Some magic items have abilities that can be used on a daily basis (1/day, 2/day et cetera).
Do those powers recharge after 24 hours have elapsed or for example at the dawn of each new day, the fall of each new night.
My gut feeling says 24 hours, representing the time that the magic takes to replenish but linking the recharge to a celestial cycle seems nice and mystical (it's also easier to keep track of than calculating 24 hours for each item used - especially if an item has a number of daily abilities).
Is there an official ruling on this? What mechanism do you use in your own games?
I think you can use either system based on the perceived nature of the item, and what makes sense, or dramatic flare, if that is your desire. Otherwise, once per 24 hrs is totally fine, and perhaps the original intention. I honestly doubt that an item could be used in combat, then be fully recharged in a few hrs if one used the 'by dawn' or 'by dusk' logic.
Personally, I tend to lean towards the once per 24 hrs.
I've found myself warming up to the 24 hours idea for the most part.
Some exceptions however, like if the item description states that it gets its power from the sun, which could mean it requires some time of exposure to sunlight then. In a case like that, I might say a given power requires ___ time of exposure, and that could be done at sunrise. Similar with an item that uses moonlight, or is described as drawing power from the night, or darkness. (though I can't think of an item with this in its description)
But like I said, I think I prefer the 24 hour rule. It just seems more consistent to me.
Yeah I agree with you both, the 24 hour rule does seem more consistent and more within the intention of the rule.
Thanks for your feedback.
You are very welcome, Wolfling! As should be evident by now, I am FULL of inquiries, so when someone else poses them, I am eager to offer my own suggestions in turn.
I agree that the 24 hour recharge rule prevents some abuse, but it can also cause some unnecessary calculation work. I suggest that you apply it much as you would spell recharging - the power can be used once per day, but, as the DM, you can rule that if the PC wants to use it once at 11:59:48pm and again at 12:00:12 am, the power is simply not ready to be used again. Basically, as a spellcaster would have to rest for about 8 hours before recharging their ability to cast a spell, so must a similar, minimum, amount of time pass before the power can be used again.
You really have to track the 24 hours. Otherwise you will have conniving players arguing for item usage at 11:59 PM and 12:00 AM, which obviously skirts the limitation being there at all. Better not to leave them an argument, and just say that the item is able to gather ALL of its power (yes, those 2/day powers do NOT get one use back every 12 hours, ya gits! ) after only a full 24 hours of time. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
I suppose you could fuse the two concepts, stating that a particular item could only be charged in a specific manner before being used once, twice, etc. per day. It would surely add a certain creative flair. Me mindful, though, that it is not too limiting, for the nature of the item itself is already constrained by the number of times it can be used daily...
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) after only a full 24 hours of time.