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Oil of Etherealness

Oil Of Etherealness
  • Category: Potion
  • Rarity: Rare

One vial of this oil can cover one Medium or smaller creature, along with the equipment it's wearing and carrying (one additional vial is required for each size category above Medium). Applying the oil takes 10 minutes. The affected creature then gains the effect of the Etherealness spell for 1 hour.

Beads of this cloudy, gray oil form on the outside of its container and quickly evaporate.

Tactical Applications​

Combat Strategy: Allows becoming ethereal for one hour, enabling passage through solid objects and immunity to most attacks. Exceptional for infiltration, escape, and tactical positioning.

Class Synergies:

  • Any Class: Universal utility for ethereal travel and phase-based tactics
  • Infiltrators: Perfect for rogues and spies requiring passage through barriers
  • Escape Specialists: Essential for characters needing emergency escape capabilities
  • Tactical Repositioning: Excellent for characters requiring advanced battlefield mobility

Build Considerations: Single-use item requiring strategic timing. Most valuable for infiltration missions and emergency escape scenarios.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires etherealness magic, phase enchantments, and ethereal plane materials. Creation cost 15,000-30,000 gp and takes 12 weeks.

Common Sources:

  • Planar researchers and ethereal specialists
  • Treasure hoards of legendary infiltrators and phase masters
  • Commission from enchanters specializing in ethereal magic
  • Found in the collections of planar scholars and dimensional researchers
  • Rewards from grateful organizations requiring infiltration capabilities

Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in ethereal rifts or obtained from phase creature encounters.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 20,000-40,000 gp, with higher demand among infiltrators and characters requiring ethereal capabilities.

Trade Considerations: Popular among spies, infiltrators, and anyone requiring passage through solid barriers.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests experience with planar magic, infiltration expertise, or professional roles requiring ethereal travel.

Character Concepts:

  • Master infiltrator with ethereal magic and phase travel expertise
  • Planar researcher requiring access to ethereal plane capabilities
  • Character with extensive experience in dimensional magic and phase travel
  • Spy requiring reliable methods for bypassing physical barriers

Adventure Hooks​

The Ethereal Infiltration: Stealth missions where ethereal travel enables access to secured locations.

The Phase Escape: Emergency scenarios where ethereal capabilities provide crucial escape options.

The Planar Investigation: Adventures involving ethereal plane exploration and dimensional research.

The Barrier Bypass: Tactical situations where passage through solid objects advances the plot.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Oil of Etherealness (Very Rare): Enhanced duration and additional ethereal plane abilities.

Oil of Permanent Etherealness (Legendary): Provides long-term or permanent ethereal capabilities.

Infiltrator's Ethereal Oil (Rare): Optimized for stealth applications with enhanced infiltration features.

Specialized Variants:

  • Spy's Ethereal Oil: Enhanced for covert operations with stealth bonuses
  • Escape Oil: Optimized for emergency situations with rapid activation
  • Explorer's Phase Oil: Includes ethereal plane navigation and dimensional awareness

Lore & History​

Origins: Created by ancient planar researchers who needed reliable access to the ethereal plane for dimensional studies.

Historical Significance: This oil enabled crucial infiltration missions and the exploration of ethereal plane mysteries.

Cultural Impact: Represents the mastery of dimensional magic and the ability to transcend physical barriers.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates understanding of ethereal magic and the complex processes required for phase travel.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 8-14 when infiltration becomes complex and ethereal abilities are valuable.

Campaign Impact: Provides powerful infiltration capabilities balanced by single-use limitation and strategic timing requirements.

Ethereal Consideration: Phase travel can dramatically alter encounter dynamics and infiltration scenarios.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Infiltration scenarios where ethereal travel provides access to secured locations
  • Escape encounters where phase capabilities enable survival
  • Planar adventures where ethereal plane access advances exploration
  • Tactical combat where ethereal positioning provides advantages

Tactical Adjustments: Encounters may need alternative challenge methods when ethereal travel is available.

Planar Items: Other items that provide access to different planes and dimensional travel capabilities.

Infiltration Equipment:

  • Items that enhance stealth and covert operation capabilities
  • Equipment for professional spy work and infiltration missions
  • Tools for bypassing physical barriers and security measures

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance stealth or provide additional planar travel capabilities.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Planar Mastery: Characters develop expertise in dimensional magic and ethereal plane navigation.

Infiltration Expertise: Ethereal capabilities create opportunities for advanced spy work and covert operations.

Dimensional Research: Phase travel enables participation in planar studies and dimensional exploration missions.