Arcane Spellcycle (3.5e Equipment)

By Clayton Crain

Arcane Spellcycle: A fearsome two-wheeled vehicle fueled by arcane power. By expending spells, one can produce many interesting effects.

Weak-Immense evocation;CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item, Swim^CAr, Overland Flight, Find the Path, Plane Shift; Cost 48,000 gp; Weight: 490 lbs. lb.; Market Price: 96,000

The Arcane Spellcycle is the brainchild of Benedict Alfare, a Magus who has lived in exile from society for centuries, and improves upon the base Spellcycle originally designed by the Hades' Archons. This design accommodates for those of spellcasting prowess and powerful intellect rather than rely on the weight of engineering. It's magnificence is made possible by the rare collaboration of three exotic artisan forms; a combination that ensures that it remains exotic and unique, and an awesome sight to behold, forevermore.

The spellcycle enjoys a great bit of optimization and customization, depending on the rider's knowledge of the arcane and magical energies. The possibilities of such an exotic vehicle are truly up to the one sitting in it's seat.

General Information

While certainly an imposing and awesome sight to behold, an Arcane Spellcycle in use serves to simply the complex nature of the device in the eyes of bystanders. The arcane device is impeccably fine-tuned to respond to, and only to, the magical force that lives in all beings.

That said, it requires a great mastery and familiarity with the arcane energies in order to manipulate the articulate threads of mana and mystic power flowing through the device, making it much more naturally able to Wizards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks, though occasionally a bard or cleric might be able to use one correctly; In truth, anyone can, but it's rare to ever see it outside of these few spellcasting classes. Being the type of construct that they are, it's rare to see them, period.

The vehicle itself is a product of expert collaboration on multiple fields of study: Dwarven Metalsmithing, Elven Arcana, and Human Ingenuity and Style. Most often, the frame of these behemoths are rather sparse; A cage of dwarven steel or another material encasing a small pistoned-block, scribed with hundreds of thousands of runes, sigils, and magic circles. This framework is, to the pride of it's artisan, the main portion of vehicle. When active, however, you see another portion; The one that makes it so special. An arcane 'net' follows along the steel and produces two "wheels" of magical energies, and the block from before comes to life, beating it's pistons wildly. The handles noticeably have a few hundred threads of energy clinging to them, stretching up to them, allowing the activation and transfer of energies. The last part is simply a matter of input and design, and one that brings the desire of most who see it. Leather, here and there, and a sleek, metallic shine, as well as the flexibility of the energies hidden therein.

Usage

The spellcycle works much like one would expect of it's look, out of character: It's handles are used to channel energy to the Arcane Engine below, allowing the marked improvement in speed and maneuverability.

Initially, the spellcycle seems simply as a metallic cage, called the Inert state. When imbued with energies from another being, it enters the Initialized state, which allows it to freely engage in motion and travel for so long as the rider chooses. This process takes a Use Magic Device check, and is explained below in the proper section. If the spellcycle lies dormant and without use or spell channeling for 24 hours, it returns to the inert state.

Thereafter, a rider can simply use the spellcycle as if it were a normal vehicle. He must steer, unless he or she has previously imbued the spellcycle with a self-steering capability. While riding, however, specific circumstances may be encountered which require additional skill checks. Examples include:

• Making an extremely sharp or 180 degree turn (Ride and Balance checks)
• Performing dangerous or exotic maneuvers, such as a wheelie (Ride or Balance checks)
• Using a weapon while riding (Ride check)
• Moving over unsettling terrain (Ride check)
• Riding at excessive speeds, including anything over 120 feet (Ride check)
• Riding with a passenger or cargo (Ride check)

As a mount

For all intents and purposes regarding feats and combat, a Spellcycle can be considered similar to a mount. The only differences is that while you can take cover on, guide with knees, and unconsciously guide a horse, you cannot do so with a spellcycle, nor anything else that requires an intelligence, albeit a minimal one. That said, you may use a spellcycle when calculating situations such as Mounted Combat and Trampling.

