The Item Compendium says:
They [items] modify the the existing powers or abilities of the creature they are assigned to, and therefore also alter the cost of the creature.
Worded like this, it appears that certain prequisites for a number of powers might be relaxed or tightened depending on what items a creature may be carrying.
1) Cohort cost limit (16)
2) Intellect Devourer's Body Thief victim cost limit (50)
3) Summoned Reserve creature cost limits (various)
4) Tome of Vecna sacrifice cost (10)
I think:
1) Warband (including cohort choice) being legal before assigning any items should be both necessary and sufficient. So no help, no hindrance from items, right?
2) A lot more arbitrary case... I would go with the total cost (creature & item(s )). Suggestion: one (2 if victim is Unique) item of I-Devourer's choice (from either I-Devourer or victim) is retained by the stolen body (but cursed item(s ) first). If/When stolen body is destroyed enemy scores for I-Devourer & item it originally had (if any).
3) Quite arbitrary also... Based on the Item Compendium quote above I would say total cost determines whether a creature + item can stay in reserve and be summoned
4) Worth 10 points or more ... I think that wording can include item cost (after all, the sacrifice is worth those VPs to the opponent). So Elf Archer + Healing Potion is ok sacrifice, but Goblin Adept + Cursed Rot Scarab is not...
Somewhat related: I think "new creatures" (E g Thundertusk Cavalry: Persintent rider) can only be assigned items "on board" ( e g by Eternal Blade). Since "new creatures" are not in attendance at set-up no items can assigned to then nor be left "waiting" for them...
1) Would catch a lot of people off guard and likely make several bands with cursed items illegal. Basically this would mean that the extra points gained from cursed items can only be used to pay for items.
Agreeing with the thinking, just bringing up this point.
I deserved that for being imprecise
The cost of warband would of course consider items before setup also,
just not the cost of individual creatures (because they don't have items at that point).
Thus cohort would be limited by creature cost 16, but items (cursed or otherwise) could be added at set-up
then again... a 16 pts cohort that got a 5 pts item at set-up would not be able to benefit from General's +2 speed CP (EDIT: assuming my interpretation of item-rules is correct, that is)
Can we have some preliminary ruling on this.
Mercenary General
* Use at any time. Allies with cost 20 or less have +2 Speed until end of round.
For purposes of applying powers that are restricted by creature cost:
Is the creature cost considered to be other than what it says on the creature's card if the creature is carrying an item?
I e
1) Can Hobgoblin Marshal (22pts) carrying a Cursed Rot Scarab (-2pts) benefit from Mercenary General's +2 speed CP ?
2) Can Warhorse (16pts) carrying a Healing Potion (5pts) benefit from Mercenary General's +2 speed CP ?
It is the final cost of the creature.
[1] yes
[2] no
Guildmaster Head of Organized Play
Ignore me.