What is more iconic for a wizard than the arcane focus? The spell book, robes, wizard hat...but that isn't what this thread is about! What are some interesting/creative/wacky ways you or your players have whipped out their wizard wand? (okay that sounded lewd)
Crystal: Ah the humble crystal, a little Super er... Sovereign Glue and correct placement can get this little beauty where you need when you need. Stick one on your forehead for a nice node to the Third Eye chakra for your Diviner, the pommel or cross guard of a sword or dagger is very popular for those stabity type wizards, a staple of the evil "sorceress" for ages, the palm of the hand is a nice touch, very reminiscent of certain popular characters with gems embedded in their hands. The there is the sneaky approach, the clasp of a cloak, the jewel of a pendant, then there is the sneaky but not at all subtle approach, crystal studded cloak, bling right?
Orb: Orbbbbbb, oooorrrrrrbbbb, it's fun to say. Also a mainstay of peeping tom..er scryer wizards. A little big to be walking around with on some of the larger ones but nothing says "I command forces beyond your keen" like having an unseen servant carrying a bowling ball sized crystal or art deco orb around. Necromancers, want a nice touch? get a skull, animate it or at the least cast magic mouth on it, then when shit gets bad cause the meat shield is unreliable flesh and blood and not cold unfeeling undeath smash the orb and run, the yelling skull makes for a disquieting distraction while you run, remember to come back for the parties corpses, they have fond memories and precious spare parts.
Rod/Staff: Yes yes I know, technically two different ones but really the rod is just a shorter thicker staff..I am sure I could burn Danny Devito some how right around here, but hasn't life done that enough already? So whats the big deal with Staff/Rod, well a staff can be used as a quarterstaff, see the name is right there. Which is fun, I mean who expects the old man with the staff to wail on you with it, especially if he picked up a few levels of monk while on a retreat at a monastery of Sune? Add in the polearm master feat and your party will be looking at you like you are crazy until you drop something with your bad ass walking staff. As for rod's, well this is my house rule but you know what I think of when you describe a short length of rigid/hard material, (wood, metal, etc you perverts) well to me that sounds like a club. But could also be a rod, at the least get your DM's permission to use it as an improvised club and then look sadly at him cause he isn't so cool as to say "yeah you can totally use it as a club." All sort of fun things to do with these, from decorative caps to metal spikes at the ends. Fancy carvings are always in vogue, poke that rock gnome that for some reason keeps following you around and ask him to put a hidden blade in it!
Wand: Wand is separate from Rod/Staff for two reasons, one there is no real argument to using it as a weapon beyond eye poking, the other is that I wanted to list it separately. This is it, the wand, the go to sign that your wizard is about to do something bad ass, when someone whips out their wand (still sounds lewd) you know something sweet is going to go down, so make that wand yours. Know what I like? Continual Flame, get that on the tip of your wand, and holy shit, your wand is not just a wand, it's a torch, it's a reading light, it's a way to prank common folk by jabbing it at them until they figure out the fire won't burn them. Got a fave Magic Wand, dress up your arcane wand like it, it's like your wizard is cosplaying, keep in mind, druids may get upset at you for tieing innocent frogs to your wand. Spell sniping? Well until you get that sweet Wand of the Warmage take a crossbow, break off the arms and stick your wand on the stock, congratulations, people are going to think you're insane (but then don't most people assume wizards are a little screw-loose?) until you and your Spellsniper feat fire off some 240 foot range Scorching Rays.
So what you got for me folks? Let's hear the weird, the wacky, the badass, and the "wait..why?" of your Arcane Focuss...focuses..foci?
And heck while we're at it, let's hear about your Spell Books, Robes and Wizards Hats, remember, a smart wizard always puts a Light spell on the inside of his spell book, makes for easy reading and the glowy really impresses people tell them the pages are made out of souls or something.
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
My favorite arcane focus is probably my Draconic Bloodline (ice) sorcerer's crystal; it's made of unmeltable ice.
Flavorful! Are we talking about an ice chip or the full on icicle style? Also how cold is it? Are we talking comfortable to hold or could I stick it in some warm beer or ale to give it a nice chill?
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
My favorite arcane focus is probably my Draconic Bloodline (ice) sorcerer's crystal; it's made of unmeltable ice.
Flavorful! Are we talking about an ice chip or the full on icicle style? Also how cold is it? Are we talking comfortable to hold or could I stick it in some warm beer or ale to give it a nice chill?