Statistics

An example of evil aura spellcycles,By Clayton Crain

Table: Arcane Spellcycle Statistics

Statistic	Value
	Inert1	Initialized2	In motion
Size/Type	Large Vehicle
Armor Class	3	3	13
Hardness3	5	5	5
Hit points3	60	60	60
Space	10 ft x 5 ft (Length by Width)
Aura4	Weak (DC of 30)	Moderate (DC of 20)	Immense (DC of 10)
Inert is the state in which the spellcycle has been left and unattended for more than 24 hours, and most of the arcane energy fueling it has dissipated. Initialized is the state in which the spellcycle has been last fueled within 24 hours, but is currently not being used or ridden. Hardness and HP are both subject to variant values based on material, just like all other pieces of equipment. The magical aura is generally that of a magical item, though it can also change depending on the type of character using it. For example, a good cleric might give it a good, divine aura, while a evil one gives it an evil one. Other magic users simply give it a magical aura. In all cases, it is subject to vulnerabilities of magic items, such as dispel magic.

An example of magical-neutral aura spellcycles,By Clayton Crain

The spellcycle operates differently depending on who is using it. So long as it has been 24 hours since it's last use, it appears as a dormant and mundane vehicle, with only a frame and no wheels, as explained above.

Channelling and additional qualities

Wizards and Sorcerers, and occasionally other spellcasters, can activate and use the Spellcycle by channeling their magical energies into it. By giving up one or more of their daily spells, they can initialize and even augment the spellcycle, depending on the level of the given spell. For each channeled spell into the vehicle, the user must pass a Use Magical Device with a DC of 5 for the first one, and progressively increase the DC by 5 for each additional channeled arcana. (DC 5, DC 10, DC 15, DC 20...)

Speed

The speed of the spellcycle is usually the first thing to be considered when a mage takes seat upon it. This is because without the speed, there is no movement, and thus no need for anything else. Often, this decision is made in comparison to the daily spells available to the user, their sacrifice often compelling them to use only what is necessary.

As a free action, a rider can drop the speed of the Spellcycle to any lower interval on the list below, should the need arise. However, it can only go up to the interval at which it was channeled with daily spells. In effect, this makes the numbers on the chart below effectively the Spellcycle's Max speed, measured in encounter speed, as well as miles per hour.

Table: Arcane Spellcycle Speed

Medium	Max Speed per Spell Slot1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Land	40 feet (28 mph)	80 feet (57 mph)	120 feet (86 mph)	160 feet (115 mph)	200 feet (144 mph)	240 feet (172 mph)	280 feet (201 mph)	320 feet (230 mph)	360 feet (259 mph)
To determine the speed of the Spellcycle, a Sorcerer or Wizard's relinquished spell level is multiplied by 40 feet.

By Clayton Crain

Augmentation

In addition to this, you can spend an additional set of spells to do the following. It must meet a minimum equivalent of the specified amount. (For example, a bonus with a requirement of 9 spells can either be sufficed with a Level 9 daily spell, or nine level 1 daily spells, or anything in between. Remember, however, for each spell you channel, you must pass another DC at progressively harder difficulties, even if all for the same bonus.)

Table: Arcane Spellcycle Augmentations

Augmentation	Spell Slot Requirement1
Fly speed1	2
Overwater speed1	2
Underwater speed1	4
Planar Travel2	5
Trailblazing3	3
Self-balancing4	2
Self-riding5	2
This is half of the determined speed of the Spellcycle. If speed has not been determined, yet, this value is effectively null until it is found. This essentially makes the Spellcycle pierce the fabric of the planes with arcane energy. They must pass a successful Ride check with a DC of 15 in order to pass through to a plane of your desire. The Spellcycle leaves a trail of arcane energy in it's wake for two rounds. The Trail is considered a wall of force with a DC of 15 to break. The Spellcycle makes all checks relative to this bonus with success, automatically. The User must think clearly of a location they've been to before, as with Teleportation, and succeed a seperate Use Magical Device check of 10, and the Spellcycle will proceed to that destination in a reasonable manner.

All daily spell slots channeled into the Spellcycle last for 24 hours. This means that so long as the rider has charged the Spellcycle with necessities and few luxury abilities, they will be able to retain those abilities for the whole day, until their own daily spells are recharged. (Under normal circumstances. If the spellcaster is unable to fulfill their needs to recharge spells, such as prayer or ritual, this runs parallel and does not affect the Spellcycle, which will still lose it's charged abilities, as normal).

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