# How do you use Quaal's Feather Token?



## Conaill (Aug 29, 2002)

Two questions really:

1) How the heck do you activate these things anyway? Are they command word activated? Use activated (if so, what constitutes "use")? The SRD (as well as the DMG, I believe) is quite uninformative on the matter.

2) What are some creative ways you've used these items in the past? Obviously, the ways you can use/abuse them will depend heavily on the answer to the first question.


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## gamecat (Aug 29, 2002)

Easy! You sell them for what they are worth, and buy a _real_ magic item.


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## Aust Diamondew (Aug 29, 2002)

*One of my players...*

One of my players asked me once what they can be used for. 

The only good reason I could think of would be for logger's to replant a forest very quickly.


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## Conaill (Aug 29, 2002)

So, any _useful_ answers?


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## kreynolds (Aug 29, 2002)

Conaill said:
			
		

> *So, any useful answers? *




Uhhh....



> Anchor: A token useful to moor a craft in water so as to render it immobile for up to one day.
> 
> Bird: A token that can be used to deliver a small written message unerringly to a designated target as would a carrier pigeon. The token lasts as long as it takes to carry the message.
> 
> ...




...how about those uses? They're from the item description, by the way. 

Joking aside, I have these as anchors before, and they came in quite handy. I only had three and I used all three of them up for this one particular use. Mostly, they aren't really items that players would really _want_ to purchase, as they are very specific in use. However, they make great plot devices for DMs.

Also, activating a magic item is *always* a standard action, unless stated otherwise.


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## Conaill (Aug 29, 2002)

So, how _do_ you activate them? Do you pres abutton? Say a command word? Just "will" them to activate? I assume you have to hold them in hand (could be a little awkward with some of these)?

As for uses... come on, people. A little imagination here! Drop a tree or anchor on the bad guy's head, use a fan to disperse fog or poisonous clouds, make a tree grow in that dragon's stomach after it swallowed you whole, ...

There must be more creative ideas out there!

Not something a player would _want_ to purchase? These things are *cheap*! My tinker gnome is planning on buying a whole bunch, "just in case".


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## kreynolds (Aug 29, 2002)

Conaill said:
			
		

> *So, how do you activate them? *




Unless stated otherwise, it is activated "at will".



			
				Conaill said:
			
		

> *As for uses... come on, people. A little imagination here! *




The purpose of these tokens are very specific. There's not as much breathing room as you think.



			
				Conaill said:
			
		

> *Drop a tree or anchor on the bad guy's head *




I doubt the intent of a Tree token allows the tree to be created in midair and I don't believe the Anchor token literally creates an anchor.



			
				Conaill said:
			
		

> *use a fan to disperse fog or poisonous clouds *




Not a bad idea, but it doesn't work on land. I suppose it could be used to really screw a small flying creature's day. 



			
				Conaill said:
			
		

> *make a tree grow in that dragon's stomach after it swallowed you whole, ... *




I'm not sure about this one. A bit high on the cheeze factor. 

Like I said, they are for pretty specific uses.


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## ConcreteBuddha (Aug 29, 2002)

The tree one has got to be my favorite. It makes an awesome diversion, ladder, wall, trampoline, signal, torch, etc...


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## dpdx (Aug 29, 2002)

*Quaal's Feather Token - Tree Stylin'*

I'll try to narrate this as it happened to Faalkon, our cleric of Wee Jas:

After eliminating the orcs in the entryway to the Forge of Fury, our only way forward, it seemed, was to cross a shaky, rickety, slimy rope bridge across a deep, dark chasm. Arrow fire from yours truly staved off the orc menace until they retreated, at which time the bridge could be crossed safely, albeit quickly (lest they return).

As each of us crossed in order of willingness to do it, all of us made it to the other side except one: the deathpriest. We breathed in unison as the cleric slowly made his way in increments across the bridge. Two steps, then four...

As we turned around to continue our watch for the enemy, we heard a snap. Turning around quickly, we stood agape as a flurry of black robes tumbled over the side, as if in slow motion, the rotted wood chips falling beneath a hole once occupied by a slat. 

We saw a hand shoot out from the sleeve, futilely grasping for the guide rope (which was still intact). The fingers of our cleric missed the rope by a coin's width, and before we could see the result, our minds had already resigned themselves to the fact that we would be rescuing this mine without healing or turning services, and short one dear, happy member of our adventuring party.

Faalkon sank like a stone, never once tumbling or spinning on his fateful plummet to the rocks below. As he fell, however, I could see the flash of insight that lit across his face, immediately followed by a furious grab at the pockets of his robe. Just as quickly, the hand shot out, and over his head. In it was... a single white feather.

