The Aqua Magic Mat is a unique and innovative product that has gained popularity among children and parents alike. It is essentially a large drawing mat that allows children to create colorful and vibrant artwork using only water. The mat is made of a special material that is water-receptive, meaning that it absorbs water and allows it to evaporate, leaving no mess or stains behind. This makes it an ideal toy for both indoor and outdoor use, as it can be easily set up and cleaned up without any hassle. To use the Aqua Magic Mat, children simply need to fill up the accompanying water pen with clean water and start drawing on the mat. As they draw, the water activates the color in the mat, revealing a bright and vivid design.
Practially, however, there's a reason that this fan-made list of Sane Magic Item Prices has become so popular - it corrects what many see as an obvious deficiency within the game. Before you give your players an item, why not check its relative value on this list and see how it compares to other items, either of its rarity, or that produce similar effects - you might find that doing so saves you from making a potentially costly mistake (it's not infallible but it's saved me a couple of times).
The Wings give you a fly speed of 60 feet for one hour but then require a 1d12 hour cooldown period after each use before they can be activated again. Before you give your players an item, why not check its relative value on this list and see how it compares to other items, either of its rarity, or that produce similar effects - you might find that doing so saves you from making a potentially costly mistake it s not infallible but it s saved me a couple of times.
As they draw, the water activates the color in the mat, revealing a bright and vivid design. The mat is also designed to change color when wet, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the drawing process. In addition to providing a fun and mess-free drawing experience, the Aqua Magic Mat also offers educational benefits.
The 8000gp Wand of Magic Missiles
TLDR at bottom, and thanks for indulging me and reading my short story.
So I just started DMing for a group of 3 players, 2 of which have never played before (now a sorcerer and a druid). After a short two-shot (The Eldritch Farm, which was great, thanks to u/phonz1851) I have decided to run Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for this group.
First session of DH, and I am explaining to these brand new players about how Waterdeep is huge, unlike the small village they just helped out, and that there would be opportunities to buy magic items and such. The sorceress asks what kind of magic items are available that would be good for her (I was very proud of this question, they grow up so fast). So I told her that there would be wands that would allow her to cast certain spells, like magic missile (which is one of her known spells), without using a spell slot. She seemed intrigued and asked some passerby NPCs about where she would be able to find a wand shop.
So they guided her to a shop. She enters and asks about buying a Wand of Magic Missiles. I did a quick google to find out the price (I hadn't anticipated this before the session) and the very first hit says that it would be 8000gp. I felt like an idiot telling her that because she had done such a good job of role-playing to that point, only to be told that it was 80x the amount of gold she currently has. I felt like this also made me look like a tool. "Oh yeah, use some time to go buy some cool stuff! Sike! You won't have that much gold for a long time." So, she settled on a broken Wand of Magic Missiles (which the shopkeep just so happened to have) that has 6 charges, but won't regain charges ever, for 70gp.
I did more research later and found out that this price was off of a list that was a "community made" list. The following is a link to a PDF with magic item prices etc. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8XAiXpOfz9cMWt1RTBicmpmUDg/view?usp=sharing
The DM guide on page 135 has the "Magic Item Rarity" table, and it says that uncommon magic items should/can be given to players who are higher than level 1 (which my players are) and should cost between 101-500gp.
So, why in the world would a Wand of Magic Missiles cost so much? I understand that this is an amazing resource for a sorcerer, given how few spells they can learn, and is great for spell slot management. Is it a good magic item for a 2nd level sorcerer? Definitely. Is it 8000gp good? I don't feel like it is. It's not like she is going to be running around one-shotting everything they come across with a 9th level magic missile, and it is a great opportunity to have an enemy spellcaster use shield against her.
I fully understand that there is nothing forcing me use this PDF for magic item prices, and I will likely retcon the whole scenario, I just wanted to gather some ideas as to why such a relatively lowly magic item would cost so much. I would put it closer to the 500gp range.
tldr: why would a Wand of Magic Missiles cost 8000gp (as decided by "the community," which includes this sub), when the DM guide says magic items of that rarity/power should cost between 101-500gp?
From what I understand, uncommon magic items are less valuable than rare items in terms of functional power and monetary value. From the DMG (pg. 135), uncommon items are worth 101–500 gp while rare items are worth 501–5,000 gp. I was reading through various magic items and noticed the following items:
It encourages children to use their creativity and imagination as they create their own unique designs. It also helps to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, as children have to control the water pen and make precise movements to create their desired artwork. The Aqua Magic Mat comes in various sizes, catering to different age groups and preferences. It is also portable and easy to store, making it a great toy to bring along on trips and outings. Overall, the Aqua Magic Mat is a wonderful product that combines fun, creativity, and educational value. It provides children with a unique and enjoyable drawing experience, while also promoting their development and learning..
Reviews for "The Benefits of Sensory Play: Why the Aqua Magic Mat is a Must-Have"
1. Emily - 1/5 - I was really disappointed with the Aqua magic mat. The advertised "magic" aspect just didn't live up to the hype. The colors were muted and the water didn't create vibrant patterns like shown in the pictures. Additionally, the mat was way smaller than I expected, making it difficult for my kids to fully enjoy it. Save your money and find a better water doodle mat.
2. Andrew - 2/5 - The Aqua magic mat was a bit of a letdown for my family. First off, the mat took forever to dry after using it, so we couldn't always leave it out for the kids to play with. Secondly, the pen provided was difficult to squeeze and control, leading to frustration for my little ones. Lastly, the mat started leaking water after a few uses, creating a mess every time we tried to play with it. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this product.
3. Sarah - 2/5 - The Aqua magic mat seemed like a fun idea, but it fell short of my expectations. The water-based coloring didn't show up well on the mat, and my kids quickly lost interest because they couldn't see their drawings clearly. The storage for the mat and pen was also flimsy, making it difficult to keep everything organized. We ended up using it only a couple of times before deciding to move on to something else. Disappointing purchase.