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View Full Version : Magic Items with Character. (Any Suggestions?)



Strudel110
2012-08-15, 04:16 PM
So this is a thread to post some interesting or unique magic items something more interesting than some +3 flaming burst swordamajig, or an alchemist's fire with lightning instead. They can be stuff you've found, made, or just thought up now.
A good example would be Lilarcor, a +3 Intelligent Great sword with charm and confusion immunity. If you've never played Baldur's Gate II or found him Lilarcor offers some great lines such as - 'I may be an intelligent sword, but I've had no formal edumication.' or 'You know, my last owner always said I was sharp and edgy. He was such an ass.'

In one campaign I DM'ed I gave the Knight a shield that could use the swallow whole ability and healed the user like cure moderate wounds when it killed an enemy by eating it. It was shaped like lion's head.
So what have you guys got?

Thomar_of_Uointer
2012-08-15, 04:50 PM
I was just having a discussion with a friend about this. Move away from weapons and armor. If you want interesting magic items you should stick with wondrous items.

The thing is, a magic suit of armor or weapon is something that the PC will be using 80% of the time. It has to be fast, and it has to be balanced, so a small +1 bonus is usually okay. Wondrous items can be more powerful because you generally will only be using them in certain circumstances.

Now, a sheath that makes its weapon keen once per day (that one's already core), or a quiver that produces infinite arrows and can make 1d4 serrated bleeding arrows per day are cool combat items. You can also spice up basic items like +1 swords by giving them higher-level enhancements that have a daily limit. For example, a +1 sword that becomes +2 flaming burst once per day is an awesome item. Another neat item is a suit of armor that will cast cure light wounds on you once per day in response to being reduced to half hit points.

Strudel110
2012-08-15, 05:13 PM
Hmm good point. I know my DMs have always focused on combat oriented stuff. Hmm some other stuff I thought up.
1. An amulet that makes the user appear sickly.
2. A totem that split a person into two halves each at half the person's level (min 1) with their alignment split (and neutral filling the missing part), example a lawful good fighter 6 becomes a lawful neutral fighter 3, and a neutral good Fighter 3.
3. A totem that undoes the above.
4. A rod that when activated points towards the nearest source of liquor.
5. A necklace with a clasp shaped like two hands shaking, when the command phrase is said the hands animate and undo any clothing ties, buttons, or ropes within a few feet. It is said to have been created by a Bard to escape ropes and for other activities. (The command is 'I can't seem to get your bra off')

Zale
2012-08-15, 06:17 PM
6) A chipped stone mug that fills itself with the alcoholic beverage of the holder's choice whenever the dwarven words for More Ale! are spoken.

Pyromancer999
2012-08-15, 07:25 PM
Weapons of Legacy could work, if you have access to it. It can be used to create custom abilities for magic items that aren't just weapons, that increase in power as you level up. I'd recommend taking out the penalties to wield such an item if you were to do so, though.

Vadskye
2012-08-16, 10:58 PM
Have you read the Magic Item Compendium? My general impression is that it did a great job of making magic items with character - to the point that I tend to take only sparingly from it, because otherwise my players have more random, flavorful "uses per day" abilities than they know what to do with.

Also, the AD&D "Book of Artifacts" is a treasure trove of random items that have a strong bit of cool fluff to them. You wouldn't want to just drop them into a campaign, but stealing ideas from there and converting them to your current ruleset (toning down the power some) is a great plan.

Strudel110
2012-08-23, 11:20 AM
Have you read the Magic Item Compendium? My general impression is that it did a great job of making magic items with character - to the point that I tend to take only sparingly from it, because otherwise my players have more random, flavorful "uses per day" abilities than they know what to do with.

Also, the AD&D "Book of Artifacts" is a treasure trove of random items that have a strong bit of cool fluff to them. You wouldn't want to just drop them into a campaign, but stealing ideas from there and converting them to your current ruleset (toning down the power some) is a great plan.

Hmm I'll check those out. I love flavorful items so it sounds right up my alley.
1. A +2 longsword that yodels uncontrollably when unsheathed.
2. A pair of amulets, when worn by two individuals makes it so that when one is harmed the other feels it instead, if one wearer dies the other is fine, but thebond is broken until another wearer is found.

Vadskye
2012-08-23, 01:17 PM
2. A pair of amulets, when worn by two individuals makes it so that when one is harmed the other feels it instead, if one wearer dies the other is fine, but thebond is broken until another wearer is found.

Sounds like a great item for the BBEG, who could keep a dungeon with a troll that he shuffles all his damage to.

D20Doctor
2012-08-23, 03:20 PM
Some I made pulling from various books. The LVL's next to certain powers show that the item is leveling up with the player. The last two were designed for a chaotic character so I was having him roll twice on each item to see what he got.


[LIST]
Star of Desna- Appears to be made of black steel and inside you can see twinkling stars. + 2 returning starknife , can be thrown like a chakram or used to stab. On command can shoot a shuriken like projectile made of light Dealing 1D6 of dmg. Or 3 shurikens doing 1D3.

Ring of Storms - Ring of Elemental Command (Air)
Feather fall (unlimited use, wearer only)
Resist energy (electricity) (unlimited use, wearer only)
Gust of wind (twice per day) Lvl 4 1 use, lvl 8 another use
Wind wall (unlimited use) lvl 4, additional use every lvl until 9. Lvl 9 becomes unlimited.
Air walk (once per day, wearer only) lvl 8
Chain lightning (once per week) lvl 6

Ring of four winds-
wind one + 2 to ac
wind two feather fall at will
wind three airy water 1/day
wind four favorable wind 2/day

(Black Aura) Xan-Yae’s Shadow – A cloak, dead black in color that seems to swallow up any and all light that shines on it. +2 to hide, move silently, at will launch item, distraction 3/day, if in mostly shadowed area can be used to hide even when watched.

(Red) Red Knight's Crossbow of tactile piercing - exit wound- 1d6 dmg, attack on person behind, +4 ac for each target, Sure strike, critical strike, True strike 1/day

Tessellated Cat's amour. Full plate +2 to allowed dex bonus, variant, cat armor +2 to dex, +2 to move silently, Tessellated

(White) Earthbreaker of Kord - Auran (+2d6 agianst earth subtype), +2
Furious- rage +2 times a day, extra round for each rage
Reprisal- if hit, gets free counter attack, once a round
collision- add 5 dmg
beserker- add 1d8 when in rage
Shock- 1d6 shock
Impact- double threat range

Moon Ivy-+5/+6 false life 3d6 hit points, restored by magic or day
Explosive spores: 1D4 a day, Max 12. non piercing, explodes towards person striking, dc 14 fort save or nauseated for 1d6 rounds
Eagle Totem - speak animals/3 day +3 when dealing with eagles, once a day +2 to strength
Quickness- +5 speed
Mobility- mobility feat