Revivify as a legacy weapon ability that costs action points

[blargney the second]

I'm running a game for a party with no spellcasters, so I've been slowly parcelling out spell-like abilities in the form of free dragonmarks and lately with legacy weapons (without the stupid penalties, natch).

I'm contemplating putting the ability to use the revivify spell from Spell Compendium on one of the weapons. What level ability do you think this is worth: revivify 1/week, costs 2 action points to activate.

 

[hornedturtle]

Well Psionic Revivify has a XP cost for the caster, would the wielder pay this cost? Either way this would be a very powerful item, especially without a XP cost. It mostly depends on how often do you think they are going to need it. If there is a chance of character death every combat then a cost of 1 AP and the XP cost should be enough to keep them from getting reckless thinking they can't die.

 

[blargney the second]

The revivify I had in mind was the one from Spell Compendium that let you raise dead the round after death with no level loss. Having slept on it, I'm thinking close wounds is a better fit for this item right now. Lower level, better range, lower action cost.

However, I'd love to hear more thoughts on revivify for higher levels.

 

[akbearfoot]

Considering the prices on the raise dead spells I would tread very lightly at the thought of allowing your characters to have items that simply bring them back to life if they die. With essentially no cost.....2 Action points as a cost means its practically free. In the games I play in action points almost always get spent on saving throws, and players tend to hoard them until they nearly level (which incidently tends to happen right after fights with the BBEG)

Essentially having a contingencied revivify active all the time is awfully powerful IMO.

How often has one of your characters ever died more than once in a week? Or in whatever amount you decide is the 'cooldown' period. If the answer is never then don't factor that in as a 'penalty' either.

If I were going to do it anyways, I'd say the item simply has the ability to restore the users life ONCE, and then if they get killed let there be some sort of divine quest or deed they can do to 'recharge' it again in the future.

 

[blargney the second]

Those are good points. So it's looking like a higher-level ability - maybe Legacy Menu H or I?

 

[Artoomis]

I like the action point cost thing.

Very cool - very much an action hero sort of thing to do.

It feels right to me.

I think I'd consider even dropping the 1/week restriction, instead requiring the material component of 1,000 GP of diamonds that vanish when used (they could be embedded in the item, and re-fillable, perhaps). You might have, say, three "slots" that could accept the diamonds and require 1 day to fill them back up with more diamonds. Thus would require treasure be set aside for this purpose and the true limitation would be wealth and action points.

Note that Revivify is less powerful than some may think:

It must be cast within 1 round of death and brings the dead person back to -1 hit points.

 

[blargney the second]

Interesting ideas, Artoomis!