Oh, it's comfortable to hold--if you happen to be a white dragonborn. Large, generally icicle-shaped, and colder than Winter's heart.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
My favorite arcane focus is probably my Draconic Bloodline (ice) sorcerer's crystal; it's made of unmeltable ice.
Flavorful! Are we talking about an ice chip or the full on icicle style? Also how cold is it? Are we talking comfortable to hold or could I stick it in some warm beer or ale to give it a nice chill?
Oh, it's comfortable to hold--if you happen to be a white dragonborn. Large, generally icicle-shaped, and colder than Winter's heart.
See there are so many fun things to do with that in character. The cooling your drink I mentioned. Nice little surprise for people if you poke them in the back of the neck with it, drop it down the back of someone's shirt...
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
I've always been pretty vanilla with my arcane focus. A staff for my warlocks, since I would take Shillelagh (yes, I realize that the focus is different than a standard quarterstaff, but the DM said I could use it as one if I desired), and everyone else uses a small crystal pendant. It can be hidden underneath my armor (I played a mountain dwarf wizard and the original Favored Soul, both of which get medium armor) if I don't want to advertise that I am a mage, and it is hard to pickpocket off my person.
One of my party members has been a little more creative. While playing a Shardmind (homebrewed race of ours that was imported from a, er, previous edition), his arcane focus was a ring made of crystal which would be harder to spot on his body. He also had a backup focus, which was a locket that had a crystal inside so as to be inconspicuous. Apparently, his character was super paranoid and was worried about being robbed of his arcane focus.
Oh ya, staff can totally be used as a quarterstaff. I personally feel Rod's should be able to be used as a club. Doubling up on foci is always a good idea if you got some spare gold. Something big and flash that make the guards feel like they are safe when they take it from you, (I just flashed back to that part of one of the LOTR movies where Gandalf got to keep his "walking stick" and the baddie was all "WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM KEEP THAT?!), and then something simple and easy to pocket or miss.
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
If I ever play a wizard/sorcerer who doesn't get armor, I'll probably do something like that in downtime, but the small crystal was pretty functional for what I had. I figure it's well "known" that wizards don't wear metal armor.
That is why I really REALLY like the armor feats, ya it takes some investment. But you can also get training in proficiencies in downtime. And the rules basically go "if you have proficiency in the armor it doesn't give you trouble casting spells." I need to build a literal Mage Tank at some point now. I think his foci will be a crystal set into his gauntlets, with a spare "War Staff".
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
That is why I really REALLY like the armor feats, ya it takes some investment. But you can also get training in proficiencies in downtime. And the rules basically go "if you have proficiency in the armor it doesn't give you trouble casting spells." I need to build a literal Mage Tank at some point now. I think his foci will be a crystal set into his gauntlets, with a spare "War Staff".
Hobgoblin (+Int and light armor) Abjuration wizard. Shield, mirror image, and counterspell. Get up to plate as soon as you can. Maybe take Magic Initiate (Cleric) for shield of faith, but probably not.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
ooh! my favourite arcane focus is a wooden ring one of my friend's characters is using. she's an elf, and got a temple priest to charm an ancient tree into giving up a ring of sacred wood. the ring glows slightly green/gold in low light, and doesn't look to special, so it's less likely to be stolen.
I have a silver draconic sorcerer, and my DM very graciously allowed me to, through the story, acquire a permanent "ice glove" on my right hand, which I use as my arcane focus. Which in my humble opinion is badass
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
I go quantity over quality. Both in books and previous versions, the rogue always had multiple sets of thieves tools hidden in person. My wizards do the same with wands in boots, etc. I even have a few specific material components hidden for a key spell if captured...
Not a fancy wand with a pedigree, but kept me alive 😁
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--
DM -- Elanon -- Homebrew world
Gronn -- Tiefling Warlock -- Amarath
Slim -- Halfling Cleric -- CoS (future Lord of Waterdeep 😁)
I go quantity over quality. Both in books and previous versions, the rogue always had multiple sets of thieves tools hidden in person. My wizards do the same with wands in boots, etc.
Here is what went through my mind. Boot Wand, wrist wand, wand-wand.
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
My favorite Wizard was a Gnome cowboy wizard named "Big Jim" and had a Southern accent.
He kept wands in holsters on his hip and he "shot" spells.
He was the fastest spell slinger this side of Faerun.
Heh, custom pistol grip handle?
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GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links. https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole @BonusRole
My Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer (also White/Ice like above) is a High Elf. When he over exerts his abilities, more and more scales grow on his body. Right now his face around the bridge of his nose and brow line are scaling with white scales. So he had the druid in our party make him a mask out of harpy feathers, and he has a crystal embedded in the center of the mask as his arcane focus.
