Post/Author/DateTime	Post
spike81101 03-16-07, 04:18 PM	You are level 30, and your DM allows you to take the craft artifact feat, allowing you to create one single artifact. What class are you and what would you create? P.S. Normal item creation rules apply, this must be a real, non-broken (no infinite timestop), item that could "possibly" be priced using the rules. I really want to see what people want, have fun!
Mnky 03-16-07, 04:45 PM	The Really Immovable Rod This looks like a normal 5 foot rod. If you spend 50k xp, you can 'attune' yourself to it. If you are attuned to it, you can make it immovable from its location, simply by holding it and thinking the command word. Once it has been immoblised, it will not move, no matter what, unless the attuned person takes hold of it and thinks the command word again. The only way for anyone else to move it is to attune it to themselves, which costs 1k more xp than the last person spent attuning to it. Also, the previous owner must be dead. As an artifact, it is immune to pretty much everything. Example possible uses include: Using it to hold up the ceiling of a deep deep cavern in the underdark Saving yourself from a crushing wall/ceiling trap Barring doors Sinking ships (that sail into it at any speed) As created by a legendary dreadnought. ok, I just read the P.S. I'm not sure how you would price this.
green_yawgmoth 03-18-07, 03:30 PM	Four words: Epic Rod of Wonder. :dancin: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/yawgmoth/kittyjig.gif
Lindwyrm 03-18-07, 04:26 PM	The point is most artefacts can't be priced as they have little extras that don't fit into the normal pricing scheme. For example is a +10 sword with all the weapon enhancement abilities an artefact? What if it is intelligent? To my mind as that could be created and priced by the Epic rules, it isn't an artefact. It would however be more directly powerful than most artefacts, and would run to at least a couple of pages. Now, if you could make the weapon unbreakable as well, that might move it up towards artefact status, but as there isn't a pricing for that, I couldn't price it.
bluemage55 03-18-07, 04:28 PM	Now, if you could make the weapon unbreakable as well, that might move it up towards artefact status, but as there isn't a pricing for that, I couldn't price it. All artifacts are normally indestructible except as a result of mage's disjunction or very specific methods.
Lindwyrm 03-18-07, 07:19 PM	So do I just ignore the unbreakable quality when trying, as OP asks when trying to assign a price to the artefact? Another item I am quite fond of is the Ring of the Archmage. Basically a ring of wizardry 1-9 with other relevant stuff like counterspells. I'll have to dig through my stuff and hopefully I still have a copy.
spike81101 03-18-07, 09:52 PM	The point is most artefacts can't be priced as they have little extras that don't fit into the normal pricing scheme. For example is a +10 sword with all the weapon enhancement abilities an artefact? What if it is intelligent? To my mind as that could be created and priced by the Epic rules, it isn't an artefact. It would however be more directly powerful than most artefacts, and would run to at least a couple of pages. Now, if you could make the weapon unbreakable as well, that might move it up towards artefact status, but as there isn't a pricing for that, I couldn't price it. Well if YOUR creating the item it must be priced in some fashion. No DM would let you create one for free. I'm just saying no rods of infinite wishes, and it should be something a senseable DM would allow in his campaign. ALL artifacts as indestructable as bluemage stated, if it is a +10 item, price it as a +10 item goes. If it is intelligent, price it that way. I'm not saying that you even have to list the price, as artifacts are prices as far as market value goes. JUST POST YOUR ARTIFACTS! DON'T FUSS OVER THE RULES! :D
spike81101 03-19-07, 04:42 PM	The Really Immovable Rod This looks like a normal 5 foot rod. If you spend 50k xp, you can 'attune' yourself to it. If you are attuned to it, you can make it immovable from its location, simply by holding it and thinking the command word. Once it has been immoblised, it will not move, no matter what, unless the attuned person takes hold of it and thinks the command word again. The only way for anyone else to move it is to attune it to themselves, which costs 1k more xp than the last person spent attuning to it. Also, the previous owner must be dead. As an artifact, it is immune to pretty much everything. Example possible uses include: Using it to hold up the ceiling of a deep deep cavern in the underdark Saving yourself from a crushing wall/ceiling trap Barring doors Sinking ships (that sail into it at any speed) As created by a legendary dreadnought. ok, I just read the P.S. I'm not sure how you would price this. Great idea! This is the type of thing that I was thining. I was also thinking that shields probably make good artifacts in general, due to them being virtually unsunder-able. Epic rod of wonder, LOL. Sounds like a blast, I hope you've got a wild mage to use it!
