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View Full Version : It'd take a miracle [3.5 alchemical item]



Fortuna
2009-11-24, 02:36 AM
Miracle Pill
This small pill, usually chocolate-coated, has the ability to bring someone back to life from being mostly dead. A character is mostly dead if they died of hp loss which would not have put them below -20 or from negative levels or Constitution drain which would not have put them below level 0 or 0 Constitution and they have been dead for not more than 6 hours. This pill must be specially prepared by means of a standard action requiring a DC 5 Heal check before use. If the pill is not used within one hour of preparation, it becomes useless. If it is used less than five minutes after preparation, then the target's hit points, Strength, Dexterity and Constitution will all be set to one, increasing by one per minute until a total equal to the maximum for each has been achieved. If used less than fifteen minutes but more than five after preparation, the regeneration is per round instead. If used between fifteen and sixty minutes after preparation then the regeneration is instantaneous. It is a full-round action to apply a miracle pill alone, or a swift action each if two people are cooperating.
Price: 500 gp

Milskidasith
2009-11-24, 02:52 AM
The wording is contradictory; less than 15, less than 10, and less than 5 all overlap, and there is no time required if it's from 15 to 60 minutes. It's also , while not overpowered, still a bit powerful for a mundane item.

BizzaroStormy
2009-11-24, 02:55 AM
Seems like this would be more of an alchemical item rather than a mundane one.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 03:04 AM
I have fixed the wording. Is the cost alright?

Milskidasith
2009-11-24, 03:06 AM
The wording is still bad; you can't have "less than 5" and "less than 10" at once, because they overlap. There's no way to determine which one to use when you are less than five, and now you don't have any effect for 10 to 15 minutes.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 03:10 AM
The second effect is now less than fifteen but more than five. Happy?

Temotei
2009-11-24, 03:21 AM
Only 200 gp?

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 03:24 AM
Well, it is a rather specific set of circumstances, and doesn't apply to (for instance) death effects, CDG or massive damage (IIRC).

Temotei
2009-11-24, 03:50 AM
Okay then. Preparation is spelled like I just spelled it. You should also bold the name of the item in the header.

Latronis
2009-11-24, 09:53 AM
With all dead there's usually only one thing you can do... Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

If Constitution is set 0 then you would be all dead.

If you just wanted him incapable of moving for too soon use, the strength and dex should be enough

dsmiles
2009-11-24, 09:59 AM
Also, by RAW you would be "all dead" below -10 HP...even Trolls die (by RAW) at -10 HP...

Flickerdart
2009-11-24, 10:05 AM
How exactly can both people be cooperating if one of them is dead? A corpse is an object, and can't cooperate (although it's automatically willing). Either way, the clause is pointless: it would either be always a full round action (dead person can't consent) or always a swift (objects and unconscious people count as willing).

Latronis
2009-11-24, 10:35 AM
How exactly can both people be cooperating if one of them is dead? A corpse is an object, and can't cooperate (although it's automatically willing). Either way, the clause is pointless: it would either be always a full round action (dead person can't consent) or always a swift (objects and unconscious people count as willing).

You're right. If the mostly dead person and someone else are the only 2 people in existence.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 01:49 PM
The clause is if someone else assists you. Also, do you remember how dead mostly dead is? IIRC, no breathing and possibly no heartbeat. Sounds like -10 to me.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 07:27 PM
The clause is if someone else assists you. Also, do you remember how dead mostly dead is? IIRC, no breathing and possibly no heartbeat. Sounds like -10 to me.

I'm thinking more along the lines of -8 or -9.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 07:42 PM
Maybe. Though that is only a DC 15 Heal followed by a week of bedrest from being up on your feet. This is beyond usual recovery, but still not quite technically dead.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 07:48 PM
Hence, mostly dead. Mostly dead does not equal completely dead. In fact, mostly dead is a stupid phrase. If you're thinking of dead characters, just say it. If you're thinking of badly disabled characters, who are hurt so badly their heart is skipping beats and they've stopped breathing, then say it.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 07:54 PM
That is simply a nod to the source material. He was as close to dead as made almost no difference. His heartbeat was gone, his breathing was gone, and he had been this way for something between 5 minutes and an hour before they got the pill down him. He was on his feet within an hour, and back to normal within a day.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 08:07 PM
There's source material? I suppose that sort of makes sense, but still...mostly dead is unclear. I recommend coming up with a more straightforward term--one that can't be interpreted incorrectly so readily.

Siosilvar
2009-11-24, 08:10 PM
unclear.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

The world needs more Princess Bride.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 08:11 PM
This is taken directly from The Princess Bride by "S. Morgenstern", chapter... 7, I believe. I am open to suggestions on the term to use instead of mostly dead.

