Of course, the real trick is how do you do it. How do you let a player make a magic item as a character?
The complications.
Items aren't perople. This is simple to say, but it entails a lot. The first thing is that items don't have minds or souls. That's pretty easy to fix in D&D by just giving them Int, Wis, and Cha scores, and personalities to go along with those scores. But, the adventuring life also requires movement, communication, a liberal sprinkling of the ability to kick butt when called upon to do so, and even the ability to use magic items. How do we accomplish this for an intelligent magic item?
Idea #1: The Idiot.
Intelligent magic items are capable of possessing the weak-willed. The magic item PC effectively uses its mental control to command its bearer like a simple mount, and to wield the other items carried by its bearer.
Idea #2: The Bearer.
Someone willingly bears the magic item PC. The bearer doesn't obey the magic item PC's commands, unless he wants to. However, the magic item PC grants the bearer abilities that make wielding her attractive. This is a partnership type of situation, and it has a lot of potential for humorous personality clashes. One interesting variation of this is for another PC to bear the magic item PC, although the sharing of worn magic items could get complicated.
Unless the magic item is capable of somehow floating along on its own or creating a construct to bear it around, I can't relly think of another way to make this work. So, I'm soliciting ideas and opinions for a module to allow magic item PCs. Have any of you allowed a player to run a magic item PC? If so, how did you do it? What interesting or cool moments arose from it? What were the challenges to you as a DM?
Edit: Thanks to a bit of a forced absence from the forums (ISP problems), I was able to work out some actual rules for 5e magic item characters. The rules are still in progress, but any thoughts, concerns, or constructive criticisms are welcome and appreciated.
Ability Scores
These characters have only the Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability scores. These scores are determined normally.
Communication
These characters can read, speak, and understand one or more languages, and can communicate telepathically with whoever wields or carries them.
Senses
These characters have normal vision, hearing, and touch senses. They have no senses of taste or smell. Also, they have darkvision out to a range of 60 ft.
Although sentient magic items do not have visual organs, they do not have blindsight. Instead, they are magically able to see their surroundings as if they had eyes.
Resistances & Immunities
These characters are immune to poison damage and resistant to all other damages. This immunity and these resistances apply only to the magic item character, and not to anyone who bears the character.
Inanimate
While sentient, these characters have inanimate objects for bodies. A magic item character cannot move or interact with other objects of its own accord unless the character has an ability that allows it do so. As a result of being an inanimate object, a magic item character needs someone to wear or carry it if the character wants to do more than sit on a mantle or in a treasure hoard.
Bearer. The magic item character has attracted or fallen into the hands of a bearer, who will carry the character on adventures. A bearer is typically an NPC whose level is equal to or lower than that of the magic item character. The NPC bearer may be under DM control, or the DM may allow the player of the magic item character full or partial control of the NPC. Unless the magic item character has somehow taken control of the NPC bearer, a player who controls the NPC bearer should portray the NPC according to its personality, goals, and motivations, even when they contradict those of the magic item character.
AC & HP
These characters are generally not the targets of physical attacks or spells. An enemy must declare that they are specifically targeting the magic item character to attack it. Otherwise, the enemy attacks the item's bearer and not the item.
To determine the base Armor Class and Hit Points of these characters, consult the tables on pages 246 and 247 of the DMG. Magic item characters add half of their proficiency bonus to their AC values. Use the “resilient” column for determining the character's Hit Points, and maximize the result of the first die used in the calculation.
Example Sizes
Tiny – dagger, ring, necklace, bracelet, wand.
Small – longsword, crossbow, bow, shield, rod.
Medium – suit of armor, polearm, staff.
For each level of the character beyond first, the magic item character gains 3 (1d4) hit points.
Origin of Sentience
When creating a sentient magic item character, you must determine the origin of the self contained within the item. Is the consciousness in the item an aspect of the item's creation, or the consciousness of an actual person? The origin of the magic item's self will determine how to handle the race, class, and background of the magic item.
Person. If the consciousness of a sentient magic item was once a person, then race, class, and background choices should be made as if creating a normal character. The transition from a normal body to an inanimate item body will alter how the character's abilities function, see PC Racial & Class Abilities, below.
Created. If the consciousness of a sentient magic item was created, then the following rules apply to replace the usual choice of race and background:
-
The magic item character gets a +2 bonus to one of its ability scores, and a +1 bonus to a different one of its ability scores.
-
The character can read speak and understand Common, and three other languages.
-
The character is proficient with two of the following skills: Deception, Insight, Perception, and Persuasion.
PC Racial & Class Abilities
The preexisting racial and class abilities of a sentient magic item character fall into of three categories when translated to use in the character's magic item body:
-
Abilities that are restricted to the magic item character
-
Abilities that are bestowed upon the bearer
-
Abilities that the bearer can activate while wielding the magic item character.