Icewraith 03-19-07, 07:57 PM	The REAL Staff of the Magi: Pick the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells you don't have prep space for but want to cast. (Buffer Spells are ideal) Hopefully you add appropriate metamagic feats to them. I don't have my books with me, but sans metamagic, this can get around 400,000. Epic increases that price dramatically. Probably more like 4 million, just to be on the safe side. Add in the Luck bonuses to AC and saves from the staff of power, 15 to spellcraft... When everything's said and done, probably another 150,000. Enchant both ends of the staff... 400,000 for +5 defending holy evil outsider bane cold iron/silver ends on the staff. More if you want an epic bonus, just in case you get int drained and want to try to hit something instead of standing there drooling. (Or if you're a gestalt wizard/fighter) Add in the absorption powers of the rod of absorption. 50,000 Link the rod of absorbtion's charge draining ability to the staff's supply of spell slots. This is really where the concept becomes an artifact. Doing so also un-limits the rod of absorbtion power from 50 charges. There's really no way to price this, but it's the only thing that requires craft artifact. So it's un-priced. You can go from here and add powers to the staff that drain charges to empower or quicken spells cast from the staff, etc. But without these extra mods you're looking at a price range anywhere from 1 to 6 million gp plus. However, your wizard will never run out of spell power as long as there's an opposing spellcaster to absorb spells from.
Harkle 03-19-07, 08:35 PM	The Lost/Lucky Marbles This appears to be an ordinary bag of ordinary marbles however these devilish little items show thier true power should thier owner be foolish enough to loose even one of them. For every marble the owner looses he suffers a -1 penalty to either intelligence, wisdom, or charisma (Minimum abilty score 3). Also for each marble that the possessor has lost he suffer a 10% chance each day of becoming confused for 20 rounds. So if a person loose 2 marble they risk becoming confused two times each day. The confusion normally manifests itself during a particularly stressful moment. Should someone come into possession for a Lost Marble that someone else has lost they gain a +1 enhancment bonus to the ability score that the person who lost it suffers a penalty to. The marble also gives the owner a +1 to any d20 roll a number of times per day equal the number of people who have lost it. If a marble is lost my multiple people all people who lost it suffer penalties from it and the bonuses the marble gains from being lost by multiple people are cumulative. This bonus is cumulative with other Lost Marbles. Should a Lost Marble be returned a person who lost it the person no longer suffers the penalty from that marble and no longer suffers a chance of beign confused from the marble. And the marble looses the ability to grant a bonus from being lost by that person. If multiple people have lost a marble and it is returned to one of them the marble still keeps giving penalties to the others who lost it, and can give the current owner its bonuses. The term "lost" is largely up to the DM to deside, but if a marble is willingly given away to a willing person they are not to have been considered lost. If a marble is dropped and not retrieved it is considered lost, likewise if the marble is stolen it is considered lost.
bluemage55 03-19-07, 09:02 PM	The Sword of Balance: This artifact seems to be a +5 vorpal greatsword of ghost touch that bypasses damage reduction as any substance. Any wielder who is not true neutral takes 1d6 points of piercing damage each rounds as barbs project rapidly from the grip. In addition, the weapon bestows one negative level for each non-neutral alignment component of a creature attempting to wield it. The negative levels remain as long as the weapon is in hand and disappear when the weapon is no longer wielded. These negative levels never results in actual level loss, but they cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. When used by an intelligent wielder of true neutral alignment and at least 20 HD, however, the artifact's true power is revealed. The weapon's enhancement bonus increases to one-fourth of the wielder’s HD (maximum bonus +10, unless wielded by a deity). In addition, the sword gains an additional +2 enhancement bonus and deals +2d6 points of bonus damage against creatures of neutral good, neutral evil, lawful neutral, or chaotic neutral alignment. Against creatures of the extreme alignments (LG, CG, LE, CE), the sword gains an additional +4 enhancement bonus and deals +4d6 points of damage, and if it scores a successful critical hit against such a foe, that creature must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the wielder’s HD + the wielder’s Str modifier) or be destroyed instantly and turned to dust. (This even affects creatures immune to critical hits or death magic). Strong evocation [chaotic, evil, good, lawful]; CL 120th; Weight 4 lb.
spike81101 03-20-07, 01:24 PM	Nice sword there bluemage. I've got a similar one called "Lawbreaker". I've also been thinking about upgrading the magi cloak, it seems like a weak magic item, yet the staff is an artifact.
spike81101 03-22-07, 12:20 PM	I'm thinking Mace of Ruin would be a great base for an artifact. Maybe adding a bone shattering ability to it as well. Sort of a blunt version of vorpal.
