Artifact Creation

[Virgil Sagecaster]

arial

I have a serious and doubtful question that one of my players brought one night. Can pc/nps have the knowledge to create artifacts? In the DMG, it clearly sates that the knowledge is lost. A couple of good points that I found in the FRH, were the fact that the "Chosen of Bane" created the "scepter of the eye" (Im pretty sure that is the name of the artifact) with the help of an archmage. Another point that I found at the WotC site is the ELH Faq. One player's question was refered to this topic and the response was " Sort of....". So Im assuming that knowledge isnt lost and pc's could ,theorically, create them. The only problem now is how to create a balanced system (hopfully this is disscussed in the ELH) for the creation of artifacts and other relics...........

 

[kreynolds]

I've been building magic items for a while now, and I like to think I'm good at it. WotC released a sample 35th level sorcerer at GenCon. She had a really slick cloak and I couldn't resist breaking it down. What I found was quite interesting. Basically, and ELH artifact is just a really powerful wondrous item, also known as a signature item. Think of the +10 limit to armor and weapons. In ELH, there is no limit but what you can afford. That's how it looks right now anyway. There may be other restrictions announced later, but right now, that's how it is. Pretty interesting, huh?

 

[green slime]

That's fine for items that just add lesser abilities together. But what about the truly magnificient artifacts? Those planet-destroying, god-defying campaign-shaking artifacts? (Not those silly Staff of the Magi toys for juveniles)

 

[Stormprince]

Honestly? It depends on the decision of the DM...

Most campaign worlds are filled with at least one hot spot of ancient lore, 'long thought forgotten', 'lost to antiquity', 'believed destroyed in the Great Cataclysm', etc. Those places might hold the key on the outline of creating an artifact...

But, something to take into account, is that Major Artifacts are more than just powerful magic items. Besides the magic that went into the creation of them, they have a history of being used by an individual of such <insert appropriate descriptor - power, piety, wickedness, deception, beauty, etc.> that a portion of that person's essence was infused with the artifact. Also, the creation of the artifact usually entails either extreme sacrifice (no, literally, like the blood of a thousand virgin cats, or something) or influence from an Outside source (a god, demon, devil, celestial, etc.). Looking at just the items in the DMG, you can see this:

* Hand and Eye of Vecna - a powerful archlich who became a deity, his very essence is an integral part of the power of these artifacts.
* Mace of Cuthbert - a Saint who became a god.
* Orbs of Dragonkind - (Greyhawk standard version) required the essence (spirit) of ancient dragons.
* Shadowstaff - well, that's a new one to me...just says it was created by a wizard centuries ago...
* Shield of Prator - A heroic paladin who fell in battle (blessed by the gods? Inhabited by his own essence?)
* Sword of Kas - created by Vecna, used by a powerful Vampire Warrior (which was then used to cut off Vecna's hand & eye) who was killed in that last battle, in which he betrayed Vecna.

Basically, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that creating artifacts requires more than just alot of time and resources, with exotic and perhaps nearly impossible to gather ingrediants, but it also requires either the intervention of an Outside force or some great sacrifice, or something else you feel is appropriate. Artifacts are memorable items, items that carry not only great powers, but also SEVERE drawbacks. After all, where there's an artifact, there's usually many artifact hunters.

As for official rules for PCs creating artifacts, well... I don't see those coming out any time soon.

Christopher

 

[Darkness]

The Chosen of Bane created that Scepter, yes, but he couldn't have done it without the assistance of his deity (who also told him to do it, IIRC).

As for the ELH: If there will be rules for creating artifacts in there (and that's a big if), they won't be readily usable for lower-level PCs (say, below 15th or so): You still need to fulfill things like caster level and feat prereqs (at least I think you will).

 

[MythandLore]

I think it depends on the DM.
Artifacts really aren't that big a deal when you think about it.
You can already compound items to make wacky robes etc.
And things like Weapons and Armor have level creation limits.
A +10 (total) weapon needs a 30th level spellcaster to make it.
30th level spellcaster!
Are your players over 30th level?
No?
Then don't worry.
If they are, just continue things if you really want too.
(ie. +11 at level 33, +12 at level 36 etc.)
I cant really see playing in 3rd edition to far past 30th level myself.
At 30th level a party can pretty much destroy Great Wyrm dragons at will, and travel the far reaches of the cosmos just for kicks with ease.
At that point I don't think limiting a bracer of armor to +8 at that point is the biggest gamebreaking problem.
Also remeber uber-powerful items take an uber-massive amount of time to make.