The Dread Trinket

[Wesley Lee]

The Dread Trinket
Aura: moderate necromancy and transmutation; CL 12
Slot: Neck; Price: 12,000 gp; Weight 1lb.

Description:
A Dread Trinket contains the still beating heart of an animal companion creating a Dread Animal Companion; a foul cross between the living and the dead.

A character with Nature Bound (animal companion) can perform an evil ritual under a full moon which takes an hour to perform. The animal companion must be brought to negative hit points and stabilized. Placing the Dread Trinket on the animal companion will cause its heart to be removed and placed inside the Dread Trinket. Transforming it into a Dread Companion.

See the chart below for changes. The character may choose a level equal to or lower then his level.

Druid level Dread Benefit
1 – 2 Zombie*
3 – 5 Skeleton*
6 – 8 Ghast**
9 – 11 Mummy**
12 – 14 Vampire Spawn**
15 – 17 Vampire**
18 – 20 Lich**

* Apply the appropriate template (can exceed 20HD limit)
** The Animal Companion retains its current type, gains the undead type, and gains the Special Attacks and Special Qualities of the undead creature listed.

Construction:
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, Nature Bound(Animal Companion); Cost: 6500 gp

[Sean K Reynolds]

Hmm, only 12k gp to have a chance to turn your animal companion into a vampire or lich. Broken.

Reject.

[Clark Peterson]

Hey Sean, I wonder if perhaps you misread this. You dont roll. Its based on your level. If you are level 18 you can make your animal companion a lich or less.

I personally think this is an awesome item. Yes, it is a bit underpriced at high levels and overpriced at low levels. This is one of the (few) items that I think would have been good as a regular, lesser and greater version so that you can have different costing. But I dont mind it as it is.

I think this item is cool.

I vote keep.

I'd like you to reread it. I see why it seemed random to you since the table mimics a d20 roll (though in actuality is is a level result chart).

[Sean K Reynolds]

Ah. I agree it would have been better as a lesser/greater form, but other than that, now that I see it's not random, yes, it's cool.

"I would like to change my vote to yes, I would like to hear the story!"

Keep.

[Wolfgang Baur]

Ah, yer both wrong. Its a spell or template-based transformation for your animal companion, not really all that item-like.

I agree that it's cool to turn an animal companion into a dread companion, but are the wondrous item rules really the way to do that?

And what druid or ranger does this to their companion anyway? They'd have to be eeeeevil. In which case, give them a Dread Companion template for the dog.

Reject.

[Sean K Reynolds]

Kept.

[Clinton Boomer]

I really dig evil druids, so I freaking LOVE this item.

Yes, there are probably other ways to achieve this effect (a feat, or a spell, or a Prestige Class, or a template, maybe), but this feels like a brilliant, mad, SICK idea that was only directed into item form because, well ... that's what Superstar! asked for!

As an item goes, yes ... it's wonky on price. And I'm not certain exactly how having a lich wolf would, in ANY CONCEIVABLE WAY, not be infinitely less cool than having a vampire wolf.

But that's not the point. I could have a vampire wolf.

And I want one. I want a vampire wolf right now.

There are a other issues - if the Dread Trinket is destroyed, does that kill the Dread Companion? Is the Dread Trinket a one use item, or can you use it over and over again as you cycle through companions because you keep turning them into zombies and they keep getting killed? If you have a lich ... badger, for example, is the badger's phylactery the Dread Trinket, or can you choose another object? Is there any limitation regarding higher-level alternate animal companions, or can a 16th-level Druid make a vampire dire tiger?

But all that aside, I freaking LOVE this item.

Did I mention that yet?

Well done, very cool, and the sort of thing I can see using in my games.

I greatly look forward to seeing more in the next rounds of Superstar!

[Jason Nelson]

Wolfgang Baur wrote:

Ah, yer both wrong. Its a spell or template-based transformation for your animal companion, not really all that item-like.

I agree that it's cool to turn an animal companion into a dread companion, but are the wondrous item rules really the way to do that?

And what druid or ranger does this to their companion anyway? They'd have to be eeeeevil. In which case, give them a Dread Companion template for the dog.

Reject.

