The artifacts no one thought of [Artifacts, obviously]

[BisectedBrioche]

Basically I'm going to try and homebrew a few artifacts based on some of the more obscure D&D weapons.

The Hands of the Undead

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You see what intially appears to be a pair of rotting severed hands. However as you pick them up out of morbid facination you find that they're made from leather (or something a lot like it) and metal. Despite this the rot of death and the strange sensations you've associated with undeath seem to fill the air around them.

The hands of undeath are a pair of medium gauntlets which can be used to replace the gauntlets of any suit of armour. They were made long ago from the hands of a necromancer who, despite failign to achieve undeath, had his body preserved by her exposure to negative energy. They are composed of tanned undead flesh (essentually leather) and cold iron.

Unholy An unholy weapon is imbued with unholy power. This power makes the weapon evil-aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. It deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all of good alignment. It bestows one negative level on any good creature attempting to wield it. The negative level remains as long as the weapon is in hand and disappears when the weapon is no longer wielded. This negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the weapon is wielded. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the unholy power upon their ammunition.

Wounding A wounding weapon deals 1 point of Constitution damage from blood loss when it hits a creature. A critical hit does not multiply the Constitution damage. Creatures immune to critical hits (such as plants and constructs) are immune to the Constitution damage dealt by this weapon.

Undead of the Day Once per day the wearer may, as a full round action, place both hands on the corpse of a creature and raise it as an undead as per the Create Greater Undead spell. The creature serves it creator loyally as for as long as they wear the gloves. On the dawn of the following day the undead immediatly collapses into a pile of ash. This undead does nto count towards the creator's maximum HD of undead.

Caltrop Servents

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You see a leather pouch of caltrops. The bag is slightly larger than usual, and it quivers as you pick it up. Inside the caltrops appear bent but the you realise; they're twitching.

Returning Caltrops These caltrops will return to their bag when the holder of the bag calls them as long as they are on the same plane. Damaged caltrops are repaired after 1d6 hours.

Defend On command the caltrops will surround the person holding the bag. All squares adjacent to the user are treated as containing adamintium caltrops.

The Net of Stokholm

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As you struggle to escape the net the kobold trapped you in it becomes clear that your wounds are healing. You feel thankful towards your old friend.

The Net of Stokholm appears to be a net forged from mythril threads. It glows with a soothing light.

Distance This property can only be placed on a ranged weapon. A weapon of distance has double the range increment of other weapons of its kind.

Folding When a command word is spoken this net will automatically fold up and be ready to throw.

Healing Any creature trapped in the net is subject to 1d6 points worth of positive energy (creatures vunerable to positive energy take damage, other creatures are healed).

Charming Every round a creature spends trapped in the net they are subject to charm monster, with whover threw the net being treated as a caster. The spell is otherwise identical to one cast by a level 20 caster. All creatures trapped in the net (if there are more than one) are affected. Throwing the net at someone does not count as an attack or threatening them for the purpose of the spell.

[BisectedBrioche]

No comments or criticisms?

[Shades of Gray]

Looking good. There was a healing net on the old "Dungeons and Dragons Show". So it is an artifact "Someone Thought Of"

[BisectedBrioche]

Looking good. There was a healing net on the old "Dungeons and Dragons Show". So it is an artifact "Someone Thought Of"

Curse those people who had ideas before me. If only I had a time machine, I could even leave my own DNA and fingerprints behind to see what happens.

[Superglucose]

I love the Caltrops... that's hilarious. "DEFEND!" Reminds me of Ford Prefect ordering his towel to attack.

[Adumbration]

...And there are Wondrous Items called Animated Caltrops, or something like that. They don't have the "defend" ability, but they do return to bag, if you want. Single-use, though.

[Riva]

I think these are pretty imaginative and very cool. Definetly the kind of things I would throw into a campaign.

Then again, I'm all about things that are fun/interesting/cool and less about statistical optimization. So, good job and preferably keep it up.

[Fredderf]

I LOVE THE CALTROPS!!!!!!! : )

The net is a neat idea as well. Not as thrilled about the undead hands though. They don't really seem all that special for an artifact. They seem more like a tough weapon. Love the others though.

[Zenos]

Net of Stokholm.

LOL! At first I thought "What in hell is a swedish net doing in D&D?"