Loren Pechtel 03-23-07, 01:13 AM	In the hands of an evil spellcaster those marbles are a gamebreaker. Go find a young child. Give them the bag of marbles. Steal the bag back. The child is now feebleminded, take them home and care for them. (You need them to survive to keep getting the bonus.) Repeat as many times as you want. You can bring your mental stats up as high as you wish. You've got a bunch of kids to care for but that shouldn't be that big a deal. Sure, the kids will become superintelligent after they have been given the bag but they are too weak to be able to resist the theft. Lets say there are 20 marbles in the bag and you cycle the bag through 1000 victims. You now have +333 to all your mental stats and 20 actions a day where you can succeed virtually without regard to the DC of what you are attempting. You're also going to get about 40 bonus spells per level. Nobody's ever going to make a save or SR check against you.
Harkle 03-24-07, 02:13 AM	A. the marbles are an artifact, and it just so happens that any artifact is game breaking B. the marbles are an artifact thus I could put in a clause saying the marbles have a mind of thier own and will attempt to become lost all on thier own, be it through a hole in a bag, or rolling off a table and under a sofa when the owner is not looking. Add a little flavor to it to spice it up, maybe tweak it a little, I just through together an artifact that worked in the style of many older artifact design, quirky interesting and fun. Remember there is no such thing as an artifact that does require DM interevention for the player to aquire.
angryman 03-24-07, 02:23 AM	In the hands of an evil spellcaster those marbles are a gamebreaker. You found a way to "break" an epic artifact. Forgive me if I'm not impressed. :)
Ariath Ska'Vhor 03-24-07, 04:29 AM	The Bone Saber of Zumakalis (Major Artifact) This ancient slightly curved blade is made of solid bone and light almost unnoticable runes have been engraved into it's blade and hilt. It's blade is a keen as a razor and is harder than any kind of metal, even if it is made of bone. It is said that the bone was made from the bone of a dead god, and there is no refute, for it's power is great. The Saber acts as a +1/per 4 base attack bonus (it can sense your level of martial power) Keen Collision greatsword with a few other powers. Firstly, it wants it's bearer to be aware and keen as it's own blade, granting a +4 luck bonus to Int and Wis for as long as the keeper has the weapon in his posession. Also, the blade slashes through anything as if it were butter, so it ignored the first 10 points of damage reduction or hardness anything has, no matter what kind. Thirdly, once per day the bearer can make a melee attack with the sword and deal an extra 20d6 points of damage. It must be said beforehand it will be used and if the attack misses they get one more try before it is lost for the day. Whoever wields this blade becomes slowly more sure of himself, even to the point of extreme cockiness.
runestar 03-24-07, 07:49 AM	You found a way to "break" an epic artifact. Forgive me if I'm not impressed. Well, considering that most artifacts are usually just typical magic items with a ton of backstory, I am...:P
Loren Pechtel 03-24-07, 12:33 PM	You found a way to "break" an epic artifact. Forgive me if I'm not impressed. :) The marbles are *FAR* more powerful than anything I've run across before. Most artifacts make their bearer outshine the rest of the party, not make them nearly irrelevant.
Harkle 03-24-07, 03:31 PM	Well then let's modify the marbles further by saying while only 20 exist in all the marbles are only ever found individually as after centuries of being lost and found by differant people and become seperated. The marbles actually enjoy being in the possesion of children as they frequntly play with the marbles and they enjoy the happiness the games bring to the children the penatlies for loosing the marbles are usually exempt from children so long as the child still enjoys playing with the marbles and isn't greedy at the time of the loss. However if the marbles begin to be used from greed or forgotten they make an effort to become lost, the methods by which they by which the marbles become lost is up to the DM to deside, being that a hole appears in the bag containing the marble and it falls out, or randomly rolls off a table. If extreme measures used to secure the marble fate may make equally extreme atempts at the marble becomeing lost, for example a powerful individual by chance discovers the marbles true power and conspires to steal it. In the extreme example above of an evil wizard giveing a whole bag to children then stealing it back. The children may deside to start trading off the marbles or accidently loose few. One final note, the marbles appear to be normal marbles under all forms of detecting magical or not, short of a wish or miracle spell. Remember folks all artifacts are entirely up to the DM to control as they are never balanced against normal items. If a player starts abusing artifacts, powerful entities even gods do notice, identify the artifact, and and conspire to aquire it for themselves.
