If a character were to change the look of an item enough (change out gems, etc) so that it looked different, would that be enough to fool an attempt to use Locate Object? If in the caster's minds eye they expecting a diamond-encrusted object and it's now opal in those sockets, would it fail?
There is nothing within the Locate Object spell description that says the object must appear in precisely the same way that it did before, just that it be a "specific object" known to you that you have seen up close. Imagine, for instance, if someone cast an illusion on the object so that it appeared like something else. It doesn't change what the object fundamentally is. And keep in mind how easy it would be to abuse this line of thinking. Where would one draw the line? A scratch? A dent? A major gash? Missing ornamental pieces?
The spell lists one way to obscure the object from detection, and that is concealing it within any thickness of lead, such as within a lead-lined box or scroll case.
That being said, I might make an exception if changing the item fundamentally altered what that object is. If you broke a staff in half, for instance, or melted a magic rod down into a liquid metal block, that sort of thing. But the long lost Fancy Amulet of the MacGuffin Family that's now missing a few gems is still, in essence, that same object, and thus could be found (albeit with some disappointment at the missing gems) with Locate Object.
If a character were to change the look of an item enough (change out gems, etc) so that it looked different, would that be enough to fool an attempt to use Locate Object? If in the caster's minds eye they expecting a diamond-encrusted object and it's now opal in those sockets, would it fail?
It depends if locating a specific object or a general kind. The spell locate object let you sense the direction of an object's location familiar to you even if was modified, disguised or invisible. It's still your father's sword even if the pommel's diamond was replaced with an opal for exemple. The only thing that foils such spell other than lead is effect that specifically hide from divination magic such as nondetection spell.
But attempt to locate the nearest diamond would fail if none is in range because it was replaced by an opal.
If a character were to change the look of an item enough (change out gems, etc) so that it looked different, would that be enough to fool an attempt to use Locate Object? If in the caster's minds eye they expecting a diamond-encrusted object and it's now opal in those sockets, would it fail?
There is nothing within the Locate Object spell description that says the object must appear in precisely the same way that it did before, just that it be a "specific object" known to you that you have seen up close. Imagine, for instance, if someone cast an illusion on the object so that it appeared like something else. It doesn't change what the object fundamentally is. And keep in mind how easy it would be to abuse this line of thinking. Where would one draw the line? A scratch? A dent? A major gash? Missing ornamental pieces?
The spell lists one way to obscure the object from detection, and that is concealing it within any thickness of lead, such as within a lead-lined box or scroll case.
That being said, I might make an exception if changing the item fundamentally altered what that object is. If you broke a staff in half, for instance, or melted a magic rod down into a liquid metal block, that sort of thing. But the long lost Fancy Amulet of the MacGuffin Family that's now missing a few gems is still, in essence, that same object, and thus could be found (albeit with some disappointment at the missing gems) with Locate Object.
It depends if locating a specific object or a general kind. The spell locate object let you sense the direction of an object's location familiar to you even if was modified, disguised or invisible. It's still your father's sword even if the pommel's diamond was replaced with an opal for exemple. The only thing that foils such spell other than lead is effect that specifically hide from divination magic such as nondetection spell.
But attempt to locate the nearest diamond would fail if none is in range because it was replaced by an opal.