Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Larates 02-15-07, 02:47 PM	Curiously... I am presently a 13th level artificer of house canith, who has returned from a long journey returning with a large library of ancient artificer knowledge. My GM is usually pretty good with me going with cool ideas, so here is what I am thinking at present due to low funds. Much of the information was written from the standpoint of one artificer. So I am looking at creating a intelligent magic item to retain the knowledge of the fragile books that I have found. Going with a fist sized dragonshard that we turned up during our exploration and harnessing the intelligence inside of it. I am looking at building it via the intelligent magic items in the book. It could just as easily be a construct. (Yes I know it says you have to be 15th level to make intelligent items but figuring that artificers can build things two levels earliar than other creaters). Since dragonshards are highly enchantable and I am not really looking for anything other than a knowledable companion (I have already taken the leadership feat as well). We have a member of our party with a psi-crystal that I have been studying, so I have an idea how psionic people store a fragment of their intelligence into an item. To start I am looking at doing a mid tier intelligent item. Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 15 (+5000gp) Speech, Telepathy with possesser 60ft darkvision and hearing and using its Lesser abilities for: Spellcraft: 10 ranks (+5000gp - or (10x10x100gp)/2) Know: Arcana: 10 ranks (+5000gp - or (10x10x100gp)/2) Know: The Planes: 10 ranks (+5000gp - or (10x10x100gp)/2) Standard DMG Math --- Yielding 20,000gp in value. Since I am making it non-slot specific that doubles the price to 40,000gp base value. Basevalue / 2 = basecost Basecost is 20,000gp All of which is very capable by book standards. GM CALL / Eberron math ---- Item will only work for people with the Mark of Making (ie specific classes) - 30% reduction Legendary Artisan - 25% reduction New BaseCost: 10,500gp My question lies... In the future, how do I look at upgrading an intelligent item, do the follow the same rules as regular magic items and I would just pay the difference in money/xp to magically train it? Ie, to take it from 10 ranks of Knowledge Arcana to meet my 15 ranks, would it be the difference in cost? ie (15x15x100gp/2) - (10x10x100gp/2) = 6250gp How have any of you handled this in your campaigns? I know that intelligent magic item creation is not a common things in games and after playing D&D for 15 years this would be my first time making such an item. It seems much more plausable for creating them in 3.5 than it has in past editions. Would I be more realistic building this as a Homoculus/construct instead of a "intelligent magic item?" Let me know...
Tiro 02-16-07, 12:05 AM	I love the idea! The upgrade price sounds good to me. It's hard to really set a price on things like that, so I'd just work something out with your DM. As for the "Intelligent Item vs. Homonculus/Construct" thought, I like the flavor of an intelligent item a lot more than a construct, partly because of the stated fact about it being so rare. Cheers, Tiro
AllWillFall2Me 02-16-07, 12:31 AM	I agree that it sounds better as an intelligent magical device. But, as I also encourage "tinkering", i'd say your artificer could build a construct chassis, so it's like a construct, but with a magic item at the core.
Cambian00 02-17-07, 02:25 PM	Think about using the Item Familiar rules in Unearthed Arcana.... By bonding the item to you with that feat it makes it even cheaper and easier to creat "intelligent" items.... and make them rather powerful..... just a thought
Edymnion 02-17-07, 02:50 PM	Speech, Telepathy with possesser 60ft darkvision and hearingIf it has telepathy with the possessor, why does it need to be able to see and hear on it's own? Its an intelligent item yes, but its effectively just an artifical representation of the mind of the original writer, a copy if you will. I don't see why it needs to see and hear things on it's own if you just plan on using it as a referance. If it has telepathy with the possessor, you could think into it whatever you wanted to tell it, and could relay messages from others the same way. I'm sure adding in that sight and hearing would up the price, when it doesn't really require them.
Cambian00 02-17-07, 03:43 PM	If it has telepathy with the possessor, why does it need to be able to see and hear on it's own? Its an intelligent item yes, but its effectively just an artifical representation of the mind of the original writer, a copy if you will. I don't see why it needs to see and hear things on it's own if you just plan on using it as a referance. If it has telepathy with the possessor, you could think into it whatever you wanted to tell it, and could relay messages from others the same way. I'm sure adding in that sight and hearing would up the price, when it doesn't really require them. Because it would be so incredibly cool to have.....
Merin 02-20-07, 07:19 PM	I am just wondering, how the Five Nations would look at Intelligent Magic Items? Would they consider them sentient like warforged, and have all the rights of other beings? Or are they property?
Subtle Knife 02-20-07, 07:49 PM	I am just wondering, how the Five Nations would look at Intelligent Magic Items? Would they consider them sentient like warforged, and have all the rights of other beings? Or are they property? Livestock! Moooooo! SK
Elderich 02-26-07, 11:44 AM	If you can get your hands on the Arms and Equipment Guide, it has a bunch of intelligent item options. I found it cheaper and more flavorful to build a Exp Messenger and upgrade it.
strange_person 02-26-07, 04:38 PM	I would think that an intelligent item is preferable to a homunculus, because an inteligent item can outlive it's creator. Also, it's more durable and capable of independent thought. For future upgrade purposes, you might consider giving it a Special Purpose (accumulate magical knowledge) and some sort of ability to control constructs (Magic Jar?). Then, in some future campaign, it could turn out that your little sentient crystal library traveled back in time with the Illithids and created the whole Keeper race!
Ricohard_Draconis 02-28-07, 02:41 AM	I would think that an intelligent item is preferable to a homunculus, because an inteligent item can outlive it's creator. Also, it's more durable and capable of independent thought. For future upgrade purposes, you might consider giving it a Special Purpose (accumulate magical knowledge) and some sort of ability to control constructs (Magic Jar?). Then, in some future campaign, it could turn out that your little sentient crystal library traveled back in time with the Illithids and created the whole Keeper race! Is it just me or are you encourageing the creation of Brainiac?
strange_person 02-28-07, 03:15 AM	Yeah, probably. It's setting-appropriate, isn't it?
Ricohard_Draconis 02-28-07, 01:50 PM	pretty much :) just as long as he doesn't have a city of shrunken yous in a bottle your all fine.