TW stuff

[BIBBI]

so, I thought a while back that TWs were kinda wimpy, because they need time to make anything cool, and not too many players want to sit around while the TW wrenches on something that may not even work. so to prove myself wrong I decided to make the most badass piece of TW gear in the history of forever. I now use it as a threat to unruly players. and now I want to know what form of techno-arcane badassery y'all can come up with. no restrictions on cost, ppe cost, or spells.

[taalismn]

One of the best and one that i don't think my GM fully thought through before letting me build it was the portal gun.

suffice to say i broke the game a few times by either making matters so confusing no one could follow it, or just by shortcutting everything he had planned.

Lemme guess:
"I AM THE BIG BAD GM-BLESSED NEMESIS! I SHALL-"
"And we are LEAVING!" (*PHOT*)
"-Hey, where'd those mooks go?"

Or
"I AM THE BIG BAD GM-BLESSED NEMESIS! I SHALL-"
"Bye-bye."(*PHOT*)
"Why's the GM crying again?"

[taalismn]

[some of the other stuff was things like against larger monsters i opened one portal under the forelegs of the creature the other portal under the rear legs. so the front of the monster was falling through the front portal and emerging from the rear portal, at the same time the rear quarters of the monster was trying to fall through the rear portal and emerge from the front portal. Trying to sort out what would happen totally derailed the game for a whole hour while we argued about it, in the end the GM just gave up and ended the encounter and we moved on.

Ouch....Well, if putting the point of emeregence inside a solid object(like the monster being transported) is automatically disallowed, then that's the next best way to divide by zero...

Personally, I'd have said the monster just kicks its own arse/punches its own face through the portal(s) until the effect ends, and it's left there feeling rather confused and discombobulated(allowing the players to either attack it or to run, because they've just made a monster confused AND angry).

[G]

Using the TW creation rules this is RAW:

TW Lightsword
1 PPE to activate
1d4x10 damage
1775 credits to create

[Mack]

The TW rules in RUE are ripe for abuse, and require a GM's steady hand (plus a dash of common sense).

[taalismn]

Using the TW creation rules this is RAW:

TW Lightsword
1 PPE to activate
1d4x10 damage
1775 credits to create

Ouch...Can you say 'damage firehose'?

[Dr Megaverse]

Saw someone once post about a boom gun with a recoil negation system and the ability to quickdraw it from a pocket dimension. Gooood stuff!

[Mack]

Some spells in particular are ripe for abuse, such as Power Bolt.

Book Legal TW Rifle:

Device Level 5
Damage: 5D6+8 MD (or 1D4x10 MD)
Range: 2000 ft
Spells: Power Bolt
Activation: 1 PPE / shot
Payload: 20 activation(s) stored in 0.95 carats of Diamond
Construction: 20 PPE & 10 hours
Gems carats: 52.5 Turquoise
Build Cost: 27,900 credits

Or the 'rock bottom' version:

Device Level 1
Damage: 5D6 MD
Range: 1600 ft
Spells: Power Bolt
Activation: 1 PPE / shot
Payload: None (user must supply PPE)
Construction: 20 PPE & 2 hours
Gems carats: 10 Turquoise
Build Cost: 2600 credits
MSRP: 4,200 credits

[drewkitty ~..~]

The TW rules in RUE are ripe for abuse, and require a GM's steady hand (plus a dash of common sense).

Common sense???
What is that?
I would of said something closer to "and thinking about things through to be able to apply so called 'common sense'."

There are even more TW items over in the invented magic topic in the Magic&Psi forum.

[taalismn]

The TW rules in RUE are ripe for abuse, and require a GM's steady hand (plus a dash of common sense).

I prefer to regard it as 'There is no such thing as an unfair advantage', especially if and when I'm staring some eldritch monstrosity in the teeth or a horde of fellow men out for my material possessions, my home, my peace of mind, or my life.

[Mack]

The TW rules in RUE are ripe for abuse, and require a GM's steady hand (plus a dash of common sense).

I prefer to regard it as 'There is no such thing as an unfair advantage', especially if and when I'm staring some eldritch monstrosity in the teeth or a horde of fellow men out for my material possessions, my home, my peace of mind, or my life.

