding it in a pile of loot or something, but if a character is making it, wouldn't they have the final say as to what goes into it or not? Or is that just some sort of unexplained sacred cow that causes the magic of item creation to necessitate randomness? Would there be a problem with allowing a PC to make it, with the maximum number of items (16), and letting them choose what they get? Because it just doesn't make sense otherwise. If the maker wasn't allowed to choose, then two mages could make the same robes, and come up with completely different results, some of which they may not even have the prerequisites for (such as the potion of cure serious wounds, or the scroll of a randomly chosen minor scroll). It just doesn't make sense for a wizard to make an item that he doesn't have the prerequisites for- thus, I think they should be able to choose what they want.

2. Also the Robe of Useful Items. Two of the items on the list are rather strange- namely, the open pit and the window. How exactly does that work? Does the wearer take off the pit patch, toss it to the ground, and cause a 10-foot opening in whatever floor he's standing on? What if there's another room below? Does it simply open up a hole to the room below? Or is the pit extradimensional? If that's the case, is there any risk in climbing down the hole while wearing a bag of holding? And can the pit be removed, or is it a permanent pit? Same problem with the window. Does it simply open up a hole in the wall? If so, I think that's a great and funny item, although it could easily be abused.

3. This one's about the Shrouds of Disintegration. Has anyone found any use for this? What's the point? I've looked at every possibility, and I can't find any reason anyone would want or use this item. Who came up with it? Why is it in the DMG? For those of you who don't know, the Shrouds of Disintegration are a one-use item that, when a body is placed inside and the command word is spoken, the body inside is turned to dust. And it's one-use. At first glance, this could be very powerful if you took that to mean that the body doesn't have to be dead beforehand, but then the problem arises that it's not exactly an easy or quick task to wrap a conscious person in burial shrouds without them objecting. And if the person isn't conscious, there are much easier ways to kill them than to wrap them in burial shrouds. It's just, I see some potential for it, but in every case where it would be useful, I can think of other things that would be much more useful and far less difficult to do. And considering it's one-use, it just sucks. Anyone ever use this item? Ever? Anyone know where it came from, and why it's in the DMG?

 

[Three_Haligonians]

Robes and Shrouds

Well, in regards to your first question, I think that the most literal interpretation of creating wonderous items is that you create exactly what is written in the DMG and therefore, the Robe would be created with the 4d4 random items, but of course, that is the -literal- interpretation and no where near foolproof.

As for the second, I would expect the window and pit patches do create permanent effects. I would also say that the pit is -up to- 10 ft. deep and so, if the surface that it is placed on isn't that deep (like a 5ft. deep floor for instance) then it would create a hole.

Lastly, the only suggestion for the Shroud I can think of is for villians; "Do as I say or else the body of your friend/the king/your spouse/ etc.. is dust...literally." Which makes raising them much harder, especially for low level characters.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[Fieari]

Shrink Item
Transmutation

Level: Sor/Wiz 3

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Touch

Target: One touched object of up to 2 cu. ft./level

Duration: One day/level; see text

Saving Throw: Will negates (object)

Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

You are able to shrink one nonmagical item (if it is within the size limit) to 1/16 of its normal size in each dimension (to about 1/4,000 the original volume and mass). This change effectively reduces the object’s size by four categories. Optionally, you can also change its now shrunken composition to a clothlike one. Objects changed by a shrink item spell can be returned to normal composition and size merely by tossing them onto any solid surface or by a word of command from the original caster. Even a burning fire and its fuel can be shrunk by this spell. Restoring the shrunken object to its normal size and composition ends the spell.

Shrink item can be made permanent with a permanency spell, in which case the affected object can be shrunk and expanded an indefinite number of times, but only by the original caster.

I was always under the impression that the Robe of Useful Items was just an ordinary house robe with a bunch of objects shrunk onto it... meaning you don't even need to have make wondrous item as a feat in order to construct one.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I was always under the impression that the Robe of Useful Items was just an ordinary house robe with a bunch of objects shrunk onto it... meaning you don't even need to have make wondrous item as a feat in order to construct one.

Except for the fact that shrink item doesn't shrink
a) magical items
b) absences of matter (like windows or pits)

Oh, and I'd suggest against allowing the creation of a custom robe, or at least not allow perfect and total selection of every item. Specifically I'd disallow any item on the list with a value of more than 400gp, and also disallow the selection of potions and scrolls.

Otherwise you're giving a wizard with craft wondrous item:
1) The ability to craft any scroll of 1st to 3rd level, even of spells not available to a wizard.
2) The ability to make potions of cure serious wounds at a serious discount (each potion is 750gp worth, for a total of 12,000 and the robe only costs 3500 and 120xp to make - a cleric would have to spend twice that AND have brew potion)
3) The ability to make quite a lot of cash (because he can put 10 gems on for all 16 items. Net worth: 16,000. Cost: 3500 and 120 xp)

Mind you - this is assuming that he doesn't already sell walls of iron turned into platemail.