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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Secrets of Magic / Magic Items

Activating a Magic Item

Source Secrets of Magic pg. 155 1.1
You might activate a magic item flamboyantly, pragmatically, intensely, or off-handedly, but those choices are only external manifestations of how you activate the item. A deeper question is what the act of using a magic item feels like. Does the world seem to emit a deep thrum for an instant as a third eye gemstone sinks into your brow and manifests as a tattoo? Do you experience a counter-intuitive icy coolness when a blast from a potion of dragon's breath explodes from your mouth? A wizard might have a step-by-step instruction list that they mentally follow when they use a staff of power—potentially out of habit or concerns for safety. Imagining how you interact with magic items, some of which possess world-altering power, can be a revealing window into how you view your place in the cosmos.