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Scarab of Protection

Scarab Of Protection
  • Category: Wondrous Item
  • Rarity: Legendary (Requires Attunement)

This beetle-shaped medallion provides three benefits while it is on your person.

Defense. You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.

Preservation. The scarab has 12 charges. If you fail a saving throw against a Necromancy spell or a harmful effect originating from an Undead, you can take a Reaction to expend 1 charge and turn the failed save into a successful one. The scarab crumbles into powder and is destroyed when its last charge is expended.

Spell Resistance. You have Advantage on saving throws against spells.

Tactical Applications​

Undead Defense: Provides comprehensive protection against necromancy and undead threats with spell resistance. Exceptional for anti-undead campaigns, necromancer encounters, and survival in undead-heavy environments.

Class Synergies:

  • Any Class: Universal utility for undead protection regardless of class or undead resistance
  • Clerics/Paladins: Perfect for holy warriors facing undead and necromantic threats
  • Undead Hunters: Essential for characters specializing in undead combat and necromancy resistance
  • Tank Builds: Excellent for characters designed to absorb damage and protect allies from undead

Build Considerations: Requires attunement but provides ongoing protection with limited charges for critical saves. Most valuable in undead-heavy campaigns and against necromantic threats.

Acquisition Methods​

Crafting Requirements: Requires protection magic, anti-necromancy enchantments, and sacred essences. Creation cost 40,000-80,000 gp and takes 60 weeks.

Common Sources:

  • Protection specialists and anti-necromancy enchanters
  • Treasure hoards of legendary undead hunters and holy champions
  • Commission from master enchanters specializing in undead protection
  • Found in the collections of necromancy researchers and undead defense experts
  • Sometimes discovered in holy sanctuaries or obtained from undead creature encounters

Alternative Acquisition: Often found in locations with strong connections to undead threats and necromantic defense.

Value & Trade​

Estimated Value: 60,000-120,000 gp, with extremely high demand among undead hunters and necromancy specialists.

Trade Considerations: Extremely valuable in undead-heavy regions and among anyone facing necromantic threats.

Character Integration​

Roleplay Elements: Suggests experience with undead combat, necromancy research, or professional roles requiring undead protection.

Character Concepts:

  • Undead hunter with necromancy resistance expertise and anti-undead combat experience
  • Holy champion using divine protection against necromantic threats and undead enemies
  • Character with extensive experience in undead environments requiring necromancy defense
  • Protection specialist combining anti-undead magic with traditional defensive techniques

Adventure Hooks​

The Undead Plague: Scenarios where undead protection provides crucial survival against necromantic threats and zombie hordes.

The Necromancer's Tower: Adventures requiring necromancy resistance where protection enables confronting powerful necromancers.

The Death Curse: Situations where anti-necromancy capabilities determine survival against death magic and undead armies.

The Haunted Investigation: Exploration missions where undead protection advances discovery in haunted and cursed locations.

Variants & Customization​

Greater Scarab of Protection (Artifact): Enhanced charges and additional protection effects with improved anti-necromancy capabilities.

Scarab of Divine Protection (Legendary): Includes holy damage bonuses and comprehensive undead immunity.

Hunter's Protection Scarab (Legendary): Optimized for undead hunting with enhanced detection and anti-undead bonuses.

Specialized Variants:

  • Cleric's Holy Scarab: Enhanced for divine casters with improved channel divinity and holy magic bonuses
  • Guardian Protection Scarab: Optimized for ally protection with enhanced area defense against undead threats
  • Researcher's Safety Scarab: Specialized for necromancy study with enhanced protection during undead research

Lore & History​

Origins: Created by ancient priests who needed reliable protection against the growing undead threats and necromantic magic.

Historical Significance: These scarabs enabled crucial victories against undead armies and the exploration of cursed lands.

Cultural Impact: Represent the triumph of life over death and the importance of protection against necromantic corruption.

Magical Craft: Demonstrates master-level understanding of protection magic and the most complex anti-necromancy processes.

Balancing Notes​

Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 15-20 when powerful undead and necromancers become common threats requiring legendary protection.

Campaign Impact: Provides powerful undead protection balanced by charge limitations and eventual destruction.

Undead Focus: Most valuable in campaigns featuring significant undead threats and necromantic antagonists.

Encounter Design​

Recommended Challenges:

  • Undead scenarios where necromancy protection enables survival against powerful undead and death magic
  • Necromancer encounters where spell resistance provides crucial advantages against necromantic spells
  • Haunted locations where undead protection advances exploration and investigation
  • Death curse situations where anti-necromancy capabilities determine survival and curse breaking

Protection Adjustments: Encounters may need to account for significant undead resistance and necromancy protection.

Protection Items: Other items that enhance undead defense and provide necromancy resistance.

Anti-Undead Equipment:

  • Items that improve undead combat effectiveness and necromancy protection
  • Equipment for holy damage and undead detection
  • Tools for protection magic and anti-necromancy enhancement

Complementary Equipment: Items that enhance protection abilities or provide additional anti-undead benefits.

Roleplay Opportunities​

Protection Mastery: Characters develop expertise in undead defense and necromancy resistance techniques.

Holy Mission Leadership: Undead protection capabilities create opportunities for leading anti-necromancy missions and undead hunting expeditions.

Sacred Excellence: Protection magic enables impressive demonstrations of divine favor and anti-undead superiority.