angryman 03-25-07, 12:04 AM	The marbles are *FAR* more powerful than anything I've run across before. Most artifacts make their bearer outshine the rest of the party, not make them nearly irrelevant. Haha, true. I'm not saying the marbles aren't insane (because they are), more that artifacts are inherently overpowered. Isn't the definition of an artifact along the lines of, 'can't be normally made by mortals' or somesuch?
Harkle 03-25-07, 03:12 AM	Lets say there are 20 marbles in the bag and you cycle the bag through 1000 victims. You now have +333 to all your mental stats and 20 actions a day where you can succeed virtually without regard to the DC of what you are attempting. You're also going to get about 40 bonus spells per level. Nobody's ever going to make a save or SR check against you. Lets keep in mind you are breaking the game using 20 artifacts, also even with this plan unless the evil spellcaster is epic a spellcaster with higher level spells still has a resonable chance to beat him by being able to put out more power in the same peroid of time, especially if using spells with reflex or fortitude saves, or better yet no saves. The only advatage yours has is unbearable save DC's and near auto success on will saves and a lot of spells per day, which won't help him if combat lasts all of two rounds. Anyway I pulled the whole marbles idea out as I typed it, I just asked myself what would make an interesting artifact and I thought over the idea if a person who has gone crazy having "Lost thier marbles" especially the guy in the movie "Hook" so I made it into a physical object and then thought over a plus side to them existing and though of the idea of a "lucky marble".
Harkle 03-25-07, 03:27 AM	Another artifact idea. The Half Full/Empty Glass This apears to be an ordinary wineglass, but when it is filled with a liquid to the halfway point its power can be activated. The possessor of the Half Full/Empty Glass can treat any natural roll of 1 or 20 on a d20 rolled by him or against him as a 10. So long as the glass contains liquid of to its halfway point it can't be spilled unless the owner wishes the liquid to be spilled. A varient would be the owner desides at the begining of the day if he wishes to see the glass as half empty or half full. If the owner chooses half empty then all natual 20's rolled my or against him are treated as 10's for the rest of the day. If he choose half full then all 1's rolled by or against him are treated as 10's for the rest of the day.
Loren Pechtel 03-25-07, 02:03 PM	Lets keep in mind you are breaking the game using 20 artifacts, also even with this plan unless the evil spellcaster is epic a spellcaster with higher level spells still has a resonable chance to beat him by being able to put out more power in the same peroid of time, especially if using spells with reflex or fortitude saves, or better yet no saves. But it was described as a bag of marbles--one artifact. The only advatage yours has is unbearable save DC's and near auto success on will saves and a lot of spells per day, which won't help him if combat lasts all of two rounds. Remember, though, that you can use a save-or-die spell with virtual certainty that it will work. In a one-on-one fight you win. [qutoe]Anyway I pulled the whole marbles idea out as I typed it, I just asked myself what would make an interesting artifact and I thought over the idea if a person who has gone crazy having "Lost thier marbles" especially the guy in the movie "Hook" so I made it into a physical object and then thought over a plus side to them existing and though of the idea of a "lucky marble".[/QUOTE] I did realize it was based on "lost their marbles".
Harkle 03-26-07, 01:44 PM	Hot Knife of Bhutar This appears to be an ordinary +1 dagger, but when exposed to flame its true power is revealed. The Hot Knife of Bhutar becomes a +5 Keen Flaming Burst dagger and all attacks with it are considered touch attacks, it also ignores all forms of damage reduction and object hardness. This effect lasts for 1 hour after the Hot Knife is exposed to flame, please note that the Flaming Burst ability in no way counts toward the dagger being exposed to flames.
Chanmanm8 03-27-07, 11:51 AM	All artifacts are normally indestructible except as a result of mage's disjunction or very specific methods. not minor artifacts. I recall books saying you could, for instance, smash an amulet minor artifact. The major artifacts would fit your description though.