Rod of Undead Mastery

[Nornalhorst]

This is just a simple question but where is the Rod of Undead Mastery located? Book and page number preferable.

Also I heard it grants 2x the amount of HD of undead to control but do I have to hold it physically in my hands the entire time? Or can it just be attached to my person?

One more thing how does desecrate work? Does it expand the amount of undead you can control? Or only makes undead stronger?

[The Viscount]

It is located in Libris Mortis page 78. I believe you do have to hold it in your hands. Desecrate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/desecrate.htm) does make undead stronger by giving them +1 or +2 hp per HD. It allows you to create more undead than usual, but does not affect your control cap.

[Silva Stormrage]

For the rod of undead mastery you need to hold it in your hand when you animate undead. After animating the undead you can let go of it and not lose control as Animate Dead only checks your HD max at the time of casting.

Desecrate does not increase control cap as Viscount said, only makes them have more hit points.

If you are a cleric with the deathbound domain you can theoretically use desecrate to increase your cap but that is hard to pull off.

[Bakeru]

It is located in Libris Mortis page 78.Also, Magic Item Compendium page 175, which I'd assume is the more recent version. Not sure if they changed anything.

[Nornalhorst]

If you are a cleric with the deathbound domain you can theoretically use desecrate to increase your cap but that is hard to pull off.

I do happen to be a cleric with the deathbound domain so how would that work?

[Nornalhorst]

It is located in Libris Mortis page 78.

Thanks I see it now.

[Silva Stormrage]

I do happen to be a cleric with the deathbound domain so how would that work?

Well the trick actually doesn't work with a rod of undead mastery but I will still explain it. Deathbound allows you to animate 3 times your caster level in undead, desecrate doubles this to 6 times your caster level. Therefore allowing you to animate 6 times your caster level with animate dead. But wait, you can only control 4 times your caster level normally! Except there is a specific clause in animate dead, " If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled." Which states that you keep any newly animated undead under your control and thus you can achieve 6 times your caster level in HD of zombies and skeletons.

I say its more theoretical as you need to find so many corpses in one sitting and can't refresh your horde that it is impractical in most games.