Magic Stopwatch, a la Castlevania

[Grey Watcher]

Title says it all, this is an attempt to create a Magic Stopwatch, like the one found in Castlevania.

---

Magic Stopwatch
Wondrous Item, legendary (requires attunement)

This stopwatch has 7 charges. As an action, it can be used to cast one of the following spells:

• Haste (3 charges)
• Slow (3 charges)
• Time Stop (7 charges)

These spells do not require concentration to maintain when cast using the Magic Stopwatch.

The Magic Stopwatch regains 1d4+1 charges at midnight.

---

You guys think the number of charges and rate of recovery make sense? I figured access to a 9th level spell roughly once or twice a week sounds about right, with Haste or Slow being roughly daily (or two days, if you want both ready at once). Too generous? Too stingy?

[Tvtyrant]

Title says it all, this is an attempt to create a Magic Stopwatch, like the one found in Castlevania.

---

Magic Stopwatch
Wondrous Item, legendary (requires attunement)

This stopwatch has 7 charges. As an action, it can be used to cast one of the following spells:

• Haste (3 charges)
• Slow (3 charges)
• Time Stop (7 charges)

These spells do not require concentration to maintain when cast using the Magic Stopwatch.

The Magic Stopwatch regains 1d4+1 charges at midnight.

---

You guys think the number of charges and rate of recovery make sense? I figured access to a 9th level spell roughly once or twice a week sounds about right, with Haste or Slow being roughly daily (or two days, if you want both ready at once). Too generous? Too stingy?

Why not make haste and slow each take 1 charge and time stop 4, regaining 1 point each day. What is the advantage of the random recharge?

[Grey Watcher]

Why not make haste and slow each take 1 charge and time stop 4, regaining 1 point each day. What is the advantage of the random recharge?

Partly it just feels right on some mushy, intuitive level. Also, I figured that, because you can get a free 9th level spell out of the thing, that it made sense that you would then potentially have to go a whole day without being able to use it at all (ie, if you use Time Stop and then only get a 1 on the recharge die).

I'm toying with adding Expeditious Retreat as a 1 charge spell. I can't really think of any other time-themed spells off the top of my head. Though a concentration-free spell that basically poaches a Rogue class feature and can be used up to seven times a day is probably too good.

[jiriku]

"Time-themed" is as much a flavor as a mechanic. Blink could be flavored as moving in and out of time. Mirror image as summoning time-substituted duplicates. Etc. That said, it's a fine item. If one of my characters acquired such a thing, it would feel like a properly high-level and awesome item.

[Grey Watcher]

"Time-themed" is as much a flavor as a mechanic. Blink could be flavored as moving in and out of time. Mirror image as summoning time-substituted duplicates. Etc. That said, it's a fine item. If one of my characters acquired such a thing, it would feel like a properly high-level and awesome item.

Huh, hadn't thought of those that way (admittedly, with the exception of Time Stop, I usually think of the spells involved here as being more like magical methamphetamines (or I guess an opioid for Slow) than manipulating time itself.

Probably not going to add more than Expeditious Retreat. I don't want to make it too complicated. I guess reduce ER to 1 minute, if I do add it.

[Grey Watcher]

Oh, by the way, any suggestions on the save DC for Slow? I was thinking 15?

[jiriku]

15 seems reasonable. I feel that for a legendary item you're a bit stingy with the charge requirements. For comparison, an ollamh harp grants access to seven spells per day (including one 8th and one 7th level spell) and also includes a passive benefit. The magic stopwatch is much less potent than that. But then again, I don't know all that much about magic item balance in high-level play for this edition.

[Grey Watcher]

15 seems reasonable. I feel that for a legendary item you're a bit stingy with the charge requirements. For comparison, an ollamh harp grants access to seven spells per day (including one 8th and one 7th level spell) and also includes a passive benefit. The magic stopwatch is much less potent than that. But then again, I don't know all that much about magic item balance in high-level play for this edition.

Honestly, I have no idea how to determine an appropriate rarity. I don't know why I went with legendary honestly. I guess I just figured a 9th level spell meant it was closer to legendary than common, so I rounded up?

[jiriku]

Well, in defense of that reasoning, time stop is one of the most dramatic and iconic 9th level spells. Only wish and meteor swarm have the same cachet. If anything is going to be legendary, a watch that stops time should do it.

I looked through the list of very rare magic items, and the only ones that produce a 9th level effect are consumable, so I think you've set the rarity correctly.

[sandmote]

Why not make haste and slow each take 1 charge and time stop 4, regaining 1 point each day. What is the advantage of the random recharge?

You guys think the number of charges and rate of recovery make sense? I figured access to a 9th level spell roughly once or twice a week sounds about right, with Haste or Slow being roughly daily (or two days, if you want both ready at once). Too generous? Too stingy?

It definitely needs at least one spell that costs few enough charges for you to refresh each day. You could probably add a reflavored Misty Step ("Briefly surrounded by spinning gears...") in addition to Expeditious Retreat. I like that the stronger spells don't necessarily refresh each day, but it's going to feel bad to have when you used up all the charges the previous day and find out you still can't use the item at all.

[jiriku]

It might be neat to have 12 charges, and restore 1d6+1 per day. Because, you know, 12 numbers on the watch dial....

[Grey Watcher]

It might be neat to have 12 charges, and restore 1d6+1 per day. Because, you know, 12 numbers on the watch dial....

Ergh, now I'm torn. I kinda liked having a prime number of charges, but that's just too delicious....