Immortals Handbook - Grimoire (Artifacts, Epic Magic discussion)

[Xavier_Dorland]

Hey all!

U_K, I have both of your other books, and they're great, and looking forward to this one. While looking through your site I saw lots of variants that were really neat and all, but one stuck out to me, the vorpal ability. So, in light of that, I thought I'd post here my variant that I modified from NWN. Vorpal has a base reflex save of DC 15. Then you add + 1 to DC per enchantment bonus. So, a flaming blast vorpal longsword + 5 would have a DC of 31. Not too high, but it keeps the instant death effect in for more excitement. Anyways, hope you like the idea! Keep up the good work, sir!

Xavier_Dorland

 

[Servitor of Wrath]

This hypothetical ascended Wizard gets an extra Divine ability, or at any rate an extra six feat slots. Any epic character above level 25 or so with access to item creation abilities (in itself or others) will go for the epic ability-boosting items instead of regular. So that Headband of INT +6 should, at the very least, be a Headband +12 instead. That's as far as the SRD goes, so going purely on published items that's all we can get, but the prices are trivial to extrapolate from there for higher ones- and I think we can all agree that an 80th-level character would be able to afford much better than merely +12. Enough to get the extra +18 to INT? I would estimate yes, but I admit I haven't actually bothered to work out the numbers yet.

Of course, my estimates have proven to be off in the past, so I'll just leave with that thought.

Good point. I don't know why my hypothetical wizard didn't spring for the epic items.

A 29th-level character could afford a +18 headband, albeit going nearly broke in the process. A 40th-level character spending most of his/her money could afford a +30 headband, so an 80th-level deity should be able to afford one with ease. The jump from +6 to +30 allows 24 feats to be moved from Great Intelligence to AutoMetaCapacity, neatly covering the requirements for Big Bang.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hiya mate!

Lessee...a greater deity Wiz80 created from an ascended human who rolled an 18 for Int could have Int 70 at that point without feats. After wishes and a headband of intellect +6, an Int of 81. 16 divine abilities could net the deity 96 feats in addition to 20 epic feats from basic progression and 20 from wizard bonus feats. 136 epic feats in total...put 49 into Great Intelligence and that leaves 87 for AutoMetaCapacity. 24 feats/4 divine abilities short. So a greater deity with minimum levels and DvR 20 could recreate the Big Bang.

...and thats even before they get the Magic portfolio(s).

I'm guessing Greater Deity may be too early for possessing such power. Of course this is something I'll iron out as and when I get to concentrate on the Grimoire.

Possible hurdles I could impose might include only allowing a maximum spell level of 1/2 Hit Dice/Levels (rounded down) +1.

Therefore you would need to be 239th level to cast such a spell.

But I am sure there will be a number of tweaks, changes and surprises between now and the finished version of the Grimoire.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

Hey there Xavier...

...and welcome to the boards!

U_K, I have both of your other books, and they're great, and looking forward to this one.

Thanks very much for the kind words.

While looking through your site I saw lots of variants that were really neat and all, but one stuck out to me, the vorpal ability. So, in light of that, I thought I'd post here my variant that I modified from NWN. Vorpal has a base reflex save of DC 15. Then you add + 1 to DC per enchantment bonus. So, a flaming blast vorpal longsword + 5 would have a DC of 31. Not too high, but it keeps the instant death effect in for more excitement. Anyways, hope you like the idea! Keep up the good work, sir!

Just one thing, usually when determining the DC I would suggest not adding secondary powers such as Flaming Burst. Just use 10 + initial special weapon power market modifier + enchantment bonus.

But I have pondered the idea of weapons that will deliver even more telling blows than merely vorpal and function under lower d20 rolls. You could have weapons that eviscerate, explode the opponent and so on. Rather than simply have a vorpal weapon that works on an ever decreasing d20 number.

 

[Servitor of Wrath]

Those of you who read through the WotC archives may have seen an article on the Companions of the Hall and their stats. One of the items Catti-brie carries is a quiver of Anariel, a magic items which generates infinite arrows that can be (depending on the specific nature of the quiver) magical and/or composed of a special substance. The reason I bring this up is that I was wondering the cost of a quiver of Anariel that produced orichalcum/neutronium/black hole matter arrows.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

... I was wondering the cost of a quiver of Anariel that produced orichalcum/neutronium/black hole matter arrows.

Well, Guess drizz't is in no danger (Unless Salvatore uses critical fumbles )
U_K!
In grimoire, I would guess there will be a fair spread of new/unique materials to make weapons and armor from. I would also hazard a guess there will be materials with strange, quasi-magical abilities. Could one make say a Plutonium Sword, (Perhaps plutonium deals flaming damage as well as horrible radiation damage) with a small ammount of Orichalcum, to create some super combo-sword? Like rules for metallurgy and such. (Like swords listed as XX% this and YY% that and Z% of something else)

 

[Anabstercorian]

I'll just link to this post on a thread on RPG.net related to supernatural weaponry to let you know my hopes and dreams.

http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=6217645&postcount=4

 

[Servitor of Wrath]

Perhaps a liquid nitrogen weapon magically held in shape?

A sword with a perfectly two-dimensional blade?

A weapon with a condensed tornado as its head?

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

U_K!
After trying to design an artifact for my namesake (Robes that grant various protective effects, and by various, it ended up being almost all of them)
I think I found a point that may be a good thing to hit on in the items section - A good range of power + equivallents. The vast ranges from +36 to +216 mean a deity will be more apt to take lots of cosmic powers that just clutter up the item. (I would just take Total [Attribute] 6 or so times myself) Plus any fractions that don't divide evenly get dumped into the next lower catagory. I think a good solid list of powers that have pluses between 6 and 36, and between 36 and 216 would make it less likely that extra magic item plus doesn't get dumped into free divine abilities or feats.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Servitor matey!

Those of you who read through the WotC archives may have seen an article on the Companions of the Hall and their stats. One of the items Catti-brie carries is a quiver of Anariel, a magic items which generates infinite arrows that can be (depending on the specific nature of the quiver) magical and/or composed of a special substance. The reason I bring this up is that I was wondering the cost of a quiver of Anariel that produced orichalcum/neutronium/black hole matter arrows.

Its stupid that D&D doesn't already have an Endless Quiver in some book or other. In fact the more I think about it the more I think one must be detailed somewhere.

Off the top of my head I am not sure, but maybe 50 times the cost of 50 arrows.