In the next breath, Faalkon slammed his hand between his feet, nearly tumbling forward in the process, and suddenly, a large tree! grew from the rocky outcropping of the opposite side of the walls, nearly touching the side we were on. Faalkon landed on the tree with a thud, nearly knocking himself out, and ending up prone with his arms and legs around the enormous tree as if he were trying to ride it to the other side.

His face nearly blue from the impact, the rest of us breathed a sigh of relief as he began to shimmy along the tree toward the rest of us, stopping to navigate an odd limb or two. Eventually, Faalkon had made it to our side, and as we lowered the rope to him to lift him up to the edge, the look in our eyes ensured that our deathpriest would never let go of a rope again.

what really happened: we made Balance checks at three different points along the bridge. Faalkon's player was reluctant to go, instead attempting to find a more secure way to the other side. We finally conned him into going, and at the second Balance check, he rolled a 2. With minus ranks in Balance due to encumbrance and bad Dex, this translated into RBDMese as, "make a Reflex save, or you take a header off the bridge into the rocks below." We watched intently as Jason, Faalkon's player, followed up his two with... a one. 

As we looked on in horror (our first PK!) RBDM was gathering together the 10 d6 he would roll as falling damage for a second level cleric, Faalkon's player blurted out, "I take the Feather Token!! I slam it between my legs into the rocks behind and below me!!" This saved him, and RBDM rolled d6 subdual for nad damage on the tree. He maxed out, and the cleric came within one hit point of having to make a Fort Save to avoid unconsciousness. From then on, my character (a Wood Elf) sucked the vast majority of PC Deaths.

Thus, A Quaal's Feather Token can be damn near useless, or it can save your life. It's a matter of situation and perspective.


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## Shallown (Aug 29, 2002)

Tree feather tokens make great ways to block things, Like hallways, elder water elementals and other nasties. They also let you climb up things easily like walls or cliffs. Also sometimes they are fruit trees with food on them.

The whip I think is best. It last an hour acts more or less as a dancing weapon that can trip someone or disarm someone with decent chances at mid levels. And also does real damage. Handy when used correctly.

The bird is popular as a message device for important but non time critical messages. Saves use of higher level spells to do the same thing and always ready to be used unlike a wizard having to prep a sending for example.

Most of the others have not come up in the campaign that I run but I imagine the could be as useful in the right circumstances. 

I use to make up different ones but Haven't attempted that in 3rd ed. yet. Like an instant rope bridge or a short wooden wall. etc...


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## Kyramus (Aug 29, 2002)

One of my players had a feather token tree.  During the time we were in a dungeon and he was being chased down by a small green dragon, he threw the tree under it and pinned it against the ceiling. <Read the description of tree, specifically the dimensions>

The NPC's had swan boat, fan and whip.  The whip was used as a dancing weapon to irritate a fighter and keep him from fighting / attacking.

The swanboat and fan was for faster travel <they never got to use it, the pc's managed to kill them off>.



I hope that gives you some ideas.


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## mayonnaise (Aug 29, 2002)

My gnome keeps a boat, fan, and anchor tucked into his hatband in case he ever needs to make a quick escape by water!  Yes, it's quirky, but that's the idea...and if the situation ever arises where that's needed, it will be awesome.


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## Rpjunkie (Aug 29, 2002)

My wife and I have come up with a couple great ones!


Tree token: use it then cast Liveoak on the Tree. Instant Treant guardian.

Tree token: Tree stride instant portal for nice 1000 ft/level 1 hope per level diminsion door through oak trees. or if you stay inside it a place to hide.


Liveoak is the awesome spell for the token though. Nice guard at night while sleeping in hte woods.

RPJ


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## shurai (Aug 29, 2002)

A Qaull's Feather Token oak tree is 60' high and has a trunk 6' in diameter, which ought to be Gargantuan, not Huge.  Liveoak presumes a tree of Huge size.  I wonder if casting the spell on a Gargantuan tree would produce a larger Treant?

Whoa, a Gargantuan treant would be . . . well, ridiculous!

-S


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## Mistwell (Aug 29, 2002)

The tree is also very useful for a dungeon-travelling druid.  The lack of plants can really disable some of a druids better spells, such as entangle.  However, in that crucial battle, creating a tree next to your opponant and casting entangle on it can be quite helpful.  They can also cause a cave-in, since the tree is so large, and has a tendancy to slam into the roof of a cave on creation sometimes.  Useful if you are not close to it...a bad idea if you are.


