Magic Items with "Quirks"

[Ostler]

I'm looking for ideas for "Quirks" to give to magic items. Things that detract a little from the value of the item but not enough that characters want to get rid of the items.

For example,

+3 Longsword of Singing

The sword grants the bearer the cleave feat during combat and does an additional 1d8 damage on every hit. However, as soon as combat ends the bearer is forced to sing loudly for 20 minutes. If the bearer resists singing the sword becomes a normal longsword for the next 24 hours.


Many of the "Quirks" would probably be roleplaying related, but they would not be limited to that.

Thanks

 

[Gez]

What about the longsword of singing granting the cleave feat and +1d8 damage only while the wielder sing a warsong, forcing him to sing in combat? It may even lose a plus or two when the wielder don't sing, being reduced to a mere +1.

It reminds me of a French comic, Lanfeust. In it, there are sort of big, stupid mammoth-like buffaloes, called petaures, that only moves when they hear singing.
Once, a sorceress rode on a half-dragon petaure, singing:
"If I stop singing it stops flying,
To both our death, plumetting!
A dragon/petaure crossbreed!
That idea was just stupid!
Sure it's fast but damn it sucks!
Beasts like that won't earn me bucks!"

And so on. It was quite funny.


How well. For quirky magical items, nothing beats intelligent items. Then, take cue from Jack Vance's sandestins. Capricious, lazy, argumentative, prone to distort your orders when this can save them some work, and making fun of you shamelessly when they can't.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

Thieve's Tongue- This silver tongue statue, attached to a piece of gold chain, functions as a hand of the mage while worn around the neck (though it leaves things rather slimy). When the owner's tongue is removed and the silver tongue attached (heal check DC 25 to pull this off successfully) however, the owner gains a +20 to all bluff checks made to lie. As a side effect however, anyone who has the Thieve's tongue on in place of their own can ONLY speak in lies.

Boots of Walking- These boots were made for walking, and that's all they do. A character wearing them walks at all times, though they can still steer. This has the bonus of granting them a +10 speed and the benefit of the run feat, and allows the character to travel all day without the influence of fatigue. On the down side, the character must use one action a round to move their full speed, and outside of battle will walk around in circles or the like to even stay in the same area. The boots DO allow the character to sleep, but he always runs the risk of where his shoes will take him. The boots can be removed either by tackling the character and wrenching them off (requiring a strength check of DC 25), or with a successful remove curse spell.

 

[hong]

Thieve's Tongue- This silver tongue statue, attached to a piece of gold chain, functions as a hand of the mage while worn around the neck (though it leaves things rather slimy). When the owner's tongue is removed and the silver tongue attached (heal check DC 25 to pull this off successfully) however, the owner gains a +20 to all bluff checks made to lie. As a side effect however, anyone who has the Thieve's tongue on in place of their own can ONLY speak in lies.

Boots of Walking- These boots were made for walking, and that's all they do. A character wearing them walks at all times, though they can still steer. This has the bonus of granting them a +10 speed and the benefit of the run feat, and allows the character to travel all day without the influence of fatigue. On the down side, the character must use one action a round to move their full speed, and outside of battle will walk around in circles or the like to even stay in the same area. The boots DO allow the character to sleep, but he always runs the risk of where his shoes will take him. The boots can be removed either by tackling the character and wrenching them off (requiring a strength check of DC 25), or with a successful remove curse spell.

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[DiFier]

my question is how do you price them. if you have a +3 long sword of singing is that considered a +4 equiv? (or more likely higher) if you want to add keen to it what is the bonus. perhaps there would be a %price decrease of that particular power. Example add quirky keen to you +1 long sword. The long sword is only keen when you make light saber noises. it would be a +2 equiv sword. you would take the price of a +1 long sword (2315gp) and normally add 6000gp to make it +2 equiv but instead you add 3000gp to make it +2 equiv. when you deciede to make it +3 equiv with a normal power you add the 10000gp it costs to make it a +3 equiv. there would have to be rules on the % discount that the quirks gave. depending on what they did and how they effect the weapon.

some examples of weapon quirks that I just came up with.

Boasting: You must boast in each round that you use the sword to attack. you must begin boasting prior to attacking and must continue untill you act again. you must boast in a full clear voice. this not only negates a rogues sneak attack ability while invisible, it reduces the bonus for attacking while invisible to +1, and allows the intended target to act during a surprise round that you imitate. also those you are fighting are more likely to attack you back if they have mulitipule targets because you are annoying them.

Leaking: This weapon loses +1 equivilent each round, begining the round after it first does damage, untill it is just a masterwork variety of the original weapon. to reactivate it to full power you must sheath it and leave it in the sheath for a couple of seconds and then redraw it. losing a round off attacking (but you oculd still move) .

Sporatic: each time you attack with this weapon roll d% to figure out which ability of the weapon doesn't work. each special power is equal (reguardless of the + equivilent) each +1 bonus to hit a adameg (+2 is considered 2 +1) counts as a seperate power. (so a plus +3 keen ghoast touch sword would have a 20% chance of losing the ghost touch ability, 20% chance of losing the keen ability and a 60% chance of losing +1 to hit and damage)

draining: to use the ability you have added to this weapon you must impible some of you life force into it. if this quirk can effects just one ability. you must sacrifice 1 HP for each + in the cost of the ability each time you attempt to use it. a flaming weapon doesn't do extra fire damage unless you let it drain 1 hp from you each round you want to use the flaming ability.

 

[Vargo]

I have *ZERO* idea how to price this one...

Ring of the Brightly Burning Flame: This ring casts Heal on the possessor once per round on the wearer.

Yes, Heal.

It has no charges, and works as long as it is worn.

However, it also reduces the wearer's maximum hit points to 1/3 of their normal total. If the wearer removes the ring, their maximum increases to the normal amount, but their hitpoints remain at the reduced level.

Example: Bob the Barbarian has 99 hit points. He puts on the ring, and his maximum hit point and current hit points are reduced to 33. However, each round on his initiative his current hit points is returned to 33, and any stat damage or conditions are removed, as per the Heal spell.

If Bob the Barbarian then removes the ring, his maximum hit points return to 99, but his current hit points remains at 33.

 

[Zappo]

I've had my PCs find a magical armor once which gave the protection of a full plate but magically posed no encumbrance at all - thus giving no check penalty or arcane failure. However, every now and then it would "leak" magical power, dealing 1d6 damage of a random type on the owner. It was used by a Slaad (which has resistance 5 to everything).

 

[trentonjoe]

I gave out a magic longsword that was +3 or something but made the user speak ice toad (it was a 1E language I think). You could force te player ot spend his skillpoints on the language.

This would work on any skill. Of the top of my head I can think of:

The Carpenter's Hammer: +3 light warhammer that requires the owner to use 2 skill points per level on Profession (Carpentry)

Fisherman's Net: +1 Net of distance and returning but user must use 2 skill points per level on Profession (fishing)

Librarian's Glasses: Grants wearer +10 on spot and search checks and lowlight vision but wearer must use 2 skill points per level on Knowledge (History)

 

[Ferret]

Stab in the dark: This +3 Keen dagger silences all of it's dieing victims, and no mark is left and no blood is spilt. However all of the wounds and blood is left on the perpetrator. These wounds represent no damage, but still look realistic.

 

[Zappo]

Kyton-possessed spiked chain: this +2 spiked chain allow the owner to animate all chains within a radius of 3 meters, provided that they are at least 3 meters long. For the duration of 1 minute, these chains are considered dancing spiked chains wielded by the owner.