Blade Brothers item?

[Jowgen]

The second level Cleric Spell blade brothers lasts minutes per level and makes it so once during its duration, if one of the two creatures has to attempt a save, they can both attempt it and use the better result, with the draw-back being that on a fail, they're both affected.

I think this is real nifty, especially when combined with someone who has ueber-high saves and stuff that allows saves when usually none are allowed (e.g. Devine Denial). Problem is, it discharges at that point.

I'd like to know about the possibility of an item that does this. Does something of this sort exist somewhere? If not, does a 12.000 gp [2(level)*3(CL)*2000*2(min/level] seem like a reasonable price for... well, would have to be a pair... of these?

[BowStreetRunner]

I'd like to know about the possibility of an item that does this.
There are a number of ways you could do this. The simplest is an eternal wand (using the 2nd level Bard version of this spell) for 4420gp (MIC p.159) which would allow you to cast the spell from the wand once per day. However, from what you posted above I am assuming you are looking for something usable more than once per day.

There are a number of options involving multiple use items, the most complex probably being some sort of item pair that works continuously this way as long as the users remain within the spell's 120 ft restriction from each other. This would most likely be a Wondrous Item based on the Cleric version of the spell (Spell level 2 x Caster level 3 x 2000gp x 2 for minute per level actually equals 24000gp [you must have forgot one of the x2s when you ran the numbers because you wrote them just didn't come up with the right answer]). However it really depends on the body slot used. If you fit it in an 'appropriate' slot fine, otherwise either 1.5 or 2 times the 24000 base.

[Jowgen]

Oh yeah, I forgot to math properly :smalltongue:

24000 for a continuous wondrous item, which probably consists of a pair of protection-associated items... I feel like that is a bit much in terms of actual value. Having an ally provide a chance to make a save for you can be quite good and worth the cost, but the drawback of potentially doubling enemy effects is quite serious and doesn't really seem reflected in the price that well. :smallannoyed:

Are there any items with similar effects somewhere that could be looked at as a reference-point for pricing? I'm talking items that let one creature either share, suffer part of or completely take the damage that would otherwise affect an ally?

[Saintheart]

It'd be interesting to see how a DM interprets this spell working on a Dvati.

In terms of items, I know it's a bit of self-promotion, but it's about the only type of magic item I know deeply -- runes out of Forgotten Realms could get you a fair distance of the way there. Better still given it's a cleric spell, so you don't have to resort to extreme shenanigans to get an arcane spell onto a divine list.

A permanent rune of this spell would be level x CL x 2,000 gp, by which I mean unlimited castings of the spell. Runes can be built as triggering on being passed within 30 feet at double the price, so if you set up the rune to trigger on "my buddy", and you walk within 30 feet of each other every few minutes or so, the spell should trigger again and again as needed without anyone having to spend a standard action or press one of their runes. Cost would be 2 [spell level] x 3 [caster level] x 2,000 [permanent] x2 [pass-activated] = 24,000 gp. If you want the inconvenience of pressing a button every few minutes to renew the spell, the price is halved: 12,000 gp. Runes are basically slotless in that you could literally scribe one on a piece of cloth and tie it around your arm. Having said that, bear in mind the cost is going to go up astronomically based on CL, since if it's a minute/level spell, the magic item's cost scales up based on caster level...unless you start getting into CL reduction shenanigans and have a DM who's prepared to blink a bit.

[Boci]

Are there any items with similar effects somewhere that could be looked at as a reference-point for pricing? I'm talking items that let one creature either share, suffer part of or completely take the damage that would otherwise affect an ally?

I doubt it unfortunately. Whilst rolling twice and choosing the best I think is a +3.95 on a d20 (so already worth more than 16k in raw numbers, since it will stack with a cloak of resistance), the subjects each add their own modifiers, which can be as much as +8 for one of them, and nothing to the other, and thus makes the final result a large unknown and thus hard to quantify. Also, since the spell is discharge, the language of it makes the ability optional, and even a continuous item of the spell would retain this. If the items were altered to make the ability non-optional, maybe cutting the price could be justified. Otherwise, 24k seems about right.

Also, if this is made an item, the DM would probably need to rule that cannot have multiple ones on you, as cool as a hive mind of saves amoug the party is.

[Eisfalken]

As a DM, I wouldn't consider it a bad thing for a PC to bring to the table at 24K gp, since PCs often have to make a ridiculous number of saving throws compared to... well, everything else in the game world. Plus, having a high saving throw is great, but it is still not a guarantee that it'll pass, and the idea that two people could potentially suffer from a failed save, even if only one is being affected, can be a nice built-in drawback.

However, I definitely wouldn't let every PC take a full boat of these items in different slots just to get the best saves around. I'd probably limit this to being a ring slot item, so that a PC has to choose between shoring up one or two bad saving throws at the risk of hurting a team mate if they both fail the roll, and at the disadvantage of not using a ring slot for other very valuable effects (immunity to negative energy, immunity to basic energy damage, at-will blink or invisibility, etc.)

It's actually an intriguing idea to create more party synergy. I may put this item in the next game I run, just to see how they like it...