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View Full Version : Some horribly overpowered single use items.



BisectedBrioche
2008-01-18, 09:41 PM
I'm just posting these for the hell of it. The basic idea is that there were some very powerful civilisations who made single use items (potions, caltrops, alchemist's fire, etc) which bordered on the level of minor artifacts. Of course since said civilisations inevitably suffered from their inevetiable hubris, doom and general failure (naturally resulting in their almost complete disappearence from recorded history) these technically are minor artifacts (on the reasoning that anything which can only be used once shouldn't really be considered a major artifact). They could turn up anywhere (albeit rarely) and will usually be saved for a real emergency by owners who are aware of their nature.

Arcane Bomb
An Arcane Bomb resembles a small dark glass sphere. Looking closley at one will show either a small flame, a crackling electric spark or a shard of ice. Merely seeing this will make the veiwer feel warm, cold or a strange tingle. They are in fact a more powerful version of alchemist's fire. When the glass is ruptured (only possible due to a deliberate action because of then enchantments cast on the devices) then a 20ft. cube (with the burster in the middle of the bottom face) is filled with either fire, ice or bolts of electricity. Everyone in this area (except whoever threw or smashed it, who is protected) takes 10d10 damage of the appropriate type. The remains of the item are completly anihilated by the blast.

Bravery Barrier
These appear to be normal caltrops, although they do have a somewhat meanacing air about them. Once placed, anyone who sees the caltrops will avoid coming within 10 feet of the square in which they are placed (as if they had been affected by an antipathy spell). Anyone who steps on the caltrops is overwhelmed by a feeling of horror, as if the worst event they could imagine had come to pass. They must make a DC 20 will save (wisdom based) or immediatly retreat to a safe place and cower for 2d12 hours (treat them as helpless). After this they are treated as shaken until they have rested or for the next hour (whichever comes first). They will last until they have been stepped on 3 times, after which they will magically rust away in moments and leave nothing but dark red/brown stain.

Potion of Monstrous Power
Once this potion is inbibed the drinker transforms into a powerful creature for 1 day or until the drinker cancels the effect. This creature varies from drinker to drinker however the result always has the following traits;


Their dex, str and con scores are increased by a factor of 1d4.
They grow 1d4-1 size categories (any changes in stats stack with others)
Wis and Int stay the same, chr is reduced to 10 (unless it is already lower)
The Aboration subtype
New abilities based on the following table (they gain any abilities which the have the apropriate traits for based on their skills before any of the above changes);


{table=head]Existing Ability|Gained Ability

BAB of 7 or more|Bite attack or 2 claw attacks if they do not already have both
BAB of 15 or higher|Bite and claw attacks, treated as epic for the purpose of damage reduction
Natural Armour of 13 or better|Damage reduction 10/-
Swim speed or 5+ ranks in swim|Swim speed equal to existing swim speed + highest movement speed (double the swim speed if it is the highest)
Flight speed or 5+ ranks in jump|Some means of flight (if they do not already have one) and a flight speed equal to their current speed plus their highest movement rate (double their flight speed if this is their highest rate of movement)
Burrow Speed or 5+ ranks in climb|A burrow speed equal to their current speed plus their highest movement rate (double their burrow speed if burrow is their highest rate of movement)
Arcane Spellcaster level of 5 or higher|All currently known arcane spells are available as spell like abilities and may be cast a number of times equal to HD - 2(spell level)
Divine Spellcaster level of 5 or higher|All currently known arcane spells are available as spell like abilities and may be cast a number of times equal to HD - 2(spell level)
5+ ranks in intimidate|Gain Frightful Presence (as per the draconic ability) in a 60ft. radius around themself.
5+ ranks in bluff or diplomacy|Charm 4 times per day as a spell like ability
5+ ranks in sense motive|Permenant Detect Alignment and Deathwatch effects
5+ ranks in disguise|Change shape as per the doppleganger ability, except the creature may assume the shape of any creature within one size category of it.
5+ ranks in search|perminent Detect magic
5+ ranks in heal|Fast healing, 10 points
5+ ranks in listen|Blind sense and the effects of the blind fight feat
5+ ranks in spot|True Seeing, perminent effect[/table]

