[Cosmos] Item - Spell Driver

This device is a sleek, handheld, modified, quick-loading disk drive that outputs magic with incredible accuracy.

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Spell Driver
Wondrous item, technomancy, uncommon (requires attunement)

While you are holding this device, you can use it as a spellcasting focus. When you cast a Technomancy spell through this device, you gain a +1 bonus to your spell save DC for that spell.

Spell Loader. This device has a space for one spell disk. While it has a spell disk*, you can use an action to identify the spell stored in the disk. You can use the device to cast the stored spell even if the spell is not on your class spell list (though you must abide by all other restrictions); you can choose to use your spellcasting ability modifier and spell save DC for the spell instead of those listed for a spell disk.

Cast to Device. You can use this device to remotely cast certain spells from a stored spell disk. To do so, the spell must be of 3rd-level or lower and must target only one creature or an area. While the device is within 150 feet of you, you can cast that spell using your own senses, as if you were the device. If the spell has a range of touch, the spell’s target must be touching the device or else the spell fails.

Once the device has been used to cast a spell remotely, this property of the device can't be used again until the next dawn.

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Rare Variant. The rare version of the device can remotely cast spells up to 5th-level or lower instead of 3rd. It also grants a +1 bonus to your spell save DC for spells you cast through the device, or a +2 if the spell has the Technomancy tag.

Very Rare Variant. The very rare version of the device can remotely cast spells up to 8th-level or lower instead of 3rd. It also grants a +2 bonus to your spell save DC for spells you cast through the device, or a +3 if the spell has the Technomancy tag.

*See Spell Disk item

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DESIGN COMMENTARY

This item was actually the result of a series of iterations of technomantic spell items for technomancy spellcasters. It started off as a remote device (future-tech is greatly defined by remote devices!) that could function as a trap for use in an exploration game. The spell disk, an item from the original book, was chosen as the vehicle for spells, so this item was designed as a disk reader. It gained some new functionalities, and eventually the trap functionality was later given to a different item entirely, the spell projector, available in the book.

This item is difficult to grade because so much of its power depends entirely on the availability of a different item, which is entirely up to the GM to reward. To expand this functionality, the item can identify the spell disk, cast it regardless of class (a requirement most tables ignore in their games anyways), and use your own spellcasting. The secondary property allows you to cast a spell remotely, which is an excellent benefit that roughly doubles the power of a cast spell by essentially extending the range. Assuming the best spell is cast, that's roughly the power of a 3rd-level spell per day. Because these properties depend on the availability of spell disks, their utility is limited. It would be acceptable as a non-attunement uncommon item, but the remote property basically requires attunement, so...

...to compensate, this item can also be used as a spellcasting focus that benefits Technomancy spells, which players can design their characters around to gain a consistent benefit from. +1 to DC is pretty good - and makes up for the attunement requirement.

Design-wise, I had envisioned a really classic DVD drive. The first design was a flat device that, after several iterations, ended up looking kind of silly for what should have been a cool technomantic device (this became the disk projector). The reworked item took on an all-black approach, drawing from some of the PlayStation console designs, and I added a weapon trigger just to make it wieldable in one hand and hella sick. The disk port was instead influenced by old-school CD players, fashioned to look and work like how you would load a grenade into a launcher.