The following examples of racial and class abilities and the categories they fall into are not intended to be an exhaustive list. Instead, they are meant as a guide to help DMs decide which category each racial or class ability belongs in.
Abilities that are restricted to the magic item character.
Abilities that fall into this category are generally such things as. . .
-
racial senses
-
racial skill, tool, weapon, armor, and language proficiencies
-
other racial features that are of a biological or cultural basis
-
class/subclass skill, tool, weapon, armor, and save proficiencies
-
class/subclass abilities such as Supreme Healing that grant riders or improved effectiveness to other abilities.
These abilities are generally “passive,” meaning that they are “always on.”
Examples: Darkvision, Dwarven Resilience, Dwarven Toughness, Fey Ancestry, Keen Senses, Stout Resilience, Languages, and Stonecunning.
Abilities that are bestowed upon the bearer. Abilities that fall into this category include. . .
-
any class or subclass abilities that are not skill, tool, language, or save proficiencies
-
racial abilities that are not skill, tool, language, or save proficiencies and that are not biological or cultural traits
-
proficiency bonus (see special rules below)
These abilities are also generally “passive” or “always on.”
Examples: Blessed Healer, Brutal Critical, Disciple of Life, Fleet of Foot, Greater Improved Critical, Improved Critical, Lucky, Stout Resilience, Sneak Attack, Supreme Healing.
Proficiency Bonus. The proficiency bonus of a magic item character bears a special mention. If the magic item is a weapon or an item that adds to the bearer's AC value, then the magic item character bestows half of its proficiency bonus to attack and damage rolls made with the item if it is a weapon, or to the bearer's AC value if it is an armor, shield, or other item that typically adds to the bearer's AC value.
Example: a level one fighter has a +2 proficiency bonus. If that fighter has been embodied in a magic sword, then the sword is treated as being a +1 magic weapon. If that fighter were embodied in a magic shield, then the shield is treated as being a +1 magic shield.
Abilities that the bearer can activate while wielding the magic item character. Abilities that fall into this category include. . .
-
any class or subclass abilities that are not skill, tool, language, or save proficiencies and that are not “passive” abilities.
-
spellcasting (see the special rules below).
Activated abilities are subject to the consent of the magic item character.
Examples: Action Surge, Channel Divinity, Indomitable, Rage, Second Wind, Spells (see special rules below).
Spellcasting. A magic item character's preexisting spellcasting ability becomes abilities that can be activated by the item's bearer. However, the item character loses some flexibility in spell choice. At the time the character becomes embodied in the item, the character must select a list of prepared spells; this list will be the item character's only spells.
The bearer of the item must spend an action to activate one of the item's spells; the bearer must be holding the item in at least one hand, and must be able to communicate to the item what spell the item should cast. The bearer only needs to provide material spell components if they have a listed cost; verbal and somatic components are otherwise ignored.
Character Advancement
Just like normal characters, magic item characters gain a share of xp for participating in adventures and eventually gain levels as a result. However, unlike normal characters, a magic item character may not have a character class in which to advance.
A magic item character with preexisting levels in one or more classes may, if the DM allows, continue to advance in levels in any class in which the character already has at least one level. Or, the character may opt to advance using the rules for non-classed magic items. If the DM does not allow the character to advance in preexisting classes, then the character must use the rules for non-classed magic item advancement.
A modification on the bearer, perhaps the item can possess dead bodies?
Or you could be a magic item created through spells like Magic Jar, such as the Circlet Karla wears on her head in Record of Lodoss War. She's essentially just the magic circlet, but she changes bodies over the course of 500 years of life. While some would scream "NPC!" she was actually playable in part 1 of the Super Famicom game based on the anime.
@Horrorzero
I like that. I hadn't thought of that.
It does create an interesting situation though. Consider if the item cannot control the living but can control the dead, and then consider that the item is found by an NPC. Now we have a situation where the item could lie to its bearer in order to get him killed so the item could take control.
NPC: "Can you detect traps?"
Item PC: "Umm, yeah, I can. And I can sense that cooridor is totally free of traps."
Item PC (thinking to itself): "Come on traps!"
Marandahir wrote:
You could have a ring of illusions that can create a partially real avatar that is made of shadow magic. The avatar takes damage as normal but when it reaches zero the ring just shuts off for a round or two. Perhaps the ring can create any humanoid avatar but only when the former avatar is destroyed. The avatar if not destroyed after a battle can use its HD to repair the shadow magic.
If worn by a real person the ring can alter the appearance of the wearer like the old alter self spell.
Emerikol. wrote:
"Umm, sure" is the new "yes, and". 
One challenge is that the magic item PC will never be hit by non-area effects because nobody will think to target it, but will automatically be hit by area effects if the 'wielder' is. I haven't got a chance to play my Deadlands character yet (based on Raising Heart, with my wife playing a Nanoha expy), so I can't say whether that is a net advantage or disadvantage.
