juliaromero
First Post
I posted something similar in the House Rules forum (and didn't get much reponse), but I guess it really is a rules issue too.
I want to create a new major artifact for a high level character, and wanted some advice on ways to limit it's power, while still keeping it very powerful. The character is between level 15 and 20 (and I'm even thinking of having some of the powers turn on as the character gains levels too).
Are there any guidelines at all for this? Or is it sort of "anything goes" with major artifacts?
This is for a dragonstar campaign and the item is a ranged energy weapon (intelligent).
I started with the intelligent item and special purpose guidelines, and then looked a little at the Staff of the Magi to get some ideas. But I'm still having trouble finding a good balance.
I want the weapon to have several different "fire modes", some of which would be similar to spells effects (like cone of cold).
I've been going back and forth on whether each effect should have a limite of uses per day, or the whole thing should have charges and then have some hard but not impossible way to recharge the item.
I mean, at those levels, it almost seems like no big deal anyway to allow a 15d6 cone of cold every round (DC 20 or so reflex) anyway, since they can do more damage in other ways fairly consistently, so that is one thing I am weighing. But I don't want it to be too free either.
I was thinking of it costing experience points to recharge. Something like 20 xp a charge. Possibly payable on the fly (though not all ablities use charges, like with the staff).
The Staff of the Magi though has a powerfully helpful way to recharge itself, though it has the major drawback of being really dangerous.
Anyway, any suggestions for guidlines on good ways to calculate something balanced would be appreciated. Either with xp costs, or with number of uses per days based around the number of different abilities or level equivalents or something like that.
I would hate to give him something that i regretted later and was then forced to find a way to reduce its power for balance.
I want to create a new major artifact for a high level character, and wanted some advice on ways to limit it's power, while still keeping it very powerful. The character is between level 15 and 20 (and I'm even thinking of having some of the powers turn on as the character gains levels too).
Are there any guidelines at all for this? Or is it sort of "anything goes" with major artifacts?
This is for a dragonstar campaign and the item is a ranged energy weapon (intelligent).
I started with the intelligent item and special purpose guidelines, and then looked a little at the Staff of the Magi to get some ideas. But I'm still having trouble finding a good balance.
I want the weapon to have several different "fire modes", some of which would be similar to spells effects (like cone of cold).
I've been going back and forth on whether each effect should have a limite of uses per day, or the whole thing should have charges and then have some hard but not impossible way to recharge the item.
I mean, at those levels, it almost seems like no big deal anyway to allow a 15d6 cone of cold every round (DC 20 or so reflex) anyway, since they can do more damage in other ways fairly consistently, so that is one thing I am weighing. But I don't want it to be too free either.
I was thinking of it costing experience points to recharge. Something like 20 xp a charge. Possibly payable on the fly (though not all ablities use charges, like with the staff).
The Staff of the Magi though has a powerfully helpful way to recharge itself, though it has the major drawback of being really dangerous.
Anyway, any suggestions for guidlines on good ways to calculate something balanced would be appreciated. Either with xp costs, or with number of uses per days based around the number of different abilities or level equivalents or something like that.
I would hate to give him something that i regretted later and was then forced to find a way to reduce its power for balance.
