Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

Cylopes don't have that much use for +pen, and I liked the idea of dropping enemy MR by 2.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

Yep, you're right, didn't think of the MR :)
The +pen on a Cyclops could help anyway if the enemy puts him to cast remotes with his high E-magic... not unlikely.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

That theory is cute in practice, but AFAIK slave collars are one of the items that will never be picked up after battle, including other things like magical eyes and so on, probably because of their abuse potential.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

I'm pretty sure I had someone pick up a void eye after a battle just a couple of weeks ago.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

There was a report in the Hall of D'oh! thread of a Cyclops picking up an Eye. That behaviour could have been patched out since then, of course.

Armour of Twisting Thorns is another interesting possibility for cursed item planting, by the way. +1B/N isn't a big issue if your enemy doesn't have those paths, and the 5 enc is a pretty big penalty for just about anyone who ends up with it.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

Slave collars, hearts, Flesh Ward, Twisting Thorns and all eye items are non-findable, as are Lifelong Protection and Soul Contract. They can never be found by ANY commander if the owner is killed, they are gone when that happens.

Knife of the Damned is an annoying one that can be used for this, but there are far better uses for the astral and nature gems that would otherwise go to its making, especially in any sort of quantity.

In case someone wonders, the reason for why Lifelong Protection and Soul Contract are non-findable is found in the item descriptions. It is a contract written in blood between the Infernal Powers and the recipient and once the recipient dies, the Infernal Powers claim his soul and the contract ends. At that point it's just a scrap of parchment, though it could just as well go up in flames upon termination (for dramatic effect).

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

Heh. For bonus coolness, an independent Demon Lord of some sort could appear for a turn and then cast Returning (or just retreat, if it had stormflight).

Thanks for the info, Edi.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

Lychantropos' Amulet could be a way of getting rid of a bunch of Eagle kings sitting on your capitol ... if they have free misc slots. You're paying 10N (or 7N) to turn a thunderstriker into a research mage. And with flight they'll die pretty fast if you catch them in combat.

Would not be a terrible plan versus a Gorgon (or other SC god that depends on magic) who's got free slots and uses Mistform/Ironskin buffs etc., if you've run out of other ideas.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

You are definitely wrong Edi.
In Jotunland, I had a squad of scouts with black hearts. My prophet with unequaled obesity picked up a black heart and got like a 15 encumbrance value.

As for other items this works with: Bane Venom charm.

Re: A couple of sneaky tricks
 

I just tested this, with Eyes of Aiming, Lifelong Protection, Soul Contracts, and Slave Collars.

Losing armies never pick up items.

Winning armies will never ever pick up an Eye or Slave Collars from an enemy army.

Winning armies will pick up Eyes of Aiming, Lifelong Protection, Soul Contracts, and Slave Collars in battles when dropped by friendly commanders who died in that battle.

So, I think Edi's post just refers to items dropped by enemy commanders. And Chris, this also does not conflict with what you saw, since your prophet picked up the items from friendly commanders.


I wonder what happens if a slave collar-wearing caveman is snagged with an Enslave Mind then killed? Who could pick up the collars?