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Leperflesh
2005-09-16, 09:08 PM
Help me refine my new item!

+1 Meat-Shield of Blocking (and sometimes Bashing)

This unique magic item normally appears to be a Large, oblong-shaped shield. The front of the shield has a thick, leathery hide-like appearance, with occasional small scars and even some tufts of hair. It has a thick band of steel running around the edge. On the back of the shield, a tough leather strap is affixed for holding. The rear surface of the shield is similar to that of the front, except with fewer scars and more hair.

It has a hardness of 12 (despite being made of meat. It’s really tough meat. Been left out for a long time.) and 20 hit points in its dormant state.

The +1 Meat-Shield of Blocking (and sometimes Bashing), unlike almost all other shields, can only be activated by an arcane magic-user (although this requirement can be simulated with Use Magic Device, as normal).

Up to three times per day, the +1 Meat-Shield of Blocking (and sometimes Bashing) can be activated by uttering the command word as a standard action. Upon activation, the shield animates. From the front surface of the shield, a pair of muscular legs sprout and quickly drop down… thick, meaty feet slap to the floor and the shield begins to act under its own power. It stands about 4 feet tall, so Medium-sized spell casters can easily cast spells past the shield.

It gains 20 additional temporary hit points (which are always lost first), and an armor class of 11 (10 + 1 enhancement bonus).

While activated, it also gains the Bashing shield enhancement (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm#bashing): deals 1d8+1 damage. The Bashing ability is dormant when the shield is dormant, so treat it like a normal +1 shield when a wielder attempts a shield bash.

Once activated, the +1 Meat-Shield of Blocking (and sometimes Bashing) attacks on its own. It fights for 4 rounds using the base attack bonus of the one who loosed it and then reverts back to its dormant shield form. While Blocking, it cannot make attacks of opportunity, and the person who activated it is not considered shielded with the shield. In all other respects, it is considered wielded or attended by the creature for all maneuvers and effects that target items. While Blocking, it takes up a 5’ space adjacent to the space the activating character is using, and can attack foes within 5’ of itself. The shield accompanies the person who activated it everywhere, whether she moves by physical or magical means.

For combat targeting purposes, the animated shield is a Medium Animated Object, DEX 10, AC 11. It is invulnerable to ability score drain, critical hits, charm or sleep spells, etc., just like other animated objects.

When interposing itself directly between a spell caster and an opponent, the animated Meat Shield grants partial cover to the spell caster (but not to the opponent).

If the wielder who activated it has an unoccupied hand, she can grasp it while it is attacking on its own as a free action; the shield immediately reverts to its dormant form. When so retrieved the shield can’t block (attack on its own) again for 4 rounds.

When fighting, the Shield always attacks using a Shield Bash attack. It does 1d8+1 damage, x2 crit, Bludgeoning damage.

The +1 Meat-Shield of Blocking is made of real meat, as well as some steel and leather. In its dormant form, it weighs the same as a Heavy Steel Shield (15 lbs). The meat is not alive, but never ages or decays. It can be cooked and eaten, but that would be crazy. Probably something horrible or bad would happen to anyone who actually ate a meat shield.

When it is animated, the Meat Shield gains an additional 20 pounds, weighing a total of 35 lbs.

Unless it is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, the +1 Meat Shield of Defending will gradually heal itself after being damaged. It recovers 1 hit point per day if it is used (activated or used in combat as a normal shield), or 2 hit points per day if unused for the full 24 hours. The +1 Meat Shield may not be healed (or harmed) through the use of Cure (or cause) wounds spells. When the Meat Shield is damaged, wounds reveal that it is indeed made of meat. It doesn’t bleed, but it does have wet, red flesh under its ‘skin’. Yuck.

As with all other magic items, a Meat Shield doesn’t need to make a saving throw unless it is unattended, it is specifically targeted by the effect, or its wielder rolls a natural 1 on his save. The Meat Shield always gets a saving throw against spells that might deal damage to them— even against attacks from which a nonmagical item would normally get no chance to save. The Shield’s saving throw bonus equals 2 + one-half its caster level (15) = (9).

Blocking: Strong transmutation; CL 15th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects;
Bashing: Moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength;

Price: (I have some trouble figuring this out using the SRD. I welcome your comments):
+1 large shield
+4 bonus. (blocking, copying the bonus for the very similar weapon enhancement ‘dancing’)
+1 bonus (bashing)
total is a +6 shield, = 36,000 gp

Restricted by class (does this count if it’s “all arcane casters”?) = 30% discount
= 25,200gp

Should there be a further discount because the Bashing ability is only active when the shield is activated? How do you factor the “activate-able 3x a day” thing?

-Lep

Spuddly
2005-09-16, 10:42 PM
What happens when you kill it?

Nasrudith
2005-09-16, 11:07 PM
Can you make an undead meat shield? Can you cast raise dead on your meat shield or reincarnate it into a +1 longsword?

Leperflesh
2005-09-17, 01:40 AM
Hmm. Nah, normally when your meat shield dies, you just go recruit another one.

I mean, wait, no. The meat shield isn't really 'alive', it's an animated object made of (some kind of) meat.

You can't 'raise' it because it was never alive; it is magically-created meat. Or possibly if the meat was required as a component during item creation, you'd need a Resurrection (at a minimum) to restore the full body of whatever donated the original meat? (ugh. What if multiple bodies were used? LIke, say, some beef, some pork, some chicken, whatever scraps were leftover from the kitchen... )

Geech000
2005-09-17, 05:22 AM
I would say that you should reduce the cost since it is useable only 3/day. I forget what the exact suggestions are, but its in the DMG. The reduction should only be applied to the bashing part since that is the only thing that needs to get activated (provided I'm reading this right).

Zeal
2005-09-17, 01:46 PM
You can't 'raise' it because it was never alive; it is magically-created meat. Or possibly if the meat was required as a component during item creation, you'd need a Resurrection (at a minimum) to restore the full body of whatever donated the original meat? (ugh. What if multiple bodies were used? LIke, say, some beef, some pork, some chicken, whatever scraps were leftover from the kitchen... )

Lol, that brings images to mind.
Otherwise, I gotta give this to one of my NPCs, classic!

Imrix.
2006-03-28, 10:14 AM
Um, my Shadow Servant, something I know to be completely imbalenced but would like help with? See my siggy?

Gyrfalcon
2006-03-28, 07:03 PM
Unless it is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, the +1 Meat Shield of Defending will gradually heal itself after being damaged. It recovers 1 hit point per day if it is used (activated or used in combat as a normal shield), or 2 hit points per day if unused for the full 24 hours. The +1 Meat Shield may not be healed (or harmed) through the use of Cure (or cause) wounds spells. When the Meat Shield is damaged, wounds reveal that it is indeed made of meat. It doesn’t bleed, but it does have wet, red flesh under its ‘skin’. Yuck.

Question: What happens when it is reduced to 0 hitpoints while in its 'dancing' form? Is it then considered sundered and destroyed?

Leperflesh
2006-03-28, 07:41 PM
Yes, as with any animated object, and as with any item, zero hitpoints = destroyed. Sorry I wasn't explicit about it.

On another note entirely... Imrix, did you mean to respond in this thread? Your post doesn't appear to pertain to anything said here... and, this thread is (was) six months old...

-Lep

Gyrfalcon
2006-03-28, 08:01 PM
Wow, I completely spaced on the thread age. Sorry for contributing to thread necromancy. ^_^;

Hm... too bad my current cleric is good, otherwise I'd rebuke undead and make this thread my zombie minions.