DracoDei
2013-04-16, 07:52 PM
Background:
I've recently started playing a necromantic minion-mancer for the first time, to to test out some homebrew of mine.
Which lead me to realizing just how broken Command Undead, and Control Undead are, in that they don't allow mindless undead a saving throw. This means that any undead that are encountered can be easily controlled, especially by Dread Necromancers (the class, not the Prc).
While fixing the spell would be one way of fixing this, some people might not want so direct a nerf. If one was to go the direct route, a simple -4 to -10 to the will saves of mindless undead could be good. Taking it further one could say they use half their usual overall will save bonus.
This at least gives useful treasure to anyone disadvantaged by the items (if an item is used), and incidentally to everyone else. In any case Dispel Magic (Greater) can render the creature vulnerable, although the very first order would need to be "Take off your headband" in the case of the item. The item would then need to be put back on under controlled conditions.
To keep the above treasure under control, and since Command Undead remains a 2nd level spell, no matter how high level you get, I have made price very low, both in terms of where it starts out, and that it scales linearly rather than quadratically.
As is usually the case, I am trying to get this out there before I start fretting too much about details and forget to actually finish it.
Anyway, here is my solution, in both spell and item form:
Retain Post-Mortal Servant
Necromancy
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2, Dread Necromancer 2
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) OR Touch
Target: Up to 4 HD worth of mindless undead or mindless deathless/level OR one mindless undead/mindless deathless of up to 4 HD/level Touched
Duration: 2 hours/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
This spell causes the targeted undead/deathless to count as intelligent for the purposes of all spells and effects that allow intelligent undead a will save, but do not allow mindless undead a saving throw.
Against any spell or effect that would control the undead/deathless in question, such as Command Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/commandUndead.htm) or Control Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/controlUndead.htm) this spell is fully effective.
Against any other spell or effect that fits the general requirements, but does not grant control over the undead, the will save is at half the bonus (after the application of wisdom modifiers, spells, and magic items, but before circumstance modifiers), or a -4 penalty, whichever produces the smaller total modifier after the operation in question (so in the undead's DISfavor). This is equally effective against spells that effect the undead directly, such as Halt Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/haltUndead.htm) and those that do so indirectly, as with Hide from Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hideFromUndead.htm).
If applied to a single undead/deathless as a Touch spell, then if the undead/deathless in question is currently effected by anything this spell would grant a save against, then it grants a save as if Retain Post-Mortal Servant been in effect when each spell first started to effect the individual target. Note that this NEVER grants more than one save against a given effect, no matter if the target had already gotten one for whatever reason initially, or via multiple castings of Retain Post-Mortal Servant and/or items (such as the below) that provide similar effects. Retain Post-Mortal Servant still continues to provide its normal effects for its normal duration if used in this way.
Circlet of Mindless Mind
Price: See below
Body Slot: Head (or all slots for undead without heads)
Caster Level: See below
Aura: Faint to Strong Necromancy (See Below)
Activation: Continuous
Weight: 1 lb for a medium wearer
This iron band is made out of conjoined skulls.
If worn by a mindless undead or deathless creature, this item grants the effect of a continual Retain Post-Mortal Servant, with the limitation that the bonus on will saves before the subtraction or division that that spell applies in some cases is capped by the strength of the item, as listed on the chart below.
If worn by a creature with an intelligence score, then the maximum bonus to will saves (minimum 1) instead applies as a penalty to intelligence. This can not reduce a creatures intelligence score below 1. A will save when the circlet is put on against the standard DC (10 + 1/2 caster level + Casting ability score modifier) negates this penalty, and grants immunity against the intelligence reduction from that particular circlet for 24 hours.
Prerequisites:Craft Wondrous Item, Retain Post-Mortal Servant, (See Below for caster level requirement)
Maximum Market
Variable Creation Requirements and Costs
Necromancy
Bonus Price(GP)
Gold
XP
Caster Level
Day's Work
Aura
-2
25
12 gp 5 sp
1
1
1
Faint
-1
50
25
2
2
1
Faint
0
75
37 gp 5 sp
3
3
1
Faint
+1
100
50
4
3
1
Faint
+2
200
100
8
3
1
Faint
+3
300
150
12
3
1
Faint
+4
400
200
16
4
1
Faint
+5
500
250
20
5
1
Faint
+6
600
300
24
6
1
Moderate
+7
700
350
28
7
1
Moderate
+8
800
400
32
8
1
Moderate
+9
900
450
36
9
1
Moderate
+10
1,000
500
40
10
1
Moderate
+11
1,100
550
44
11
2
Moderate
+12
1,200
600
48
12
2
Strong
+13
1,300
650
52
13
2
Strong
+14
1,400
700
56
14
2
Strong
+15
1,500
750
60
15
2
Strong
+16
1,600
800
64
16
2
Strong
+17
1,700
850
68
17
2
Strong
+18
1,800
900
72
18
2
Strong
+19
1,900
950
76
19
2
Strong
+20
2,000
1,000
80
20
2
Strong
I've recently started playing a necromantic minion-mancer for the first time, to to test out some homebrew of mine.
