Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Wow, this is a really interesting set of artifacts. I just have a couple of comments:- The Buckler should probably give shield bonuses, not armor bonuses
- Reducing the damage from an attack with the buckler -- free action or immediate action?
- The Bracer/Buckler Fortify power should probably increase hardness, as is standard for objects, rather than giving DR
- The Buckler and Blade are stated as providing competence with their respective items; this should probably be rephrased as proficiency.
Nice work! :smallcool:
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tuggyne
Reducing the damage from an attack with the buckler -- free action or immediate action?
All powers are immediate actions to the Key, and free actions to the wielder. I should probably note that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tuggyne
Nice work! :smallcool:
Thanks.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Before I start, I have had exposure to optimization, although I would not consider myself proficient. So, my comments focus around the uses and relative power of the items.
Might like to mention that this is just a usage assessment. I don't mean anything else other than how they could be used.
Nothing is implied about the quality or fluff of the items.
The Buckler is quite weak for an artifact. I can think of some high end shield items that are more powerful than it.
The Glasses is most powerful. The ability to ask any question and get detailed answers every 15 hours is literally insane. Sure, you can't ask about the future, but this is more powerful than anything else in existence apart from abusing Elemental Weirds (Shapechange)
What are the names of people who have plans that may interfere with my/our plans? How will X guy's plan Y interfere with my/our plan?
Who killed person Z?
Who mindcontrolled person A to kill person Z?
...
What is the location of the Cape of Transport? What are the hazards to life and limb in its immediate area? What, if any, are the barriers that prevent access or guardians that protect it?
(once you have the Cape, getting the rest is simple with it)
With the Glasses and a standard adventuring party (above 9th level), I'd have the rest of the items in less a month and ruling the world inside two months.
The Creation is second, with Transport a close third.
Being able to make up to 5.5k gp worth of stuff is very powerful. Firstly, for material components in spells and secondly, for low level utility magic items. Need a wall? Feather token Tree. Need to cross a pit? Conjure a ladder to lay across it. You can also conjure most low to mid level scrolls, which basically act as a "1 utility spell per day, from any spell list, no preparation needed".
Transport has no stated limits on the teleportation. Since it is an artifact, I would tend to assume it bypasses all protections (otherwise, why not just use normal teleport?). Which can be useful but ultimately mainly saves your party wizard spells. Or gets you places you can't normally get to, like right next to the other artifacts... XD
Keyed powers:
Trace is powerful, preserve is useful. Obviously unlock is pretty insane, but that's fitting for the (implied) difficulty involved in getting 6 artifacts...
The others are just minor bonii. While useful to have around, not really outstanding, which artifacts ought to be.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jseah
(Trimmed out for size)
The Buckler is quite weak for an artifact. I can think of some high end shield items that are more powerful than it.
(Also cut out for size)
With the Glasses and a standard adventuring party (above 9th level), I'd have the rest of the items in less a month and ruling the world inside two months.
First off, I see you point on the Buckler being the weakest. Any ideas to bring it up in power?
Second, your plan for world domination falls apart in the first part of my post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
The Keys:
The Keys are a set of artifacts, each of which is intelligent.
(SNIP)
The Keys try to maintain the strength of the forces of good, and cooperate to this end. The powers of the Keys cannot be activated by the wielder, but only by the Key itself. (SNIP)
The bolded part makes your plan fall all apart. Nice try though. Once the Glasses know your plan, they can lie to you about what they find, and lead you to your death.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
Second, your plan for world domination falls apart in the first part of my post.
[...] Nice try though. Once the Glasses know your plan, they can lie to you about what they find, and lead you to your death.
To further prevent frivolous gathering of all the Keys by Good-aligned parties that don't actually need them, you could expand on the tendency for the Keys to spread out by giving them some mobility-related abilities or something. Just a thought.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
The Buckler of Protection:
The Buckler of Protection can guard against almost any threat or attempt to harm, making it the most useful of the Keys for defending yourself from your foes. To protect the wielder, the Buckler uses charges. The Buckler can hold up to 40 charges, and regains 1 every 30 minutes. These charges can be used for the following abilities:
1 charge: Reduce the damage from 1 attack by 5 points.
3 charges: Grant a +6 Shield bonus to AC for 3 rounds.
5 charges: Grant 25 temporary HP for 1 hour
In addition to these protective abilities, the Bracer provides a +3 armor bonus to AC as a +3 bracer. While you possess the Bracer, you are treated as being competent with shields. The armor bonus and competence are active even if the Bracer is in conflict with the user.
