Price for Amulet of Deadening

[BLACKDIRGE]

I agree, though I think that all things considered I think the item is a bit too complicated to just be an item.

Agreed.

Resistor, you've got a solid idea here, although I think the mechanics need to be more clearly defined. In addition, I actually like the power level, and I would urge you to take it a bit further and make this an artifact, with commensurate abilities.

BD

 

[Sigurd]

It needs a flavourful detail infusion

This is potentially a really potent item.

YMMV but I think this should be dark, dark necromancy.

Something like...

In the dark stygian jungles of Kesh, this amulet was crafted by a powerful necromancer seeking to cheat death. By wearing two of his own sacrificed fingers he was able to cloak himself in a portion of his own undeath and its benefits.

The item radiates evil when not worn. Wearing the item is addictive. The only way to remove the item without a will check is a dark ceremony requiring the ritual murder of a creature of the same race as your own.


Sigurd

I'd be curious to see what you come up with eventually.

 

[Pyrex]

Resistor, you've got a solid idea here, although I think the mechanics need to be more clearly defined. In addition, I actually like the power level, and I would urge you to take it a bit further and make this an artifact, with commensurate abilities.

Really? I think I'd rather see it stay a mid-range Wonderous Item available to 12th (ish) level necromancers.

I'd be tempted to make it fairly cheap, but with steep drawbacks and semi-permanent.

Like, say, an undead graft.

Like the heart of a Zombie.

Perfect for the ailing wizard who's trying to stave off mortality (by, say, preventing physical aging penalties and/or just a poor Con score) but who can't quite afford Lichdom yet...

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

Really? I think I'd rather see it stay a mid-range Wonderous Item available to 12th (ish) level necromancers.

I'd be tempted to make it fairly cheap, but with steep drawbacks and semi-permanent.

Like, say, an undead graft.

Like the heart of a Zombie.

Perfect for the ailing wizard who's trying to stave off mortality (by, say, preventing physical aging penalties and/or just a poor Con score) but who can't quite afford Lichdom yet...

Oh, it could work both ways. I just have a fondness for artifacts; there just aren't enough good ones out there.

BD

 

[brehobit]

Assuming that everything other than healing spells and turning allow the wearer to be damaged as an undead AND inflict spells don't heal or hurt either AND that you can take it on or put it off as a standard action...

I'd go 40K.

Plus side:
+1 shirt of full fortification is 36K. This does the whole critical immunity and sneak attack immunity. But obviously it interferes with a very important slot (though amulet is nice too...). I'd call it a 40K ability in a slotted item.

Toss in immunity to poison (no clue here, 20K?) and disease (most nasty diseases are curses so don't get stopped, so 5K?) and we get something like 65K, more if we view these as unassociated abilities.

Down side
The CON loss is scary to almost any actual PC. At higher levels (when you can afford 40K) it will likely half your hit points or worse. When it is powerful, it can be very powerful, but the loss of hit points is scary and it does add a few things that can kill you (death to undeath for example). But being unable to be healed is crazy bad.

So with the disadvantages it's probably 40K total.

Mark

 

[Tyonisius]

Assuming that everything other than healing spells and turning allow the wearer to be damaged as an undead AND inflict spells don't heal or hurt either AND that you can take it on or put it off as a standard action...

I'd go 40K.

Plus side:
+1 shirt of full fortification is 36K. This does the whole critical immunity and sneak attack immunity. But obviously it interferes with a very important slot (though amulet is nice too...). I'd call it a 40K ability in a slotted item.

Toss in immunity to poison (no clue here, 20K?) and disease (most nasty diseases are curses so don't get stopped, so 5K?) and we get something like 65K, more if we view these as unassociated abilities.

Don't forget that all of these abilities are on one item... which should at least double the price you have. So 130k?

Down side
The CON loss is scary to almost any actual PC. At higher levels (when you can afford 40K) it will likely half your hit points or worse. When it is powerful, it can be very powerful, but the loss of hit points is scary and it does add a few things that can kill you (death to undeath for example). But being unable to be healed is crazy bad.

So with the disadvantages it's probably 40K total.
Mark

The con loss is bad, I agree. However, if the item can be removed and put back on then it only plays a part as long as the combat is going on. Once it's over... take it off and get some healing done and you're back to full health. Using your math, and the idea that the price you came up with should at least double the cost of the item, I'd go closer to 120k. I pretty much agree with the previous posters that this should be about 150K give or take in the end.

 

[resistor]

Do inflict spells heal the wearer?

This is something I had not really considered thoroughly. The idea that undead-damaging spells damage the wearer was a late addition to the design, so I didn't think it through as carefully as I should have.

The intended effect was to have the wearer be effectively un-healable while wearing the amulet. I was worried that that was not sufficient, so I added the "can be damaged by effects that damage undead part." In retrospect, I think it would be better to just leave it at: "The wearer does not heal naturally, nor can she be healed by magical or supernatural means."

 

[resistor]

Using your math, and the idea that the price you came up with should at least double the cost of the item, I'd go closer to 120k. I pretty much agree with the previous posters that this should be about 150K give or take in the end.

For what it's worth, I went with 130K in my original design. Glad to know that some people at least agree with me.

 

[resistor]

Resistor, you've got a solid idea here, although I think the mechanics need to be more clearly defined. In addition, I actually like the power level, and I would urge you to take it a bit further and make this an artifact, with commensurate abilities.

Your wish is my command!

Amulet of the Reaper's Bargain

The Amulet of the Reaper's Bargain appears to be an ankh made from intricately whittle and interlinked pieces of bone, and radiates extreme necromancy and evil, even when not worn. When worn, the wear gains the benefits of the Lich template, with the Amulet serving as the phylactery. In exchange for its services, the wearer must wash the Amulet in the blood of a freshly slain sentient being once every 24 hours. The soul of any being used for this purpose is consumed by the Amulet, and she cannot be resurrected by any conventional means. If the wearer fails to perform this duty, the Amulet will not function as a phylactery. Rather, the next time the wearer is slain, her soul will be absorbed in recompense, preventing all conventional forms of resurrection.

Wisdom: 18
Intelligence: 24
Charisma: 24
Alignment: Neutral Evil

 

[brehobit]

Don't forget that all of these abilities are on one item... which should at least double the price you have. So 130k?

Really? First of all I'd only double those after the first. So 90K. Secondly the disease part is mostly "flavor text". I mean when was the last time you saw a disease (not a curse) matter past level 5? An certainly not in a combat.

The con loss is bad, I agree. However, if the item can be removed and put back on then it only plays a part as long as the combat is going on. Once it's over... take it off and get some healing done and you're back to full health. Using your math, and the idea that the price you came up with should at least double the cost of the item, I'd go closer to 120k. I pretty much agree with the previous posters that this should be about 150K give or take in the end.

Oh, it's really bad. No in-combat healing is _nasty_. No in-combat healing when your hit points are halved is _really_ nasty. Frankly, it would be the rare PC that would wear if you gave it away for free. Sure, in the right combat it's really nice. But I'd bet almost every party would sell it rather than use it even at 20K. At 100K+ it would be sold in a heartbeat.

Mark