In that case: Here, have an Annihilate cannon:

Built into a mini-missile launcher (such as the old CR-1)
Device Level 1
Damage: 2D4x100 MD, and 4D6x10 MD to a 10ft radius
Range: 500 feet
Spells: Annihilate
Activation: 20 PPE (normally this spell costs 600 PPE)
Payload: None
Construction: 400 PPE & 40 hours
Gems carats: 15 Lapis Lazuli
Build Cost: 79,000 credits

[Killer Cyborg]

I'm sure that Mack will correct me if I'm wrong, but here are my thoughts:

The main problem for abuse is that TW items don't have to use the spell as-is, they can change the effects.
The extent of the changes are up to the GM, but other than that are pretty much whatever you can think of.
No GM in his/her right mind would allow the Blinding Flash spell to be the key spell in a TW Flash Gun that inflicts 1d6x1000 MD, but there's nothing in the books that outright says you can't change the effects that much.

Less blatant tweaking can simply be used to remove the limitations of different spells, the things that make them balanced.
Like the TW sword that uses Speed Weapon to double the user's attacks, even though the spell itself is specifically balanced by the limitation that it can't be used on magic weapons.

For other examples, you could use Fuel Flame, Breathe Without Air, and Ignite Fire as the key spells for a weapon that ignites the air inside somebody's lungs, then keeps the fire fed until the person dies.
These spells can't be used that way themselves- Ignite Fire specifically cannot be used to ignite volatile substances contained in something, and cannot be used on things that cannot be plainly seen.
But TW devices don't have that kind of limitation.

Similarly, creative use of the Impervious To Poison spell could used in a weapon that would make the target impervious to oxygen, with the excuse that oxygen is toxic under the right concentrations and circumstances, and that the TW effect can be tweaked to be different from the spell.

A modified version of the Seal spell could be used to seal somebody's throat closed.

A modified version of Create Water could flood a target's lungs with water, instantly drowning them.

A modified Magic Pigeon could create a Magic Falcon that, instead of delivering a message to the target, relentlessly attack the target for (tossing Frostblade into the mix) 4d6 MD per attack for 2 months per level of the TW item's creator. And it'd be indestructible except for a Dispel Magic spell... and technically, it wouldn't have to be vulnerable to even that. The TW effect can be different from the spell, so you could simply decide that Dispel Magic didn't do anything.

Reduce Self normally only works on the caster, but that restriction can be ditched for a TW device, meaning that it can be used offensively.

Teleport Lesser could be integrated into a device to flawlessly teleport objects at a target. Add in another spell, like Fire Globe, Throwing Stones, or whatever, and you can automatically hit a target (or the inside of a target) for mega-damage.

Life Drain normally doesn't take more than half the target's lifeforce (SDC and/or HP), but that limit can be erased for a TW weapon.

Metamorphosis normally takes a ritual, but could be worked into a TW Mouse Gun that instantly turns the target into a mouse.

Negate Mechanics normally doesn't work well against borgs, being ineffective against cybernetics, but again, that doesn't matter. You could have a TW gun that negates a Borg's nervous system, or that negates the effects of a MOM implant, or a Juicer Bio-Comp.

Time Slip normally only lasts 7.5 seconds, and normally doesn't allow the caster to harm anybody. But since you can change the effects for a TW device, you could make something that lasts indefinitely, and just walk around slitting the throat of everybody you don't like.

Just for example.

[Shark_Force]

I'm sure that Mack will correct me if I'm wrong, but here are my thoughts:

The main problem for abuse is that TW items don't have to use the spell as-is, they can change the effects.
The extent of the changes are up to the GM, but other than that are pretty much whatever you can think of.

well, that's a potential *part* of the problem. but it's usually a pretty visible part, which makes it less of a problem.

one very big part of the problem, imo, is the exploitation of mathematical formulas. mainly because the GM is likely to read the description and check whether it, say, allows you to automatically kill a target with no way to resist it... but is less likely to check if you used 400 carats of quartz gemstone to take a spell that normally costs 500 PPE and make it cost 2 PPE to activate, and is especially less likely to check if using 400 carats instead of, say, 5 carats, takes the price from something that would cost 1 million credits to build and half a year to even design, down to something you can build for a few thousand credits over the weekend.

part of that problem also stems from the fact that certain powerful/expensive spells have very cheap/common gemstones assigned to them...

and unlike the description, the GM is relatively unlikely to read through 3-4 paragraphs of mathematical formulas.

[flatline]

Forgive an ignoramus who's been away for 10+ years, but from this discussion, is it safe to say that techno-wizardry got a complete revamp in Rifts Ultimate Edition?

If so, what else has been redone?

--flatline

[Shark_Force]

Forgive an ignoramus who's been away for 10+ years, but from this discussion, is it safe to say that techno-wizardry got a complete revamp in Rifts Ultimate Edition?

If so, what else has been redone?

--flatline

it got some actual formulas for how to figure out appropriate costs to make certain devices. so long as your GM is keeping an eye on them, they shouldn't get *too* out of hand, but there are definitely things that i would consider exploits, as mack has demonstrated with a few of his devices such as the resurrection machine and the annihilation cannon.

[taalismn]

[
In that case: Here, have an Annihilate cannon:

Built into a mini-missile launcher (such as the old CR-1)
Device Level 1
Damage: 2D4x100 MD, and 4D6x10 MD to a 10ft radius
Range: 500 feet
Spells: Annihilate
Activation: 20 PPE (normally this spell costs 600 PPE)
Payload: None
Construction: 400 PPE & 40 hours
Gems carats: 15 Lapis Lazuli
Build Cost: 79,000 credits

Clerk! I 'll pay cash. Don't bother bagging it, I brought my own.

[drewkitty ~..~]

[
In that case: Here, have an Annihilate cannon:

Built into a mini-missile launcher (such as the old CR-1)
Device Level 1
Damage: 2D4x100 MD, and 4D6x10 MD to a 10ft radius
Range: 500 feet
Spells: Annihilate
Activation: 20 PPE (normally this spell costs 600 PPE)
Payload: None
Construction: 400 PPE & 40 hours
Gems carats: 15 Lapis Lazuli
Build Cost: 79,000 credits

Clerk! I 'll pay cash. Don't bother bagging it, I brought my own.

Clerk: sorry, we have to bag it for safety reasons. The bag will open once you are three miles outside of town.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Here is a TW item I made a while ago for my offering to this topic.

The White Rabbit's Watch

No -one know where this magic pocket watch came from nor who made it. The Last person the be know in possession of this item was the mage thief only known as "The White Rabbit". This mysterious personage is known to operate in Collation territory but has recently taken to doing jobs Colorado Baronies. Some theories about this item is that it teleports the user to a known location from where the user is. Others suggest that it hypnotizes everyone to make the user disappear.
The one best source of information about this item, it comes from an old clocksmith in the old quarter of Lazlo. An old geezer who insists on being called "The Time Keeper". The Geezer has boasted that he once had the White Rabbit come to him to fix a part of the watch. The Time Keeper swears up and down that It is a Techno Wizard device. But, after his glass has been filled many times, he will also say that no Techno Wizardry could of made parts of the watch. But then again, he also claims he traveled through time when he was younger when he has many drinks.

Gm section
The watch is three distinct parts, a Watch, a TW Time Stopper, and a magic PPE recharger.

The Watch is a normal clock mechanism, with a 3 year life battery. Keeps time to within +/- one second per year. The Lid is decorated with an image of a standing rabbit with a clock in it's hand. while other parts are decorated with a caterpillar, a girl in a dress & apron, and a faded cat with a big smile. The housing is made out of copper and bronze.

TW Time Stopper:
This device gives the magi user up to 5 min. of extra time using sequential time slip spells. The device was built with a 300 PPE payload, so the maximum time able to be gained is 9 min.
Device Level: 1
Spell Chain: Time Slip(20), Contingency (12)
PPE Construction Cost: 77
Construction Time: 7.68 hours
Construction Cost: 229,528 uc
Activation Cost: 4 PPE
Physical requirements: 12.5 carats of Quartz, and 15 carats of diamonds, and a watch housing.

The Magic Recharger
This part of the watch was made by an alchemist, using the Mystic Energy Drain ward and the Inscribe Magic Circle spell in the basic parts of the enchantment. Due to the use of the mystic energy drain ward this part of the watch is undetectable to those sensitive to magic.
The magic creates a circle of magic 50' in radius centered on the watch, that drains 2d6 PPE from every living thing with in the range once every 15 sec., for up to 8 min. The PPE is stored in the Time Stopper's PPE storage, and once that is full the magic becomes dormant again. If used on a Ley Line or LL Nexus the watch is recharged with in the first 15 sec. Like with most magic devices, this function can only be used three times per day.

[Mack]

I see three problems with Techno-Wizardry. (Well, one challenge and two problems.)

1) As Killer Cyborg noted, there's a ton of flexibility in the rules (which I generally endorse). However, to borrow a phrase from a certain arachnid crime fighter: With great power comes great responsibility. The player/GM really needs to be careful not to unbalance the game. (This one is the challenge.)

2) As Shark_Force touched on, some spells use very inexpensive gems. Such as Resurrection using the 60 credit red-orange Agate. Increasing the number of carats used will greatly decrease all the major factors (PPE Construction cost, PPE Activation, Time to Build...). The only counter to this is for the GM to artificially restrict the supply of gems, but that will contradict the book listed low price.

3) Some spells do not have a "per level" component to their effectiveness. Restoration is a good example. It doesn't matter if it's cast by a first level mage, or an fifteenth level dragon... the results are the same. This means the Device Level can always be at one, which lowers the major factors.

And when you put 2) and 3) together (such as Resurrection) you can quickly make a game-breaking device. And while I mentioned high-level spells in my examples (which a GM can keep from a player) the same problems occur with low-level spells.

[the Captain]

And when you put 2) and 3) together (such as Resurrection) you can quickly make a game-breaking device. And while I mentioned high-level spells in my examples (which a GM can keep from a player) the same problems occur with low-level spells.

I never had a problem with Techno-wizard creations as a GM, I never let players go hog wild with a creation. Item creation is a conversation between a player and GM, not a set of rules in a book. You have to work with a player and manage their expectations about what is possible and what you will allow in the game.

Take spells, there is no guarantee that a Techno-wizard would ever get the opportunity to learn Resurrection, or even know that it exists beyond rumors. Think about it, it is a 14th level spell, you can't get one out of a fortune cookie. I am not saying the GM needs to keep it away from the player, but the player needs to realise that just because he can read about a spell in the book does not mean that the spell is or will be available to his character.

I never use the creation mechanics because what is important is the effect the player is trying to achieve, not how many boxes he ticked or tables consulted. I'm a GM, a story teller, not a lawyer. I want to know how much MD or effect the player is wanting to achieve. If they have the spells they need and method of delivery thought out. I usually expect a player to actually draw up a set of plans, seriously, you wanna play a Techno-wizard you better be able to knock out a basic set of plans in my campaign. You can use crayons and construction paper for all I care, but there is more to RPGs than rolling dice. Oh and the first try hardly ever works properly, the character needs to produce a prototype, refine the design and then go for a final version. Once a character gets to level 7, I usually let them skip the prototype as the they have achieved a certain level of expertise. Maybe if they are trying to do something crazy, I might ask them to do a prototype again.

After all that, I will actually stat up the device for them, unless it is based on a variation of an existing TW device, then we just adjust as necessary. The whole process might be drawn out for a while, but it is a conversation. My players always seem to like my system, even the ones who think they can't draw. Testing the prototypes is also a ton of fun.

[Shark_Force]

the fact that you can do it with rare, high level spells is merely one example of how to abuse the system.

the only way to keep the system from being readily subject to abuse is to involve the GM. the resurrection machine and the annihilation cannon are merely two specific (extremely obvious) examples of things that should not be allowed. i assure you, it is quite possible to make brokenly powerful, ridiculously underpriced TW devices using lower level spells if the GM isn't paying attention.

the GM needs to be involved in every step of the way, and needs to pay attention to how that formula works out as well. for the right cost, and with the right design, a TW annihilate cannon would probably be fine (for example, as artillery, and costing several hundred PPE to fire it once, costing 5 million credits to make; no problem). it's not that a TW annihilate cannon is automatically a bad thing, it's that when you reduce the cost to an absurdly low point that it gets broken.

[taalismn]

the fact that you can do it with rare, high level spells is merely one example of how to abuse the system.

the only way to keep the system from being readily subject to abuse is to involve the GM. the resurrection machine and the annihilation cannon are merely two specific (extremely obvious) examples of things that should not be allowed. i assure you, it is quite possible to make brokenly powerful, ridiculously underpriced TW devices using lower level spells if the GM isn't paying attention.

the GM needs to be involved in every step of the way, and needs to pay attention to how that formula works out as well. for the right cost, and with the right design, a TW annihilate cannon would probably be fine (for example, as artillery, and costing several hundred PPE to fire it once, costing 5 million credits to make; no problem). it's not that a TW annihilate cannon is automatically a bad thing, it's that when you reduce the cost to an absurdly low point that it gets broken.

It's another reason I see the CS cracking down on mages so harshly...if relatively inexperienced technowizards can kludge up weapons of mass destruction easily, when it takes a CS engineering team weeks, if not months, possibly years, of R&D effort to equal the power in an equivalent tech weapons system. Well, I'd be afraid too....

[Comrade Corsarius]

I've really gotten a hankering for TW devices over the years. When I first bought Rifts, I thought they were pretty tacky, fairly useless, and dreadfully kitsch. Something fun, but a bit whacky.

Since then, I've really taken to TW in a way I never thought I would. I'm fairly enamoured with steampunk and similar genres, and TW caters to that in spades.

To get around, I just use a TW sky ship with the following mods (from Book of Magic sourcebook)
Ley Line Booster (fast is good)
Enhanced speed and manoeverability (also good)
Impervious to fire (high setting for battle, low setting for air conditioning)
Protective energy field (50MDC/10 ppe pumped into it... while on a line... oooooh)
De-Icer (for those frozen mornings)
Environmental hazard defence system (breathe without air).

I have Globe of Daylight spotlights and 2 deck-mounted Starfire pulse cannons for defence. Basically, this baby is my home-away-from-home and can also be used for exploration of most regions (hot, humid, cold, frozen), and most importantly, delivery of worthwhile cargo. Besides, ever since I saw Peter Pan as a kid, I always wanted a flying square-rigged ship.

Personally, I find that a TW Firebolt Pistol from the Coalition Navy book suffices my needs, a lightning rod for defence, and a TW Flaming sword. You'd be surprised as to just how useful (and cheap in terms of PPE) these things are to use. Naturally (like all good roleplayers) my flaming sword's handle resembles a light sabre. yes, yes, I know you can make a TW lightblade, but hey I can cast the spell anyway if I REALLY need to.

For times when I want to get away from the sky-ship and journey into town, I use a Glittermount (they're cheap... well cheap-ish... well cheaper in Colorado, where my character is based) Impressive speed to run on ley lines, even with the fancy rainbow effects. No, I have not been playing Robot Unicorn Attack lately. I've had this particular character for some years now.

For passengers and crew of the Sky-ship, I have invented a backpack of TW levitation, which, once you pull the rip cord, allows you to float gently to earth in the event of an emergency. It doesn't do anything other than lower the wearer to earth (does not go up, and limited movement sideways) and is always charged on a ley line (so non-mages can use them).

When the going gets a bit tough, I like the TW powered armour from RMB. People gloss over it due to the fact there are no pictures of it, but seriously, it trounces the dodgy 'experimental' ones in SoT.

For me, it's not always about power, but heck TW has tons of style that so many other pieces of equipment lack... and besides, I can't imagine travelling around Rifts Earth any other way these days.

[Comrade Corsarius]

Forgive an ignoramus who's been away for 10+ years, but from this discussion, is it safe to say that techno-wizardry got a complete revamp in Rifts Ultimate Edition?

If so, what else has been redone?

--flatline

I'm feeling a bit the same, Flatline.

[taalismn]

I've really gotten a hankering for TW devices over the years. When I first bought Rifts, I thought they were pretty tacky, fairly useless, and dreadfully kitsch. Something fun, but a bit whacky.

Since then, I've really taken to TW in a way I never thought I would. I'm fairly enamoured with steampunk and similar genres, and TW caters to that in spades.

.

Da, Comrade. Is effect of Industrial Cool. Also helps to hit all those old books on steam locomotion for inspiration. And original Japanese 'Iron Man' manga.

[Lenwen]

so, I thought a while back that TWs were kinda wimpy, because they need time to make anything cool, and not too many players want to sit around while the TW wrenches on something that may not even work. so to prove myself wrong I decided to make the most badass piece of TW gear in the history of forever. I now use it as a threat to unruly players. and now I want to know what form of techno-arcane badassery y'all can come up with. no restrictions on cost, ppe cost, or spells.

In my world TW's figure heavily .. to the point they are the defacto heavy hitters in the North America.

TW Rail guns .. that do 3d6x10 per shot (6d6x10 along ley lines or nexus points) at ranges of 10,560ft. With 20-40 shots (depending on if they are on a ley line or nexus point)

And yes Mack I do in fact have them utilize your Anihilate Canons as heavy artillery peices .. haha!!

In armors that are immune to Energy based attacks .. attacking while 100% completely invisible .. able to teleport in and outta combat zones as per 1 of their Armors abilities .

