An Artifact to Build a Campaign Around...

[LadyIslay]

Hi...

I'm fishing for feedback on an artifact I've created. Basically, the PCs will discover each charm over time. I've tried to combine the Rod of Seven Parts and the Jewels of Neverwinter (from 2e).

At what level do you think the PCs should find the final charm? (Ie: what level is best suited to the entire artifact?)

The Fey Charms
Gifted to the fey before the coming of man by an unknown outsider, these gems were possessed by fey who served as guardians of the sea and air in the Sword Coast region. As the human population grew and the untouched natural world shrunk, the fey found themselves diminishing in power and numbers. The fey retreated, and the charms were eventually divided and lost.

The charms are a collection of precious stones, cut and polished and set so that they may be strung onto a necklace.

Each charm has the ability to:
Create food and water (1/day) (3)
Feather fall (automatically, whenever needed by stone or bearer) (1)
Teleport to any standing stone circle 1 / day
Trigger a special spell-like function once / day as listed:
Pearl - Cure Light Wounds (1)
Coral – Barkskin (2)
Garnet - Remove Disease (3)
Amethyst - Neutralize Poison (4)
Emerald – Restoration (4)
Diamond - True Seeing (5)
Sapphire – Raise Dead (6)

Any two charms used together have the ability to grant the wearer:
Water breathing at will (3)
Water walk at will (3)

Any three charms:
Gust of Wind 1/day (3)
Call Lightning 1/day (3)

Any four charms:
Sleet Storm 1/day (4)
Ice Storm 1/day (5)

Any five charms:
Control Water 1/day (4)
Control Winds 1/day (5)

Any six charms:
Cone of Cold 1/day (6)
Chain Lightning 1/day (6)

All seven charm:
Control Weather 1/day (7)
Whirlwind 1/day (8)
Elemental Swarm (Water) 1/day (9)

Cumulative Effects:
If one person wears all seven stones, they can use all of the above listed powers only each day.

All spell like abilities function as if they were cast by a 20th level cleric. Saving throw DCs are 17 + spell level. These spell-like functions are triggered by touch and mental command.

The charms are AC 19 with 70 hp; they shatter if reduced to zero or fewer hit points. Their saving throw vs. disintegration is 10. A charm randomly loses one of its powers for every 10 hp of current damage. Each charm regenerates one hp per day, regaining lost powers. This self-regeneration is the only way a gem can cured of damage; healing spells don't affect them.

Each jewel has a secret word engraved in tiny script on its surface. If this word is spoken by a being touching the stone, enough hit points are instantly drained from the stone to exhaust it entirely or to completely heal the being - whichever occurs first. A totally drained stone crumbles into dust, forever gone. It is not possible to control the drain so as to leave just a few hit points in a jewel.

 

[Steverooo]

Somewhere from 17th to 20th, maybe?

Not sure what the numbers in parenthesis after stones' descriptions means.

 

[LadyIslay]

oh...

That just refers to the cleric spell level. I put it in while I was writing it up so I could remember which spell level each of the features were.

 

[Steverooo]

Levels

Okay, with being able to cast Elemental Swarm, a ninth level spell, I'd say 17th level is just right. The whole artifact is pretty powerful, though, so you might hold off...

I'm surprised the stones are still around if they're so easy to destroy, however... Usually, Artifacts are TOUGH to destroy, requiring a massive quest! Your stones can be easily destroyed by being called upon to cure someone with 71+ HP of damage, or even with several mere melee attacks! I'd certainly change that!

What happens if a stone takes more than 70 HP in damage, and your Artifact is now no more? Are there multiples of each stone, somewhere? (I would assume not!)

9Edit: Typo!)

 

[LadyIslay]

I mistake from 2e convesion...

Apparently they are supposed to have an AC of 19 NOT 1. I think that makes them a little more difficult to destory. The AC & HP thing was out of a 2e FR book.

 

[Steverooo]

AC 19 at 17th level is nothing. A fighter who doesn't fumble can't fail to penetrate that. At 20th level, his minimum non-fumble will be 22, not including STR bonus.

I would remove the AC and HP, and just make the stones indestructible, except by one certain, specific, very difficult to accomplish method (like all 1e artifacts). Otherwise, your artifact could get destroyed, and then where would the quest be? (Or is that your intent?)