I love evil druids and rangers. I did a whole country of 'em in last year's contest! I ran into the same preconception that lots of us have had from back to 1st and 2nd Ed where rangers had to be good and druids neutral (and usually fairly decent folks, other than the odd crazy one), people saying "come on, druids wouldn't abuse and manipulate nature, that would be evil!" Why yes, yes it would. 3rd Ed is potentially full of evil examples of both, and I'm happy to see "evil druid/ranger" stuff out there. Now as to whether this is a well done item or not... let me think a bit.

[Jason Nelson]

Congratulations on making it into RPG Superstar 2009!

Another item I'm not sure how I feel about. I mean, I like the base effect, though like Sean at first I thought the level-based table was a "roll a d20 table." A second glance (and Clark pointing it out) cleared that up, but I'm not sure Wolfgang is wrong that this wouldn't be better as a prestige class ability or something like that (I wonder, does the Talontar Blightlord PrC for FR already get an ability like this? Or maybe it's the Child of Winter druids in Eberron. There's something out there like this.)

But then Boomer, curse his scurvy hide, totally claim-jumps me and points out the limitations and questions about the item. Hey!!!! That's my thing that I do!!!!

Ah well... Booms does a nice run-down of the concerns that I had with the item, but I like evil druids and rangers and don't see a problem with an evil one undeadifying his pet. I would probably suggest that the item be single-use. Once the item or the pet is destroyed, the connection is broken and the item destroyed.

This is actually all the more reason to have a "greater" version of the item (with a much higher price) for the vampire and lich options, since they have special conditions for their destruction - presumably the trinket would become the creature's coffin (if a vampire) or phylactery (if a lich).

Summary: I have mixed feelings. Animal companion items are good, evil druids and rangers are good (pun intended), and the effect is pretty cool and eeeeeeeeevil. That said, this item has a lot of unanswered questions. Still, on balance I think I like it.

[Christine Schneider]

The item does a lot and permanently changes aspects of the Character acquiring it. I generally like this kind of design since these items and the situations they create are memorable.
I also think that a certain overlap in mechanics is a good thing. Spells can give you templates, Prestige classes can give you templates, so why not add an item that can do something like it?

Positive
It has got something I’d like to have for my NPC or PC. Wanting the item in my own game is shows how good the idea is.
It is boosting companions. I am all for boosting those undervalued assets.

Negative
Ohhhh….. the power of it. I think it does add too much oomph for a too small price.
The item makes the companion retain its type an adds the undead type. I don't think this is possible. What would happen to the creature's saves and HD for example? Use the undead type values or the original creature type values? I am a bit confused there.
I am also confused with the price and cost because it is 12,000gp and 6,500gp instead of 6,000gp.

After reviewing all other items:
A few of the other entries, the Abyssal Spurs and the Cerebus Collar, both boost companion creatures. I think your item ultimately falls between those two. Overall, I feel some serious, albeit un-channelled, design courage behind you and wish you good luck in the RPG Superstar!

[Rob McCreary]

Let me be the first to point out that by RAW, a wolf can't become a vampire (humanoid or monstrous humanoid only) or a lich (humanoid only, and who creates the phylactery?). And even though you addressed that by saying how to apply the template, I'm just not a big fan of slapping templates onto anything and everything (sorry Paizo, but I'm looking at Dungeon here when for a time every issue seemed to have a half-fiend half-dragon half-aardvark something-or-other).

Now that my rant is out of the way, I'd like this a lot better if the table didn't go so high. I can easily embrace the idea of a skeleton or zombie dread companion, but why ghast and not ghoul? And when you get into mummies, vampires, and liches, it's too much. Maybe a greater version, like others have suggested, would be better, but I'm still not really feeling it. Unlike Boomer, I don't really want a vampire wolf, and definitely not a lich wolf. But that's just me.

If I can make one final note, you'll need to watch your language better in the upcoming rounds. There's some misspellings and incomplete sentences there that'll really stick out in a more prose-heavy assignment. Good luck, and congratulations on joining the ranks of RPG Superstar!

[Russ Taylor]

This has potential, but I can't help but feel the item would have been better served by cutting off the list around the mummy level. Applying the lich template (even if it's just special attacks) to a non-spellcaster just feels wrong, and pretty cheap for the price. Vampire doesn't bug me the same way, though I'd still cut it off before then on a price basis.

