Bag of Devouring Evolution
In case there is any interest, here are the rules for the Bag of Devouring as they have evolved over the years. I don't have access to the Holmes D&D version or the Rules Cyclopedia so I don't know what changes were in those volumes.
The article on the Bag of Devouring ecology was in Dragon 271 published May, 2000. I think the AD&D First Edition rules opened the door for interpretation as per the Dragon article. Which I thought was kind of cool. I think the biggest division is between Basic and Advanced versions of the game for obvious reasons. All give a possible window for escape from the bag within a rather short time period.
Funny how, in later editions, "contents" get a cumulative 5% chance each hour of finally being swollowed while creatures are destroyed automatically in a very short period of time. Those poor PC's can't get a break.
Original and Basic D&D Versions
OD&D – Greyhawk Supplement 12th printing 1976 pg 51
“Bag of Devouring: An empty bag which is actually the extension of an ultradimensional monster. Anything placed inside which is devoured in 7-12 turns. Its capacity is the same as a Bag of Holding, and it ememanates an aura of magic.”
Bag of Holding capacity is described in Book Two of the original rules.
Holmes Edition: don’t have
Moldvay Edition Basic Rulebook - 1st printing January 1981 Page B50:
“Bag of Devouring: This item looks like a normal sack, but anything placed within it disappears and is lost forever 7-12 turns later. It will not affect living creatures unless the entire creature is stuffed inside the bag. This is impossible to do except with very small creatures.”
Mentzer Edition 1st printing May 1983 Dungeon Masters Rulebook pg 45
“Bag of Devouring: This item looks like a normal sack, but anything placed within it disappears. Anyone may reachin and find the contents by touch – if the contents are still there! If the contents are not removed within 7-12 turns, they will be forever lost. The bag will not affect living creatures unless the entire creature is stuffed inside the bag. This is impossible to do except with very small creatures.”
Rules Cyclopedia: don't have
Advanced or “Edition” D&D versions
AD&D (First Edition) Dungeon Masters Guide 1st printing 1979 pg 137
Bag of Devouring: This bag appears as a typical sack – possibly appearing to be empty, possibly as having beans in its bottom. The sack is, however, the lure used by an extra-dimensional creature. It is one of its feeding orifices. Any substance of animal or vegetable nature is subject to “swallowing” if it is thrust within the bag. The bag of devouring is 90% likely to ignore any initial intrusions, but anytime it senses living human flesh within, it is 60% likely to close and attempt to draw the whole victim within – base 75% chance for success less strength bonus for “damage”, each +1 = -5% on base chance. Thus an 18 strength character (with +2 damage) is only 65% likely to be drawn into the bag, while a 5 strength character (with –1 damage) is 80% likely to be drawn in. The bag radiates magic. It can hold up to 30 cubic feet of matter. It will act as a bag of holding (normal capacity), but each turn it has a 5% cumulative chance of “swallowing” the contents and then “spitting the stuff out” in some nonspace. Creatures drawn within are consumed in 7 segments of a round, eaten, and forever gone.
AD&D 2nd Edition Dungeon Master Guide 3rd printing 1992 pg 159.
Only minor editorial changes from the First Edition ruling such as “This is one of its feeding orifices.” in second edition from “It is one of its feeding orifices.” in first edition.
Dungeons and Dragons (Third Edition) Dungeon Master’s Guide Core Rule Book II 1st printing September 2000. pg 233.
Bag of Devouring: This bag appears to be an ordinary sack. Detection for magical properties makes it seem as if it were a bag of holding. The sack is, however, a lure used by an extradimensional creature – in fact, one of its feeding orifices. Any substance of animal or vegetable nature is subject to “swallowing’ if thrust within the bag. The bag of devouring is 90% likely to ignore any initial intrusion, but anytime thereafter that it senses living flesh within (such as if someone reaches into the bag to pull something out), it is 60% likely to close around the offending member and attempt to draw the whole victim in. The bag has a strength of 23 for pulling someone in. The bag radiates magic and can hol up to 30 cubic feet of matter. It acts as a bag of holding (bag 1), but each hour it has a 5% cumulative chance of swallowing the contents and spitting the stuff out in some nonspace or other plane. Creatures drawn within are consumed in 1 round, eaten, and gone forever. Caster level: 17th; Prerequisites: In effect, this is a minor artifact and cannot be created; Market Price: 15,500 gp (but note that the bag cannot be created, since it is a creature).
System Reference Document (3.5 SRD) from www.systemreferencedocuments.org Sovelier and Sage version. Last modified Dec. 2004
Bag of Devouring: This bag appears to be an ordinary sack. Detection for magical properties makes it seem as if it were a bag of holding. The sack is, however, a lure used by an extradimensional creature—in fact, one of its feeding orifices.
Any substance of animal or vegetable nature is subject to “swallowing’’ if thrust within the bag. The bag of devouring is 90% likely to ignore any initial intrusion, but any time thereafter that it senses living flesh within (such as if someone reaches into the bag to pull something out), it is 60% likely to close around the offending member and attempt to draw the whole victim in. The bag has a +8 bonus on grapple checks made to pull someone in.
The bag can hold up to 30 cubic feet of matter. It acts as a bag of holding type I, but each hour it has a 5% cumulative chance of swallowing the contents and then spitting the stuff out in some nonspace or on some other plane. Creatures drawn within are consumed in 1 round. The bag destroys the victim’s body and prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the check fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.
Moderate conjuration; CL 17th; In effect, this is a creature and cannot be created; Price n/a.
tonym said:Hm. I didn't know there was a previous creature statted-out before... Do you remember where?