MechaPilot wrote:
I don't see much issue with a flying ring.
It has expertise in stealth, and attacks by trying to get onto someone's finger. It then automaticly succeds on any touch-based spells. One of it's favorites being vamperic touch.
I would think that anything that has Int, Cha, and Wis scores has a soul, even if the Int score is on the level of animal intelligence (1 to 2). I think that normal animals have souls in D&D.
Construct creatures that have Int, Wis, and Cha scores may have souls...and intelligent items are a sort of construct creature.
The ways that an intelligent construct (like an intelligent item) gains a lifeforce/soul may depend on how the construct is built and the spells that are used in making the construct. Spells that bind a soul to an object (like Trap the Soul) may be used in the construction of intelligent items.
I like the idea for a rules module for magic item PCs.
The first step is the item 'race': I.e. what abilities and special conditions are standard to all magic item PCs.
Then we can have sub-races like corpse riders, body projectors, body snatchers, symbionts, etc. That determine how dependent the Item is on fleshies.
With an additional layer of variation for different item types, amulets, rings, shields, etc.
finally we need a 'class' system so the item can advance and improve it's abilities.
Updated the OP with my current iteration of rules for magic item PCs in 5e.
I like what you've done, but I think id keep this as an NPC. Inanimate objects, even intelligent ones, are simply too alien for me to permit as PCs.
That's certainly a fair response, especially if the magic item PC's senteince was created with the magic item. Relating to that kind of PC would definitely be a challenge that people will naturally differ as to whether or not they are up for attempting/allowing.
I think that it becomes a little less alien if the sentience in the magic item PC was a person beforehand. For example, if the maker of a magic sword was slain during the process and her spirit ended up transferring to the sword to escape death. Or, if a magic sword absorbed the spirit of the first person it was used to slay. However, that is still quite a different experience from the norm.
One of the ways to potentially get around this would be to allow the player of the magic item character to also portray the role of the NPC bearer of the item.
Yes that would work. But I tend to want PCs with normal human needs and desires: hungers, sex, security, love, vulnerabilities to heat and cold, etc etc. I find it easier to relate to people when they share experiences we share. Much harder to do with say, a sentient lamp out for ... Revenge?
While I can see your point, revenge is a pretty human need. Also, the item character could always be looking for a way to return to a regular body.
Additionally, I think that sentient items would share some very human traits, at least psychologically. I can easily see a sentient item concerned about being alone. Imagine the potential prospect of being thrown into a treasure hoard and left there for centuries, perhaps even the hoard itself has been forgotten for centuries. A living being would die from starvation/dehydration, but a magic item character would have the full weight of those centuries to experience a crushing loneliness and the hopelessness of ever being found. Imagine if that item were found, how desperately it would cling to companionship, if it were still sane.
So, while I agree that magic item characters have a certain alienness about them that can make them real challenges for DMs and players, they also have a fair number of very human aspects.
Ok the OP update seems incomplete, both the rules for classless magic items and the NPC seem to be missing.
Also why the wonky rules on classes for the magic item? I mena if it's an incarneted person Especially one that already had class levels it seems a bit odd that they'd be banned from advancing. Also How do your rules about spells for magic items work with spont casters. FInally look over the bit about adding 1/2 your prof bonus to stuff the language feels clumsy.
The update is incomplete in that I do not have the advancement for non-classed magic items finished yet, and also in that I have not yet figured out what level to make the NPC bearer if both the bearer and the magic item PC are considered as a single member of the party. I plan to continue to update the rules in the OP as I go.
Re: Advancement
The only bar on advancement in the usual PC classes is if the DM says there is. Some DMs may decide that advancing as a member of a character class just isn't doable without a more conventional form. That's not the track I'd take, but it is a valid decision.
Re: Spells
I haven't gotten around to the spontaneous casters yet. Most of the spellcasters are the neo-vancian half/full casters (bards, clerics, druids, eldritch knights, rangers, paladins, and wizards), so I felt that I should tackle that kind first.
For the advancement of non-classed magic items, I plan to come up with a few categories of abilities. As the item PC advances, it is allowed to pick abilities from these lists. The abilities that will be in the lists will draw on the abilities of other magic items, spells, and perhaps a monster ability or two. The item will also get ability score increases. Additionally, though I'm not sure what level it belongs at yet, the item will get the ability to bodily possess a bearer.
The NPC's level has to scale with the Items or he needs to be dumpable and higher level models have to be made available.
rampant wrote:
If you have the item create an avatar, it needs to have an "H" on its forehead.
Mechapilot, I do not understand your qandary try rephrasing the problem.
OrwellianHaggis wrote:
The earlier suggested ego system could work nicely if your item-player is being bourne by another PC. I'd warn against having differing motivations for both players however as that sort of conflict will inevitably lead to frustration for one or the other at some point. Ensure the item, and the player carrying it, have similar overall goals and are created with each other in mind.