The bolded section refers to the Bracer rather than the Buckler, grants an armor bonus, and gives "competency". Maybe you should update this to match the rest?
Also, you could perhaps strengthen the Buckler a bit by making it animated. Can't think of anything else at the moment.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
If you want to make the Buckler more powerful, give it the ability to completely block an attack. No damage, no effects, nothing.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
It seems like the cape's abilities grow in power very quickly, particularly when charges regenerate automatically. Like if you have 4 charges, you can go anywhere on the plane with your whole party, and return at your leisure. Or you can take all or most dependent on your party size to safety and return after healing/rebuffing. Or you can...teleport yourself a distance most people it could help already have other ways of moving.
I would suggest buffing the one-charge teleport to something more like 40 or 50 feet, or specify that enemies would not know where you are unless they can spot you in some way.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tuggyne
To further prevent frivolous gathering of all the Keys by Good-aligned parties that don't actually need them, you could expand on the tendency for the Keys to spread out by giving them some mobility-related abilities or something. Just a thought.
That sounds quite good. It has been done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tuggyne
The bolded section refers to the Bracer rather than the Buckler, grants an armor bonus, and gives "competency". Maybe you should update this to match the rest?
Also, you could perhaps strengthen the Buckler a bit by making it animated. Can't think of anything else at the moment.
Thanks for spotting that typo. This is what happens when I name two items with close sounding names, and type them late in the evening.
As for animating it, maybe I could tie that into the mobility abilities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Yitzi
If you want to make the Buckler more powerful, give it the ability to completely block an attack. No damage, no effects, nothing.
Duh, so simple. Why didn't I think of that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Winds
It seems like the cape's abilities grow in power very quickly, particularly when charges regenerate automatically. Like if you have 4 charges, you can go anywhere on the plane with your whole party, and return at your leisure. Or you can take all or most dependent on your party size to safety and return after healing/rebuffing. Or you can...teleport yourself a distance most people it could help already have other ways of moving.
I would suggest buffing the one-charge teleport to something more like 40 or 50 feet, or specify that enemies would not know where you are unless they can spot you in some way.
Point seen, range doubled, traces blocked.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
The description for the Buckler still refers to the Bracer and still gives an armor bonus instead of a shield bonus. Also, you should specify that the +6 shield bonus from the 2 charge ability stacks with the normal +3 bonus, since normally the only AC bonuses that stack are dodge bonuses.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
The bolded part makes your plan fall all apart. Nice try though. Once the Glasses know your plan, they can lie to you about what they find, and lead you to your death.
Nah, that was just a point I was making about how powerful they are.
Being artifact intelligent items, they obviously can't be manipulated that way. But for any adventuring party that DOES need it for plot reasons (and so the artifacts have cooperative attitudes) will find it ridiculously easy to get the remainder once you have Glasses and Cape.
And "relatively easy" if you have only the Glasses.
The Buckler needs a swift/immediate action power that prevents anything from affecting the wielder for one round. Cannot be targeted by magic, ignores all damage (and healing!) from any source not originating from the weilder, poisons and diseases are delayed by one round, ongoing non-harmless spells all suspend their effect. Equipment not targetable and cannot be removed without weilder's permission (no disarming/sundering).
The only exception is not being able to walk through walls (including magical walls) and not being able to see through mists.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
BTW, Knight13, I saw your post and thanks for spotting the one use of bracer I missed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jseah
Nah, that was just a point I was making about how powerful they are.
Being artifact intelligent items, they obviously can't be manipulated that way. But for any adventuring party that DOES need it for plot reasons (and so the artifacts have cooperative attitudes) will find it ridiculously easy to get the remainder once you have Glasses and Cape.
And "relatively easy" if you have only the Glasses.
Oh, I see. Really the Cape would be the best in that puzzle, since the Keys always know each others location.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jseah
The Buckler needs a swift/immediate action power that prevents anything from affecting the wielder for one round. Cannot be targeted by magic, ignores all damage (and healing!) from any source not originating from the weilder, poisons and diseases are delayed by one round, ongoing non-harmless spells all suspend their effect. Equipment not targetable and cannot be removed without weilder's permission (no disarming/sundering).
The only exception is not being able to walk through walls (including magical walls) and not being able to see through mists.
Sounds like a good idea. How would that be worded as a power?
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
A few ideas for some of the unused combos:
Sword/Buckler: Reflective Shield
By fusing the powers of destruction and protection, you may cause the attacks of enemies to ricochet, only causing damage to those who would harm you.
Using 3 charges from the Buckler and 2 charges from the sword, you are rendered immune to one attack. Whoever launched that attack is instead treated as if it were the target of that attack and suffers accordingly.
