Pathfinder 1E Skinning and tanning rare monsters

[Killjoy40k]

My players just killed a bandersnatch. they were disappointed with the incidental loot so they skinned it and harvested its organs. The Duelist wants to make some armor and is hoping for special properties. The cleric fancies her self a muse and wants to inspire a chief with an iron chief style cook off with the meat. While the ranger wants to make a whip that functions much like his tail. I was just seeing if the internet collective can help with any of theses. except maybe the whip that seems really simple.

 

[Olfan]

I don't want to be a debby downer but just be wary about that play style. The game can quickly dissolve into a monster hunter situation where they are always looking for new gear and reagents based on whatever they fight. Don't get me wrong, that's AWESOME but it's a lot of work on your part if it goes that way. I always thought it would be awesome if there was that aspect somewhere where every animal in the bestiary had lootable parts and a table of "these parts make this gear".

To be clear, not saying don't do it, just be aware it can be a lot of work if the players do that.

 

[Stormonu]

I agree with Olfan, it can get unbalancing quickly if not handled carefully.

You could still reward PC efforts like this if you treat the PCs as having all the appropriate magic item creations when they use monster parts to create items with effects similar to the monster's abilities (like making a displacer cloak from displacer hide or scale armor of fire resistance from red dragon hide). this should give them a decent discount on making certain magic items, but not quite being a freebie. you could explain the gp costs as methods and materials the characters need to undertake to properly preserve the monster parts and keep the magic from fading/rotting away.

 

[Starfox]

I'm with Olfan mainly. If you make monsters rare, this might be a fun way to go, but if they are everyday things it can become a bookkeeping nightmare both for you and the players - especially when they start to salvage materials just to sell.

In my mind's eye, a lot the the costly components for making magic items really comes from this kind of components, but I've never actually played that way, since I'm afraid of the bookkeeping.

 

[Killjoy40k]

I can see the head ache. But the duelist and i sat down and talked and he said he didnt need the armor anyway. its really now for the clerics story stuff with her muse thing. thanks for the advice guys

 

[Starfox]

I think the approach your players had when they brought this up is really nice tough - seeing this as an alternate form of treasure. As a one-off, it is 100% ok.

 

[Hand of Evil]

[MENTION=6776286]Olfan[/MENTION] has the gist of it.

The most I would allow them to have are novelty of the skin, the skull and possible spell ingredients from the blood and bones. Now, in the spirit of Earthdawn, I could see magical properties being applied as the players keep the items and increase in level, say buying abilities for the items. Example would be the skin, say it is made into a cloak and one of the characters is know by it, "he is the guy in the bandersnatch cloak", as the character goes up in level, the DM looks at the character, his abilities and say hey, that is rubbing off on the cloak.

 

[Crothian]

I say let the players have fun. Don't make the whip be a +5 whip of overpowering. But give a weaker cool effect that they want. The cook off sounds like a great idea and something that can be a lot of fun. In general to help make sure that you are not imbalance the game make most of the supplies limited and become one or five use items.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Bandersnatch skin can be used to make +2 frumious hide armor.

Frumious (Su): Armor with this special propery confers the following benefits:

- The armor improves your camouflage in natural surroundings, granting +5 to Hide checks.
- Once per day when wearing the armor, you may fly into a rage, as per a barbarian of your level. If used by a barbarian, this rage does not count against your normal uses per day.
- Once per day when wearing the armor, you may cast confusion, as per the spell.

 

[evileeyore]

Bandersnatch skin can be used to make +2 frumious hide armor.

Frumious (Su): Armor with this special propery confers the following benefits:

- The armor improves your camouflage in natural surroundings, granting +5 to Hide checks.
- Once per day when wearing the armor, you may fly into a rage, as per a barbarian of your level. If used by a barbarian, this rage does not count against your normal uses per day.
- Once per day when wearing the armor, you may cast confusion, as per the spell.

There is a 10% chance when meeting an NPC for the first time the wearer triggers the "Shunning" curse of the armor and will thus be forever more shunned by that NPC.