Amulet of the Primal Heart [3.5 Artifact]

[Admiral Squish]

Amulet of the Primal Heart:

This amulet is a somewhat plain disk of finely carved bone about three inches across. Around it's rim there are ten animal shapes that are carved in incredible detail. They seem to almost move as you look at them. In the center, there's a humanoid face with feral features. On the back is a short prayer to the god of nature carved in sylvan. It's cord is woven of a soft, silk-like fiber.

The wearer of this amulet gains low-light vision, and can spend a swift action to tap one of the animal shapes and activate it's abilities, gaining one of the following traits. This ability can be used at will, and there is no maximum duration for them, though only one change may be active at a time.

Armorhide
You skin thickens, becoming tough and leathery. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to constitution and DR 4/-. For every two HD the wearer has, he gains a +1 bonus to natural armor. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, they gain DR 6/-.

Beastsense
Your features change very little, but your eyes and nose suddenly seem infinitely more acute. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to wisdom, the scent ability, and speak with animals, as the spell. He also gains blindsight out to 10 feet. For every two HD the wearer has, the range of his blindsight increases by 5 feet. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the range of his scent ability is doubled.

Deepdive
Your fingers and toes become webbed and extend a bit. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to constitution and a swim speed equal to his base land speed and can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to 6x his constitution score. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the swim speed is equal to twice his base land speed and he can hold his breath a number of rounds equal to 8x his constitution score.

Gorebrute
You grow horns of some sort, anything from a rhino's horn to a bull's to a ram's. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to strength and gains a gore attack that deals 1d6 damage. For every three HD the wearer had, he gains a +1 to attack and damage rolls when attacking with his gore. If the wearer makes a charge attack with his gore, it deals double damage and the opponent must make a reflex save (DC 10+1/2 HD+str) or fall prone. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the gore's damage is 1d8.

Ripclaw
Your fingers extend, forming into eagle like talons, bear like claws, or cat like retractable claws. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to strength and two natural claw attacks that deal 1d4 damage. For every three HD the wearer had, he gains a +1 to attack and damage rolls when attacking with his claws. the wearer can attack with all natural weapons he possesses if he makes a charge, and if an opponent is struck by both claw attacks in one round,they automatically take double his claw damage as he rends the enemy's flesh. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the claws deal 1d6 damage.

Snapfang
Your jaws extend and your teeth sharpen and grow into fangs, your mouth resembling a wolf or crocodile. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to strenght and a natural bite attack that deals 1d6 damage and deals triple damage on a critical hit. For every three HD the wearer had, he gains a +1 to attack and damage rolls when attacking with his bite. Any creature hit by his bit attack takes 1 constitution damage from bleeding. This damage is multiplied on a critical hit. Any creature If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the bite deals 1d8 damage and deals quadruple damage on a crit.

Soarwing
Your last finger extends into a long, stiff spur of bone, trailing a sheet of flexible, leathery skin. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to dexterity and a fly speed equal to his base land speed with good maneuverability. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the fly speed equals twice his base land speed.

Swiftstride
Your legs shift, your heels rising off the ground to leave you balanced on tiptoe, like a wolf or a cat's leg. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to dexterity and his land speed doubles. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, their land speed triples.

Tunnelbore
Your hands become large and blunt, sprouting thick, hard claws. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to strength, a natural slam attack that deals 1d6 damage, and a burrow speed equal to his base land speed. For every three HD the wearer had, he gains a +1 to attack and damage rolls when attacking with his slam. In addition, if the wearer hits an opponent with a slam attack, he may make a bull rush attempt as a free action. If the wearer bull rushes a target into a wall or solid structure, the opponent takes 1d6 damage for every two HD the wearer possesses. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the slam attack deals 1d8 damage.

Wallstride
Your fingers and toes grow tiny, sticky hairs. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to dexterity and gain a climb speed equal to his base land speed. The wearer can climb any structure that can support his weight, no matter how narrow, at this speed. The wearer also takes no penalty from slippery or smooth surfaces. If the wearer is a shifter or a lycanthrope, the climb speed becomes equal to twice his land speed.

[Kuma Kode]

Ooooo, versatile. There isn't much to critique considering artifacts can be however powerful as the maker desires....

As stated, almost none of these effects have a type, meaning they'll stack with any other bonuses to the ability scores or to speed, which is great, because it has an effect no matter how the wearer is decked out.

The natural weapons are relatively weak, though, so I foresee this amulet only being useful for the ability score boosts or the speed.

[Volthawk]

So is only one active at a time? Or can you have them all active at the same time?

[Admiral Squish]

Holy crap, this is the fastest a homebrew of mine has ever been responded to...

How would you suggest improving the natural weapons? Perhaps increasing the bonus damage scaling?

Only one at a time, I need to put a line in there.

[DracoDei]

Concur that other than simply being an extra attack (which would stack well with any sources of extra damage, such as a Desert Wind stance, or sneak attack damage), the extra attack modes are a bit weak... but no more so than a half-dragon's (but you need to specify the multiplier on strength bonuses).

I would think the extra perks if the wearer is a shifter should apply to full-bore theranthropes (WotC messed up calling them lycanthropes... that is wereWOLVES only), and anthropromorphic animals. Also, the difference better the attack and non-attack modes is even sharper for the shifter stuff... they get a small boost to an attack, and a very significant one to anything else.

[Admiral Squish]

Okay, so, what do I do to fix it? I understand that it's not that powerful, but I'm not sure what I should do to fix it.

I need to specify strength mods? I thought that was just common knowledge in the natural attacks rules.

Maybe I could just make it apply to anything with the shapeshifter subtype? That would help.

As I said above, okay, we've established there's a problem, when must I do to fix it?

