Artifacts

[Plane Sailing]

4e's version of the One Ring would have the ability: teleport to Sauron, at will, ignore all anti-teleport effects.

The above is what the "move on" aspect of 4e artifacts is. Not a "slightly bend fate to eventually get you where you want to go", but rather a "poof, you are there" or at least a "poof, you are gone".

For some reason that I don't understand you are creating particular problems for yourself. Why are you doing that? Is there a particular reason for taking a concept and attempting to ramp it up to such a point that it becomes ludicrous?

You don't seem to be complaining about the 4e artifacts as much as complaining about the ridiculous things that a DM could do if he decided to be really whacky (which I submit is an issue with the DM much more than the 4e artifacts)

Regards

 

[jeffhartsell]

I make a distinction between artifacts, relics, and legendary items. Plus, we are seeing only the tip of the 4e iceberg. As a previous poster mentioned, artifacts are NPCs. They were not in 3e, but they were in editions prior. In 3e intelligent items were distinct from artifacts, although some artifacts were intelligent.

Anyway, I'm a GM fan of legendary items and artifacts. IMO a legendary item is just a powerful magic item with a cool story, and I'll probably use house rules to have them improve as a character levels.

But an artifact is intelligent and the focus of an adventure or quest more so than a legendary item. Maybe a campaign from 1-30 starts and ends with an artifact, but that is not a requirement and the 4e mechanics work for all cases. An artifact does not have to disappear if it works within the campaign framework. But if can if need be. Just like a NPC can disappear.

Note that artifacts are in the DMG and not the PHB. They are a tool of the DM, not items for all players.

 

[Plane Sailing]

How about making it apart of an epic destiny then?

Imagine maybe acquiring this artifact midway through the epic destiny, and then the final epic destiny quest thing could be to use that weapon to slay the BBEG. When that's done, it's over, the PC exits the campaign with his artifact and his legend makes him immortal.

That is a seriously cool idea!

 

[greyscale1]

I didn't feel like reading all the moaning, but I just thought I would include my compact 2cp.

Artifacts are now specifically a DM plot tool, the DMG includes some classic examples but basically says "use your imagination": THIS IS AWESOME.

Artifacts are now more than just slightly better than normal magic items: THIS IS AAAWESOME.

Artifacts can now be balanced for any level of play: hell yes!

All artifacts are sentient: Meh. But I think the spirit of the rule is more like 'all artifacts have a PURPOSE' which makes much more sense to me, and feels very appropriate.

Artifacts can be like cursed items if you use them in a manner contrary to their purpose: Whee

ARTIFACTS CAN FINALLY EMULATE THE ONE RING IN ITS ENTIRETY: DAAAAAAAMN YEAH!

 

[Spatula]

For the first time since I was 12, I might actually introduce an artifact into my campaign, once it converts to 4E, right in time for paragon and epic play.

One of the given artifacts is for heroic play, so you don't have to wait for paragon or epic levels. There's not really anything terribly edition-specific about the 4e artifact implementation, either.

The "artifact goes poof" thing doesn't sit terribly well with me; I prefer more subtle means of "moving on" (like with the One Ring) but I can see why they went that way. The subtle means usually involve theft or the bearer of the artifact dying, which is the sort of thing that annoys players. Although I like the crystal staff's method of exit in the DL books - the good item must be effectively sacrificed in order to fufill its goals.

The Hand & Eye of Vecna are chortle-with-glee-worthy. It's a shame no (experienced) player would be foolish enough to use such items.

 

[Spatula]

Having Vecna's hand and eye have power over me when I can hunt him down and dismember him

...wut?

 

[theNater]

I don't want artifacts to be normal magic items, but I certainly don't want them to be deus ex machinas, either.

This kind of struck me.

I was always of the impression that artifacts were little bits of godly(or, in rare cases, godlike) power given physical form. You don't get much more deus ex machina than that.

Or am I misunderstanding one of the relevant terms here?

 

[Mirtek]

Maybe you can't.

...wut?

Well, in 4e you can. It has been told several times by the designers that epic PCs are supposed to be able to fight and slay deities. They even gave two examples about their powerlevels (Orcus who is in the MM and Moradin who is not in the MM but his level has been mentioned by the designers)

As a lesser power he should not be that high beyond lvl 30. Moradin as a greater power is lvl 38 solo while Orcus as something akin to a lesser power is level 33 solo . So I would guess Vecna between lvl 32-34 solo

 

[hong]

Pah. The USS Enterprise could kick Vecna's ass, and his little dog too.

 

[Jack Colby]

If you have a problem with the new 4E artifacts, there's information on page 189 of the DMG that should help you out.