Tony M
In case there is any interest, here are the rules for the Bag of Devouring as they have evolved over the years. I don't have access to the Holmes D&D version or the Rules Cyclopedia so I don't know what changes were in those volumes.
The article on the Bag of Devouring ecology was in Dragon 271 published May, 2000. I think the AD&D First Edition rules opened the door for interpretation as per the Dragon article. Which I thought was kind of cool. I think the biggest division is between Basic and Advanced versions of the game for obvious reasons. All give a possible window for escape from the bag within a rather short time period.
Funny how, in later editions, "contents" get a cumulative 5% chance each hour of finally being swollowed while creatures are destroyed automatically in a very short period of time. Those poor PC's can't get a break.
Original and Basic D&D Versions
OD&D – Greyhawk Supplement 12th printing 1976 pg 51
“Bag of Devouring: An empty bag which is actually the extension of an ultradimensional monster. Anything placed inside which is devoured in 7-12 turns. Its capacity is the same as a Bag of Holding, and it ememanates an aura of magic.”
Bag of Holding capacity is described in Book Two of the original rules.
Holmes Edition: don’t have
Moldvay Edition Basic Rulebook - 1st printing January 1981 Page B50:
“Bag of Devouring: This item looks like a normal sack, but anything placed within it disappears and is lost forever 7-12 turns later. It will not affect living creatures unless the entire creature is stuffed inside the bag. This is impossible to do except with very small creatures.”
Mentzer Edition 1st printing May 1983 Dungeon Masters Rulebook pg 45
“Bag of Devouring: This item looks like a normal sack, but anything placed within it disappears. Anyone may reachin and find the contents by touch – if the contents are still there! If the contents are not removed within 7-12 turns, they will be forever lost. The bag will not affect living creatures unless the entire creature is stuffed inside the bag. This is impossible to do except with very small creatures.”
Rules Cyclopedia: don't have
Advanced or “Edition” D&D versions
AD&D (First Edition) Dungeon Masters Guide 1st printing 1979 pg 137
Bag of Devouring: This bag appears as a typical sack – possibly appearing to be empty, possibly as having beans in its bottom. The sack is, however, the lure used by an extra-dimensional creature. It is one of its feeding orifices. Any substance of animal or vegetable nature is subject to “swallowing” if it is thrust within the bag. The bag of devouring is 90% likely to ignore any initial intrusions, but anytime it senses living human flesh within, it is 60% likely to close and attempt to draw the whole victim within – base 75% chance for success less strength bonus for “damage”, each +1 = -5% on base chance. Thus an 18 strength character (with +2 damage) is only 65% likely to be drawn into the bag, while a 5 strength character (with –1 damage) is 80% likely to be drawn in. The bag radiates magic. It can hold up to 30 cubic feet of matter. It will act as a bag of holding (normal capacity), but each turn it has a 5% cumulative chance of “swallowing” the contents and then “spitting the stuff out” in some nonspace. Creatures drawn within are consumed in 7 segments of a round, eaten, and forever gone.
AD&D 2nd Edition Dungeon Master Guide 3rd printing 1992 pg 159.
Only minor editorial changes from the First Edition ruling such as “This is one of its feeding orifices.” in second edition from “It is one of its feeding orifices.” in first edition.
Dungeons and Dragons (Third Edition) Dungeon Master’s Guide Core Rule Book II 1st printing September 2000. pg 233.
Bag of Devouring: This bag appears to be an ordinary sack. Detection for magical properties makes it seem as if it were a bag of holding. The sack is, however, a lure used by an extradimensional creature – in fact, one of its feeding orifices. Any substance of animal or vegetable nature is subject to “swallowing’ if thrust within the bag. The bag of devouring is 90% likely to ignore any initial intrusion, but anytime thereafter that it senses living flesh within (such as if someone reaches into the bag to pull something out), it is 60% likely to close around the offending member and attempt to draw the whole victim in. The bag has a strength of 23 for pulling someone in. The bag radiates magic and can hol up to 30 cubic feet of matter. It acts as a bag of holding (bag 1), but each hour it has a 5% cumulative chance of swallowing the contents and spitting the stuff out in some nonspace or other plane. Creatures drawn within are consumed in 1 round, eaten, and gone forever. Caster level: 17th; Prerequisites: In effect, this is a minor artifact and cannot be created; Market Price: 15,500 gp (but note that the bag cannot be created, since it is a creature).
System Reference Document (3.5 SRD) from www.systemreferencedocuments.org Sovelier and Sage version. Last modified Dec. 2004
Bag of Devouring: This bag appears to be an ordinary sack. Detection for magical properties makes it seem as if it were a bag of holding. The sack is, however, a lure used by an extradimensional creature—in fact, one of its feeding orifices.
Any substance of animal or vegetable nature is subject to “swallowing’’ if thrust within the bag. The bag of devouring is 90% likely to ignore any initial intrusion, but any time thereafter that it senses living flesh within (such as if someone reaches into the bag to pull something out), it is 60% likely to close around the offending member and attempt to draw the whole victim in. The bag has a +8 bonus on grapple checks made to pull someone in.
The bag can hold up to 30 cubic feet of matter. It acts as a bag of holding type I, but each hour it has a 5% cumulative chance of swallowing the contents and then spitting the stuff out in some nonspace or on some other plane. Creatures drawn within are consumed in 1 round. The bag destroys the victim’s body and prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the check fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.
Moderate conjuration; CL 17th; In effect, this is a creature and cannot be created; Price n/a.
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