As far as I know, neither D&D 3.0/3.5 nor Pathfinder have such a thing except for the Ego conflicts that occur between characters and intelligent magic items. Moreover, one would think that artifact possession would come about as a process that occurs gradually and even imperceptibly (if observed in the short term), whereas Ego conflicts are decided between user and object on the spot whenever the object attempts to take true control.
For this reason I would argue that artifact possession is a different process from Ego conflict, although it might function along similar lines. Let any artifact (even if it lacks sentience as we understand it, or the desire to reveal its intelligence to others) take an Ego score which sets the DC for a character who carries or uses the artifact to avoid being consumed by its power.
For a non-intelligent artifact, I would have to eyeball a suitable Ego of 20 + caster level. This would place artifacts beyond the Ego scores of most conventional intelligent items. (Intelligent artifacts would need to follow the same rules for calculating Ego as intelligent item, with a final +20 cost markup for being priceless objects). Because major artifacts are not really that different from minor ones other than their one-of-a-kind status, I don't see the need to give two different artifact bonuses to Ego here.
Here are my thoughts for how artifact possession should work.
Artifact Possession comes into play whenever a character experiences an artifact encounter. There are three types of artifact encounters, in order of increasing potency (The parallels to UFO/alien 'close encounters' are deliberate). A.P. is a mind-affecting, emotion, curse effect, which would mean (if I understand the descriptor rules correctly) free-willed undead should not be immune to the emotional aspect of A.P.
Type I-Observation: The character is able to observe the artifact from a distance, but is unable or unwilling to make direct physical contact with it. Artifact possession is checked only once every 24 hours for encounters of this type.
Type II-Contact: The character is able to touch, handle, wear, or carry the artifact on his person, but is unable or unwilling to activate any of its magical abilities. Artifact possession is checked once every hour for encounters of this type. Exception: If an artifact has a power that is activated merely by touching, holding, or wearing it, such actions are always counted as type 3 encounters.
Type III-Activation: The character is able to activate one of the artifact's innate powers by whatever method is required. Using an artifact is easily the most dangerous kind of artifact encounter and carries immediate consequences--artifact possession is checked once every time the artifact's user activates a power, or once every round the user concentrates to maintain an active power. Even if/when an artifact is able to activate its own abilities (such as when a specific set of circumstances occurs), this forces an artifact possession check for the artifact's current user, if the user is wearing or carrying the artifact in his possession.
An artifact possession check consists of the following: the character in question makes a Will save against the artifact's Ego score. Success means that the character maintains whatever control he still has over himself and complete control over the artifact, provided it is or can come into his possession. Failure by less than 5 means that the character maintains whatever control he has over himself, but cannot exert control over the artifact or activate any of its powers at will if given the opportunity, unless the artifact chooses to allow it. Failure by 5 or more means that the artifact has gains one possession point against the character.
Possession points measure the degree of influence that an artifact has over a creature. In cases where multiple creatures encounter the same artifact that are susceptible to A.P., a separate possession score is tracked for each creature--and in the rare cases where a creature may encounter more than one artifact, each artifact maintains its own possession score against that creature.
Every creature also has a possession resistance score, which is equal to 10 + the creature's base Will save bonus + the creature's Charisma modifier.
While an artifact's possession score against a creature is less than half that creature's possession resistance, the artifact's ability to influence the creature's actions are insignificant beyond being able to manipulate the creature's emotional state or to communicate with the creature at an unconscious level. Treat as equivalent to being able to cast any of the following as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to artifact's) at will against the subject, no save allowed, no SR applicable: Cause Fear (of the artifact or its user), Charm Person (either the artifact or its user can be designated the recipient of friendly attitude), Lesser Confusion, Hypnotism (always use maximum HD possible), Remove Fear, Memory Lapse [APG], Adoration [UCOM], Negative Reaction [UCOM], Bungle [UMAG], Delusional Pride [UMAG]. Optional Rule: for every possession point the artifact has gained against a creature, select one of the spell-like abilities from the above list for the artifact to be able to use against that creature. An artifact's "personality" should dictate that its style of subtle influence will not vary appreciably from one influenced creature to the next.
When an artifact's possession score against a creature is at least half--but not equal to--a creature's possession resistance, the artifact's ability to influence the creature's behavior becomes more pronounced. Treat as being able to cast any of the following as spell-like abilities (caster level equal to artifact's) at will against the subject, no save allowed, no SR applicable, along with all previous spell-like abilities: Suggestion, Confusion, Lesser Geas (works only on creatures of 7 HD or less), Heroism, Envious Urge [UMAG], Utter Contempt [UMAG], Smug Narcissism [UMAG], Malicious Spite [UMAG].
When an artifact's possession score against a creature is equal to or greater than a creature's possession resistance, the artifact has at last taken control of its "user". Treat as being able to cast any of the following as spell-like abilities on the creature at will (caster level equal to artifact's), no save or SR applies: Dominate Person/Dominate Monster, Mind Fog, Greater Heroism, Insanity, Pain Strike [APG], Waves of Ecstasy [UMAG], and Vengeful Outrage [UMAG] (sometimes an artifact will use this ability to compel another creature to slay its current user, in order to cause itself to change hands to another creature). Additionally, it can also cast Demand and Geas/Quest (except the effect is not language-dependent) on the creature each once per week as spell-like abilities.
Release from Artifact Possession: This is discussed mainly for the sake of completion, because it deals with long-term consequences and after-effects of having previously been under the influence of artifact possession. For certain artifacts, being able to rid oneself of an artifact (perhaps by its destruction, disposal, theft, or even direct disenchantment) leaves no lasting effects on the character's psyche, whereas with others, memories of subjection to an artifact's overwhelming presence may haunt its former users for days, months, or even years after object and user have permanently parted ways. (These after-effects are unique from object to object, and should be left to GM's discretion, so I will not discuss such things in detail here.)