Typo on "Natural Bond" (which shouldn't be capitalized anyway, and probably should have just been "an animal companion") was a bit glaring. I can tell you from last year that you'll want to proofread a bit more in the future, now that you've made the big leap into the contest :) I got called out for an unfortunate typo in my final entry.

I'm hoping to see this item make an appearance again in the villain round, I'd like to see what sort of bastard would use it.

[Mike Welham]

Definitely one for the NE (or maybe CN) druid. I can't imagine too many that would want their animal companion brought back in a mockery of life.

Still, a wicked item for use against the party that just killed Fido, only to have his master come back the next day with Vampo.

Congratulations!

[Sue Flaherty]

Definitely sounds like a druid/ranger that's gone off the deep end. And for me, more a plot item than a wondrous item - I just don't see it being that useful in a campaign. Because while, yes, there are evil rangers and druids out there, would they really want the pet as a signpost saying "Ye gods, nasty guy there, kill 'im!"? Cool idea, but not something I'd use for any but a wacked out NPC, and even then I'd be thinking hard about it ...

[Heathansson]

I dig cool stuff for druids.
"okay.....+1 scimitar......+1 hide armor....some good berries....uh...uh...."

[Set]

Having it be Skeleton, Zombie, Ghoul, Wight, Mummy and then done would work better for me. I like evil Druids and evil Rangers, so I'm fine with sick SOBs doing this sort of thing to poor wee Fluffy, but the Vampire template is insanity (probably the only template to have more weaknesses than powers, yuk, and the visual of a Dire Wolverine witha Charming Gaze and the ability to summon bats just doesn't 'do it' for me) and I don't really like the idea of the Lich template being there either. Just add a rule that the Dread Companion doesn't get the 'Create Spawn' power of whatever undead it turns into, 'cause that's just wrongbadfun...

A variation that turned a critter into a Shadow, Wraith or Spectre might also be wicked. Or a Ghost, for that matter, but with preset special abilities (no allowing the player to choose which optimized ghostly powers that the Ghost of Fido gets).

[Montalve]

I like the item, it brings Ravenloft to mind, and I like the option of the Evil Druid being able to create a Dread Companion without the need of a PrC or a spell (I usually don't like the idea of taking one).

I believe the object is one time use, that is why its so 'cheap' also i would take the "create spawn" from any of the templates added

I am ambivalent about having a single magic item that works depending on your level or a few escalating version

I know it would affect theitem (which was created for druids or rangers) the idea of giving it Necromantic Spells like "Animate Dead"or Create Undead

[Ninjaiguana]

My real question about this item is, how is it a slotted item? It's listed as slotted for 'neck', but that seems unnecessary. You don't wear it to gain any benefits or access its powers, you have to put it on the animal you want to 'improve'. Sure, after that the animal's heart is in the trinket, but that doesn't grant the trinket any powers, so why would you wear it?

[Vladislav Rashkovski]

Many of this item's issues were already addressed; the only criticism I would add is that I don't get why a player would sacrifice his neck slot for something he would use no more than several times in his career (and it provides no other bonus, too).

So, we got the criticism out of the way - now let me say that I dig this concept, and I can already see several factions in my game putting similar trinkets to good use. In short, this is the kind of item that you want to put in your game because it will cause memorable encounters. And that's good. That's Superstar!

[Neil Spicer]

As I was reading this item, I started getting shades of Stephen King's Pet Sematery out of it for some reason. Meaning, I started wondering if maybe a good-aligned ranger or druid might desperately use such an item to "save" his dying (or recently-dead) animal companion by bringing it back as a Dread Companion that isn't entirely good anymore. Now that would be cool!

But, that's not the direction this item took. Instead, it's an evil ceremony whereby the evil ranger or druid intentionally inflicts this on their animal companion. Frankly, that turns me off a bit. Cruelty to animals comes more to forefront for me and that feels more like it's treading ground that shouldn't really be encouraged.

Beyond that, I agree that many of mechanics behind this item need better definition, too. If it's a vampire wolf, can it spawn other vampires? I also agree with Rob about some of these templates not being meant for non-humanoid creatures. I know wondrous items are supposed to be capable of breaking the rules moreso than other things. But this feels more like a rule that shouldn't have been broken to me.

Despite that, welcome to the Top 32. I liked some parts to seed of your idea in this item...just not enough to be super rah-rah about it.