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## shurai (Aug 29, 2002)

Okay, the _minimum_ stats for a Gargantuan Treant look like this:

Huge Plant
Hit Dice: 17d8+85 (161 hp)
Initiative: -1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 22 (-4 size, -1 Dex, +17 natural)
Attacks: 2 slams +25 melee (str +13)
Damage: Slam 2d8+13
Face/Reach: 15 ft. by 15 ft./"15_ft.
Special Attacks: Animate trees, trample, double damage against objects
Special Qualities: Plant, fire vulnerability, half damage from piercing
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +0, Will +9
Abilities: Str 37, Dex 8, Con 25, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 12
Skills: Hide -11*, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (any one) +8, Listen +9, Sense Motive +9, Spot_+9, Wilderness Lore +9
Feats: Iron Will, Power Attack

Climate/Terrain: Any forest
Organization: Solitary or grove (4-7)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 8-16 HD (Huge); 17-21 HD _(Gargantuan)

(Edit: They also get 30 extra skill points, 2 Feats, and chances are their Trample ability would need to get improved to deal more damage than 2d12+5.  I missed the part where they advance in Feats and Skills like the Fey.)


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## Rpjunkie (Aug 29, 2002)

Now you see why I love the Liveoak - token- tree thing


hahahahha

RPJ


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## Hatchling Dragon (Aug 30, 2002)

Activating them is very simple;  You just stick a feather (token) in your hat and call it macaroni"!  

Now we get to see how many _other_ oldsters are out there, they're the ones that'll 'get it' 

Hatchling Dragon


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## Xarlen (Aug 30, 2002)

Throw the Tree at your enemy's feet. Allow a Ref save. If they loose, it could act as a catapult that sends them... Really High. 

Or, instant catapult if you need one.


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## Conaill (Aug 30, 2002)

NOW we're talking. Nice ideas, everyone! Although I do think you need a lenient DM to pull some of those off (like the tree in freefall, and Gargantuan treant).

Any other uses for the anchor? Someone suggested it's not a real anchor, just a magical way to hold a ship in place. If so, could you use it on an enemy vessel? And how would they undo it if it was just some general magical effect?

Could an Int 6 familiar use one of these? How about a dive-bombing hawk dropping a tree on your enemies?

If the Fan doesn't work on land, how much water does it need? Will a single Create Water be enough to fool it? A little stream? A river?

Can you track the Bird token to figure out the location of its target?


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## shurai (Aug 30, 2002)

Conaill-

Are you in the Boston area?  I live in Waltham.    Hail to the Bostonians!  Do you game at home or is there a store you like?  Danger Planet in Waltham is my favorite store in the whole Boston area.

-S


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## trimeulose (Aug 30, 2002)

Throw a feather anchor at someones chest.


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## Conaill (Aug 30, 2002)

trimeulose said:
			
		

> *Throw a feather anchor at someones chest. *




See, _that_ one I don't think will work. If it's activated at will, you still need to hold it and spend a standard action to do so. Round 1: you activate the token and get a big friggin anchor. Round 2: you try to throw the big friggin anchor...

That's one of the reasons I asked about how to activate them. If it were command word activated, you could conceivably throw it and then say the command word. Or attach it to the tip of an arrow, shoot someone and then say the command word. (See the "Shrunk Alchemist's Fire on an arrow" thread).


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## Xarlen (Aug 30, 2002)

I don't think it's an Anchor. I think it's a magical force that 'Stops' the ship from moving, ergo giving the effect of an anchor.


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## Larcen (Aug 30, 2002)

Conaill said:
			
		

> *
> 
> See, that one I don't think will work. If it's activated at will, you still need to hold it and spend a standard action to do so. Round 1: you activate the token and get a big friggin anchor. Round 2: you try to throw the big friggin anchor...
> 
> That's one of the reasons I asked about how to activate them. If it were command word activated, you could conceivably throw it and then say the command word. Or attach it to the tip of an arrow, shoot someone and then say the command word. (See the "Shrunk Alchemist's Fire on an arrow" thread). *




..or even if it WAS still in feather form when you threw it, ever try to throw a feather?  Right.  I goes NOWHERE.  It will drift gently down to your feet.  Hopefully, it won't then turn into an anchor THERE.


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## Conaill (Aug 30, 2002)

Xarlen said:
			
		

> *I don't think it's an Anchor. I think it's a magical force that 'Stops' the ship from moving, ergo giving the effect of an anchor. *




So back to my previous question: What if I send my bird familiar over to an enemy ship that's persuing us and have him activate the token there... Are our persuers hopelessly stuck until someone casts Dispel Magic?

Perhaps more importantly: how would you feel if the bad guys played this trick on _you_?

Considering the other tokens actually transform into an object, I think it's most logical to assume this one does too.

[Oh, and Larcen: just tie the token to a rock, and then throw the rock+token.]


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## Larcen (Aug 30, 2002)

Conaill said:
			
		

> *...[Oh, and Larcen: just tie the token to a rock, and then throw the rock+token.] *




Well, you didn't SAY that....


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## Dylan TheDisciple (Apr 7, 2018)

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Quaal's_feather_token


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