For those who have Complete Divine - a magic item question

[Mystery Man]

How would you modify The Helm of the Purple Plume for a Paladin/Fist of Raziel to not only fit on top of his pointy little do-gooder head but not be over powered?

thanks in advance

 

[Taneel BrightBlade]

what is Fist of Raziel

 

[Mystery Man]

what is Fist of Raziel

The Fist of Raziel is a (somewhat debated overly powerful) PRC from the Book of Exhalted Deeds.

 

[boxstop7]

First step: I wouldn't allow your player to use the Fist of Raziel class unless you're also using stuff from the Book of Vile Darkness in your game. In my experience, stuff from those two books is terribly unbalanced when used independently of the other. If you're game features the sublimely good, where's the unspeakable evil to balance it? Just my opinion...


- Jason

 

[Taneel BrightBlade]

can't you take true believe still?

 

[Mystery Man]

First step: I wouldn't allow your player to use the Fist of Raziel class unless you're also using stuff from the Book of Vile Darkness in your game.
- Jason

Indeed I am Jason.

 

[boxstop7]

Sweet. Then if you're using unspeakable evil, why nerf the item at all? I say we bring back the good ol' days, when putting on a magic helm or using a magic item actually had negative consequences once in a while. Where's the risk anymore?...but I digress...

Most of those items in Complete Divine are special items and some are even artifacts, IIRC (my sister currently has my book so I'm going from memory). It stands to reason that some wickedly evil person would also want the helm for his/her own devices, so why not make it a power struggle to find and keep the item? The player might have it, but not for long. If he/she wants it, it'll be a job to get it back with no guarantee that he/she will be able to keep it for long...

 

[Mystery Man]

Sweet. Then if you're using unspeakable evil, why nerf the item at all? I say we bring back the good ol' days, when putting on a magic helm or using a magic item actually had negative consequences once in a while. Where's the risk anymore?...but I digress...

Most of those items in Complete Divine are special items and some are even artifacts, IIRC (my sister currently has my book so I'm going from memory). It stands to reason that some wickedly evil person would also want the helm for his/her own devices, so why not make it a power struggle to find and keep the item? The player might have it, but not for long. If he/she wants it, it'll be a job to get it back with no guarantee that he/she will be able to keep it for long...

This is a good idea and since they're headed to Hellgate Keep....

However, the Helm is geared toward a cleric rather than a paladin. One of the things you have to give up is a 5th level spell slot. Paladins cant cast 5th level spells. Or you must be a worshiper of Hieronious, he's not in FR. Thus my dilemma.

 

[boxstop7]

Hrm...okay, so he's not retrieving it for him, but for his priest or something, with strict orders to protect it at all costs. Stress that it's of the utmost importance for some thing the priest has going on. Then, when he loses it, it's *that* much more important that he gets it back. Or, if you wanted to be really mean, have him lose it only to find out that his priest was the one who took it, and has turned to evil ways and merely used the character to get it for him. Betrayal is always fun to inject into a game...

- Jason

 

[Greybar]

However, the Helm is geared toward a cleric rather than a paladin. One of the things you have to give up is a 5th level spell slot. Paladins cant cast 5th level spells. Or you must be a worshiper of Hieronious, he's not in FR. Thus my dilemma.

Disclaimer: guesswork ahead.

Okay, you can certainly switch the divinity in question around as you need for your campaign.
For the spells, you might require that the character gives up 5 spell levels, with a further requirement that he must give up a slot of the highest level he can cast.
I don't know what the Helm does, so I can't guess if you'd also need to tone it down.

john