Scions get a power called Despoil. The general gist of the spell is they destroy (despoil) an item and get a bonus to max hp for a certain duration. Both duration and amount of hp added are determined by a variety of factors. I don't know the specifics of all of the factors. What I *do* know is that a huge chunk is determined by the item being despoiled.

As a Scion, here are things to look for in an item to despoil.

Magic flag
Limited
Useful to a mage
Useful to evil

So as you're hunting for despoil items, you want to have detect magic of course, but having legendary awareness is a huge help. For the uninitiated, if you have legendary awareness up, you'll see flags next to limited items in their description:

(Noteworthy) - limited, but not very highly
(Famous) or (Infamous) - more limited
(Legendary) - Highly limited or unique

The more limited, in general, the better the despoil.*

Those bottom two factors are important though, too. Despoiling a (Legendary) shield that only a paladin can use, for instance, might only get you a despoil as good as a (Noteworthy) item that an evil mage can use.

There are other factors to Despoil, as I said. Some are your position in the Cabal (how long have you been a member, are you Advisor or Chancellor) as well as the general position of the Shadow Plane.

None of these things are really something you can control, however, so much as you can determining what items to despoil.

*(On a side note, the same is true of Veil-shifting via the Couriers at the Nexus Island or by giving items to Tahren - Magic and Limited - more limited is better.)

Come back tomorrow for another post! Have something you'd like to see me post about? Email me at twist@carrionfields.com.