Iron Bands of Bilarro

[kitcik]

Iron Bands of Binding: When initially discovered, this very potent item appears to be a 3-inch-diameter rusty iron sphere with bandings on the globe.

When the proper command word is spoken and the spherical iron device is hurled at an opponent, the bands expand and then contract to bind the target creature on a successful ranged touch attack. A single Large or smaller creature can be captured thus and held immobile until the command word is spoken to bring the bands into spherical form again. The creature can break (and ruin) the bands with a DC 30 Strength check or escape them with a DC 30 Escape Artist check. Iron bands of binding are usable once per day.

Strong evocation; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, grasping hand; Price 26,000 gp;Weight 1 lb.

Had this used against me last night. Isn't this insanely powerful? Touch attack, no save, who can make a 30 str check? I mean, sure, someone with ranks in escape artist can get out, but otherwise it's a death sentence.

Note that the one used against me had the additional property of not permitting escape through teleportation / etherealness / etc.

How much would this add to the value?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It sounds like an item that's very poorly balanced. The 1/day and permanently breakable stipulations make it very unappealing to a PC. But the magnitude of power it has makes it quite nice to an NPC.

Unfortunately, many things in the game have this sort of mis-balance.

What level was your character that had this used against him? An NPC really shouldn't be able to be buying such expensive one-shot crap until somewhere in the teens for levels... Grease could've given you a +10 on the escape artist, if that'd help.

No idea how much the dimensional anchor effect would add to the value. Could just use the DMG pricing formulas for a 1/day use activated 4th level spell effect, though that table's far from perfect for estimating value.

EDIT: Freedom of Movement would instant free you, too.

According to pricing guidelines, I'm coming up w/ 11200 gp for a 1/day Dim. Anchor.

"Spell level × caster level × 2,000 gp"
Charges per day: Divide by (5 divided by charges per day)

(7 x 4 x 2000) / 5

 

[kitcik]

Thanks for the reply.

The party is 11th - 14th level (5 players).

We tried Freedom of Movement, but that had no impact. We summoned a greater Earth Elemental, but it could not make the Str check even with my assistance (I mean it COULD have, but would have required an extreme roll). The elemental got Dispelled after one try.

I got hit with the Iron Band in the surprise round and it was a 4 hour battle in which I basically never got to roll a die after I realized I could not get out.

The BBEG got away to fight another day and was forced to leave the Iron Bands behind, which I eventually wiggled out of with the help of Grease and taking 20.

 

[Piratecat]

Yeah, they don't have a dimensional lock effect for a reason. But hey! Now you have them and can use them on the bad guy!

Freedom of movement should have immediately freed you.

 

[kitcik]

Yeah, they don't have a dimensional lock effect for a reason. But hey! Now you have them and can use them on the bad guy!

Freedom of movement should have immediately freed you.

DM ruled that Freedom of Movement only helps escape artist checks in grapples and pins. Annoying as that was, as you said, now it's mine.

Is there RAW that could say FoM should have worked? There was another player who said FoM would not work, and I would like to convince him on the side for the future - i try not to ever second guess the DM as that kinda kills the fun to be honest.

Problem with using it on that particular bad guy, which would be poetic justice, is that he knows the command word...

 

[Loonook]

...even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web.

The effect of the Iron Bands, while physical, are delivered strictly through the magic effects of an item. What would be more useful is a bola version of the bands... Though again trip doesn't necessarily impede movement, just trips the beast .

Slainte,

-Loonook.

 

[Piratecat]

Problem with using it on that particular bad guy, which would be poetic justice, is that he knows the command word...

Cast silence on them before you throw them.

 

[Wyvernhand]

Its a legacy item. It was in 2e, and probably 1e as well. They even made it into a spell in 3.5, but the spell version allows a save.

Like many legacy items from older editions, its either really lackluster or amazingly good.

 

[Empirate]

Gaseous Form, Reduce Person, Alter Self into something small and skinny, Sandform, Windwalk... unless all of these were vetoed by the DM (which would almost start to scale this item up to lesser artifact), there should still be ways to get out.

 

[animewatcha]

Freedom of Movement :: d20srd.org

Here is my question. When did said ruling happen? It sounds extremely like one of those 'on the spot' rulings that wind up disruptive to game-play rather than help it.