Sword/Glasses: Exploit Weakness
By fusing the powers of destruction and knowledge, you gain understanding of an enemy's weaknesses that you can use to defeat them.
Using 3 charges from the glasses and 2 charges from the sword, you may specify an opponent. The next attack that you make against an opponent will automatically critical. If the attack would have been a critical hit anyway, then the opponent is rendered helpless.
Glasses/Buckler: Shield Knowledge
By fusing the powers of knowledge and protection, you provide defenses for the less tangible things that some may seek to take from you - who you are and what secrets you know.
Using 3 charges from both the glasses and buckler, you are under the effects of Mind Blank for one day. Once granted, the effect cannot be removed (even by the keys in question) until the day is up.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
I made a section for additional Keyed powers. I'll have to sit down and finish the grid, as those 3 powers proposed by the guy just above me are too good to pass up using.
(BTW, this is just quibbling over terms but, it is the Blade, rather then the Sword)
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
Oh, I see. Really the Cape would be the best in that puzzle, since the Keys always know each others location.
Oh, in that case, the Cape does rise in importance, if only because getting the Glasses with it is that much easier.
But knowing where the artifact next on the list is (innate to artifacts) and having the ability to get there (Cape, teleport spell, walk) are only two of the factors needed to get it. They are fundamental factors sure, but not all of them.
For one thing, being artifacts, they are likely to be surrounded by all manners of hazards, guardians and assorted nasties. (aren't they all? in D&D land anyway)
Glasses can tell you what they are, and knowing is half the battle. Especially since the Glasses can also tell you their weaknesses. Facing trolls? Well, now you know that they are weak to fire. Oh and that there just so happens to be an alchemist in town who might be available to sell you some alchemist fire...
As for wording the immunity clause, I would suggest that you look up the wording in the spell Time Stop, except applying the immunity clauses to the weilder of the Buckler.
Thats the strongest immunity phrasings I know of. I know of no way to bypass it.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
Blade of Destruction:
The Blade of Destruction can rend asunder almost any object you care to target, making it the most useful of the Keys for combat. To destroy objects, the Blade uses up charges. The Blade can hold up to 20 charges, and regains 1 charge every hour. To use this power, the Blade merely need touch the object, and expend the charges as follows:
1 charge: Destroy non-magical object.
3 charges: Destroy magical object.
10 charges: Destroy creature (DC 25 Fortitude avoids).
The item destroyed may not be bigger than 10’ by 10’.
In addition to the destruction ability, the Blade provides a +3 to any attack and damage rolls as a +3 longsword. While you possess the Blade, you are treated as being proficient with longswords. The attack bonus and proficiency are active even if the Blade is in conflict with the user.
I know people who argue the +3 to any attack should apply to all attacks (with other weapons), even though it seems silly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
qwertyu63
The Buckler of Protection:
The Buckler of Protection can guard against almost any threat or attempt to harm, making it the most useful of the Keys for defending yourself from your foes. To protect the wielder, the Buckler uses charges. The Buckler can hold up to 40 charges, and regains 1 every 30 minutes. These charges can be used for the following abilities:
1 charge: Reduce the damage from 1 attack by 5 points.
2 charges: Grant a +6 Shield bonus (stacking with other Shield bonuses) to AC for 3 rounds.
3 charges: Completely ignore any effects from 1 attack.
4 charges: Grant 25 temporary HP for 1 hour
5 charges: For 2 rounds, you are invulnerable to all attacks and spells; you cannot be targeted by any creatures with any attack or spell.
In addition to these protective abilities, the Buckler provides a +3 shield bonus to AC as a +3 buckler. While you possess the Buckler, you are treated as being competent with shields. The armor bonus and competence are active even if the Buckler is in conflict with the user.
Yay, free use of tower sheilds because I found a buckler. Also, a +3 buckler actually gives +4 To AC, and letting the +6 for 2 charges stack with itself seems like a bad idea, even thought the 5 charge thing stops all attacks.
Except For someone using the sword to destroy a 10' wide by 10' long by 200' deep section of the ground below them.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jojolagger
Yay, free use of tower sheilds because I found a buckler.
Fairly sure Tower Shield Proficiency is its own feat. But clarification that it only refers to regular Shield Proficiency might be good, yes.
Re: The Keys (3.5 Artifacts)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tuggyne
Fairly sure Tower Shield Proficiency is its own feat. But clarification that it only refers to regular Shield Proficiency might be good, yes.
Noted, as is the "10' wide by 10' long by 200' deep" line from the post before yours. I'd best note the third dimension.