TW's by the book are the not that powerfull because you have to create their items, weapons and armors .. If Palladium ever came out with a book of TW item's weapons an armors .. by the book .. it would utterly shock EVERYONE (sept me lmao)

In my estimation .. Techno-Wizardry is even more powerful then Bio-Wizardry and Rune Magic ..

[Shark_Force]

well, let me ask you this. if i built a gigantic door, and dropped it on something, would that mean that the something must automatically go through the door?

a rift is not a physical object as such. it doesn't (necessarily) suck things through it. it largely doesn't really occupy any space as such, being nothing more than a tear in the fabric of reality. in order for the base to be rifted elsewhere, you would first have to smash the base into small pieces and then make it go into the rift using some other effect. which of course, begs the question... why bother with the rift in the first place if you're going to have to destroy the base before you can send it through the rift?

in general the kind of level of power you're looking at to pull off what you want is something that simply isn't readily available. there are fade towns in the magic zone that i'm sure would love to be able to manipulate the dimensional fabric of the area they're in rather than being at the whim of random chance. if anyone could pull off this kind of thing, the fade towns would be using that technology to greatly improve their quality of life.

that said, my advice is to just make a TW lesser teleport device, create some regular TW bombs, and start delivering payloads into their base from miles away until they decide that they're need more someplace other than where you are.

[Killer Cyborg]

i guess its just how you envision a rift. all of my gaming group has always envisioned a rift as more of a 3 dimensional wormhole i guess (yes it will be more than 3 dimensions, but the observible and interactive parts are 3d) than just a simple doorway, so a rift will occupy a volume of effect that is its event horizon.

The way we saw the rift bomb working was when it strikes the rift opens and expands to whatever size, anything of the base that was in that area the rift now occupies was enveloped and either torn apart by the dimensional energies or was taken though the expanding rift. Plus with a little help from a shifter i could open it to a certain dimension and the CS would suddenly have a demon army disgorging itself within the cs base.

Build the spell Wind Rush or something, and you can have the rift created by the bomb suck everything around into it.
Or just say that whatever normal Rifts are like, you want yours to be a sphere that covers a large area.
TW devices don't have to follow the rules of normal spells.

Though your GM would have to approve it.

[Shark_Force]

truthfully, there are plenty of ridiculous abusive devices you can make as a techno-wizard given a sufficiently spineless GM. that doesn't mean they should be allowed into every game.

*can* you use the TW rules to make a barrage weapon that fires 1d4x10+10 MD exploding meteors instead of 1d6 MD bolts of energy? well, you can certainly figure out a spell chain for it etc. but the GM has to approve it, and the costs should be made high enough to compensate for the benefits.

from my perspective, you'd probably have to make it a cluster bomb, and it would very likely cost as much or more than a conventional cluster bomb to develop if you wanted something like this.

[the Captain]

truthfully, there are plenty of ridiculous abusive devices you can make as a techno-wizard given a sufficiently spineless GM. that doesn't mean they should be allowed into every game.

*can* you use the TW rules to make a barrage weapon that fires 1d4x10+10 MD exploding meteors instead of 1d6 MD bolts of energy? well, you can certainly figure out a spell chain for it etc. but the GM has to approve it, and the costs should be made high enough to compensate for the benefits.

from my perspective, you'd probably have to make it a cluster bomb, and it would very likely cost as much or more than a conventional cluster bomb to develop if you wanted something like this.

Agreed.

When you follow the rules to the letter it is possible to make some silly stuff, but the issue is really about proper Gee-eeMing, and not the TW item creation system. Factoring in the cost of the gems, as well as availability(seriously how hard do you think it is to get diamonds in Rifts NA), some simple devices could be nearly impossible to make. I am not even talking about nerfing the TW, there is just no guarantee that you can make something because you have a spell, you might go up a couple levels before you actually find the sapphire you need.

I once had a player ask me for the Steel Rain spell(of legend) so he could make some super rail gun. It wasn't a bad idea, but it wasn't going to happen. I get the feeling some GMs are letting players run wild with whatever they want from the book and then finding out later they created a monster.

On a side note, I always wanted to see a TW item that incorporated the Vicious Circle spell(of legend) that is on the same page of the BoM as Steel Rain. I would've loved to have seen Vicious Circle bombs dropped on the Coalition troops during the Tolkeen war. Device level 8 would do 8D4x10 to a 1100 foot area, for minutes! Call it the Munchkin's revenge.