Shield Other effect for villain

[moritheil]

The Friend Shield ring would do the job, but it's way too valuable for this party to get - they're only level 8 and already dripping with loot. I had no idea that item even existed, though!
-blarg

Make it one use (thus dividing its value by 50 and making it a moot point anyhow.)

 

[Jack Simth]

The Friend Shield ring would do the job, but it's way too valuable for this party to get - they're only level 8 and already dripping with loot. I had no idea that item even existed, though!
-blarg

So put some limitations/drawbacks/curses on it.

E.g., Requires a specific race/gender/class (that of the "human shield") to activate, only works during the day/night (whichever the encounter runs during), and gives a penalty to Will saves/AC (say, exactly enough to counter the +1 bonus to AC and saves from an active effect) when worn. You can cut down the price, easy, if it's something that would make it painful to find a use for (but you can of course arrange circumstances of the encounter so the BBEG can make use of it by ordering a mind-controlled minion around).

Heck - make it an intelligent item with a Dedicated Purpose - protecting the BBEG. That'll do the job of preventing it from being used by the PC's....

 

[blargney the second]

Neat ideas, guys. Thank you!
-blarg

 

[Quartz]

It had the BBEG who had himself chained together to several slaves. All the damage he took was divided up amongst the slaves and himself. So the PCs had to either come up with another way of disabling him, spend the time destroying the chains, or be responsible for killing innocents.

That's The Dread Emperor from the Book of Vile Darkness