Best Blood Artifacts?

[Xietor]

Assume the rule is in place where you cannot just retreat out of the battle immediately. So whoever is carrying the artifact will be at risk as well for at least 5 rounds of combat.

I typically stick to the "safe" blood artifacts, like the scepter of corruption, and the b1 boosters. But i confess blood magic is not my area of expertise. Can one make a case for any of the dangerous blood artifacts(constr 8) as being worth the cost and risk?

And remember, if you forge one, you could have summoned demon knights etc. So there is an opportunity cost as well.

[Gregstrom]

The Soul Trap is quite nice for summoning up extra battle mages.

Flesh Ward adds Blood Vengeance, which has to be good.

Kurgi's Gift has a certain something. +25 fear on its own, and with a Horror Helm that's +30 - large area morale checks at -6. You just need a SC who can guarantee a kill on a lesser horror for their first turn's actions. Sure, they'll die in the end, but most SCs do.

[ano]

You forgot one little thing about GoK. The main price is not a horror, but the fact that when you wear it, commander receives 10 madness and then +1/turn. And also some chance to get lost in time and space. My Bane Lord (ideal for this artifact, I think, together with Lycanthrop's amulet and Fenris pelt) got lost several turn ago and still didn't come back)))
When you are using soul trap, you must remember that chlll aura of the summoned ghosts may kill your commander if he doesn't have cold resistance. A perfect and cheap artifact, on the other side.
Black mirror is great, 'cause you may cast mind hunt for free, not being afraid of feeblemind. And it also dispels all illusions o the battlefield, so it's great vs Van or other glamour nations.
Twin spear is nice artifact for defense. Try the following strategy. Move a simple commander with it to the province, you expect to be attacked and script him to cast 5 times and then retreat. Chance that horror will attack him is rather small, but your (small) PD with horrors may appear an unpleasant surprise for attacker (he will summon them and retreat twice faster with boots of quickness and it is better from the point that horrors will attack simultaneously). Or even better though more risky, you may set up a big PD and script your commander to "cast spells". If the enemy army is big enough, he will still have a rather small chance of being attacked (twin spear also grants luck, so the chance is even smaller) and when your PD (you need a big value in this case) is killed, he will retreat.

[ano]

All those artifacts require blood and astral, so this is a very powerful combo for Const8. Scepter of Corruption is a perfect item as well (together with boots of quickness)
Of more simple artifacts, the armor of souls is great for +5 MR it gives, Blood Thorn is a good weapon with drain life, not only booster, Lifelong protection is ideal for assassins and not only for them, Soul contract is a bit overpriced in my opinion, but may have a strategy based around it. Heart of life is good for reinvigoration (but don't use it with quickness)
And the best of all is Dousing Rod)))