My favorite arcane focus is probably my Draconic Bloodline (ice) sorcerer's crystal; it's made of unmeltable ice.
My favorite arcane focus is also ice themed! I have an ice-themed Bladesinger and the crystal was embedded in the armor on her off hand palm and it was in the shape of a snowflake. I called it the Boreal Crystal (dumb name but I don't care).
My favorite arcane focus is probably my Draconic Bloodline (ice) sorcerer's crystal; it's made of unmeltable ice.
Flavorful! Are we talking about an ice chip or the full on icicle style? Also how cold is it? Are we talking comfortable to hold or could I stick it in some warm beer or ale to give it a nice chill?
Oh, it's comfortable to hold--if you happen to be a white dragonborn. Large, generally icicle-shaped, and colder than Winter's heart.
See there are so many fun things to do with that in character. The cooling your drink I mentioned. Nice little surprise for people if you poke them in the back of the neck with it, drop it down the back of someone's shirt...
Me: Since ice can be either played as a sliding game.... or as a sports game.... it's a nice option there.
What is more iconic for a wizard than the arcane focus? The spell book, robes, wizard hat...but that isn't what this thread is about! What are some interesting/creative/wacky ways you or your players have whipped out their wizard wand? (okay that sounded lewd)
Crystal: Ah the humble crystal, a little Super er... Sovereign Glue and correct placement can get this little beauty where you need when you need. Stick one on your forehead for a nice node to the Third Eye chakra for your Diviner, the pommel or cross guard of a sword or dagger is very popular for those stabity type wizards, a staple of the evil "sorceress" for ages, the palm of the hand is a nice touch, very reminiscent of certain popular characters with gems embedded in their hands. The there is the sneaky approach, the clasp of a cloak, the jewel of a pendant, then there is the sneaky but not at all subtle approach, crystal studded cloak, bling right?
Orb: Orbbbbbb, oooorrrrrrbbbb, it's fun to say. Also a mainstay of peeping tom..er scryer wizards. A little big to be walking around with on some of the larger ones but nothing says "I command forces beyond your keen" like having an unseen servant carrying a bowling ball sized crystal or art deco orb around. Necromancers, want a nice touch? get a skull, animate it or at the least cast magic mouth on it, then when shit gets bad cause the meat shield is unreliable flesh and blood and not cold unfeeling undeath smash the orb and run, the yelling skull makes for a disquieting distraction while you run, remember to come back for the parties corpses, they have fond memories and precious spare parts.
Rod/Staff: Yes yes I know, technically two different ones but really the rod is just a shorter thicker staff..I am sure I could burn Danny Devito some how right around here, but hasn't life done that enough already? So whats the big deal with Staff/Rod, well a staff can be used as a quarterstaff, see the name is right there. Which is fun, I mean who expects the old man with the staff to wail on you with it, especially if he picked up a few levels of monk while on a retreat at a monastery of Sune? Add in the polearm master feat and your party will be looking at you like you are crazy until you drop something with your bad ass walking staff. As for rod's, well this is my house rule but you know what I think of when you describe a short length of rigid/hard material, (wood, metal, etc you perverts) well to me that sounds like a club. But could also be a rod, at the least get your DM's permission to use it as an improvised club and then look sadly at him cause he isn't so cool as to say "yeah you can totally use it as a club." All sort of fun things to do with these, from decorative caps to metal spikes at the ends. Fancy carvings are always in vogue, poke that rock gnome that for some reason keeps following you around and ask him to put a hidden blade in it!
Wand: Wand is separate from Rod/Staff for two reasons, one there is no real argument to using it as a weapon beyond eye poking, the other is that I wanted to list it separately. This is it, the wand, the go to sign that your wizard is about to do something bad ass, when someone whips out their wand (still sounds lewd) you know something sweet is going to go down, so make that wand yours. Know what I like? Continual Flame, get that on the tip of your wand, and holy shit, your wand is not just a wand, it's a torch, it's a reading light, it's a way to prank common folk by jabbing it at them until they figure out the fire won't burn them. Got a fave Magic Wand, dress up your arcane wand like it, it's like your wizard is cosplaying, keep in mind, druids may get upset at you for tieing innocent frogs to your wand. Spell sniping? Well until you get that sweet Wand of the Warmage take a crossbow, break off the arms and stick your wand on the stock, congratulations, people are going to think you're insane (but then don't most people assume wizards are a little screw-loose?) until you and your Spellsniper feat fire off some 240 foot range Scorching Rays.
