Altering a Magic Item: Shroud of Ravens

I'm looking (well) ahead at a player's wishlist for her Warlock of the Raven Queen, and the Shroud of Ravens is a wonderfully flavorful item that, unfortunately, lacks a certain oomph.

Shroud of Ravens Level 13+ Uncommon
Pulling this cloak's black hood over your head transforms you into a murder of ravens.

Lvl 13 +3 17,000 gp Lvl 23 +5 425,000 gp
Lvl 18 +4 85,000 gp Lvl 28 +6 2,125,000 gp

Neck Slot

Enhancement Bonus: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will

Power (Polymorph) Daily (Immediate Reaction)
Trigger: You take damage from an attack.

Effect: You transform into a cloud of screaming ravens until the start of your next turn. While transformed, you become insubstantial and gain a fly speed equal to your speed. In addition, you shift a number of squares equal to the shroud's enhancement bonus.

She loves the fluff, obviously. And the trigger, insubstantial, and shift are useful. But what the heck good is gaining a fly speed that lasts only until the start of your next turn when this is triggered by an IR (i.e., it ends before you have an action to utilize this fly speed)?!?

Anyone have any ideas of a relatively balanced replacement for the fly speed that fits the flavor of the item well? Thanks!

EDIT: Yes, I realize one can use the fly speed for the shift, but this still seems less than useful.

Do you want to keep it balanced/in line with other items of that level?
If so, provide some items you wish to compare this one to.

The fly speed is provided for completeness and consitency.
If something/someone makes that character move after it has transformed (a Warlord gives her a move action) then it comes into play.
Don´t consider it as "a bonus that is not been used" but more "something that had to be defined".

The bonus, if you want, is that you remain less vulnerable (out of reach flying and halving damage due to being insubstantial) until you have to act.
This means that the enemies won't be very effective focus firing on you.

Hope this helps a bit, let me hear you back so we can continue.

sfedi said:

Hope this helps a bit, let me hear you back so we can continue.

Click to expand...

Actually, I received a fine suggestion elsewhere:

Power (Polymorph) Daily (Immediate Interrupt)
Trigger: You take damage from an attack.

Effect: You transform into a cloud of screaming ravens until the end of your next turn, or until you make an attack. While transformed, you become insubstantial and gain a fly speed equal to your speed. After taking the damage, you shift a number of squares equal to the shroud's enhancement bonus.

Thoughts? And thanks for your response!

It seems it is much more in line with what you wanted.

Seems quite stronger, but not unbalanced.

Do you want to make it cool or do you want to make it stronger on-par with other items of this level?

Both, honestly. I'm not looking for super optimization but rather a cool & flavorful item that has mechanics the player can be excited by.

Personally I prefer the original power.

Not because it is cooler than what was suggested. Of course not.

But because it is more in line with the idea of the magic item: a cloak that protects.
This particular cloak protects you by letting you fly away and become insubstantial.
Nice.

The power you cite is more in line with a power to dodge and attack.
That's something I would expect more from boots, for example.

In that sense, to make it cooler, I would drop the requirement to be attacked.

Just have it as a Daily Minor Action (remember that daily usage of items is limited/capped)

That way the player can choose when to become a flock of ravens, allowing him to make daring escapes or impressive entrances.

darkbard said:

Actually, I received a fine suggestion elsewhere:

Power (Polymorph) Daily (Immediate Interrupt)
Trigger: You take damage from an attack.

Effect: You transform into a cloud of screaming ravens until the end of your next turn, or until you make an attack. While transformed, you become insubstantial and gain a fly speed equal to your speed. After taking the damage, you shift a number of squares equal to the shroud's enhancement bonus.

Thoughts? And thanks for your response!

Click to expand...

I like this one better, but I prefer inturups over reactions for obvious reasons.

Also, it keeps the player more engaged through the process instead of somthing that just happens to them afterwards. This sounds like a fun magic item.