My two-cents,
--Neil

[Wesley Lee]

First off I wanted to thank everybody for his or her comments. I do appreciate all the input you have given. Many valid points were made, and I will take that information with me so that I can improve and become better.
To harden steel it must first be put into the fire, so I thank everybody who commented for putting that fire under me so that I can work harder for the game we all love.

Second, Oh My Goodness!!! I made it in the top 32!!! I literally jumped for joy when I found out I made it. Thank you judges for thinking I may have the potential to be the next RPG Superstar.

Third, one battle has been won, and now I turn to see what I can do in the following rounds. Can I win this war? Only time will tell.

I tip my hat too all competitors. Good luck and I hope we all have fun going as far as we can.

Wesley Lee

[Charles Evans 25]

(edited after checking Unapproachable East 3.5 Forgotten Realms supplement)
I do not like this item. The construction requirements are too vague, implying that any 'nature bond(ed)' 12th level caster with Craft Wondrous Item could do this, whilst I would expect from mention of the 'evil rite' to see some sort of Knowledge (arcana or religion) requirement as well.
I am not a fan of mixing prime-material plane druids with undead either; although it might be argued that the Talontar Blightlords of the 3.5 Forgotten Realms go part of the way to establishing a precedent with their weird rotting not-quite-alive-but-not-quite-dead plant theme even that does not go so far as druids alongside actual undead creatures.

I agree also with those who have stated this item is too cheap and overpowered at the top end of the scale, and I have reservations over whether or not this is actually a wondrous item, or should be properly classified an alternate class feature.

However contestants in the previous RPGSuperstar produced work in early rounds that I found unattractive, but won me over with their later entries.

Best wishes for the next round.

[James Waterfield]

Hey, maybe an XP sacrifice should be undergone, increasing in value for the undead template used. Otherwise this can be all too powerful.

[Shri Tamana]

I like the concept of creating a dread companion. In order to make this a wonderous item instead of a component for a spell ritual, perhaps the ranger/druid must wear the tricket or the bond is broken. This could result in the final death of the animal, or it could turn against its master. I also think that it is way too cheap and should be a one-use item, in that only one dread companion can be made. It would be nice for the item itself to add a bonus or two (maybe a bonus necro spell slot?) for the ranger/druid. I also agree with Charles in that knowledge arcana or religion ranks should be a prerequisite. Good luck! I'll be watching for the villian concept.

[Montalve]

Shri Tamana wrote:

I like the concept of creating a dread companion. In order to make this a wonderous item instead of a component for a spell ritual, perhaps the ranger/druid must wear the tricket or the bond is broken. This could result in the final death of the animal, or it could turn against its master. I also think that it is way too cheap and should be a one-use item, in that only one dread companion can be made. It would be nice for the item itself to add a bonus or two (maybe a bonus necro spell slot?) for the ranger/druid. I also agree with Charles in that knowledge arcana or religion ranks should be a prerequisite. Good luck! I'll be watching for the villian concept.

Knowledge: Religion... mostly because it is related with undeads, maybe add Knowledge: Nature for how it must be used.

and yes i like the idea of forcing the druid/ranger to bring the 'philactery'

[Paul Worthen]

I don't know how I feel about this one. Personally, I like items that let you apply templates to your animal companions, but applying undead templates to an animal companion opens up a whole heap of problems. First of all, it's less effective than it looks, because the creature ceases to be an animal, and is therefore unaffected by a lot of the buffs that the druid can cast on it. I noticed you put in a line which addresses this (although only for Ghast and up), but that's also a weird mechanic - I can't think of too many places where a creature has two types at once. Perhaps you'd have been better off to say that the creature gains the undead type and is also treated as an animal for purposes of spells and effects? Also, what kind of druid creates undead? Aren't they anathama? They certainly aren't considered "natural" in most campaign settings! A few other people have mentioned the pricing issues and the "lesser/greater" possibility. I agree with them. This thing is too expensive at low levels and way too cheap at high levels.

Also, just to clarify - does this take up the druid's neck slot or is it worn by the animal?

[Wesley Lee]

Thanks for the comments everybody, and the questions. I will happy to answer some of them.

I must admit there were a few things I did not think of that you guys pointed out and others I thought of and actually eliminated from the submission due to the 200 word limit. One must sacrifice something to fit within the limits.