So what you got for me folks? Let's hear the weird, the wacky, the badass, and the "wait..why?" of your Arcane Focuss...focuses..foci?
And heck while we're at it, let's hear about your Spell Books, Robes and Wizards Hats, remember, a smart wizard always puts a Light spell on the inside of his spell book, makes for easy reading and the glowy really impresses people tell them the pages are made out of souls or something.
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
I believe it would be foci.
My favorite arcane focus is probably my Draconic Bloodline (ice) sorcerer's crystal; it's made of unmeltable ice.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
I've always been pretty vanilla with my arcane focus. A staff for my warlocks, since I would take Shillelagh (yes, I realize that the focus is different than a standard quarterstaff, but the DM said I could use it as one if I desired), and everyone else uses a small crystal pendant. It can be hidden underneath my armor (I played a mountain dwarf wizard and the original Favored Soul, both of which get medium armor) if I don't want to advertise that I am a mage, and it is hard to pickpocket off my person.
One of my party members has been a little more creative. While playing a Shardmind (homebrewed race of ours that was imported from a, er, previous edition), his arcane focus was a ring made of crystal which would be harder to spot on his body. He also had a backup focus, which was a locket that had a crystal inside so as to be inconspicuous. Apparently, his character was super paranoid and was worried about being robbed of his arcane focus.
Oh ya, staff can totally be used as a quarterstaff. I personally feel Rod's should be able to be used as a club. Doubling up on foci is always a good idea if you got some spare gold. Something big and flash that make the guards feel like they are safe when they take it from you, (I just flashed back to that part of one of the LOTR movies where Gandalf got to keep his "walking stick" and the baddie was all "WHY WOULD YOU LET HIM KEEP THAT?!), and then something simple and easy to pocket or miss.
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
If I ever play a wizard/sorcerer who doesn't get armor, I'll probably do something like that in downtime, but the small crystal was pretty functional for what I had. I figure it's well "known" that wizards don't wear metal armor.
That is why I really REALLY like the armor feats, ya it takes some investment. But you can also get training in proficiencies in downtime. And the rules basically go "if you have proficiency in the armor it doesn't give you trouble casting spells." I need to build a literal Mage Tank at some point now. I think his foci will be a crystal set into his gauntlets, with a spare "War Staff".
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
ooh! my favourite arcane focus is a wooden ring one of my friend's characters is using. she's an elf, and got a temple priest to charm an ancient tree into giving up a ring of sacred wood. the ring glows slightly green/gold in low light, and doesn't look to special, so it's less likely to be stolen.
I have a silver draconic sorcerer, and my DM very graciously allowed me to, through the story, acquire a permanent "ice glove" on my right hand, which I use as my arcane focus. Which in my humble opinion is badass
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
I go quantity over quality. Both in books and previous versions, the rogue always had multiple sets of thieves tools hidden in person. My wizards do the same with wands in boots, etc. I even have a few specific material components hidden for a key spell if captured...
Not a fancy wand with a pedigree, but kept me alive 😁
--
DM -- Elanon -- Homebrew world
Gronn -- Tiefling Warlock -- Amarath
Slim -- Halfling Cleric -- CoS (future Lord of Waterdeep 😁)
Bran -- Human Wizard - RoT
Making D&D mistakes and having fun since 1977!
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
My favorite Wizard was a Gnome cowboy wizard named "Big Jim" and had a Southern accent.
He kept wands in holsters on his hip and he "shot" spells.
He was the fastest spell slinger this side of Faerun.
GM of The Bonus Role - We are playing a 5E game set in my homebrew world of Audra check us out Sunday's at 10 AM CST and follow us at the following social media links.
https://www.twitch.tv/thebonusrole
@BonusRole
My Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer (also White/Ice like above) is a High Elf. When he over exerts his abilities, more and more scales grow on his body. Right now his face around the bridge of his nose and brow line are scaling with white scales. So he had the druid in our party make him a mask out of harpy feathers, and he has a crystal embedded in the center of the mask as his arcane focus.
My favorite arcane focus is also ice themed! I have an ice-themed Bladesinger and the crystal was embedded in the armor on her off hand palm and it was in the shape of a snowflake. I called it the Boreal Crystal (dumb name but I don't care).
Me: Since ice can be either played as a sliding game.... or as a sports game.... it's a nice option there.
My mind: ( Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice, baby !! ) xDD
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
My party's bladesinger had a ruby that when pressed against his sword turned his blade red, and allowed the weapon to be his spellcasting focus.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms