Dark Blessing in a magic item, how much should it cost? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dark Blessing in a magic item, how much should it cost? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shaggy_Shaggs
03-23-08, 09:48 PM I'm not familiar with rules for including class features in magic items, though I know there's precedent for it (the barbarian rage in the cursed berserking sword, if nothing else). I want Dark Blessing (blackguard class feature, functionally identical to paladin's Divine Grace) in a magic item, and the DM says I should inquire on the boards to see how much it should cost.

What should the market price be for an item that gives its bearer Dark Blessing if it's

slotless?
made to occupy the vest slot? (vests being associated with class feature improvement)
made to occupy the cloak/cape/mantle slot? (cloaks/capes/mantles being associated with protection)

Thanks for the reading time, and hopefully some helpful replies.
RavenDrake
03-23-08, 10:58 PM Dark Blessing, if I recall, is posisitve Charisma Bonus added to all saving throws...

That's not really an item I could see allowing. It has too much use in the hands of a Cha dependant class like Warlock or sorcerer (Gee, +5 bonus to saving throws that stacks with all others? Yes please.). If you price according to the benefit it grants to the classes it most benefits, you'll price it out of the useful range of classes that have a +1 or at most +2 charisma bonus, since it won't be worthwhile to pick up.

It's an item that's likely to cause more problems and more trouble than it would be worth in the long run for the campaign, if not necessarily for your character.

IF I were to allow an item like this, I would have to price it according to a progressive scale and give a hard limit to the bonus it can provide.

Vestment[or Cloak] of Dark Blessings: This pitch black silk vestment is decorated in thread of silver and set with onyx buttons. Characters who wear a Vestment of Dark Blessing may add a +1 to +5 bonus to thier saving throws. This bonus is equal to the maximium bonus value of the Vestment, or the character positive charisma bonus, whichever is lower. This Vest bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wear it. The negative level remains as long as the vestment is worn and disappears when the vestment is removed. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the vestment is worn. The saving throw bonus provided by this item does not stack with any saving throw bonus provided by Divine Grace, Dark Blessing, or similar class features.

Strong Evocation [Evil]; +1 3,500gp, +2 13,000gp, +3 29,000, +4 52,500, +5 80,000gp; Craft Wonderous Item, Creator must be Evil, Creator must have the Dark Blessing class feature.

This is how I would price it. The formula is bonus Squared times 4,000gp (double the price of a "non-standard" saving throw bonus) with a 20% discount for being primarily Evil oriented and for requiring a stat to function rather than simply giving the bonus automatically. The prices were rounded up to the nearest 500gp mark for even pricing division.

This is all off the top of my head, mind you... I don't have a memory of any other item which functions similarly, and would adjust the functin of this item accordingly.
Shaggy_Shaggs
03-23-08, 11:03 PM Thanks for the input. :)

I guess by your measure, something to give the full benefit for a character that hits level 20 with a Charisma of 32 would be out of the question without actually taking a 2-level Blackguard dip, then?
RavenDrake
03-24-08, 01:34 AM To me, being able to achieve that sort of thing should be bought by taking the class levels, not by dropping gold on a magic item, even at the epic and near epic levels, but that's me.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shaggy_Shaggs 03-23-08, 09:48 PM	I'm not familiar with rules for including class features in magic items, though I know there's precedent for it (the barbarian rage in the cursed berserking sword, if nothing else). I want Dark Blessing (blackguard class feature, functionally identical to paladin's Divine Grace) in a magic item, and the DM says I should inquire on the boards to see how much it should cost. What should the market price be for an item that gives its bearer Dark Blessing if it's slotless? made to occupy the vest slot? (vests being associated with class feature improvement) made to occupy the cloak/cape/mantle slot? (cloaks/capes/mantles being associated with protection) Thanks for the reading time, and hopefully some helpful replies.
RavenDrake 03-23-08, 10:58 PM	Dark Blessing, if I recall, is posisitve Charisma Bonus added to all saving throws... That's not really an item I could see allowing. It has too much use in the hands of a Cha dependant class like Warlock or sorcerer (Gee, +5 bonus to saving throws that stacks with all others? Yes please.). If you price according to the benefit it grants to the classes it most benefits, you'll price it out of the useful range of classes that have a +1 or at most +2 charisma bonus, since it won't be worthwhile to pick up. It's an item that's likely to cause more problems and more trouble than it would be worth in the long run for the campaign, if not necessarily for your character. IF I were to allow an item like this, I would have to price it according to a progressive scale and give a hard limit to the bonus it can provide. Vestment[or Cloak] of Dark Blessings: This pitch black silk vestment is decorated in thread of silver and set with onyx buttons. Characters who wear a Vestment of Dark Blessing may add a +1 to +5 bonus to thier saving throws. This bonus is equal to the maximium bonus value of the Vestment, or the character positive charisma bonus, whichever is lower. This Vest bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wear it. The negative level remains as long as the vestment is worn and disappears when the vestment is removed. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the vestment is worn. The saving throw bonus provided by this item does not stack with any saving throw bonus provided by Divine Grace, Dark Blessing, or similar class features. Strong Evocation [Evil]; +1 3,500gp, +2 13,000gp, +3 29,000, +4 52,500, +5 80,000gp; Craft Wonderous Item, Creator must be Evil, Creator must have the Dark Blessing class feature. This is how I would price it. The formula is bonus Squared times 4,000gp (double the price of a "non-standard" saving throw bonus) with a 20% discount for being primarily Evil oriented and for requiring a stat to function rather than simply giving the bonus automatically. The prices were rounded up to the nearest 500gp mark for even pricing division. This is all off the top of my head, mind you... I don't have a memory of any other item which functions similarly, and would adjust the functin of this item accordingly.
Shaggy_Shaggs 03-23-08, 11:03 PM	Thanks for the input. :) I guess by your measure, something to give the full benefit for a character that hits level 20 with a Charisma of 32 would be out of the question without actually taking a 2-level Blackguard dip, then?
RavenDrake 03-24-08, 01:34 AM	To me, being able to achieve that sort of thing should be bought by taking the class levels, not by dropping gold on a magic item, even at the epic and near epic levels, but that's me.