[Item Creation] Undead-i-fying Amulet

[Sparky]

I've created an object - an amulet - for my campaign that will, upon the death of the wearer, cast Animate Dead and raise it as a zombie or skeleton. It has been used to great effect so far (the players were at first over-confident by virtue of their superior numbers, then puzzled, then afraid, then clever about dealing lethal damage or selecting targets who weren't wearing amulets and then afraid again when a whole bunch of amulet-wearing foes showed up).

I'd like to hear different ideas on how, or if, such an amulet could work by the rules. I haven't much delved into item creation and would appreciate hearing what more crafty folks would do.

Thanks!

Edit: And also toss in any campaign ideas for individuals, groups or forces that would create such a thing.

In my campaign it is a Wizard who has infliltrated a college of archaeologists dedicated to the study of an ancient and powerful race whose descendants are Kobolds. The college uses undead in their work, excavation, trap-finding, etc. They are not particularly moral folk.

 

[JimAde]

I don't have answers, but I do have questions:

Are the amulets single-use, charged or unlimited? This affects the cost.

Once the undead is created, who is in control of it? Another member of the group? The original caster? Whoever it is, if that person is not present, the zombie would just stand there. If the item somehow also includes commands, it would be more valuable.

If the zombie is self-directed it's not really a zombie and you'd need a higher-level spell than Animate Dead.

 

[Taloras]

Lets see...lets go for an example

We want to create skeletons or zombies with the item. They become uncontrolled undead when created (since there is no caster actually casting the spell to control them. a cleric can gain control of them with a rebuke/command check as usual). Since you said it was a wizard doing this, its a 4th level spell.

Lets assume its a single use, use activated item (the wearer dying activates it, then its useless afterwards).

Base price is spell level (4) x caster level (minimum would be 7th) x 50 gp. This leaves us with 1400. But wait. Theres a material component. 25 gp onyx per HD of the creature. Lets say we want say...a 1 HD skeleton. This would be your average human skeleton. Thats 25 gp. For a wondrous item, we take that cost, x 50 gp. Thats another 1250. If im reading the DMG right, that makes the base price for the item at 2650 each. When the wearer dies, it automatically casts animate dead on the wearer, bringing them back as a skeleton or zombie (decided at item creation). When activated, the item (which I would say would have that black onyx in it) burns to a worthless husk (as per the spell description).

Does this make sense?

 

[Kalanyr]

Since its a one-use item, I'd be inclined to only require 1 times the price of the material component, the 50 x material component cost is for an item with unlimited charge IMO.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Hehe it's funny you should mention such an item. The DM in yesterday's game gave him evil cleric NPC's rings that turn them into ghouls when they die. I don't know the specifics of such an item (since I'm just a player), but I doubt that the DM made them according to the rules, since it's basically a NPC-only item (what player would want to wear one, and why would anyone want to buy such an item?)

AR

 

[Sejs]

(what player would want to wear one, and why would anyone want to buy such an item?)

In a game where there is no ressurection type magics, or if they're just flat out unavailable for whatever reason, I'd be all over one of those items as long as it turned me into some form of sentient undead. Like say a vampire or the like.

Would be a pretty decent insurance policy, I'd say. Sure beats dying.

 

[JimAde]

Since its a one-use item, I'd be inclined to only require 1 times the price of the material component, the 50 x material component cost is for an item with unlimited charge IMO.

I just re-read the SRD on this. The additional cost is:

the material component cost X Number of charges (usually 50)

If the item is unlimited uses, it's X 100

So in this case I agree, it should be X1 for a total cost of 1425. But the cost should go up if the undead in question are somehow directed to keep attacking their previous foes. As Taloras said, they'd be uncontrolled by the book. Maybe add in the cost of a Command Undead item (pretty cheap).

 

[edventure]

I'd think adding a single simple command would do it.

"Attack anyone not wearing (that specific) amulet"

Then just make sure all the NPCs had them from now on. (The ones that didn't before knew about it but were smart enough to stay out of the zombies way.)

 

[Sparky]

Wow. Simpler than I thought. Thanks all!

 

[Elrik_DarkFury]

(what player would want to wear one, and why would anyone want to buy such an item?)

.I surely know a person or two whose characters' greatest goal in game is becoming undead.-even a mindless one such as zombie or skeleton.
They are a bit unstable persons but thats ok-at least most of the times.