Siosilvar
2009-11-24, 08:12 PM
This is taken directly from The Princess Bride by "S. Morgenstern", chapter... 7, I believe. I am open to suggestions on the term to use instead of mostly dead.

Keep it. 10


The world needs more Princess Bride.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 08:34 PM
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

The world needs more Princess Bride.

I'm actually quite clear on its meaning. Perhaps you are unclear on its meaning? I can think of a few other words to replace it, if you like. Not clear, murky in meaning, imprecise, and vague.


Keep it. 10

The ten is kind of random.

Why should it be kept as is? Mostly dead could be interpreted differently by different people. Hence why this is an issue in the first place. If you have any good reasons to leave it, state them. Otherwise, it would be better to make the phrase less...unclear. :smallamused:

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 08:57 PM
I have said that I am open to suggestions on other terms. If you have such a suggestion, please grace us with your knowledge.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 09:00 PM
Thinking. :smallwink: I'll edit this post once I get an idea for a clearer meaning.

EDIT: Alright. I've read up on The Princess Bride, so now it makes a little more sense, but still...I think for those of us who haven't seen it and don't want to look up "memorable quotes," there should be an alternative. I just can't think of one. If nothing else, provide a link to the quote containing the phrase, so readers will understand a little more why "mostly dead" was included, instead of just "dead with more than -20 hit points..."

golentan
2009-11-24, 09:10 PM
Hmm, given the specific mechanism of death in the source material, you may want to change the wording to "Hp loss that... yada yada etc... or from negative levels, or Constitution Drain"

Because the wording on the Machine always struck me as a level drain sort of thing rather than a hit point damage. It would, obviously, need some balancing limits to go with that, but I trust you more than myself.

I'm going to go make myself a Mutton Lettuce and Tomato now.

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 09:15 PM
Added those, and upped the price to 500gp

Siosilvar
2009-11-24, 09:47 PM
I'm actually quite clear on its meaning. Perhaps you are unclear on its meaning? I can think of a few other words to replace it, if you like. Not clear, murky in meaning, imprecise, and vague.It was another quote. Specifically, by Inigo Montoya (you killed my father, prepare to die.)

The ten is kind of random.No, it isn't. There's a minimum 10 character limit on posts, and it was white, so I'm a little unsure as to what you're using that you can't see the formatting.

Why should it be kept as is? Mostly dead could be interpreted differently by different people. Hence why this is an issue in the first place. If you have any good reasons to leave it, state them. Otherwise, it would be better to make the phrase less...unclear. :smallamused:Because it's from the Princess Bride. Quite possibly the best movie ever (give or take a Serenity or two), and not that bad of a book, either. I suggest you watch it.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 09:57 PM
It was another quote. Specifically, by Inigo Montoya (you killed my father, prepare to die.)

:smallsigh: That was lost on me. :smallsmile:



No, it isn't. There's a minimum 10 character limit on posts, and it was white, so I'm a little unsure as to what you're using that you can't see the formatting.

I know it was white. I just thought it was there for no reason. I find it funny that you just put in a random number to fill in the needed space though. :smallbiggrin:


Because it's from the Princess Bride. Quite possibly the best movie ever (give or take a Serenity or two), and not that bad of a book, either. I suggest you watch it.

I kind of want to now that I've read some of those quotes. :smallamused:

I'm still of the opinion that there should, at the very least, be a link to the quote, so people who haven't seen the movie or read the book aren't confused.

Siosilvar
2009-11-24, 10:01 PM
:smallsigh: That was lost on me. :smallsmile: [Translation: STOP SAYING THAT!]That does put a damper on our relationship.

Alright, I'm done quoting. Stop throwing tomatoes at me.

EDIT: Unless you want to get into Monty Python... but that'd be far too much thread derailment.

Temotei
2009-11-24, 11:08 PM
EDIT: Unless you want to get into Monty Python... but that'd be far too much thread derailment.

I could quote from the Holy Grail. :smallbiggrin:

So...was the pill in the movie/book chocolate-covered as well?

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 11:13 PM
Chocolate coating makes it go down easier:smallbiggrin:
Yes.

Foryn Gilnith
2009-11-24, 11:15 PM
If Constitution is set 0 then you would be all dead.

If you just wanted him incapable of moving for too soon use, the strength and dex should be enough

This. As written, it's a fast-track to another death, because you get set to Constitution 0 which automatically kills you. Start at 1, maybe?

Fortuna
2009-11-24, 11:24 PM
Fixed. Are you happy now?