Dagger of true theft

[Corbert]

Dagger of true theft

When used to make the killing blow, this dagger can steal a single spell, spell-like ability or supernatural ability from the victim and grant it to the wielder. So long as the dagger remains in the possession of the wielder it confers that stolen power as a spell-like ability usable as many times per day as the victim was able to use it. So, if what was stolen was a spell from a wizards memory, it can only be used a single time. The wielder must choose what the dagger is to steal; you can’t go ‘fishing’ to see what you can get. If nothing is chosen at the deathblow or the victim doesn’t have the stipulated ability the theft fails.

Caster Level:15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor Trap the Soul, Death Knell; Market Price: 240000gp, 9600 XP; Weight: .

I got this idea from Charmed, where if a warlock kills a witch he can steal her power. I know its really powerful, but it can only ever hold one stolen ability, so I think that balances some.

 

[Eloi]

This goes lopsided the moment the Thief kills a Bodak with this dagger.

No thanks.

 

[was]

I'd stick to just the stealing of spells with this item (and I would make it a random result, no choosing). The ability to steal spell-like and supernatural abilities is very unbalanced and too open to abuse. Even if it's only a single ability.

 

[Corbert]

OK, what if the dagger is limited to stealing spells and spell-like abilities or supernatural abilities of no greater than 2nd or 3rd level?

 

[domino]

Still, what's the level on a Death Gaze?

Or say, Wish 1/day. Or Telekinesis at will?

 

[Corbert]

OK, how about this: the stolen ability can only be used one time. After that the dagger is "empty" and must be used to make the killing blow on another creature to steal another ability.

Also, I would like to point out that the DM doesn't have to put in creatures with Wish, or send Bodaks against the PCs if they have this weapon. Plus, lots of things can happen in melee, so the PC with the dagger might not get to make the death blow.

 

[was]

Also, I would like to point out that the DM doesn't have to put in creatures with Wish, or send Bodaks against the PCs if they have this weapon.

-The problem with this is, that you are strictly limiting encounters to lower-powered creatures and restraining a DM's creativity for the sake of just one magical item. Since you have a hefty price tag on this item. I'm assuming it only comes into play at advanced levels. At this point, most people enjoy monsters that present a greater challenge (like bodaks for example). The higher level the pc's get, the harder it is to really challenge them. Unless you like fighting only orcs and zombies all the time, this can force a campaign to become somewhat stagnant.

-In addition, even stealing one use of a powerful ability can unbalance the next encounter. Supernatural abilities are used in figuring the CR of monstrous foes. How then do you adjust the encounter when one of the pc's has stolen a powerful supernatural ability and uses it in combat? It's going to create a lot of problems if the DM has to reconfigure every encounter to match the increase in CR due to whatever supernatuaral ability the dagger has stolen lately. It's just my opinion, but I think that it creates far too many problems.

 

[Corbert]

-The problem with this is, that you are strictly limiting encounters to lower-powered creatures and restraining a DM's creativity for the sake of just one magical item. Since you have a hefty price tag on this item. I'm assuming it only comes into play at advanced levels. At this point, most people enjoy monsters that present a greater challenge (like bodaks for example). The higher level the pc's get, the harder it is to really challenge them. Unless you like fighting only orcs and zombies all the time, this can force a campaign to become somewhat stagnant.

You make some good points, I wouldn't want to play a high level character if all I get to kill are low level critters. So, you inspired me to do some research (thank you ) and I came up with something very interesting. Looking at Table 2-44: NPC Gear Value in the 3.0 DMG p. 58 shows the value of the gear topping out at 220,000 GP. At 240,000 GP, the dagger falls into epic priced gear, so the PCs wouldn't get it until they are well into epic levels.

-In addition, even stealing one use of a powerful ability can unbalance the next encounter. Supernatural abilities are used in figuring the CR of monstrous foes. How then do you adjust the encounter when one of the pc's has stolen a powerful supernatural ability and uses it in combat? It's going to create a lot of problems if the DM has to reconfigure every encounter to match the increase in CR due to whatever supernatuaral ability the dagger has stolen lately. It's just my opinion, but I think that it creates far too many problems.

I don't think so. At epic levels the PCs has access to extreme amounts of power that are already figured in. Besides, this gives me an idea. Some epic monsters might be killed only by the epic powers stolen by another. So a DM could make a quest where the PCs need to kill one monster and steal its special ability so they can kill another monster and steal its special ability so they can kill the next monster so they can...

This goes lopsided the moment the Thief kills a Bodak with this dagger.

Well, a 20th level spellcaster can cast a 9th level spell with a base DC of 23 (19 Int to cast a 9th level spell gives a +4 to the DC). A Bodak's Death Gaze has a DC 15 Fort save to negate. The worst save of any class is +6, but that doesn't count what you get from ability scores, which by 20th level and above are going to be extremely high from ability score increases, magic items, possible even Wishes.

I hope this clears some things up, and I just want to state to all thank you for the constructive criticism, keep it coming. It really helps work the bugs out of my ideas well before they ever get into game play and keeps the really flawed ones out of the game entirely.