The intent is the item uses the characters neck slot.
The Dread Trinket acts as the coffin/phylactery for the dread companion.

Destruction of the Trinket instantly slays the dread companion.
Temporary dispelling of the Trinket: dispel magic, anti-magic field, dead magic zone, etc. causes the dread companion to slump to the ground and appear dead. Once outside of the zone or the effect wears off the dread companion would come back to 'life'

Is it a once shot item or many use? My vision was a many use item. It uses up the neck slot so no amulet of natural armor, or periapt of wisdom.

Splitting it into a lesser and greater version would greatly improve the cost issue.

Maybe a graduated scale for cost of the ritual depending on the level of the undead template. That way you can keep a base cost of X gold then +Y gold for every time you use it to create undead. Therefore if your Dread Companion dies you can make a new one, but it costs you. Plus you can only do that once a month under a full moon.

Plus good point on needing knowledge skills I would say a combination of nature and undead, since it is a mixture of the two.

While it does sound broken to have a lich dread companion(has to be a starting type like a wolf or badger) that is only for a 18th lvl or higher druid. At that level of play it is not over powered, in my opinion.

As for the mixing of keeping the old type and gaining undead type. Paul Worthen had a great idea to add the wording "the creature gains the undead type and is also treated as an animal for purposes of spells and effects".

As for breaking the rules that vampires and liches must be humanoid, that was intentional. Imagine an NPC that sends his wolf vampire on the party. The party may think "oh my we have some nasty vampire to deal with". So they prep to fight a vampire only to find out it is really an X Y or Z.

I hope my vision for the item is more clear now, and I will work on rewriting it to incorporate a lot of these ideas but also keep it stream lined, nobody likes an entry that is too wordy.
I would give more of my vision, but I plan to use it in later rounds. So if I make it into the later rounds you will see those ideas then. If I do not make it into the later rounds, well you will still see it. I can post the full idea I have laid out in my head if someone asks.

Thanks again for every bodies input.

[roguerouge]

NSpicer wrote:

As I was reading this item, I started getting shades of Stephen King's Pet Sematery out of it for some reason. Meaning, I started wondering if maybe a good-aligned ranger or druid might desperately use such an item to "save" his dying (or recently-dead) animal companion by bringing it back as a Dread Companion that isn't entirely good anymore. Now that would be cool!

Seconded. Of course, you could have this "Loved not Wisely but Too Well" scenario be what changes the ranger or druid evil in the process of the item creation.

[William Senn]

A lot of people have commented on the mechanics, and I generally agree with those, so I'll leave that alone.

Instead, I want to comment on the name. I really, really dislike it. Firstly, "The" anything isn't a wondrous item, it's an artifact. Secondly, both "dread" and "trinket" are horribly generic and over-used IMO. Third, the definitions of "dread" and "trinket" don't really mesh well together. A Dread item is something that inspires fear, horror, or awe. A trinket is a small item of inconsequential value.

How does an inconsequential item inspire fear, horror, or awe? The very fact that it IS dreadful prevents it from being a mere trinket. "Dread Fetish" (though still rather generic) would have been a much better name, in my opinion. At the least, you're not giving conflicting signals within the name.

All that being said, I have to admit that I have a horrible time coming up with names, myself. Please take this as constructive criticism from someone who's struggled with the same thing in the past :)

[Steven Helt]

I dig evil druids, but I don't like this application. The ritual and all that sounds fun (dark and creepy fun), but the presentation for the item is bad, and the scaling for the kind of undead is weird. Why make a hunting dog a lich or a vampire? Are you going to give the vampire dog all those stat bumps and gaseous form? The lich-dog can't cast spells. Is it just going to have coldfire and natural armor? Can it be killed? Does it have to have a phylactery?

Lots of questions for a broken concept. And item that simply makes a corpse version of your animal companion would be better. The companion is already better based on your druid level.

Strikes me as a great idea with mediocre execution. However, you might be the depraved kind of designer I want to see a villain from. Good luck!

[Joel Flank]

Interesting item, but it seems very abusable, especially for the cost. Some of the problem creatures on the list (vampire and lich) could have been replaced with more combat undead by using wight and morgh (not direct replacements, but put the wight inbetween ghast and mummy, and slide everything else down, then end with the morgh).

Also, this isn't a unique item, so why start the name with "The"?