For this reason I would argue that artifact possession is a different process from Ego conflict, although it might function along similar lines. Let any artifact (even if it lacks sentience as we understand it, or the desire to reveal its intelligence to others) take an Ego score which sets the DC for a character who carries or uses the artifact to avoid being consumed by its power.
For a non-intelligent artifact, I would have to eyeball a suitable Ego of 20 + caster level. This would place artifacts beyond the Ego scores of most conventional intelligent items. (Intelligent artifacts would need to follow the same rules for calculating Ego as intelligent item, with a final +20 cost markup for being priceless objects). Because major artifacts are not really that different from minor ones other than their one-of-a-kind status, I don't see the need to give two different artifact bonuses to Ego here.
Here are my thoughts for how artifact possession should work.
Artifact Possession comes into play whenever a character experiences an artifact encounter. There are three types of artifact encounters, in order of increasing potency (The parallels to UFO/alien 'close encounters' are deliberate). A.P. is a mind-affecting, emotion, curse effect, which would mean (if I understand the descriptor rules correctly) free-willed undead should not be immune to the emotional aspect of A.P.
Type I-Observation: The character is able to observe the artifact from a distance, but is unable or unwilling to make direct physical contact with it. Artifact possession is checked only once every 24 hours for encounters of this type.
Type II-Contact: The character is able to touch, handle, wear, or carry the artifact on his person, but is unable or unwilling to activate any of its magical abilities. Artifact possession is checked once every hour for encounters of this type. Exception: If an artifact has a power that is activated merely by touching, holding, or wearing it, such actions are always counted as type 3 encounters.
Type III-Activation: The character is able to activate one of the artifact's innate powers by whatever method is required. Using an artifact is easily the most dangerous kind of artifact encounter and carries immediate consequences--artifact possession is checked once every time the artifact's user activates a power, or once every round the user concentrates to maintain an active power. Even if/when an artifact is able to activate its own abilities (such as when a specific set of circumstances occurs), this forces an artifact possession check for the artifact's current user, if the user is wearing or carrying the artifact in his possession.
An artifact possession check consists of the following: the character in question makes a Will save against the artifact's Ego score. Success means that the character maintains whatever control he still has over himself and complete control over the artifact, provided it is or can come into his possession. Failure by less than 5 means that the character maintains whatever control he has over himself, but cannot exert control over the artifact or activate any of its powers at will if given the opportunity, unless the artifact chooses to allow it. Failure by 5 or more means that the artifact has gains one possession point against the character.
Possession points measure the degree of influence that an artifact has over a creature. In cases where multiple creatures encounter the same artifact that are susceptible to A.P., a separate possession score is tracked for each creature--and in the rare cases where a creature may encounter more than one artifact, each artifact maintains its own possession score against that creature.
Every creature also has a possession resistance score, which is equal to 10 + the creature's base Will save bonus + the creature's Charisma modifier.
While an artifact's possession score against a creature is less than half that creature's possession resistance, the artifact's ability to influence the creature's actions are insignificant beyond being able to manipulate the creature's emotional state or to communicate with the creature at an unconscious level. Treat as equivalent to being able to cast any of the following as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to artifact's) at will against the subject, no save allowed, no SR applicable: Cause Fear (of the artifact or its user), Charm Person (either the artifact or its user can be designated the recipient of friendly attitude), Lesser Confusion, Hypnotism (always use maximum HD possible), Remove Fear, Memory Lapse [APG], Adoration [UCOM], Negative Reaction [UCOM], Bungle [UMAG], Delusional Pride [UMAG]. Optional Rule: for every possession point the artifact has gained against a creature, select one of the spell-like abilities from the above list for the artifact to be able to use against that creature. An artifact's "personality" should dictate that its style of subtle influence will not vary appreciably from one influenced creature to the next.
When an artifact's possession score against a creature is at least half--but not equal to--a creature's possession resistance, the artifact's ability to influence the creature's behavior becomes more pronounced. Treat as being able to cast any of the following as spell-like abilities (caster level equal to artifact's) at will against the subject, no save allowed, no SR applicable, along with all previous spell-like abilities: Suggestion, Confusion, Lesser Geas (works only on creatures of 7 HD or less), Heroism, Envious Urge [UMAG], Utter Contempt [UMAG], Smug Narcissism [UMAG], Malicious Spite [UMAG].
When an artifact's possession score against a creature is equal to or greater than a creature's possession resistance, the artifact has at last taken control of its "user". Treat as being able to cast any of the following as spell-like abilities on the creature at will (caster level equal to artifact's), no save or SR applies: Dominate Person/Dominate Monster, Mind Fog, Greater Heroism, Insanity, Pain Strike [APG], Waves of Ecstasy [UMAG], and Vengeful Outrage [UMAG] (sometimes an artifact will use this ability to compel another creature to slay its current user, in order to cause itself to change hands to another creature). Additionally, it can also cast Demand and Geas/Quest (except the effect is not language-dependent) on the creature each once per week as spell-like abilities.
Release from Artifact Possession: This is discussed mainly for the sake of completion, because it deals with long-term consequences and after-effects of having previously been under the influence of artifact possession. For certain artifacts, being able to rid oneself of an artifact (perhaps by its destruction, disposal, theft, or even direct disenchantment) leaves no lasting effects on the character's psyche, whereas with others, memories of subjection to an artifact's overwhelming presence may haunt its former users for days, months, or even years after object and user have permanently parted ways. (These after-effects are unique from object to object, and should be left to GM's discretion, so I will not discuss such things in detail here.)
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