4e: The Lord of Greed

Agreed. I think removing armor might be a little too powerful, because a character will not be able to put it back on during the combat. If they drop an equipable or handheld item, once they save they can pick it back up as a minor action. I think that might be more balanced. I should probably specify that.

Yeah I was going to say that, since you CAN drop your neck item easily, and at this level, that would be lowering NADs by quite a lot.

I have to say I know nothing of monster balance, I'm just helping however I can but on that I can't . Silverkiss has been playing around with that, he might.

Yeah, you could drop your neck item easily but also don it easily. That would be more balanced.

Hmmm, maybe I should PM Silverkiss.

I like the "that can be dropped as a minor action" bit. I think it addresses the intent of the power, the desired flavour and good balance. Usually, one assumes, the player will wind up dropping their implement, which will suck but not kill them.

Ah, correct, he has a choice... Then there's no need to restrict the neck item, they can not drop it if they don't want to.

That's a good point, Firkraag. I suppose I could let the player choose which item to drop. After all at this level going up against the LOG they are probably not going to be carrying around any dud or nerfed items.

Dropping a held item - as in an implement, weapon, or shield - is a free action, actually. Drawing/picking it up is a Minor Action.

Perhaps "drops their highest level non-armor magic item" is a better phrasing? That makes the intent VERY clear.

Exchange the way the two powers work. The AOE which makes you drop the best item now become the AOE that makes you fawn over your items. The direct attack that makes you fawn over your items is now the direct attack that makes you drop your best item.

That makes more sense to me and seems more balanced.

So Avaricious Presence becomes

Aura of Greed - Psychic

Stanard Encounter
Close Burst 10
Targets enemies
+35 vs Will 3d10+10 psychic damage, opponent stunned and takes 15 ongoing psychic damage (saves ends)

Attack of Greed becomes

GIVE ME WHAT IS MINE! - Charm

Standard recharge on a 5 or 6
Range 20
+35 vs Will Target drops his best weapon/ring/necklace/helm/gloves at the Dragons feet and is dazed until the LoG's next turn. Can not retrieve item until save is made.

I disagree that this is balanced.

The loss of high-level magic items at this level is a serious handicap. You're talking the loss of between 3 and 5 from attack & damage (in the case of weapons & implements) or the same amount from Reflex, Fortitude, and Will defenses - and the potential loss of various energy resistances! The ability to do this multiple times in an encounter is pretty much a recipe for TPK.

That said, here's a language revision on your proposed alterations:

Aura of Greed - Psychic

Standard Action, Encounter
Close Burst 10
Targets enemies
+35 vs Will 3d10+10 psychic damage, opponent stunned and takes 15 ongoing psychic damage (saves ends both)

GIVE ME WHAT IS MINE! - Charm

Standard Action, recharge on a 5 or 6
Range 20
+35 vs Will, Target drops his highest level magic item in his square. The dropped item must come from one of the the following item categories: weapon, shield, head slot, arm slot, feet slot, neck slot, hand slot, waist slot. If target possesses more than one "highest level" magic item, randomly determine which item is dropped. Target is dazed until the LoG's next turn. The target cannot retrieve the item (save ends).

Your language here left too much open for interpretation. The definition of "best" magic item can be debated until the cows come home. "At the dragon's feet" implies the target must move adjacent to the Lord of Greed, which could bring the target into the Inferno aura.

Farland: what do you think of the italicized language? Too specific, or does it properly address issues with dropping armor (or other body slot items)?