Mechanical Eye (3.5e Equipment)

Mechanical Eye: This mechanical object looks as if a Gnome attempted to install half a spyglass, a pocket watch, and very small but precious stones into the persons eye. Made of solid gold, silver, or platinum and adorned by three to six changeable jewel lenses, this is truly a luxury item for the blind.

Losing your eye is fairly easy in a world filled with battle, traps, and eye pokers. Gaining back your sight is still possible...if you have the coin for it. In the biggest cities of Faerûn you can find merchants of all kinds but to gain your sight back you must approach only the best Gnome mechanics and enchanters in the city. In order to gain your sight back and much more, you must purchase a Mechanical Eye. These devices not only return your vision but also prevent further eye lose with the diamond hard lenses and golden clockwork. A Gnome can build and install a Mechanical Eye within two days; the first day is spent on measurements and creating the components while the second day is spent installing the apparatus. The minimum amount of lenses a Mechanical Eye must contain at one time is 3 while the maximum amount of lenses is 6. Lenses can be made and added to the Mechanical Eye after assembly and enchantment but 3 lenses must be present in the Mechanical Eye for regular sight to return to the user.

Having a Mechanical Eye installed removes/replaces one eye and because it is somewhat bulky, the face slot is taken up. It can be concealed by an eye-patch but when in use it must be uncovered except with an X-Ray Lens. A Mechanical Eye grants the wearer different benefits depending on which lens is selected but all lenses are enchanted with some degree of Darkvision:

• Night Lens - Full Color Darkvision.
• Magic Lens - Detect Magic, Darkvision 40ft.
• Truth Lens - True Seeing 20ft., truth warning 40ft., Darkvision 30ft.
• X-Ray Lens - As Ring of X-Ray Vision except does not cause exhaustion, Darkvision 30ft.
• Life Lens - Allows the user to see an aura around living and undead beings out to 40ft., Darkvision 40ft.
• Poison Lens - Detect Poison, poison warning up to 40ft., identify poison DC 10 Wisdom check, Darkvision 40ft.

Night Lens: This onyx lens allows the user to see as if they had the extraordinary ability of Darkvision with two exceptions: the user can see just as far as if the area were fully illuminated, and the user can see in full color.

Magic Lens: This sapphire lens allows the user to see as if affected by the Detect Magic spell and the Darkvision spell out to 40ft.

Truth Lens: - This ruby lens allows the user to see as if affected by the True Seeing spell and the Darkvision spell. The sight range of True Seeing is 20ft. while the Darkvision sight range is 30ft. Additionally, if there is something hidden or concealed by a spell, charm, or illusion within 40ft. of the user, the Truth Lens causes a noticeable heat to the user while not in use.

X-Ray Lens: - This diamond lens grants the user the ability to see into and through solid matter as if wearing a Ring of X-Ray Vision. Vision range is 20 feet, with the viewer seeing as if he were looking at something in normal light even if there is no illumination. X-ray vision can penetrate 6 feet of stone, 6 inches of common metal, or up to 9 feet of wood or dirt. Thicker substances or a thin sheet of lead blocks the vision. The degree of penetration can be controlled by the user at will. Unlike a Ring of X-Ray Vision, the X-Ray Lens can be used for an indefinite time period without causing exhaustion;however, while using the X-Ray Lens, the user temporarily loses 2 points of Constitution, but the loss lasts only until the user changes lenses at which time the loss is fully restored. This lens also grants the user Darkvision out to 30ft.

Life Lens: - This yellow topaz lens grants the user the ability to detect and pinpoint living beings and undead out to 40ft. and the Darkvision ability out to 40ft. This lens does not detect constructs or golems unless they have living parts within them. Living beings and undead appear to have a yellow aura around them when viewed through this lens. This aura can be seen through walls but only the aura is seen; beings and undead cannot be identified, nor can items be identified through walls with this effect.

Poison Lens: - This emerald lens grants the user the ability to detect poison as if under the effects of a detect poison spell with the exception that the exact poison can be identified with a DC 10 Wisdom check. A character with the Craft (alchemy) skill may try a DC 20 Craft (alchemy) check if the Wisdom check fails, or may try the Craft (alchemy) check prior to the Wisdom check. The effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of stone, 3 inches of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 6 feet of wood or dirt blocks it. Additionally, when this lens comes within 40ft. of a poison source, this lens causes a noticeable cold to the user while not in use.

Only one lens can be used at a time. The lenses respond to the demands of the wearer, allowing them to be changed at will. Changing lenses is a free action as it is very similar to the act of blinking. Effects caused by using a lens affect both eyes even if the user only has one Mechanical Eye. Changing out active lenses for lenses a character is carrying in his pocket requires a half-hour per lens along with a set of Artisan's Tools and a mirror. There is no chance to break the Mechanical Eye or its lenses but the Artisan's Tools can break if forced. Up to 3 additional enchantments can be put on the Mechanical Eye itself including enchantments to permanently resist Heat Metal or Chill Metal spells.

Cost for a Night Lens is 12,000gp. Cost for a Magic Lens is 1,000gp. Cost for a Truth Lens is 184,000gp. Cost for an X-Ray Lens is 25,000gp. Cost for a Life Lens is 12,000gp. Cost for a Poison Lens is 1,000gp.

Each crafted lens must have the Darkvision enhancement added and can only contain one additional permanent enchantment. Pricing of the lenses should follow other items with the same enchantments. Each lens must be made of a transparent or translucent, precious or semi-precious stone and only a single stone of each type can be present in a Mechanical Eye at any given time. The operation, installation, and gold parts of the Mechanical Eye cost 10,000gp without the lens costs. Additional enchantments added to the Mechanical Eye itself must be discussed with the DM but the costs should correspond with items containing similar enchantments.

For an image of what the device should look like go here.

CL ; Non-player character merchant Gnomes outside of the party with the Craft Wondrous Item ability and all abilities needed to obtain it. Must be a very successful merchant. The NPCs will supply the materials needed provided the character can afford to pay for them.; Cost Varies; Market Price: Varies

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Equipment → Magical Wondrous Items