[For Valor]

Concerning natural weapons... Well, this is an artifact, right? So if the PCs get their hands on this, they're also getting their hands on things like the Deck of Many Things and the Sphere of Annihilation. So those claw and bite attacks can be STRONG if you want. Especially since they're melee attacks without enhancement bonuses. I'd make the damage 1d4/HD (or 1d6 or whatever) and then they count as adamantine +5 weapons for overcoming DR.

I would think the extra perks if the wearer is a shifter should apply to full-bore theranthropes (WotC messed up calling them lycanthropes... that is wereWOLVES only)...

Did you mean therianthropes?

[lightningcat]

I would think the extra perks if the wearer is a shifter should apply to full-bore theranthropes (WotC messed up calling them lycanthropes... that is wereWOLVES only), and anthropromorphic animals. Also, the difference better the attack and non-attack modes is even sharper for the shifter stuff... they get a small boost to an attack, and a very significant one to anything else.

The name is an old arguement, and not one that that you are likely to win. As it was TSR that first made that mistake for D&D. Plus, lycanthrope just sounds cooler then theranthropes.

Aside from that, I totally agree that the bonuses should apply to theranthropes and anthropromorphic animals. I would add any character that has animal or magical beast HD (such as from other templates), and possiblely even monsterous humanoid characters.

This could be a nice lesser artifact, and I plan on adding it to my game.

[For Valor]

I dunno, I like it best for shifters. The idea is that therianthropes are afflicted by disease or have a curse or something, while anthropomorphics are... weird...

However, shifters are attuned to nature and faeries and sh*t, and flavor-wise it makes more sense for the shifters to make an artifact than therians or anthros... and honestly, why would they make it benefit anyone outside their species?

Also, is that bonus gonna be an enhancement bonus? Or is it an unnamed bonus?.. I think you should make it a Sacred Bonus, just 'cause.

[AustontheGreat1]

Seems a bit lacking. In my opinion, the power of artifact should always come with a price. Thats just my two cents, not a criticism, just a personal preference.

[Admiral Squish]

Okay, that's a start. Let's see...

I don't think bonus variable damage is the way to go. I don't think a claw attack would grow like a spell, though I could see bonus flat damage. How about +1 damage/HD, and maybe a bonus to attack with them? Adamantine might work, but I'm having trouble thinking how to word it in my brain.

As for the other things beyond shifters, I can see that, but I'd probably limit it to were-X and shifters. It makes the most sense to me, as anthropomorphs are just one shape, whereas shifters and lycanthropes (OR therianthrope, whatever) actively change, which is basically what this does.

As for the bonus, I was gonna keep it unnamed, so it would stack with whatever. I could see sacred, but I'm not sure this is divine so much as just natural. Sacred implies good-aligned outsiders to me, and I think this is definitely druidic at best.

[DracoDei]

Maybe I could just make it apply to anything with the shapeshifter subtype? That would help.

That might be too broad, since ti would include dopplegangers, and such, that aren't as close to nature...

Yeah, I mis-spelled it, because my spell-checker doesn't even know lycanthrope, let alone therianthropes...

Shifters are descended from therianthropes, so if anything it would work BETTER for therianthropes.

As for making it better for therianthropes, I would say (just off the top of my head) have it give them +1 damage per 3 HD, rather than 4, plus free weapon focus in all natural weapons, and weapon specialization in any natural weapons you actually took that feat for...

[Admiral Squish]

Alright, shifter/lycanthropes get enhanced effect

Let's look at numbers. +1/3 levels at 15th or so would be +5, +1/4 levels would be +4. Maybe make it +1/3 levels, but making it attack and damage? I think weapon focus/spec would be a little silly, since they wouldn't get this thing until late in the game.

[DracoDei]

Yes, but since the weapon might be new, it allows them to qualify for pre-requisites... OTOH your way is much simpler to deal with. I would go with what you said.

[Admiral Squish]

Alright, that's done. Is that enough, or should I throw something else in there?

[DracoDei]

I honestly wouldn't know... I am actually much better at tricky little combos and fluff than I am at the intensive number crunching...

[Admiral Squish]

Aha! Idea! If you hadn't guessed, these are somewhat, if not entirely, based off the shifter traits. So, maybe I could include the 'X elite' or 'great X' feat functions into the weapons. Con damage/big crit with bite, rend/pounce with the claws, Knockdown with gore... I have to come up with something for the slam, but it might be a good start.

[For Valor]

actually, yeah... that's a solid idea. The only way to get pounce right now is to take a level in Lion Spirit Totem Barbarian, so giving pounce to Ripclaw, Swiftstride, and/or Snapfang would be nice.

Also, Wallstride needs to be better IMO. Something about doing backflips off of walls and maybe some stipulation about running up anything wider than a couple centimeters. (Like saplings, telephone poles, and drainage pipes).

[jiriku]

Perhaps the gorebrute, instead of/in addition to getting bonuses to hit and damage, could deal double damage when charging with the gore. Mayhap the swiftstride could gain the option to trample.

[For Valor]

and if we're doing that, give Beastsense Blindsight equal to 3 x HD or something.

And then armorhide could grant DR as well as AC.

[Admiral Squish]

The gorebrute ability is supposed to be just the double damage of the charging gore. I could include a base gore, then double the damage for a charge, though. That would be a nice benefit with the knockdown.

Armorhide DR would be fun.

Blindsight is pretty powerful compared to the rest of these.

Swiftstride is supposed to be more of a fast, lightwieght runner. Like a deer rather than a bull. I could see maybe putting trample into gorebrute.

But yeah, I could see throwing on an addendum to wallstride.

[Admiral Squish]

There, installed proposed modifications.