Gemologist's Supplies
While largely used for decoration and design, gems are precious or semiprecious minerals that are cut and polished. They are often valued for the beauty and wonder they invoke, but some have found ways of unlocking the primal magic of nature within their facets.
Gemologist's Supplies
Gemologist's supplies include a hammer, set of chisels, a small magnifying glass, and a variety of coarse minerals for polishing. Gemologist's tools weigh 10 lbs and cost 100 gp.
Polishing
Most gems found in treasure hoards and in chests throughout the world are already polished and cut to have a specific shape and feel. Though there are still raw and uncut gems that can be polished and worked to enhance their beauty, increasing how much you can sell them for. When you find uncut or unpolished gems, you can spend 8 hours per gem working and polishing the gem, increasing how much you can sell it for by 5% times your Proficiency Bonus. Once you work and polish a gem, you can no longer work on it again as it has taken its final shape.
This means that if a gem was worth 100 gp when you found it, and it is unrefined, you can spend 8 hours on it and increase its value to 110 gp if you have a +2 Proficiency Bonus (10%) or increase the value to 130 gp if you have a +6 Proficiency Bonus (30%).
This type of activity requires no check.
Enchanting
Every gem has a special quality within its facets that can be charged and used as protection, divination, healing, and more. Gems found in the world are typically inert, their magic drained out of them, and need to be recharged. Once a gem is recharged, it can be used for only a few hours until it must be recharged again for the next day.
The power of a gem's magic is based on the size of the gem, as larger stones have more magic than smaller gems. This is typically based on the price of a gem as larger gems are more expensive. There are certain, rare cases where a small gem could be more valuable than a larger version of it, per the GM's discretion.
Recharging
Before a gem can be used, it must first be recharged. This can happen only once per day and requires the gem to gain power. A gem can gain power through a huge variety of ways; a few options include being placed near a fire, on a sleeping cat, under the moonlight, or anything else that produces energy that can be transformed into magic. It must remain in this state for 8 hours while it slowly recharges, changing the energy into magic. A gem can only recharge once per day and so most practitioners sleep during this time.
To properly set up gems, a creature must be proficient in Gemologist's Supplies.
Power
Once a gem has been recharged, they hold this charge until the gemologist activates the gem by using an action. A gem's power is then under effect and any creature carrying the gem on their person gains the gem's benefits. Once a gem is activated, it can not be deactivated until its power is drained and must be recharged.
A gemologist can only activate a number of charged gems equal to their Wisdom modifier per day, regaining all spent uses upon finishing a long rest. A gem only holds its power for a number of hours equal to the gemologist's Proficiency Bonus. Anyone who is carrying the gem can gain the benefits of a gem, but only someone proficient in Gemologist's Supplies can activate a gem's power.
Size
A gem has three main sizes based on their price of 100 gp, 250 gp, and 500 gp. There are more expensive gems out there, like those worth 1,000 gp and 5,000 gp, but little is known of their power due to their rarity and difficulty of carrying. A larger, and thus more expensive gem, holds more magic within its facets and provides a stronger effect - increasing the potency of the gem. A gemstone's size has no effect as to how long a gem's power is active but does affect the potency of the gemstone's power.
Gems that are 10 gp and 50 gp still hold power in them, though that power is very minute and thus doesn't hold enough magic to adequately provide noticeable benefits.
Types of Gemstones
Each gemstone exists within a family of focus, these families include Dreams, Thoughts, Protection, Transformation, Physical, and many other families. Within these families are different gems that provide different effects, a gemologist might choose to specialize in a specific family in the hopes of unlocking greater secrets, though many will have at least one from each family to act as a safeguard.
A gemstone's family has no effect outside of what powers they might have.
Understanding a Gemstone
The following information is to help you understand the statistics of a gemstone.
The Gemstone
A description of the gemstone.
- Family What family the gemstone exists in; Rarity How rare a gemstone is
- Requirements Any special properties or situations that a gemstone must be working under for the wielder to gain any benefits from the gem.
- 100 gp The effect that a 100 gp gemstone of this type would have if charged and activated.
- 250 gp The effect that a 250 gp gemstone of this type would have if charged and activated.
- 500 gp The effect that a 500 gp gemstone of this type would have if charged and activated.
- Special Any unique features or special information about this gemstone, typically if this is included it has to do with the larger gemstones that may have greater properties.
Citrine
This quartz mineral has a smoky color of pale yellow to brown within it. It is highly valued by merchants as it is thought to bring prosperity.