Which lead me to realizing just how broken Command Undead, and Control Undead are, in that they don't allow mindless undead a saving throw. This means that any undead that are encountered can be easily controlled, especially by Dread Necromancers (the class, not the Prc).
While fixing the spell would be one way of fixing this, some people might not want so direct a nerf. If one was to go the direct route, a simple -4 to -10 to the will saves of mindless undead could be good. Taking it further one could say they use half their usual overall will save bonus.
This at least gives useful treasure to anyone disadvantaged by the items (if an item is used), and incidentally to everyone else. In any case Dispel Magic (Greater) can render the creature vulnerable, although the very first order would need to be "Take off your headband" in the case of the item. The item would then need to be put back on under controlled conditions.
To keep the above treasure under control, and since Command Undead remains a 2nd level spell, no matter how high level you get, I have made price very low, both in terms of where it starts out, and that it scales linearly rather than quadratically.
As is usually the case, I am trying to get this out there before I start fretting too much about details and forget to actually finish it.
Anyway, here is my solution, in both spell and item form:
Retain Post-Mortal Servant
Necromancy
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2, Dread Necromancer 2
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) OR Touch
Target: Up to 4 HD worth of mindless undead or mindless deathless/level OR one mindless undead/mindless deathless of up to 4 HD/level Touched
Duration: 2 hours/level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
This spell causes the targeted undead/deathless to count as intelligent for the purposes of all spells and effects that allow intelligent undead a will save, but do not allow mindless undead a saving throw.
Against any spell or effect that would control the undead/deathless in question, such as Command Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/commandUndead.htm) or Control Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/controlUndead.htm) this spell is fully effective.
Against any other spell or effect that fits the general requirements, but does not grant control over the undead, the will save is at half the bonus (after the application of wisdom modifiers, spells, and magic items, but before circumstance modifiers), or a -4 penalty, whichever produces the smaller total modifier after the operation in question (so in the undead's DISfavor). This is equally effective against spells that effect the undead directly, such as Halt Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/haltUndead.htm) and those that do so indirectly, as with Hide from Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hideFromUndead.htm).
If applied to a single undead/deathless as a Touch spell, then if the undead/deathless in question is currently effected by anything this spell would grant a save against, then it grants a save as if Retain Post-Mortal Servant been in effect when each spell first started to effect the individual target. Note that this NEVER grants more than one save against a given effect, no matter if the target had already gotten one for whatever reason initially, or via multiple castings of Retain Post-Mortal Servant and/or items (such as the below) that provide similar effects. Retain Post-Mortal Servant still continues to provide its normal effects for its normal duration if used in this way.
Circlet of Mindless Mind
Price: See below
Body Slot: Head (or all slots for undead without heads)
Caster Level: See below
Aura: Faint to Strong Necromancy (See Below)
Activation: Continuous
Weight: 1 lb for a medium wearer
This iron band is made out of conjoined skulls.
If worn by a mindless undead or deathless creature, this item grants the effect of a continual Retain Post-Mortal Servant, with the limitation that the bonus on will saves before the subtraction or division that that spell applies in some cases is capped by the strength of the item, as listed on the chart below.
If worn by a creature with an intelligence score, then the maximum bonus to will saves (minimum 1) instead applies as a penalty to intelligence. This can not reduce a creatures intelligence score below 1. A will save when the circlet is put on against the standard DC (10 + 1/2 caster level + Casting ability score modifier) negates this penalty, and grants immunity against the intelligence reduction from that particular circlet for 24 hours.
Prerequisites:Craft Wondrous Item, Retain Post-Mortal Servant, (See Below for caster level requirement)
Maximum Market
Variable Creation Requirements and Costs
Necromancy
Bonus Price(GP)
Gold
XP
Caster Level
Day's Work
Aura
-2
25
12 gp 5 sp
1
1
1
Faint
-1
50
25
2
2
1
Faint
0
75
37 gp 5 sp
3
3
1
Faint
+1
100
50
4
3
1
Faint
+2
200
100
8
3
1
Faint
+3
300
150
12
3
1
Faint
+4
400
200
16
4
1
Faint
+5
500
250
20
5
1
Faint
+6
600
300
24
6
1
Moderate
+7
700
350
28
7
1
Moderate
+8
800
400
32
8
1
Moderate
+9
900
450
36
9
1
Moderate
+10
1,000
500
40
10
1
Moderate
+11
1,100
550
44
11
2
Moderate
+12
1,200
600
48
12
2
Strong
+13
1,300
650
52
13
2
Strong
+14
1,400
700
56
14
2
Strong
+15
1,500
750
60
15
2
Strong
+16
1,600
800
64
16
2
Strong
+17
1,700
850
68
17
2
Strong
+18
1,800
900
72
18
2
Strong
+19
1,900
950
76
19
2
Strong
+20
2,000
1,000
80
20
2
Strong