"The Dead Walk" - With pearls on their fingers? [Archive] - Wizards Community

"The Dead Walk" - With pearls on their fingers? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Avihs
12-09-04, 11:58 PM OK... Does it only seem odd to me, or what?
With Warlocks and their "SLA" Invocations, just why in the world do they have a material component for their "The Dead Walk" Invocation? Doesn't that continue to blur the line between their SLA's and an actual spell? Why provide a decidedly standard way of applying a spell effect by using such a device as a material component? Warlocks are not a "spellcaster", they are an Invocationalist (is that even a real word? :ahem: ), as such, when I envision a Warlock raising these minions of his, I see someone giving a portion of himself to make his creations last (not unlike a Item Creation feat). What I'm going to suggest as an alternative, is a personal investment on the Warlocks behalf.

THE DEAD WALK :ghosted:
Lesser, 4th

You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies (as the animate dead spell). Undead created by this Invocation crumble into dust after 1 minute per caster level. The warlock may choose to make these creations permanent by expending 25xp per Hit Die for each of the Undead raised by this ability.
Regardless of the type of undead created, the maximum HD of creatures the Warlock may have under his control equal: 4 HD per caster level + his Cha modifier. Otherwise this Invocation acts just like the spell.
As you can see, I have replaced the physical material component with an XP cost. What do you all think?
Stoned Golem
12-10-04, 12:09 AM I think it's way too expensive. At a 1-to-1 exchange rate it's a lot better to pay gp than xp. I think it would be balanced at 5 xp/hit dice.
Avihs
12-10-04, 07:37 AM Aye, it is expensive. I was thinking about that when I went to bed last night. My thought though is; with an "at will" ability to raise undead on the fly, it would balance out in the end. A single 20 HD skeleton or zombie, is not something to sneaze at. And combine that with a warlock able to use this abilty at will. Whats going to keep him in check more? XP loss or GP loss if he wants to have a pet of this power level?
Of course, I'm using the far end of the spectrum as an example, which would require an expenditure of 500xp for that single "pet".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Avihs 12-09-04, 11:58 PM	OK... Does it only seem odd to me, or what? With Warlocks and their "SLA" Invocations, just why in the world do they have a material component for their "The Dead Walk" Invocation? Doesn't that continue to blur the line between their SLA's and an actual spell? Why provide a decidedly standard way of applying a spell effect by using such a device as a material component? Warlocks are not a "spellcaster", they are an Invocationalist (is that even a real word? :ahem: ), as such, when I envision a Warlock raising these minions of his, I see someone giving a portion of himself to make his creations last (not unlike a Item Creation feat). What I'm going to suggest as an alternative, is a personal investment on the Warlocks behalf. THE DEAD WALK :ghosted: Lesser, 4th You can turn the bones or bodies of dead creatures into undead skeletons or zombies (as the animate dead spell). Undead created by this Invocation crumble into dust after 1 minute per caster level. The warlock may choose to make these creations permanent by expending 25xp per Hit Die for each of the Undead raised by this ability. Regardless of the type of undead created, the maximum HD of creatures the Warlock may have under his control equal: 4 HD per caster level + his Cha modifier. Otherwise this Invocation acts just like the spell. As you can see, I have replaced the physical material component with an XP cost. What do you all think?
Stoned Golem 12-10-04, 12:09 AM	I think it's way too expensive. At a 1-to-1 exchange rate it's a lot better to pay gp than xp. I think it would be balanced at 5 xp/hit dice.
Avihs 12-10-04, 07:37 AM	Aye, it is expensive. I was thinking about that when I went to bed last night. My thought though is; with an "at will" ability to raise undead on the fly, it would balance out in the end. A single 20 HD skeleton or zombie, is not something to sneaze at. And combine that with a warlock able to use this abilty at will. Whats going to keep him in check more? XP loss or GP loss if he wants to have a pet of this power level? Of course, I'm using the far end of the spectrum as an example, which would require an expenditure of 500xp for that single "pet".