Necrotoxin
This is a powerful poison which deals 1d6 con damage (both secondary and primary) with a save DC of 25 (fort save, con based). Any creature killed by it will rise as an undead based on their HD 1d4 hours later;

{table=head]HD|Undead
<10|Ghast
11-15|Wight
15-20|Vampire
21+|Nightwalker[/table]

The poison can be applied via a weapon or ingestion and only works if someone other than the victim uses it. The undead is under the control of the poisoner.

Antimort Potion
This potion will restore a corpse to life as per the spell True Resurrection (as long as it is a applied to some part of the corpse, even if it is just ashes or a tiny pice of flesh). If it is applied to an undead creature then it is instantly destroyed and resurrected (again, as per True Resurrection) as if it never was undead.

DracoDei
2008-01-19, 03:02 AM
Caster levels for dispellling or spell resistance for each of these effects (if they can be dispeled)...?

In the case of the potion did you really mean that strength, con, and dex get MULTIPLIED by 1d4? In either case do you roll once for all or once for each?

What is the vector of the poison? Inhaled, injury, etc... also, is it free-willed or not? Assuming all class levels are retained for Vampires I could see the potion being more likely to be used on themselves by evil characters of the appropriate level. Turning into a Nightwalker might be attractive to low-epic level characters...

BisectedBrioche
2008-01-19, 09:00 PM
Caster levels for dispellling or spell resistance for each of these effects (if they can be dispeled)...?

In the case of the potion did you really mean that strength, con, and dex get MULTIPLIED by 1d4? In either case do you roll once for all or once for each?

When I say horribly over powered, I mean it.


What is the vector of the poison? Inhaled, injury, etc... also, is it free-willed or not? Assuming all class levels are retained for Vampires I could see the potion being more likely to be used on themselves by evil characters of the appropriate level. Turning into a Nightwalker might be attractive to low-epic level characters...

Oops, I missed that out. The poison can be applied via a weapon or ingestion and only works if someone other than the target uses it. The undead is under the control of the poisoner.

Malachite
2008-01-20, 09:07 AM
Staff of the Dragon Soul
Contains the soul of a certain dragon.

May use the trapped dragon's breath weapon 3/day
May use the trapped dragon's aura 1/day
May break the staff to cast the epic spell Dragon Knight, summoning the trapped dragon.

How's that? It's an artifact I placed in a pre-epic Neverwinter Nights module. :smalltongue:

GoC
2008-01-20, 03:31 PM
Apocolypse
This device can take many forms: a magnificent scepter, a glowing gem, a crown, a jewled box or pretty much anything suitably valuable. It's activation method varies but once activated it disintegrates and a sunburst spell, an Earthquake spell and Storm of Vengeance spell are cast on the Apocolypse's position (both are CL 40) and a 500mile radius around the object is subject to the following effects:
A Control Weather spell (CL 40) causes a continuous tropical storm (possibly with tornados). Every seventh day after the Apocolypse the rain turns into acid or fire (50% chance of each) dealing 1 point of damage per round to anything caught in the open.
4d6 Nightcrawlers, 10d6 nightwalkers, 60d4 nightwings and 60d6 devourers appear, scattered randomly in the area.
Creatures dead within the last HD of creaturex100 years and any creatures which die during the time of the Apocolypse are ressurected/reanimated in various formes depending on their hitdie:
1-2 hitdie:Skeletons or Zombies
2 hitdie humanoids:ghouls
3 hitdie:shadows, vampire spawn or wights
4 hitde:wights, allips or ghasts
5-6 hitdie:wraiths
7-8 hitdie:spectres
9-14 hitdie:greater shadows or bodaks
15-20 hitdie:dread wraiths
21+ hitdie:Are True Ressurected with their temporarily alignment shifted 2 steps towards chaotic evil.
Any spellcaster capable of casting 6th level spells while alive (and having less than 20hitdie) is animated as a ghost but cannot go farther than one mile from the place they died/were buried.

