A couple of sneaky tricks

[Gregstrom]

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

[Tifone]

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.

[lch]

Originally Posted by Psientist

Trick Two:
1. Forge a bunch of unpleasant cursed items, with no real offensive capabilities like "slave collar".

2. Give them to a bunch of cheap commanders (or commanders you're ready to get rid of, like feebleminded or soon-to-die from disease). Script them to attack rearmost or something similar. Put them way at the front lines.

3. Send those accursed commanders into battle against an enemy province (not one with a fortress) where enemy heroes, gods, or prophets are camping, skewing the odds against yourself.

4. You will lose the battle horribly... but enemy commanders will "find" those cursed items, get cursed, and lose an item slot. Hopefully a KEY enemy commander or hero... even pretender!

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.

[sum1lost]

Originally Posted by lch

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.

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

[Gregstrom]

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.

[Edi]

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).

[chrispedersen]

Originally Posted by Edi

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).

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.

[vfb]

Originally Posted by chrispedersen

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.

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?

[Edi]

Hmm, then some of the flags lch has uncovered work differently than expected. Well, more info to puzzle out then. I may also remember some of that list of items wrong, so I need to go over it again.

[lch]

Originally Posted by Edi

Hmm, then some of the flags lch has uncovered work differently than expected. Well, more info to puzzle out then.

Things in brackets were unconfirmed guesses. Maybe it's something else then, or it doesn't work like expected, though that mechanic was the most reasonable thing to assume. Which Eye is never going to be picked up, vfb?