Advice on new major artifact

[juliaromero]

I'm designing a new major artifact for one of my high level characters. It's a weapon with a lot of variable magic effects, something close to a Staff of the Magi, which I am using as a power base.

I've didn't want to give the powers use per day limits since it didn't really fit the theme so well, and thought charges better. However, I want a way to recharge the charges, but not the same way as a staff. Something hard, but possible.

The best idea I came up with was experience points. So I wanted some suggestions on fair numbers. The character is level 15-20, and the item is very powerful. So I'm thinking 1000 xp to recharge all 50 charges. Possible allowing partial recharging with fractional payment (as opposed to having to wait until it's empty).

Thoughts, other suggestions?

 

[darthkilmor]

If its a weapon, maybe give it a kind of "favored enemy" and every enemy slain with it recharges X number of charges, where X is of course going to vary on how rare a creature it is.
if it was like say, a beholder, then maybe it restores 5d10 charges(or 50 charges straight up). if it was say, an elf, then only 1-2 charges. Or every say, 20 points of dmg dealt to said creature with the weapon restored a charge, in case they didnt get to deal the final blow but hurt it alot.

A party of 15-20lvl should have the means to hunt down just about anything on any plane, assuming they can actually kill it. Good little side questing, assuming you can get the rest of the group to do it.


wrt to exp points, lessee, 1000xp/50 chrages = 20 xp per charge. Is there a ritual involved?, or can they squeeze off 20 xp in a pinch, tada, got a charge, blammo!

Also you might consider letting it hold more than 50 charges if its a real PITA to charge up.

Alternatively, maybe make it have a little hole you have to pour say, diamond dust in to charge it up. or dragons blood, or tears of an angel, or whatever. something $$.

Could also make it perma-drain a couple HP from the char.

just a few ideas

 

[Shadeus]

Heh, this kind of reminds me of a sword my DM gave us in 1e. It was called Elfcleave and for every elven soul you killed, it allowed you to recharge its powers. The "recharge" was based on hit dice, so a higher level elf gave you more power.

We used a wish once to have Elfcleave be totally recharged and suddenly the elven army was pounding outside the castle. Not cool.