Modular Wands

## **Breaking it Down to Build it Up**

The concept of modular wands is still officially hazy in the history of magic, there are still Stonehearth secrets buried in the creation, but the technical invention happened in **1332 DR**. In that fateful year, they'd broken down the average dedicated-function wands into three primary components:

* The carrier hardware: this was the actual shaft of the wand, and *generally* the portion that carried the associated magic of that wand.
* The spell itself: carried, shaped energy. Even when there was some material component from the original spell, a wand could be produced that didn't need the component to recast the spell. This isolated and reduced that component to a particular signature wavelength of the spell.
* Wand energization: the average wand held 7 charges, would recharge over a roughly 8-hour stretch, and ran a risk of structural failure if the energy was completely depleted. Every detail was a clue to how magic worked – and Stonehearth ripped those details apart to study every last part.

Future research went far, far beyond these initial discoveries, but the three-part template served as the foundation for the both the in-House wands and those few the House sold or licensed.

Instead of six expensive *Wands of Fireballs*, Stonehearth was producing one wand and six compact energy sources, plugged in as the pommel to the wand. It was less expensive, took less room, and still reliably brought a storm of fireballs onto a given target.

Finally, the separation of the function from the energization marked the moment they'd stabilized charge depletion. They could wring out every last charge without risk that the wand would disintegrate. On the flip side, they did find new, otherwise logical complications, such as wand carrier shaft overheating and getting melty.

## **Modular** **Wand Types in the Marquisate**

The modular wands are generally available only in the Commonwealth, though export restrictions have eased somewhat for trusted foreign parties. Part of that is simply a response to competition: there is a halo of knowledge to the primal insights – and that halo has helped Weave-based scholars with insights that make previously challenging production more accessible.

This means from Cormyr to Tethyr, well outside the Commonwealth, a standard *Wand of Fireballs* or *Wand of Lightning Bolts* has dropped from the (high) rare category to the (low) rare category, with city prices in that make locally-made ordnance more competitive.

Within the Marquisate, the ability to make wand components modular has simplified the production process, made the wands far less expensive, far more utilitarian, and far more durable.

Modular wands can burn through their full capacity without fear of wand destruction. Standard power modules consistently recharge to full strength in 8 hours (a full rest), rather than the usual dawn Weave refresh time. *Usually,* this is an advantage.

The following list are the modular wands that are always available. Beyond this list, nearly any type of wand imaginable has been made, with dozens of variations on every theme.

Whether that one peculiar wand is actually available...? Probably not, but characters would be able to track down a wandmaker that could craft it.

Also note: combat-related wands are by nature more expensive: not because they're more difficult to produce (though there are definitely hazards), but rather because demand is high and so are the consequences of using them.

Mundane Triggers (MT) are mechanical means of activating a wand, allowing anyone to utilize the wand.

Modular Wands are sold with a default power module that measures in the primal matrix standard.

\*MT Triggered Magic Missile wands auto-lock on the closest target to the Line of Sight when aimed and are limited to one missile per use.

\*\**Wands of the War Mage* (of any bonus strength) are rare in the marquisate as most local war mages are using *Wands of Casting*.

### **Variations, you say...?**

If you can think of it, and it wouldn't automatically explode during the creation, somebody in the Marquisate has probably been on the same wavelength. Here are two examples:

* ***Wand of Optimized Magic Missile**:* The *Wand of OMM* is the opposite of a meditative experience. Usually the beginning of the Wand of OMMYGODS, it takes the dice rolling out of the damage in roughly the same way that *magic missiles* take the die rolling out of to-hit. An optimized wand hits for 5 damage on every missile. 15000 gp, with MT trigger version for 19000 gp.
* ***Wand of Malicious Magic Missile***: The WM3 uses a refined guidance system, targeting the head (or equivalent) scoring a critical hit on every strike. The usual damage is 1d4+1 (per missile) \*2, plus target is stunned for one round (save DC 15).
* ***Wand of Amplified Fire Ball*:** The WAFB uses wide power conduits without creating additional draw, guaranteed at least half the minimum force on every cast. The damage is 4d6+24 on a failed save. Additional die for higher level casts increase at normal rate. 26000 gp, with an MT trigger version for 32000 gp.

## **You Have the Power**

The Power Modules are made in different capacities and recharge rates. Most of the modular wands are based off Weave magic, and still used by Weave casters, so the most common power source mimics the expectations of weave users.

Just like traditional integrated wands, an attuned caster will be able to detect how many charges a wand contains.

The AM-rated power modules follow the common Weave refresh rate, regaining full charge at dawn. The 8-hour recharge rating will fully charge the wand's reserve in the time of a standard, long rest. An interrupted long rest will prorate the charge the wand. The 1-hour recharge rating will fully charge a wand on a short rest.

Circuit models channel per-spell energy, and those with a reserve capacitor will dip into the reserve is the cast calls for it. A standard fire ball is a 3rd level spell, using 3 spell levels. Casting as a 4th level (adding a die of damage), adds one level of spell to the pool. A Circuit Module (Weave) max cast would be 5 spell-levels worth of magic (so a 3rd level fire ball spell cast at 5th level).

The reserve capacitor is always charging, including rounds the wand is used, as long as the capacitor is not activated. If the capacitor is activated, it will begin recharging the first round it is unused and will recharge at the rate of the unused spell-cast capacity.

> **Example:** *Fairchild Firenzo, Firemage of the Winding Water, found herself up to her face in trolls. She fired three enhanced fireballs (level-6), three rounds in a row. The level per round on her Circuit Module+Capacitor (Weave) Wand of Fireballs is 5, with a reserve of 10. Firing 6 levels of spells, she had to dip into the capacitor by one point three rounds in a row, taking the reserve down to a 7. On her fourth round, she dialed it back 1 die as she was singeing her sash. Using all of the cast capacity, the reserve did not recharge. On her fifth round, the threat was lower, so she dialed the cast back to a level four. With 1 cast-point left over, that was shunted into the reserve, boosting it back to an 8*...
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The Weave circuit models tap into Weave-level magic and are cheaper, but less powerful.

The Primal circuit models tap into raw magic and are more powerful – and more expensive. The public-access models are capped at 7 spell-levels per round.

Additional modules do not need to be attached to any wand to recharge – *they are their own receiver*.

There has been talk of changing the coupling for combat wands to limit their use (followers of Illmater), and/or charge a premium for power modules used for combat (picking up traction in Waukeen circles). There has been predictable resistance to this idea...

## **Beyond the Wand**

Wands were the first and by far the most popular items to have modular power, but not the only devices to be built this way. Staves, rods, and various other weapons (usually swords), are regularly sold in Baldur's Gate.

The power modules do *not* work for rings. Rumor has it there is a similar system for well-known ring types, but it's not available on the open market. There are, however, parallel systems that perform the same function but are instead modular elements to other items of clothing, such a gloves and gauntlets, bracers, arm bands, etc.