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Marvelous Pigments

Marvelous Pigments
  • Category: Wondrous Item
  • Rarity: Very Rare

This fine wooden box contains 1d4 pots of pigment and a brush (weighing 1 pound in total).

Using the brush and expending 1 pot of pigment, you can paint any number of three-dimensional objects and terrain features (such as walls, doors, trees, flowers, weapons, webs, and pits), provided these elements are all confined to a 20 -foot Cube. The effort takes 10 minutes (regardless of the number of elements you create), during which time you must remain in the Cube, and requires Concentration. If your Concentration is broken or you leave the Cube before the work is done, all the painted elements vanish, and the pot of pigment is wasted.

When the work is done, all the painted objects and terrain features become real. Thus, painting a door on a wall creates an actual door, which can be opened to whatever is beyond. Painting a pit creates a real pit, the entire depth of which must lie within the 20 -foot Cube.

No object created by a pot of pigment can have a value greater than 25 GP, and the total value of all objects created by a pot of pigment can't exceed 500 GP. If you paint objects of greater value (such as a large pile of gold), they look authentic, but close inspection reveals they're made from paste, cookies, or some other worthless material.

If you paint a form of energy such as fire or lightning, the energy dissipates as soon as you complete the painting, doing no harm.

Tactical Applications​

Combat Strategy: Creates real objects from painted images, providing versatile utility for creating tools, barriers, and tactical advantages. Limited by paint supply but offers incredible creative potential.

Class Synergies:

  • Any Class: Universal utility for creative problem solving and object creation
  • Creative Problem Solvers: Perfect for characters who think outside conventional solutions
  • Utility Specialists: Essential for characters requiring versatile tool creation
  • Artists: Excellent for characters with artistic backgrounds and creative approaches

Build Considerations: Limited by paint supply and imagination. Most valuable for creative players willing to think unconventionally about solutions.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires creation magic, artistic enchantments, and reality-altering pigments. Creation cost 15,000-30,000 gp and takes 12 weeks.

Common Sources:

  • Artistic guilds and creative magic specialists
  • Treasure hoards of legendary artists and creation masters
  • Commission from enchanters specializing in reality alteration
  • Found in the collections of creative problem solvers and artists
  • Rewards from grateful artistic organizations and creative institutions

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in abandoned art studios or obtained from creation creature encounters.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 20,000-40,000 gp, with higher demand among creative specialists and utility-focused characters.

Trade Considerations: Popular among artists, creative problem solvers, and anyone requiring versatile object creation capabilities.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests artistic talent, creative thinking, or professional roles requiring object creation and artistic solutions.

Character Concepts:

  • Artist with magical creation abilities and reality-altering talents
  • Creative problem solver specializing in unconventional approaches
  • Character with extensive artistic training and creative magic experience
  • Utility specialist requiring versatile tool and object creation

Adventure Hooks​

The Creative Solution: Puzzle scenarios where painted objects provide unique approaches to complex problems.

The Artistic Mission: Adventures requiring artistic skills where creation abilities advance the plot.

The Reality Canvas: Scenarios where altering reality through art enables new possibilities and solutions.

The Masterpiece Quest: Artistic challenges where creating specific objects determines success or failure.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Marvelous Pigments (Very Rare): Enhanced paint supply and ability to create more complex and durable objects.

Master Artist's Pigments (Rare): Includes artistic expertise bonuses and enhanced creation capabilities.

Reality Painter's Pigments (Rare): Optimized for reality alteration with improved object permanence.

Specialized Variants:

  • Architect's Pigments: Enhanced for structural creation with building and construction focus
  • Tactical Pigments: Optimized for combat applications with weapon and barrier creation
  • Utility Pigments: Focused on tool creation with enhanced practical object capabilities

Lore & History​

Origins: Created by ancient artist-mages who sought to bridge the gap between imagination and reality through magical art.

Historical Significance: These pigments enabled legendary artistic achievements and the creation of impossible architectural marvels.

Cultural Impact: Represent the fusion of art and magic, demonstrating the power of creativity to alter reality.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates mastery of creation magic and the complex enchantments required for reality alteration through art.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 6-12 when creative problem solving becomes valuable and object creation is meaningful.

Campaign Impact: Provides versatile utility balanced by limited paint supply and creative application requirements.

Creative Potential: Value depends entirely on player creativity and willingness to think artistically about solutions.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Creative problem-solving scenarios where painted objects provide unique solutions
  • Artistic challenges where creation abilities determine success
  • Utility scenarios where versatile object creation advances the plot
  • Puzzle encounters where unconventional approaches enable progress

Tactical Adjustments: Encounters may include more opportunities for creative object creation and artistic solutions.

Creation Items: Other items that enable object creation and reality alteration through creative means.

Artistic Equipment:

  • Items that enhance artistic abilities and creative problem solving
  • Equipment for professional artistic work and creative magic
  • Tools for reality alteration and magical creation

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance creativity or provide additional object creation capabilities.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Artistic Mastery: Characters develop reputation for creative solutions and reality-altering artistic abilities.

Creative Innovation: Painting objects creates opportunities for artistic consulting and creative problem-solving services.

Reality Artist: Mastery of creation through art enables unique character concepts and artistic career opportunities.