These effects persist for a year and a day, at the end of that time all undead crumble to dust or go back to their home planes and all the ressurected creatures vanish.

That overpowered enough for ya?:smallwink:

BisectedBrioche
2008-01-20, 03:45 PM
Staff of the Dragon Soul
Contains the soul of a certain dragon.

May use the trapped dragon's breath weapon 3/day
May use the trapped dragon's aura 1/day
May break the staff to cast the epic spell Dragon Knight, summoning the trapped dragon.

How's that? It's an artifact I placed in a pre-epic Neverwinter Nights module. :smalltongue:

Being able to summon a dragon once doesn't really seem all that overpowered TBH. Summon Creature IX can summon 24 HD creatures so a modified/homebrew version of the spell could summon an adult dragon....

Malachite
2008-01-20, 04:04 PM
True, but you got it at about level 10 :D

smart thog
2008-01-20, 09:57 PM
This is all child play. This is a man's one use artifact, from my Horick the Pawn (BBEG) thread http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3808276#post3808276




Ion Stone of the Abyss

This is one of the most potent artifacts in the multi-universe. When commanded to float above a evil character, it protects the user from gaining taint, but deals one wisdom damage a week. It is impossible to remove this stone once it is commanded to float. Also, as long as you where this stone, you are Dominated (no save) by who ever you worship, even of you only pay lip service. When you say the command word again, you explode into a flurry of magic. You cast all spells prepared at the same time (you chose the target), as well as gaining extra spells for each spell level you have equal to your hit points. After using this artifact, the stone is destroyed, and you and your soul are removed from the universe (nothing can bring it back). This Artifact is impossible to put on accidentally. This artifact radiates a very strong aura of evil, which is detectable even without Detect evil. This Artifact can only be destroyed by smashing it with a diplomatic treaty in an antimagic field on a good outer plane.

BisectedBrioche
2008-01-20, 10:06 PM
This is all child play. This is a man's one use artifact, from my Horick the Pawn (BBEG) thread http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3808276#post3808276


Ion Stone of the Abyss

This is one of the most potent artifacts in the multi-universe. When commanded to float above a evil character, it protects the user from gaining taint, but deals one wisdom damage a week. It is impossible to remove this stone once it is commanded to float. Also, as long as you where this stone, you are Dominated (no save) by who ever you worship, even of you only pay lip service. When you say the command word again, you explode into a flurry of magic. You cast all spells prepared at the same time (you chose the target), as well as gaining extra spells for each spell level you have equal to your hit points. After using this artifact, the stone is destroyed, and you and your soul are removed from the universe (nothing can bring it back). This Artifact is impossible to put on accidentally. This artifact radiates a very strong aura of evil, which is detectable even without Detect evil. This Artifact can only be destroyed by smashing it with a diplomatic treaty in an antimagic field on a good outer plane.


The concequences mostly outweigh the benefits when you consider it perma-deaths the user. That doesn't strike me as overpowered....

GoC
2008-01-21, 10:35 AM
The concequences mostly outweigh the benefits when you consider it perma-deaths the user. That doesn't strike me as overpowered....

But mine is right?:smallamused:

smart thog
2008-01-21, 01:02 PM
The concequences mostly outweigh the benefits when you consider it perma-deaths the user. That doesn't strike me as overpowered....

It is if you are on the receiving end of it. And, for most evil gods, it is just a really powerful expendable tool.

BisectedBrioche
2008-01-21, 02:04 PM
But mine is right?:smallamused:

Where does it say it's single use?

GoC
2008-01-21, 11:03 PM
Where does it say it's single use?

Ooooh. Forgot that bit.