One of the players in my group wants a helpful high level (≥11) wizard to build something for him that can create an antimagic field. The player is a rogue, so has "use magic device" as a skill.
I was thinking about creating some kind of oil that could be smeared on an arrow, and then shoot the arrow to some location where the antimagic field centers, but by RAW, oils are limited to 3rd level spells. Similarly, a Wand (that could be used with UMD) is limited to 4th level spells.
Would this be possible at all? What would be the cost of such an item? Are there other options, and what would be some difficulties for the player in this case?
I guess only a Scroll would make sense. Any other ideas how to give this player a way to create an antimagic field?
Best Answer
Acquiring an antimagic field
The typical wizard must be level 11 to cast the 6th-level spell antimagic field, but once he can, the rogue could commission from him magic items. It's even possible that when the wizard hits level 11, the wizard takes the feat Craft Staff, and a staff is the easiest and cheapest way for the rogue to use the skill Use Magic Device to cast consistently the spell antimagic field, but the rogue must find means to recharge the staff when it's depleted. The cost to create a staff of antimagic field is 26,700 gp, which includes the 300 gp for the masterwork staff. (The base price for a scroll of antimagic field (6th-level arcane spell at caster level 11) is 1,650 gp if the rogue only wants to use the spell once.)
Without many other items that create an effect like the spell antimagic field, the equalizer shield (120,830 gp; 23 lbs.) appears to be the item to use when ballparking prices for similar items that create an effect like the spell antimagic field. The fact that without the equalizer shield's ability to create an antimagic field once per day the equalizer shield is just a +1 mithral tower shield means the game puts the price of the ability to generate an antimagic field on command once per day at upwards of 100,000 gp.
Adjudicating an antimagic field
The spell antimagic field's spell level belies its vast power; it's one of the most powerful and difficult to manage effects in the game. It allows the defeat of many foes the PCs would've otherwise found invincible, and it allows the weak foes to defeat the PCs. It's a nuclear weapon that sends all users back to the Stone Age time of No Magic, and that's scary. Even creatures who plan around the spell can be hurt by the spell's unpredictability; the nature of PCs' adventures rarely make adventuring without magic a good idea.
To that end, I agree with Ciacciu's answer: experiment. Start with a scroll or two and see how it changes your game, and remember to let the foes do the same.