As far as self-locomotion is concerned you can always go for limited telekenisis, teleportation or simply the 'Frenzy' approach (see 'Bay-formers films for how the little decepticon spy gets about) - nobody said magic items can't shape shift somewhat 
. If you don't want the player to be 100% free to move, have some cost associated with such movements such as minor hit point loss, temorary drain on ability scores or a x/day or x/short rest use limit.
The earlier suggested ego system could work nicely if your item-player is being bourne by another PC. I'd warn against having differing motivations for both players however as that sort of conflict will inevitably lead to frustration for one or the other at some point. Ensure the item, and the player carrying it, have similar overall goals and are created with each other in mind.
As far as self-locomotion is concerned you can always go for limited telekenisis, teleportation or simply the 'Frenzy' approach (see 'Bay-formers films for how the little decepticon spy gets about) - nobody said magic items can't shape shift somewhat . If you don't want the player to be 100% free to move, have some cost associated with such movements such as minor hit point loss, temorary drain on ability scores or a x/day or x/short rest use limit.
MechaPilot wrote:
Tried somethign similar once, the issue resolved itself nicely when the item PC acquired the ability to drain levels and converted his bearer into a zombie, and after a rather gnarly sandstorm a skeleton.
Gelatinous cube with a helm of intellect inside it.
Orethalion wrote:
bawylie wrote:
I'm not sure I would allow this as a concept.
But if we ever get 5e Warforged rules, I would allow the item-PC to be mounted in a warforged body and control THAT.
I haven't considered possibly transferring into a Golem the way a Druid can Wildshape.
Wait a minute - a subclass of Druid that uses Constructs instead of Animals might get the point across.
(And now that I have contradicted myself three different ways...)
MechaPilot wrote:
rampant wrote:
Orethalion wrote:
MechaPilot wrote:
I am sort of doing something like this in my games. Basically, every member of the party is going to end up with a magical sentient item, something that defines their character quite well. Over time, the item/weapon's personality will become more and more like the character until they are basically seen as an extension of that character. What the characters eventually learn towards the end is that these characters and also magical items/weapons were destined to stop a great planar threat to the multiverse and these items have been a part of them all along. Whether they are avatars of the items, the items avatars of them, or whatever is yet to be decided as I am still working on it.
I want to push the boundaries with these items a little too. The items do not start out sentient. The items themselves will be able to grow in power, gain abilities, but can potentially lose powers. For example, let's assume one has a longsword as their magical sentient item. At first it will be as mundane as a +1, although the character will feel an extremely powerful connection to this item. After being placed on an altar during an adventure on the elemental plane of fire, the sword now can do fire damage with the word (character can turn that on and off). After it being blessed by an aasimon on Mount Celestia, the character now has advantage on attacks versus demons, devils and undead (although not tiefling).
One reason I really like this one magical item that can gain (and lose) powers is that if something really is OP or is questionally going to be OP, the characters can gain it in their sentient items and when the item loses it's power I'm not "taking it from them". They never know when their items gain abilities if they are permanent or not. In fact, I normally won't even know as sometimes I will want to see if it's OP or not. I will try my best to never take abilities away once given, but if something really is just game breaking and its taking from the fun of the other players, something needs to be done. Of course they can possibly gain other minor magical items throughout the course of the game but the main focus will be on one item each. The items will also eventually gain an ability that if they are ever stolen or lost, they will always find their way back to their original owner over time. How much time depends on how they lost them.
I know this is different from what you are doing, but I felt maybe it would be interesting to you to see a somewhat related, but substantially different, take on your idea.
Well one approach might be that the item can channel it's power though a bearer so it would still get a normal action on their turn and as long as the bearer wasn't in conflict with the item the item could use it's stats for it's own actions. While the beaer would use it's stats for their actions (modified by the nice talking sword), so essentially th emagic item character just doesn't have move actions and is otherwise fairly normal. Aside from being well a an item. So for the champion example the sword can take an action on it's turn using his old stats and get the crit bonus, but the bearer on the other hand either just gets his own attacks modified by th enice sword, or in the case o f the NPC bearer isn't really so much a person as a meat puppet who is basically an extension of the blade's will.
Really the damaned Free NPC is a problem I'd much rather try to rig the system around the assumption that a PC would wield the item, or that the item could generate a shade or body for itself that would follow strict guidelines more a companion creature rather than be a true NPC.
Orethalion wrote:
This is a really cool idea.
I just introduced a abberent creatures that behaves sort of like a cloaker in reverse. It will try to forcibly equip itself in its cloaker (actually based of the animated rug.) and turn into a curse magic cloak with a ego that dominates the minds of a creature. I wiill definitely be using some of your ideas here.