Spell-- Wentworth's Glitterbug

[Roethke]

Thought this might be a neat idea. I liked the fluff of a 'bug' being created out of a gem. Might work better as a magic item, though. Basically a souped up Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, with moderately priced material components and a chance of failure.

Please criticize-- I'm particulary interested in range/duration/chance of failure balance. Also any obvious avenues of abuse that I missed.

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Wentworth's Glitterbug
Divination (Scrying), Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: see Text
Target: 1 ring with inset gem
Duration: see Text
Saving Throw: N/A
Spell Resistance: N/A

Wentworth's Glitterbug is cast upon a non-magical ring with an inset gem. Upon conclusion of the casting, the gem sprouts tiny wings and legs, and hovers at the caster's eye-level. The Glitterbug may be directed by the caster to fly to any location the caster is familiar with (as in the Clairaudience/Clairvoyance spell).

The Glitterbug lasts for a duration equal to 1 hour for every 50gp value of the gem, up to a maximum of 24 hours.

For every 1000' the Glitterbug must travel, there is a 1% cumulative chance that it suffers some mishap en route, such as being eaten by a frog, or getting caught in a spider web. If this happens, the spell is a failure and the gem is lost.

The Glitterbug travels at 1000 ft per hour. On arrival at its destination, it becomes a fly-on-a-wall, unobtrusively landing on a suitable surface. It stays there, recording and viewing everything that occurs in a 30' radius, for a duration specified by the caster. A DC 35 spot check, or a DC 25 search check will reveal the Glitterbug's presence. If either succeeds, the Glitterbug may be dispatched with a swat, in which case the spell is a failure and the gem is lost.

Upon successful return, the Glitterbug settles back onto the caster's ring. It transforms back into a non-magical gem, and in doing so transfers knowledge of where it landed to the caster, as if she had been using Clairaudiance/Clairvoyance.

A caster may only have 2 Glitterbugs active at any given time.

[mikeejimbo]

Interesting, I like the idea as well. I think, though, that it would be considered a Focus, rather than a Material component, as the quarterstaff in the Druid's spell that turns into a treant is also considered a Focus.

Does the caster know when the gem is lost?

[Roethke]

Hmm, guess you're right on the focus front.

On the question of whether the caster knows if the gem is lost-- I was thinking not. Kind of goes against the idea of the bug returning to the caster with the information, and the caster finds out, anyhow, when the term of the spell is up.

[Assasinater]

It might be better as a magical item than a spell (and it solves the lost gem problem).

[Neek]

I think it works as a spell.

The rules don't state whether you can reuse the gem after the Glitterbug has been cast. So I'd consider it to be a focus. If you want to rule that you can't use a Glitterbug gem more than once, then it's a material component (a simple Detect Magic can determine whether the gem has been used before).

You're right about the spell failing. The caster'll know it failed by it not returning within 24 hours.

[Icewalker]

I like it. sounds fun. I love spells that aren't used for straight up combat, they begin to get uninteresting after a while, this is the kind of spell which players would have to find interesting and unique uses for.

[Roethke]

I like it. sounds fun. I love spells that aren't used for straight up combat, they begin to get uninteresting after a while, this is the kind of spell which players would have to find interesting and unique uses for.


I think folks are correct on gem being a focus, I had assumed a particular gem could be used more than once.

It also may be good for an adventure hook-- "The wizard calls you into his study, turns to you and says, 'Well, the information I need to finally be able to convict Fhlarm the necromancer in court happens to be contained in a small gem. However, that gem was lost somewhere between here and Fhlarm's lab. It's an emerald-cut sapphire about half-an inch long and a quarter of an inch wide. Good Luck." and the PC's could end up chasing a frog through zombie-infested marshes.