- Family Thoughts; Rarity Rare
- Requirements The wielder must be carrying this gem.
- 100 gp The wielder gains a +1 bonus to a Charisma check made to buy or sell goods.
- 250 gp The wielder gains a +2 bonus to a Charisma check made to buy or sell goods.
- 500 gp The wielder gains a +3 bonus to a Charisma check made to buy or sell goods.
Hematite
Appearing with a metallic luster, its coloring ranges from black to silver. It is known for its ability to protect its wearer from the ravages of decay and entropy.
- Family Protection; Rarity Uncommon
- Requirements The wielder must be carrying this gem.
- 100 gp If the wielder would take necrotic damage, this stone absorbs 1 necrotic damage from that attack, reducing the total damage the wielder takes by 1. This gem can absorb up to 5 necrotic damage before it no longer offers this protection.
- 250 gp If the wielder would take necrotic damage, this stone absorbs 2 necrotic damage from that attack, reducing the total damage the wielder takes by 2. This gem can absorb up to 10 necrotic damage before it no longer offers this protection.
- 500 gp If the wielder would take necrotic damage, this stone absorbs 2 necrotic damage from that attack, reducing the total damage the wielder takes by 2. This gem can absorb up to 20 necrotic damage before it no longer offers this protection.
- Special The purest form of this gemstone is said to be able to grant resistance to all necrotic damage.
Labradorite
Appearing from clear to gray with blocky textures, this remarkable gemstone can display a highly colorful surface that dazzles and delights when exposed to light. While holding this stone, your thoughts become clear, allowing you to better understand your opponent's next moves.
- Family Thoughts; Rarity Uncommon
- Requirements The wielder must grasp this gem in a free hand.
- 100 gp Once per hour while this gem is activated, the wielder gains a +1 bonus to their attack roll. They choose to use this bonus before they make the attack roll.
- 250 gp Twice per hour while this gem is activated, the wielder gains a +1 bonus to their attack roll. They choose to use this bonus before they make the attack roll.
- 500 gp Twice per hour while this gem is activated, the wielder gains a +2 bonus to their attack roll. They choose to use this bonus before they make the attack roll.
Selenite
This gem is often transparent and colorless, though may have a white hue streaking through it. It is regarded for its healing properties, providing small reliefs throughout the day.
- Family Dreams; Rarity Uncommon
- Requirements The wielder must be asleep with this gem.
- 100 gp The wielder regains an additional 1 hit point per hit die spent while taking a short rest.
- 250 gp The wielder regains an additional 2 hit points per hit die spent while taking a short rest.
- 500 gp The wielder regains an additional 3 hit points per hit die spent while taking a short rest.
- Special This purest form of this gemstone is said to be able to be transformed into a regeneration ioun stone.
Malachite
This green mineral is highly sought out by many for its silky luster. Several queens and powerful women have ground up this stone to be used in their make up and is valued for its ability to transform negative outcomes into positives.
- Family Transformation; Rarity Rare
- Requirements This wielder must be carrying this gem.
- 100 gp Once per hour while this gem is activated, as a reaction when the wielder must make a saving throw, they can add half their proficiency bonus to the saving throw. If they are already proficient, nothing happens. They choose to use this bonus before they make the saving throw.
- 250 gp Once per hour while this gem is activated, as a reaction when the wielder must make a saving throw, they can add their proficiency bonus to the saving throw. If they are already proficient, nothing happens. They choose to use this bonus before they make the saving throw.
- 500 gp Once per hour while this gem is activated, when the wielder must make a saving throw, they can add their proficiency bonus to the saving throw. If they are already proficient, nothing happens. They choose to use this bonus before they make the saving throw.
Tiger's Eye
This gem features shades of brown, black, and yellow in layers. It is none for providing calm and courage to those facing difficult situations.
- Family Protection; Rarity Uncommon
- Requirements This wielder must touch a frightened or charmed creature with this gem as a bonus action.
- 100 gp The target can repeat their saving throw against one effect that has them frightened or charmed.
- 250 gp The target can repeat their saving throw against one effect that has them frightened or charmed, and they gain a +1 bonus to their saving throw.
- 500 gp The target can repeat their saving throw against one effect that has them frightened or charmed, and they gain a +2 bonus to their saving throw.
Variant Rules
Ioun Stones
Ioun stones are created by gemologists who have found 1,000 or 5,000 gp gems and have worked with the gems, teaching the gemstone to gain energy from its wielder by having the gemstone require attunement. This task requires powerful magic, based on the ioun stone, and takes several weeks to accomplish.