Help price ... ability damage rod
- Thread starter Nifft
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Nifft
Penguin Herder
Hmm, guess no one has an item like this already in use in a campaign.
Okay, here's some ideas:
Wraith Rod
A wraith rod acts as a +1 ghost touch light mace that deals no hit point damage. Instead, the wielder deals 1d4 points of Constitution damage to any creature she touches with the rod (by making a melee touch attack). If she scores a critical hit, the damage from that hit is permanent ability drain. The weilder gains 5 temporary hit points per point of Con damage inflicted, or 10 temporary hit points per point of permanent Con drain.
Strong necromancy; CL 17th; Craft Rod, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, energy drain; Price 85,000 gp.
Shadow Rod
A shadow rod acts as a +1 ghost touch light mace that deals no hit point damage. Instead, the wielder deals 1d4 points of Strength damage to any creature she touches with the rod (by making a melee touch attack). If she scores a critical hit, the damage from that hit is permanent ability drain. The weilder gains 5 temporary hit points per point of Str damage inflicted, or 10 temporary hit points per point of permanent Str drain.
Strong necromancy; CL 17th; Craft Rod, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, energy drain; Price 50,000 gp.
-- N
Okay, here's some ideas:
Wraith Rod
A wraith rod acts as a +1 ghost touch light mace that deals no hit point damage. Instead, the wielder deals 1d4 points of Constitution damage to any creature she touches with the rod (by making a melee touch attack). If she scores a critical hit, the damage from that hit is permanent ability drain. The weilder gains 5 temporary hit points per point of Con damage inflicted, or 10 temporary hit points per point of permanent Con drain.
Strong necromancy; CL 17th; Craft Rod, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, energy drain; Price 85,000 gp.
Shadow Rod
A shadow rod acts as a +1 ghost touch light mace that deals no hit point damage. Instead, the wielder deals 1d4 points of Strength damage to any creature she touches with the rod (by making a melee touch attack). If she scores a critical hit, the damage from that hit is permanent ability drain. The weilder gains 5 temporary hit points per point of Str damage inflicted, or 10 temporary hit points per point of permanent Str drain.
Strong necromancy; CL 17th; Craft Rod, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, energy drain; Price 50,000 gp.
-- N
Last edited:
Cheiromancer
Adventurer
With the rod of withering, I would guess that the formula to use is
(ability damage)2 * 2000 gp.
2.5 damage Con is 6.25 * 2000 = 12, 500
Same for Str, for a total of 25, 000.
The weapon acts as a +1 light mace that does no hit point damage, a crit converts the damage into drain, and a DC 17 fort save negates.
Based on the wounding weapon, it looks like +2 bonus = 1 point con damage. d4 damage (average 2.5) would be +5, so about 50 000 gp right there. No hit point damage, but it does act as a magical ghost touch weapon... don't know how to cost those out.
I take it you are discounting the price slightly for strength damage? That seems reasonable. The rod of withering might be something like 2500 times con damage squared and 1500 times str damage squared, then, instead of what I wrote. Seems like your prices are in the right ballpark.
BTW, wouldn't brilliant energy be better suited to the theme than ghost touch? It doesn't really make sense that ability damage could be inflicted on constructs or the undead, and that fits perfectly with brilliant energy (change the appearance to match the flavor). Though ghost touch would allow incorporeal undead to use these weapons, wouldn't it?
I'll have to think about this some more. If you could show your calculations and give the reasoning for your estimates, that might help.
(ability damage)2 * 2000 gp.
2.5 damage Con is 6.25 * 2000 = 12, 500
Same for Str, for a total of 25, 000.
The weapon acts as a +1 light mace that does no hit point damage, a crit converts the damage into drain, and a DC 17 fort save negates.
Based on the wounding weapon, it looks like +2 bonus = 1 point con damage. d4 damage (average 2.5) would be +5, so about 50 000 gp right there. No hit point damage, but it does act as a magical ghost touch weapon... don't know how to cost those out.
I take it you are discounting the price slightly for strength damage? That seems reasonable. The rod of withering might be something like 2500 times con damage squared and 1500 times str damage squared, then, instead of what I wrote. Seems like your prices are in the right ballpark.
BTW, wouldn't brilliant energy be better suited to the theme than ghost touch? It doesn't really make sense that ability damage could be inflicted on constructs or the undead, and that fits perfectly with brilliant energy (change the appearance to match the flavor). Though ghost touch would allow incorporeal undead to use these weapons, wouldn't it?
I'll have to think about this some more. If you could show your calculations and give the reasoning for your estimates, that might help.
the enchantment system doesn't work the way like +2 x 2.5 = 5...
its more like 1= a, 2=a^2, 3=a^3, n=a^n ...
so the 1d4 ability damage would be more like a +3 or +4..
Btw, there is a diffrence between the thing syour comparing... like the *rod of orcus*, the *Rod of Withering*, the creature touching it is subject to one or more spells, hence the Fort Dc.
The Enchantment bonus is give some property used together with the attack of the weapon. like flaming, dancing, speed.
The Rod isn't a melee weapon or actually a real weapon of any kind.
just one hell of a Stick.
So depending on your goal, use can use either.. (btw, that stick could in steary be a weapon/+rod .. rod of orcus is a +6 greatclub)
its more like 1= a, 2=a^2, 3=a^3, n=a^n ...
so the 1d4 ability damage would be more like a +3 or +4..
Btw, there is a diffrence between the thing syour comparing... like the *rod of orcus*, the *Rod of Withering*, the creature touching it is subject to one or more spells, hence the Fort Dc.
The Enchantment bonus is give some property used together with the attack of the weapon. like flaming, dancing, speed.
The Rod isn't a melee weapon or actually a real weapon of any kind.
just one hell of a Stick.
So depending on your goal, use can use either.. (btw, that stick could in steary be a weapon/+rod .. rod of orcus is a +6 greatclub)
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